Control device and program

Abstract

To control a living environment according to the preference of a user while reducing time and effort of setting work of a control parameter by the user.SOLUTION: A setting notification unit configured to prompt a user of the building to set setting values of a plurality of control parameters of the equipment, an operation reception unit configured to receive an operation of setting the setting values, a storage control unit configured to store the setting values in a storage unit based on the received operation, and an equipment control unit configured to provide the stored setting values to the equipment as the control parameters.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a control device using a computer for controlling the living environment of a building (for example, a house) has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 084837 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-described conventional technology, the initial values ​​(also called default values ​​or factory default values) of the control parameters of the control device do not necessarily match the preferences of the building user (e.g., resident). For this reason, the user can set various control parameters when starting up the control device. However, as the number of control targets in the living environment increases, the number of control parameters also increases, which creates a problem in that setting them becomes cumbersome.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a control device that can control the living environment to suit the user's preferences while reducing the effort required for the user to set control parameters. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention is a control device that controls a living environment by providing control parameters to equipment that adjusts the living environment of a building, and is equipped with a setting notification unit that prompts users of the building to set setting values ​​for multiple control parameters of the equipment, an operation reception unit that receives operations to set the setting values, a memory control unit that stores the setting values ​​in a memory unit based on the received operation, and an equipment control unit that provides the stored setting values ​​as the control parameters to the equipment.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention is a program for causing a computer of a control device that controls the living environment of a building by providing control parameters to the equipment that adjusts the living environment of the building to prompt a user of the building to set setting values ​​for multiple control parameters of the equipment, accept an operation to set the setting values, store the setting values ​​in a memory unit based on the accepted operation, and provide the stored setting values ​​to the equipment as the control parameters. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this invention, it is possible to control the living environment to suit the user's preferences while reducing the effort required for the user to set control parameters. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a living environment control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a first setting screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a second setting screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a third setting screen of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a fourth setting screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a typhoon protection setting screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting confirmation screen according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first example of the flow of the control parameter setting operation of the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the flow of operations when the external environment changes in this embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the flow of the control parameter setting operation of the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third example of the flow of the control parameter setting operation of the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of control parameter setting information according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of operations of the living environment control system of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, the living environment control system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a living environment control system 1 of this embodiment. The living environment control system 1 of this embodiment includes a control device 10 and a terminal device 20.

[0011] The control device 10 is a computer device that controls the equipment 30 in the building 5. The control device 10 may be configured as a so-called HEMS (Home Energy Management System). The control device 10 includes a calculation unit 110 and a storage unit 150. The calculation unit 110 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), and operates based on programs and data stored in the storage unit 150 to provide various functions. The storage unit 150 includes a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor storage device or a hard disk drive device, and stores programs and data for the operation of the calculation unit 110.

[0012] The terminal device 20 is a computer device such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer used by a user (e.g., a resident) of the building 5. The terminal device 20 includes a display unit 21 such as a liquid crystal display, and an operation unit 22 such as a touch panel. The terminal device 20 also includes a terminal calculation unit 210 and a terminal storage unit 250. The terminal processing unit 210 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), and operates based on programs and data stored in the terminal storage unit 250 to provide various functions. The terminal storage unit 250 includes a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor storage device or a hard disk drive device, and stores programs and data for the terminal processing unit 210 to operate.

[0013] In the living environment control system 1 of this embodiment, some of the functions described as functions provided in the control device 10 may be provided in the terminal device 20.

[0014] The facility 30 includes various facilities for controlling the living environment of the building 5. As an example, the building 5 of this embodiment includes an air conditioning facility 31, a lighting facility 32, a shading facility 33, and a power storage facility 34. The equipment 30 also includes various equipment (including home appliances) that improves the convenience of daily life, such as housework, in the building 5. Examples include a washer / dryer, a gas water heater, an electric water heater / hot water heater, a vacuum cleaner, a household robot, a front door lock, and an intercom receiver.

[0015] The air conditioning equipment 31 includes, for example, an air conditioner device and a ventilation device. These air conditioning equipment 31 may be installed in each room of the building 5, or may be installed collectively for multiple rooms like a central air conditioner. The lighting fixtures 32 include, for example, ceiling lights and pendant lights in each room, handheld lighting devices, and lighting devices in the corridors. The shading equipment 33 includes, for example, electric curtains, electric blinds, electric shutters, etc. Note that these shading equipment 33 also function as shielding equipment to reduce damage to the building 5 during storms such as typhoons.

[0016] The power storage equipment 34 includes, for example, a storage battery and a power conditioner device. The power storage equipment 34 stores power received from the commercial power system and power generated by a solar panel (not shown), and supplies the stored power to the electrical appliances 4 used in the building 5. The power storage equipment 34 also functions as an emergency power source in the event of a power outage in the commercial power system.

[0017] That is, the facility 30 includes a power storage facility 34 that supplies stored power to the electrical appliances 4 in the building 5.

[0018] The control device 10 controls the living environment by providing control parameters 60 to equipment 30 that adjusts the living environment of the building 5.

[0019] There are various types of control parameters 60 for each type of equipment 30. For example, for air conditioning equipment 31, these include the set temperature for cooling or heating, set fan speed, cooling or heating intensity, set temperature and humidity for dehumidification, operation start time, operation end time, operation duration, power consumption, and upper limit of power consumption, or a combination thereof. For lighting equipment 32, these include the brightness of lighting, color temperature, and time of turning on or off the lights, or a combination thereof. For shading equipment 33, these include the opening / closing operation, the state of opening / closing, the time of opening / closing, and the degree of opening / closing, or a combination thereof. The degree of opening / closing of shading equipment 33 refers to the opening and angle of electric blinds, the opening degree of electric shutters, the opening degree of electric curtains, etc. For power storage equipment 34, these include the start condition for charging, upper and lower limits of charging / discharging, the lower limit of the amount of stored power (also referred to as the lower limit threshold TL), and the charging / discharging method (operation mode, such as whether to prioritize charging or discharging (power supply)), or a combination thereof.

[0020] Note that the control parameters 60 exclude those that do not directly affect the control of the equipment 30, such as a request to set the current time on a clock when replacing the battery in a remote control device or a request to set an upper limit on the electricity cost. The control parameters 60 are parameters that affect the operation of the equipment 30 itself, such as the time to start operation of the equipment 30, the upper limit on the electricity cost that suppresses operation, or the set room temperature and set wind speed.

[0021] The control parameters 60 are generated by the control device 10 based on the user's wishes. The control device 10 acquires the user's wishes based on the user's operations on the setting items displayed on the display unit 21 of the terminal device 20. An example of the setting items displayed on the display unit 21 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

[0022] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the first setting screen P1 of this embodiment. The first setting screen P1 includes a wake-up time zone setting field P11 and a bedtime time zone setting field P12. The wake-up time zone setting field P11 is a field for selecting the user's daily wake-up time zone. The wake-up time zone setting field P11 includes selection operation images for when the wake-up time zone is early morning (between 6:00 and 8:00), morning (between 8:00 and 10:00), or other time zones. The bedtime setting field P12 is a field for selecting the user's daily bedtime. The bedtime setting field P12 includes selection operation images for when the bedtime is night (between 10 PM and midnight), late night (between midnight and midnight), or other time periods.

[0023] When the terminal device 20 detects an operation by the user on the first setting screen P1, the terminal device 20 transmits to the control device 10 operation information indicating which operation image has been operated. Based on an operation on the first setting screen P1, the control device 10 sets the time period during which the equipment 30 is to operate as the control parameter 60. For example, there is a case where the shading equipment 33 is set to an operation mode in which it opens in accordance with the wake-up time period of the user. In this case, the control device 10 outputs the control parameter 60 for opening the shading equipment 33 to the shading equipment 33 based on the setting of the wake-up time period of the user. The control device 10 may perform control such as starting air conditioning by the air conditioning equipment 31, changing the set room temperature, and changing the wind speed and direction based on the setting of the user's wake-up time zone.

[0024] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the second setting screen P2 of this embodiment. The second setting screen P2 includes a holiday setting field P21. The holiday setting field P21 includes a selection operation image for when the user is, for example, a worker or a student, and has holidays on specific days of the week.

[0025] When the terminal device 20 detects an operation by the user on the second setting screen P2, the terminal device 20 transmits to the control device 10 operation information indicating which operation image has been operated. Based on operations on the second setting screen P2, the control device 10 sets the operation time period of the equipment 30 as control parameters 60, varying for each day of the week (i.e., depending on whether the day is a user's holiday or not). For example, an operation mode may be set such that the air conditioning equipment 31 operates all day on the user's holiday and operates only during the time period when the user is at home on days other than holidays. In this case, the control device 10 outputs the control parameters 60 to the air conditioning equipment 31 to control the operation of the air conditioning equipment 31, based on the setting of the days of the week on which the user's holiday falls.

[0026] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the third setting screen P3 of this embodiment. The third setting screen P3 includes a summer living environment setting field P31 and a winter living environment setting field P32.

[0027] The summer living environment setting field P31 includes a summer cooling period setting field P311, a summer cooling temperature setting field P312, and a summer lighting setting field P313. The summer cooling period setting field P311 includes a selection operation image for the period in summer when the user wants to stay cool. The summer cooling temperature setting field P312 is a field for setting the room temperature desired by the user in summer. The summer lighting setting field P313 is a field for setting the room brightness desired by the user in summer. The summer living environment setting field P31 may include a selection operation image (not shown) for collectively selecting the contents to be set in the summer cooling period setting field P311, the summer cooling temperature setting field P312, and the summer lighting setting field P313. For example, Question: Do you like it cool? Do you dislike the cold? Settings: Likes cool (air conditioning enabled from June, room temperature set to 26°C, high color temperature lighting (pale white)), dislikes cold (air conditioning enabled from July, room temperature set to 28°C, low color temperature lighting (warm)) And so on.

[0028] The winter living environment setting field P32 includes a winter cooling period setting field P321, a winter cooling temperature setting field P322, and a winter lighting setting field P323. The winter cooling period setting field P321 includes a selection operation image for the period in winter when the user wants to stay warm. The winter cooling temperature setting field P322 is a field for setting the room temperature desired by the user in winter.The winter lighting setting field P323 is a field for setting the room brightness desired by the user in winter.

[0029] When the terminal device 20 detects an operation by the user on the third setting screen P3, the terminal device 20 transmits to the control device 10 operation information indicating which operation image has been operated. Based on the operation on the third setting screen P3, the control device 10 sets the operating conditions of the air conditioning equipment 31, the lighting equipment 32, and the shading equipment 33 as control parameters 60. For example, when the room temperature is set to 24°C and the room brightness is set to be bright in summer, the control device 10 outputs the control parameters 60 for controlling the operation of the air conditioning equipment 31, the lighting equipment 32, and the shading equipment 33 to each equipment 30.

[0030] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the fourth setting screen P4 of this embodiment. The fourth setting screen P4 includes a lifestyle setting field P41 and a room-specific custom setting field P42. The lifestyle setting field P41 includes an image for selecting the user's lifestyle concept. Lifestyle concepts include, for example, a type that prioritizes comfort over energy conservation to a certain extent, a type that prioritizes energy conservation over comfort to a certain extent, and a balanced type between these two.

[0031] When the terminal device 20 detects a user's operation on the lifestyle setting field P41, it transmits operation information indicating which operation image was operated to the control device 10. If the user's lifestyle is a type that prioritizes comfort, the control device 10 actively operates the equipment 30 in response to the state of the external environment of the building 5 (changes in the external environment) so as to make the living environment comfortable. If the user's lifestyle is a type that prioritizes energy conservation, the control device 10 does not actively operate the equipment 30 in response to the state of the external environment of the building 5 (changes in the external environment) so as to improve energy conservation, but continues normal operation or stops the operation of the equipment 30 as necessary.

[0032] The room-by-room custom setting field P42 includes a selection operation image for selecting whether to set the same settings for all rooms in the building 5 or to set settings for each room individually. The memory unit 150 stores in advance the configuration of the rooms in the building 5 and the configuration of the equipment 30. When individual settings for each room are selected, the control device 10 causes the display unit 21 to display a screen for setting the above-mentioned room temperature, brightness, etc. for each room, based on the configuration of the building 5 stored in the memory unit 150.

[0033] The storage unit 150 may store the type and construction method of the building (for example, conventional wooden construction, SRC construction, etc.), thermal insulation performance, heat blocking performance against solar radiation, etc. The control device 10 may adjust the strength of control of the facility 30 based on the type, construction method, performance, etc. of the building. The memory unit 150 may also store the composition (for example, family composition) and ages of the residents of the building 5. The sensitivity to room temperature may change depending on the number and ages of the residents of the building 5. The control device 10 may adjust the strength of control of the facility 30 based on the composition and ages of the residents of the building 5.

[0034] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the typhoon protection setting screen P5 of this embodiment. The typhoon protection setting screen P5 includes a typhoon protection setting field P51, a typhoon shielding setting field P511, and a typhoon charging mode setting field P512. The typhoon protection setting field P51 includes a selection operation image for the user to select whether or not the user desires protection from a typhoon. If the user selects that he or she desires protection from a typhoon, a typhoon shielding setting field P511 and a typhoon charging mode setting field P512 are displayed on the display unit 21. The typhoon shielding setting field P511 includes a selection operation image for whether or not to close shading equipment 33 such as electric shutters or electric blinds when weather information is received indicating that a typhoon is approaching the area where building 5 is located. The typhoon charge mode setting field P512 includes a selection operation image for selecting whether or not to place the power storage equipment 34 in charge mode when weather information is received indicating that a typhoon is approaching the area where the building 5 is located. The charge mode of the power storage equipment 34 is an operation mode in which discharge from the power storage equipment 34 (for example, power supply from the power storage equipment 34 to the electrical devices 4 in the building 5) is stopped, or the power storage equipment 34 is actively charged before a power outage occurs in the commercial power grid.

[0035] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a setting confirmation screen P6 of this embodiment. The setting confirmation screen P6 includes a setting change button P61. The setting change button P61 is an operation image that is operated when individually changing the contents set on each of the setting screens described above.

[0036] The control device 10 of this embodiment does not present the above-mentioned setting screens to the user all at once when the user starts using the living environment control system 1 in the building 5, but presents them at timings as needed. According to the residential environment control system 1 configured in this manner, the user's workload can be reduced compared to when various control parameters 60 must be initially set when the residential environment control system 1 is first used.

[0037] In the description of this embodiment, of the multiple types of control parameters 60, the control parameter 60 whose time to be set has arrived is also referred to as the first parameter 61. Furthermore, after the first parameter 61 is set, the next control parameter 60 whose time to be set has arrived is also referred to as the second parameter 62. Hereinafter, the control parameters 60 whose time to be set has arrived are successively referred to as the third parameter 63, ..., the nth parameter 6n (n is a natural number).

[0038] Returning to FIG. 1, the calculation unit 110 of the control device 10 includes a setting notification unit 111, an operation reception unit 112, a storage control unit 113, and an equipment control unit 114 as its functional units.

[0039] The setting notification unit 111 prompts the user of the building 5 to set the setting value of the first parameter 61, which is one of the control parameters 60 of the equipment 30. The operation receiving unit 112 receives an operation to set the setting value of the first parameter 61 . The storage control unit 113 stores the setting value of the first parameter 61 in the storage unit 150 based on the accepted operation. The equipment control unit 114 provides the equipment 30 with control parameters 60 based on the setting values ​​of the stored first parameters 61 .

[0040] An example of the flow of operations performed by each functional unit of the control device 10 will be described below with reference to FIG. 8 and subsequent figures.

[0041] [(1) Setting control parameters for approaching typhoons] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a first example of the flow of the operation for setting the control parameters 60 in this embodiment. (Step S101) The setting notification unit 111 determines whether or not the typhoon season (for example, August to October in Japan) has arrived for the first time since the residential environment control system 1 was installed in the building 5. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the typhoon season has not arrived (step S101; NO), the setting notification unit 111 returns the process to step S101. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the typhoon season has arrived (step S101; YES), the process proceeds to step S102.

[0042] (Step S102) The setting notification unit 111 notifies the terminal device 20 that it is time to set the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34. The terminal device 20 displays on the display unit 21 the typhoon protection setting screen P5 described above.

[0043] That is, the setting notification unit 111 prompts the user of the building 5 to set the setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the power storage facility 34 among the plurality of control parameters 60 of the facility 30. The user operates the typhoon protection setting screen P5 displayed on the display unit 21 to set the operation mode of the power storage facility 34 and the operation mode of the shading facility 33.

[0044] The operation reception unit 112 receives an operation for setting a setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the power storage equipment . The memory control unit 113 stores in the memory unit 150 the setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the power storage equipment 34 (that is, whether or not to switch to the charging mode when a typhoon is approaching) based on the accepted operation.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of operations when the external environment changes in this embodiment. (Step S103) The information acquisition unit 117 acquires information relating to changes in the external environmental conditions of the building 5. The information relating to changes in the external environmental conditions of the building 5 includes, for example, weather information (for example, weather advisories, weather warnings, and emergency weather warnings) issued by weather forecasting organizations or weather forecasting companies. In one example of this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 117 determines whether or not there is information about an approaching typhoon. If the information acquisition unit 117 determines that there is no typhoon approaching information (step S103; NO), it returns to step S103 and continues the processing. If the information acquisition unit 117 determines that typhoon approaching information has been received (step S103; YES), it proceeds to step S104.

[0046] In addition, the information acquisition unit 117 performs the following in the above-mentioned step S103: (1) Whether a strong wind warning has been issued for the area where the building is located. (2) Whether a storm warning was issued in the area where the building is located or in an area within a specified distance or direction from the area. The change in the external environment may be determined by: This information can also be said to indicate predicted changes. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 117 may change the determination criteria depending on the region where the building 5 is located. For example, in Okinawa, the shutters are closed even when there is a strong wind warning or a storm warning, but in Tokyo, the shutters are closed only when there is a storm warning, and there may be differences in regional characteristics. Also, near mountains, rivers, and the sea where winds tend to get strong, the shutters are closed when there is a strong wind warning, but in urban areas, the shutters are closed only when there is a storm warning, and there may be differences in regional characteristics. The information acquisition unit 117 may be configured to determine whether to proceed to step S104 using determination criteria according to the region characteristics where the building 5 is located.

[0047] (Step S104) The equipment control unit 114 acquires from the storage unit 150 the setting value of the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34 that was set in step S102 described above.

[0048] (Step S105) The equipment control unit 114 determines whether the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34 is set to the charging mode when a typhoon approaches (for example, whether it is the safety-oriented mode or the economy-oriented mode). If the setting is to switch to the charging mode when a typhoon approaches (safety-oriented mode; Step S104; YES), the equipment control unit 114 proceeds to step S106. If the setting is not to switch to the charging mode when a typhoon approaches, for example, if the setting is the energy-saving control mode in which power is discharged as appropriate even when a typhoon approaches (economy-oriented mode; Step S104; NO), the equipment control unit 114 proceeds to step S107.

[0049] (Step S106) Based on the setting information acquired from the storage unit 150, the equipment control unit 114 sets the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34 to a charging mode in which discharge from the power storage equipment 34 is suppressed.

[0050] (Step S107) The equipment control unit 114 sets the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34 to the energy saving mode.

[0051] That is, the equipment control unit 114 provides the equipment 30 with the control parameters 60 based on the stored setting value (charging mode or energy saving mode) of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the power storage equipment .

[0052] As an example, if the living environment control system 1 is installed in the building 5 in April, the typhoon season has not yet arrived in April. The living environment control system 1 configured as described above prompts the user to set the operation mode of the power storage facility 34 after a certain period of time (for example, four months from April to August) has elapsed since the living environment control system 1 was installed in the building 5. That is, the residential environment control system 1 does not present the above-mentioned setting screens to the user all at once when the residential environment control system 1 in the building 5 starts to be used, but presents them at timings according to need.

[0053] In other words, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the setting notification unit 111 prompts the user of the building 5 to set the setting value of the first parameter 61. Here, the predetermined condition is, for example, a condition based on a calendar such as a predetermined season, a predetermined month, or a predetermined date, or a condition based on the operation of the equipment such as the first operation. The setting notification unit 111 may use the following conditions as the above-mentioned predetermined conditions. - At a designated time Timer setting time - The external environment of Building 5 (for example, when the outdoor temperature exceeds 20°C for more than 100 hours since January 1 of the current year) The internal environment of Building 5 (for example, when the number of times (1 time / 30 minutes) that the room temperature has exceeded 30°C since January 1 of the current year has exceeded 10 times) Notifications of settings related to other control parameters (for example, notifications of cooling and room temperature settings triggered by the fact that a notification of the cooling usage time period setting has already been issued) User status (e.g., activity information obtained from a smartphone or smartwatch, such as when you went to bed or woke up, and biological information such as blood pressure and body temperature) The user's location (for example, an outdoor location detected by GPS, or an indoor location detected by a motion sensor or bathing sensor in the home) Remind (For example, if the notification is not set within three days after the last notification was issued, it will be notified again three days later. Re-notification will be repeated up to two times.) Combinations of the above conditions (for example, between July 1st and September 30th (calendar), when the room temperature is below 28°C and the humidity is at least 70% (internal environment), and the number of times the air conditioner is turned on becomes a multiple of five (equipment operation), 10 minutes later (timer condition). A notification is issued to prompt a change in the dehumidification operation settings.)

[0054] The setting notification unit 111 may set the above-mentioned predetermined condition. For example, the setting notification unit 111 may be configured to prompt a user of the building 5 to set a setting value of the first parameter for at least one of the external environment and the internal environment of the building 5 and the state of the equipment.

[0055] In the above, an example has been described in which the operation mode of the power storage equipment 34 that stores the electricity generated by the solar cell panel (not shown), that is, the operation mode in the coordinated operation between the solar cell panel (not shown) and the power storage equipment 34, is controlled, but this is not limited to this. For example, the equipment control unit 114 may control the operation mode in the coordinated operation of the air conditioning equipment 31 and the shading equipment 33. In this example, in the above-mentioned step S105, the equipment control unit 114 determines whether the operating mode in the coordinated operation of the air conditioning equipment 31 and the shading equipment 33 is the economy-oriented mode or the comfort-oriented mode. If the operating mode is the economy-oriented mode, the equipment control unit 114 controls the air conditioning equipment 31 and the shading equipment 33 so as to allow insolation to enter while providing heating, for example, during the heating season. If the operating mode is the comfort-oriented mode, the equipment control unit 114 controls the air conditioning equipment 31 and the shading equipment 33 so as to allow insolation to enter while providing heating (for example, to prevent the temperature from rising to an uncomfortable level) on a relatively hot day during the heating season, for example.

[0056] That is, based on the setting information acquired from the storage unit 150, the equipment control unit 114 sets the operation mode of the equipment in the building 5 to an operation mode corresponding to the setting information.

[0057] According to the residential environment control system 1 configured in this manner, the user's workload can be reduced compared to when various control parameters 60 must be initially set when the residential environment control system 1 is first used.

[0058] The approach of a typhoon as described above is an example of a change in the external environmental conditions of the building 5. The living environment control system 1 may change the control parameters 60 based on weather information such as strong winds, heavy rain, heavy snow, floods, abnormally dry, abnormally high temperatures, and abnormally low temperatures, in addition to the approach of a typhoon. Furthermore, the living environment control system 1 may change the control parameters 60 in stages according to the level of weather information (for example, weather advisory, weather warning, special weather warning).

[0059] [(2) Setting after a specified time has elapsed after the equipment has started operating] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second example of the flow of the operation for setting the control parameters 60 in this embodiment. (Step S201) The setting notification unit 111 determines whether a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) has elapsed since the lighting equipment 32 was turned on for the first time after the residential environment control system 1 was installed in the building 5. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the lighting equipment 32 was first turned on (step S201; NO), the process returns to step S201 and continues. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the predetermined time has elapsed since the lighting equipment 32 was first turned on (step S201; YES), the process proceeds to step S202.

[0060] (Step S202) The setting notification unit 111 notifies the terminal device 20 that it is time to set the operation mode of the lighting equipment 32. Various operation modes can be set for the lighting equipment 32 by combining, for example, the brightness (dimming), color tone, and color temperature (color adjustment) of the lighting equipment 32. It is also possible to combine the operation mode of the lighting equipment 32 with the operation mode of the shading equipment 33 to change the lighting atmosphere inside the building 5.

[0061] That is, the setting notification unit 111 prompts the user of the building 5 to set the setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the lighting equipment 32 among the plurality of control parameters 60 of the equipment 30. The user operates a setting screen (not shown) displayed on the display unit 21 to set the operation mode of the lighting equipment 32.

[0062] The operation reception unit 112 receives an operation for setting a setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the power storage equipment . The storage control unit 113 stores the setting value of the operation mode (first parameter 61) of the lighting equipment 32 in the storage unit 150 based on the accepted operation.

[0063] That is, the residential environment control system 1 does not present the above-mentioned setting screens to the user all at once when the residential environment control system 1 in the building 5 starts to be used, but presents them at timings according to need. According to the residential environment control system 1 configured in this manner, the user's workload can be reduced compared to when various control parameters 60 must be initially set when the residential environment control system 1 is first used.

[0064] Note that the setting of the control parameters 60 after the lighting equipment 32 is turned on for the first time as described above is one example and is not limited to this. The living environment control system 1 may also be configured to prompt the users of the building 5 to set the control parameters 60 for the air conditioning equipment 31, the shading equipment 33, and the power storage equipment 34 after their initial operation (or at a predetermined frequency such as several times a year).

[0065] [(3) Seasonal Settings] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third example of the flow of the operation for setting the control parameters 60 in this embodiment. (Step S301) The setting notification unit 111 determines whether or not use of the living environment control system 1 has started for the first time since the living environment control system 1 was installed in the building 5. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that use of the living environment control system 1 has not started since the installation of the living environment control system 1 (step S301; NO), the process returns to step S301 and continues. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that use of the living environment control system 1 has started for the first time (step S301; YES), the process proceeds to step S302.

[0066] (Step S302) The setting notification unit 111 notifies the terminal device 20 that it is time to set the first parameter 61. An example of the first parameter 61 is shown in FIG.

[0067] 12 is a diagram showing an example of the control parameter setting information 151 of this embodiment. The control parameter setting information 151 stores control parameters 60 for each piece of equipment 30, such as air conditioning equipment 31, lighting equipment 32, and shading equipment 33, in association with the setting timing. This figure shows an example of the control parameter setting information 151 when the residential environment control system 1 is put into use in the spring of a certain year (for example, April in Japan).

[0068] In this example, the first parameter 61 is set when the residential environment control system 1 starts to be used. The second parameter 62 is set when the first summer arrives (e.g., June in Japan) after the residential environment control system 1 starts to be used. The third parameter 63 is set when the first winter arrives (e.g., October in Japan) after the residential environment control system 1 starts to be used.

[0069] Of the control parameters 60 stored in the control parameter setting information 151, the control parameters 60 for the air conditioning equipment 31 will be described. The control parameter setting information 151 stores setting information on whether to prioritize comfort or energy conservation as a first parameter 61 of the air conditioning equipment 31. The setting information on whether to prioritize comfort or energy conservation is the control parameter 60 set in the lifestyle setting field P41 described above. The control parameter setting information 151 stores the cooling temperature in summer as the second parameter 62 of the air conditioning equipment 31. The cooling temperature in summer is the control parameter 60 set in the summer cooling temperature setting field P312 described above. The control parameter setting information 151 stores the heating temperature in winter as the third parameter 63 of the air conditioning equipment 31. The heating temperature in winter is the control parameter 60 set in the winter cooling temperature setting field P322 described above.

[0070] The control parameter setting information 151 also stores a first parameter 61, a second parameter 62, and a third parameter 63 for other equipment 30 (for example, lighting equipment 32 and shading equipment 33) in association with the respective setting timings.

[0071] (Step S303) Returning to FIG. 10, the equipment control unit 114 controls each equipment 30 based on the setting value of the first parameter 61.

[0072] (Step S304) The setting notification unit 111 determines whether or not the first summer has arrived after starting use of the living environment control system 1. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the first summer has arrived (step S304; YES), the process proceeds to step S305.

[0073] (Step S305) The setting notification unit 111 notifies the terminal device 20 that the timing for setting the second parameter 62 has arrived. The user operates the setting screen displayed on the display unit 21 to set the second parameters 62 .

[0074] (Step S306) The setting notification unit 111 determines whether or not the first winter has arrived since the start of use of the living environment control system 1. If the setting notification unit 111 determines that the first winter has arrived (step S306; YES), the process proceeds to step S307.

[0075] (Step S307) The setting notification unit 111 notifies the terminal device 20 that the timing for setting the third parameter 63 has arrived. The user operates the setting screen displayed on the display unit 21 to set the third parameter 63.

[0076] Here, the arrival of summer and winter can be said to be changes in the external environmental conditions of the building 5. In other words, the setting notification unit 111 prompts the user to set the setting value of a control parameter 60 (i.e., the second parameter 62 or the third parameter 63) other than the first parameter 61 that has already been set by operation among the multiple control parameters 60 of the equipment 30, in accordance with changes in the external environmental conditions of the building 5. The operation receiving unit 112 receives an operation to set the setting value of the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63). The storage control unit 113 stores the set value of the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63) in the storage unit 150 based on the accepted operation. The equipment control unit 114 provides at least one of the stored setting values ​​of the first parameter 61 and the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63) to the equipment 30 as the control parameters 60.

[0077] That is, the residential environment control system 1 does not present the above-mentioned setting screens to the user all at once when the residential environment control system 1 in the building 5 starts to be used, but presents them at timings according to need. According to the residential environment control system 1 configured in this manner, the user's workload can be reduced compared to when various control parameters 60 must be initially set when the residential environment control system 1 is first used.

[0078] (Step S308) The question presenting unit 115 determines whether it is time to present a question 70 to the user. The question 70 is information that the control device 10 presents on the display unit 21 of the terminal device 20 in order to obtain from the user the user's evaluation and requests regarding the living environment of the building 5 (e.g., giving priority to a comfortable room temperature, emphasizing energy efficiency, preferring a bright environment, prioritizing ensuring privacy from the outside, etc.). The question 70 includes a question about the results of control of the equipment 30 using the control parameters 60 set in the above-described procedure. For example, question 70 includes questions such as whether the room temperature set by the air conditioning equipment 31 operating based on the control parameters 60 is appropriate for the user, and if not, what would be a more appropriate temperature. Question 70 can also be considered a questionnaire regarding the control results of facility 30 by living environment control system 1. Question 70 includes questions about the daily schedules of the residents of Building 5 (including cases where there are multiple residents), as well as their habits and behavioral tendencies (times they go out and come home, dislike mornings, whether they forget things, etc.).

[0079] If the question presenter 115 determines that the time has come to present the question 70 to the user (step S308; YES), the process proceeds to step S309.

[0080] (Step S309) The question presenter 115 transmits the question 70 to the terminal device 20. The terminal device 20 displays a screen (not shown) of the question 70 on the display unit 21.

[0081] That is, the question presenting unit 115 presents a question 70 to the user about the living environment of the building 5 according to the result of control of the equipment 30 by the control parameters 60 provided by the equipment control unit 114.

[0082] The user operates the terminal device 20 to input an answer 80 to the question 70. The terminal device 20 transmits the input answer 80 to the control device 10.

[0083] (Step S310) The answer receiving unit 116 receives the user's answer 80 to the question 70. This answer 80 includes the user's desire to lower the room temperature by about 1°C in summer, for example.

[0084] (Step S311) The memory control unit 113 reflects the contents of the response 80 in the control parameter setting information 151 stored in the memory unit 150. The equipment control unit 114 provides the equipment 30 with the control parameters 60 whose setting values ​​have been changed based on the response 80.

[0085] According to the living environment control system 1 configured as described above, the facility 30 can be controlled in accordance with the wishes of the building 5 users.

[0086] The frequency of the questions 70 may be set to be high shortly after the start of use of the living environment control system 1, and low after some time has passed since the start of use. Also, the frequency of question 70 is - Period since moving in (high frequency for a while after moving in, then low frequency after a while) Accounts (high frequency for primary accounts called parent accounts, low frequency for secondary accounts called child accounts) High frequency for accounts that operate the device frequently, and low frequency for accounts that operate the device less frequently It may be determined by the following. It should be noted that the term "account" refers to identification information that identifies a user of the living environment control system 1 (for example, information linked to a user ID assigned to each user of the living environment control system 1).

[0087] Furthermore, although the control device 10 has been described as changing the setting value of the control parameter 60 in response to a single response 80, this is not limiting. The control device 10 may change the setting value of the control parameter 60 when multiple responses 80 that change the living environment are received from the user.

[0088] In the above example, the control device 10 has been described as urging the user to set the setting value of the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63) on a predetermined schedule, but this is not limiting. The control device 10 may be configured to urge the user to set the setting value of the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63) based on the detection results of living environment sensors (not shown), such as a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor, installed in the building 5.

[0089] Furthermore, depending on the type of control parameter 60, the control device 10 may be configured to prompt the user to set the setting value of the second parameter 62 (or the third parameter 63) approximately once every several years.

[0090] Furthermore, the answers 80 to the questions 70 may include answers that are reflected in the setting values ​​of the control parameters 60 that control the equipment 30 in the building 5 and answers that are not reflected in the setting values. Of the answers 80, the answer that is reflected in the setting values ​​of the control parameters 60 is also referred to as a first answer 81. Of the answers 80, the answer that is not reflected in the setting values ​​of the control parameters 60 is also referred to as a second answer 82.

[0091] That is, the response 80 includes a first response 81 that is reflected in the setting value of the control parameter 60 that controls the equipment 30 of the building 5, and a second response 82 that is not reflected in the setting value of the control parameter 60.

[0092] For example, among the residents of building 5, the response 80 of a specific resident (e.g., the head of household) may be reflected in the setting value of control parameter 60 as a first response 81, while the responses 80 of other residents may not be reflected in the setting value of control parameter 60 as a second response 82.

[0093] The second response 82 may be collected by the living environment control system 1 as big data 9. An embodiment in which the living environment control system 1 collects the second response 82 as big data 9 will be described as a second embodiment.

[0094] [Second embodiment] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of operations of the living environment control system 1 of the second embodiment. (Step S401) The response receiving unit 116 of the control device 10 receives the response 80 and accepts the received response 80. As described above, the response 80 includes the second response 82 (i.e., the response 80 that is not reflected in the setting value of the control parameter 60). The response receiving unit 116 receives responses 80 from users of multiple buildings 5. In other words, the responses 80 received by the response receiving unit 116 are obtained from multiple buildings 5 ​​in multiple regions, and can be used as big data 9.

[0095] As an example, big data 9 includes the following data: (1) Housing Information Address of residence, insulation rating, presence and type of equipment such as air conditioning and external blinds (2) Resident information Family structure, age, gender (3) Living Information Wake-up time, bedtime, time to go out, time to come home, meal time, bath time, illuminance just before turning on the lights, illuminance just before turning off the lights, room temperature and humidity just before turning on the air conditioning, room temperature and humidity just before turning off the air conditioning (4) Consumer Subjectivity Thermal environment comfort (hot, cold, cool, warm) and the thermal environment at that time, light environment comfort (glare, darkness, warm, cold, relaxation) and the light environment at that time, (5) Consumer preferences Degree of emphasis on comfort, degree of emphasis on economy, degree of emphasis on safety, degree of desire for quantity of communication, degree of emphasis on minimal effort

[0096] (Step S402) The control device 10 generates the big data 9 based on the answer 80 (particularly, the second answer 82) received by the answer receiving unit 116.

[0097] (Step S403) The control device 10 performs known classification processing (also called clustering processing or grouping processing) on ​​the generated big data 9 based on various viewpoints. As a result, the big data 9 can be classified by the region where the building 5 is located, by family structure, by age of residents, etc. For example, when the big data 9 is classified by region, trends in user preferences are extracted based on the characteristics of the external environment of each region, such as temperature change, hours of sunlight, wind direction and wind force.

[0098] (Step S404) The control device 10 generates initial values ​​of the control parameters 60 (for example, initial settings at the time of shipping the control device 10 from the factory) based on the extracted tendency of the user's desires.

[0099] As an example, let us say that when the information of many households is grouped by "living on the Pacific coast" based on the housing information mentioned above, among the various types of information contained in Big Data9, the following trends emerge. (Trend 1) When the forecast for the time the typhoon will make landfall in the same prefecture and neighboring prefectures the following day is announced on the news, the following behaviors occur at a rate greater than a specified rate immediately after that announcement and throughout the day. 1A: Close electric shutters and external blinds regardless of the time of day. 1B: Put the battery into storage priority mode regardless of the weather.

[0100] When the above-mentioned (Trend 1) appears, the above-mentioned settings of "1A" and "1B" are set as initial values ​​for new buildings 5 ​​(e.g., houses) that are included in the same housing information group as the housing information that shows the trend of (Trend 1).

[0101] As another example, suppose that after using all of the housing information, resident information, lifestyle information, consumer subjectivity, and consumer preferences for clustering (or grouping), the results are divided into the following two clusters (or groups).

[0102] (Cluster C1) Housing information is "urban area, highly airtight and insulated house", resident information is "one man in his 30s, one woman in her 30s", lifestyle information is "early to bed, early to rise type", resident subjective opinion is "not particularly dissatisfied with heat or glare", and resident preference is "comfort is the top priority". (Cluster C2) Housing information is "suburban, large area, large openings", resident information is "men and women in their 70s, men and women in their 40s, teenage girls", lifestyle information is "late to bed, early to rise type", consumer subjectivity is "put up with heat and cold at first", consumer preference is "saving money is the top priority".

[0103] If a newly constructed building 5 (for example, a house) is included in cluster C1, the setting value that is most likely to be set in buildings 5 ​​included in cluster C1 is set as the initial value.

[0104] That is, in this embodiment, the initial value of the setting value of the control parameter 60 is obtained by classifying (e.g., clustering or grouping) the big data 9, which is a collection of at least one of the first responses 81 and the second responses 82 collected from multiple buildings 5.

[0105] According to the living environment control system 1 configured in this manner, the responses 80 from users can be reflected in the control of the living environment of each building 5 as described in the first embodiment, and initial values ​​that are more suitable for a certain area or a certain family structure can also be set in the control device 10.

[0106] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The configurations described in the above-described embodiments may be combined.

[0107] Each unit included in each device in the above-described embodiments may be realized by dedicated hardware, or may be realized by a memory and a microprocessor.

[0108] In addition, each part of each device may be composed of a memory and a CPU (central processing unit), and the functions of each part of each device may be realized by loading a program into memory and executing it.

[0109] In addition, a program for realizing the functions of each unit of each device may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to perform processing by each unit of the control unit. Note that the term "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices.

[0110] Furthermore, if a WWW system is used, the "computer system" also includes the homepage provision environment (or display environment). "Computer-readable recording media" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" also includes devices that dynamically store programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines used when transmitting programs over networks like the Internet or over communication lines like telephone lines, and devices that store programs for a fixed period of time, such as volatile memory within computer systems that serve as servers or clients. Furthermore, the programs may be programs that implement some of the aforementioned functions, or may be programs that can realize the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already stored in the computer system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1...living environment control system, 10...control device, 20...terminal device, 111...setting notification unit, 112...operation reception unit, 113...storage control unit, 114...equipment control unit, 115...question presentation unit, 116...answer reception unit, 117...information acquisition unit, 150...storage unit, 151...control parameter setting information

Claims

1. A control device that controls a living environment by providing control parameters to equipment that adjusts the living environment of a building, a setting notification unit that prompts a user of the building to set setting values ​​of a plurality of control parameters of the equipment; an operation receiving unit that receives an operation to set the setting value; a storage control unit that stores the setting value in a storage unit based on the accepted operation; an equipment control unit that provides the stored setting values ​​as the control parameters to the equipment; A control device comprising:

2. the setting notification unit prompts a user of the building to set a setting value of a first parameter that is a part of the control parameters of the equipment; The operation reception unit receives an operation for setting a setting value of the first parameter. The storage control unit stores the set value of the first parameter in a storage unit based on the accepted operation. The equipment control unit provides the stored setting value of the first parameter to the equipment as the control parameter. The control device according to claim 1 , comprising:

3. The setting notification unit prompting a user of the building to set a setting value for the first parameter when a predetermined condition is met; The control device according to claim 2 .

4. The setting notification unit prompting a user of the building to set a setting value of the first parameter for at least one of an external environment and an internal environment of the building and a state of the equipment; The control device according to claim 3 .

5. The setting notification unit prompting the user to set a setting value of a second parameter, other than the first parameter that has been set by the operation, among a plurality of control parameters of the equipment, according to at least one of an external environment and an internal environment state of the building and a control result of the equipment; the operation reception unit receives an operation for setting a setting value of the second parameter; the storage control unit stores the set value of the second parameter in the storage unit based on the accepted operation; The equipment control unit provides at least one of the stored setting value of the first parameter and the setting value of the second parameter to the equipment as the control parameter. The control device according to claim 2 .

6. a detection unit that detects the state of the environment, The setting notification unit determines whether or not the environment has changed based on a pre-stored threshold value of the environment state detected by the detection unit and a detection result by the detection unit, thereby prompting the user to set the setting value of the second parameter. The control device according to claim 5 .

7. a question presentation unit that presents a question to the user regarding a living environment of the building according to a result of control of the equipment using the control parameters provided by the equipment control unit; an answer receiving unit that receives an answer from the user to the question; Furthermore, The equipment control unit provides the equipment with the control parameters whose setting values ​​have been changed based on the response. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. a question presentation unit that presents a question to the user regarding a living environment of the building according to a result of control of the equipment using the control parameters provided by the equipment control unit; an answer receiving unit that receives an answer from the user to the question; Furthermore, The equipment control unit provides the equipment with the control parameters whose setting values ​​have been changed based on the response. The control device according to claim 5 .

9. a question presentation unit that presents a question to the user regarding a living environment of the building according to a result of control of the equipment using the control parameters provided by the equipment control unit; an answer receiving unit that receives an answer from the user to the question; Furthermore, The equipment control unit provides the equipment with the control parameters whose setting values ​​have been changed based on the response. The control device according to claim 6.

10. The responses include a first response that is reflected in the setting values ​​of the control parameters that control the facilities of the building, and a second response that is not reflected in the setting values ​​of the control parameters. The control device according to claim 7.

11. The initial value of the setting value of the control parameter is obtained by classifying big data, which is a set of at least one of the first responses and the second responses collected from a plurality of the buildings, from a predetermined viewpoint. The control device according to claim 10.

12. an information acquisition unit that acquires information about changes and predicted changes in the external environment of the building; Furthermore, the setting notification unit prompts the user to set a setting value of a third parameter based on the information; The equipment control unit changes the operation mode of the equipment of the building to an operation mode corresponding to the information based on the acquired information and the setting value of the third parameter. The control device according to claim 1 .

13. The facility includes a power storage facility that supplies stored power to electrical equipment in the building, The equipment control unit switches the power storage equipment to a charging mode in which discharge from the power storage equipment is suppressed based on the acquired information. The control device according to claim 12.

14. The facilities include opening and closing facilities such as electric shutters and external blinds, The equipment control unit closes the switching equipment based on the acquired information. The control device according to claim 13.

15. A computer of a control device that controls the living environment by providing control parameters to equipment that adjusts the living environment of the building, prompting a building occupant to set a plurality of control parameter settings for the equipment; accepting an operation to set the setting value; storing the setting value in a storage unit based on the accepted operation; providing the stored setting value as the control parameter to the equipment; A program to execute.

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