Driving control system

Abstract

To provide an operation control system that appropriately controls the operation of household appliances in a living space. [Solution] The operation control system 1 is installed in a remote control installation room which includes at least one of the washroom and the bathroom and includes a remote control 10 capable of setting the operating state of the water heater 5, a connection detection unit 15 that detects the connection of a mobile terminal 6 to the remote control 10 via short-range wireless communication, a sensor 20 that detects the presence of a person in another room other than the remote control installation room, and a control unit 25 that controls the supply of power to home appliances 40 in the room when the sensor 20 detects a person leaving the room and the connection detection unit 15 detects the connection of a mobile terminal 6.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation control system for controlling the operation of household appliances in a living room.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a house, a housing equipment system having a water heater connected via a communication cable to each other and a remote controller capable of remotely operating the water heater has been used. On the other hand, in a house, a speaker that reproduces sound data stored in a portable terminal using short-range wireless communication such as, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) has become widespread. As a technology related to the connection between such a portable terminal and a speaker, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a sound output control device. This sound output control device is configured to include a remote controller capable of setting an operation state of a water heater provided in a bathroom, and a speaker is provided on this remote controller. By connecting the portable terminal and the remote controller (speaker) under specific conditions such as when taking a bath or when in the bathroom, it is possible to prevent music from being reproduced from the remote controller at an unintended timing. Further, a predetermined disconnection condition is set at the time of leaving the room, and when the disconnection condition is satisfied, the connection between the portable terminal and the remote controller (speaker) is configured to be interrupted, further preventing the reproduction of unintended music.

[0004] In recent years, a smart home that controls home appliances according to the user's situation and the like has been used. Since many of the uses of such smart home functions require power, gas, etc., and there is a problem that the cost increases according to the usage frequency, energy management has been emphasized. Therefore, for example, like the information processing device described in Patent Document 2, it has been studied to improve the motivation for improving the user's energy usage amount by notifying the user of information regarding the energy usage amount.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-138454 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7489051 Specification [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] While many home appliances are used within homes, the technology described in Patent Document 1 concerns the connection and disconnection of a mobile terminal and a speaker, and does not consider the connection and disconnection of home appliances within the home. Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 notifies the user according to the amount of energy used, but whether or not it is possible to reduce energy consumption largely depends on the user's actions.

[0007] Therefore, functions have been developed that automatically restrict the operation of home appliances (energy-consuming devices) such as lights and air conditioners when the sensors are not reacting, for example, by installing sensors in living spaces. However, if automatic control is performed solely based on sensor reactions, the automatic control will occur even when the user is temporarily not reacting to the sensors, such as when the user is using the restroom, potentially compromising the comfort that the user is intended to receive. Timer control is also a possibility, but in the case of timer control, the response will be based on the timer regardless of the user's situation, so the automatic restriction will continue until the user returns to the living room, such as when the user is taking a bath and is away from the living room for a relatively long period of time, potentially compromising comfort. Furthermore, because continuous operation is required, such sensors are mainly plug-in rather than battery-operated, but the places where they can be installed are often limited, making them difficult to install easily. For this reason, there is room for improvement in the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 for controlling the operation of home appliances.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an operation control system that can appropriately control the operation of household appliances in a living space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The characteristic configuration of the operation control system according to the present invention is that it comprises a remote control installed in a remote control installation room which includes at least one of a washroom and a bathroom, and which can set the operating state of a water heater; a connection detection unit that detects the connection of a mobile terminal to the remote control via short-range wireless communication; a sensor that detects the presence of a person in another room other than the remote control installation room; and a control unit that controls the supply of power to home appliances in the room when the sensor detects the person leaving the room and the connection detection unit detects the connection of the mobile terminal.

[0010] With this feature configuration, for example, instead of controlling the power supply to home appliances solely based on sensor detection results, the connection between the remote control and the mobile device also acts as a trigger for controlling the power supply to the home appliances. This avoids situations where, for example, the power supply to home appliances is controlled simply because someone goes to the toilet. Therefore, by detecting a person leaving (moving) the room and the connection between the remote control and the mobile device, it becomes possible to appropriately control the operation of home appliances in the room.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit shuts off the power supply to the lighting and air conditioner installed in the living room when it detects that the person has left the living room and that the mobile terminal has been connected.

[0012] With this configuration, when a person leaves the room and the remote control is connected to a mobile device, the power to the electrical appliances in the room can be shut off (special control for bathing). Therefore, unnecessary power consumption is suppressed during bathing and other times, reducing energy usage and allowing for economic benefits.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit operates the air conditioner at a stronger intensity than a preset intensity when the connection detection unit detects that the connection of the mobile terminal to the remote control has been disconnected while no person is detected in the living room.

[0014] With this configuration, the air conditioner in the living room, which was previously turned off, will be activated at a higher intensity when a person carrying a mobile device leaves the bathroom, thus bringing the living room closer to a comfortable state more quickly. Therefore, it becomes possible to enjoy the value of comfort.

[0015] Furthermore, the system includes a temperature information acquisition unit that acquires temperature information indicating the hot water supply setting temperature of the water heater, and a bathing time estimation unit that estimates the bathing time of the person based on the operating state of the water heater, and the control unit preferably sets the intensity for operating the air conditioner based on the temperature information and the bathing time.

[0016] With this configuration, for example, if the ambient temperature is high and the bath is bathed in high-temperature water for an extended period, the cooling intensity can be increased, and if the ambient temperature is high and the bath is bathed in low-temperature water for a short period, the cooling intensity can be decreased. Similarly, if the ambient temperature is low and the bath is bathed in low-temperature water for a short period, the heating intensity can be increased, and if the ambient temperature is low and the bath is bathed in high-temperature water for an extended period, the heating intensity can be decreased. Therefore, it becomes possible to appropriately control the air conditioner's intensity according to the bathing conditions, such as water temperature and bathing time.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit activates the lighting and operates the air conditioner at the preset intensity when the connection detection unit detects that the mobile terminal has been disconnected from the remote control and the sensor detects the presence of a person.

[0018] With such a configuration, when a person enters the living room, the lighting can be activated and the air conditioner can be operated at the conventional intensity. Therefore, the operations for a person to activate the lighting or the air conditioner are no longer necessary, and the person can be liberated from annoyance.

[0019] Further, it is preferable that the control unit further restricts the operation of the gas equipment when there is detection of the person's exit from the living room by the sensor and detection of the connection of the mobile terminal by the connection detection unit.

[0020] With such a configuration, when a person is in a bathing state, not only can the power supply to the household appliances be controlled, but also the combustion of the gas equipment in the use state (combustion state) can be stopped, or the ignition of the gas equipment in the unused state (non-combustion state) can be restricted.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a house where the operation control system is used. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the operation control system. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the set temperature of the water heater and the bathing time when the operation mode is the cooling mode. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the set temperature of the water heater and the bathing time when the operation mode is the heating mode. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing the processing of the operation control system.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the remote control 10 is installed in the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3. In this embodiment, the areas where the remote control 10 is installed, such as the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3, are referred to as the remote control installation room 4. The remote control 10 can set the operating status of the water heater 5. The operating status includes not only the operation and stopping of the water heater 5, but also the setting of the hot water temperature.

[0025] The remote control 10 is configured to connect to a mobile terminal 6 via short-range wireless communication. Short-range wireless communication is wireless communication that takes place within a predetermined distance. Specific examples of such short-range wireless communication include Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi®. The mobile terminal 6 includes smartphones, tablet PCs, smartwatches, etc. In this embodiment, the remote control 10 is configured to automatically connect via short-range wireless communication if a pre-authenticated mobile terminal 6 is within a predetermined range.

[0026] The connection detection unit 15 detects the connection of the mobile terminal 6 to the remote control 10 via short-range wireless communication. As described above, the remote control 10 is configured to automatically connect via short-range wireless communication with a mobile terminal 6 located within a predetermined range (for example, within a few meters). In this embodiment, the remote control 10 in the washroom 2 is configured to connect via short-range wireless communication if, for example, the mobile terminal 6 is present in the washroom 2, and the remote control 10 in the bathroom 3 is configured to connect via short-range wireless communication if, for example, the mobile terminal 6 is present in the bathroom 3. The connection detection unit 15 detects such short-range wireless connections between the remote control 10 and the mobile terminal 6. In this embodiment, if the remote controls 10 are located in the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3, the connection detection unit 15 may determine that the remote controls 10 and the mobile terminal 6 are connected if at least one of the remote controls 10 in the washroom 2 and the remote controls 10 in the bathroom 3 is connected to the mobile terminal 6, and that the remote controls 10 and the mobile terminal 6 are not connected if neither the remote controls 10 in the washroom 2 nor the remote controls 10 in the bathroom 3 is connected to the mobile terminal 6.

[0027] Sensor 20 detects the presence of a person 8 in a room 7 other than the remote control installation room 4. The remote control installation room 4 is the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3. The room 7 is the room where person 8 is before and after bathing, for example, the living room. Sensor 20 detects person 8 in such a living room. Such a sensor 20 can be constructed using a so-called motion sensor. The method of detecting person 8 by sensor 20 may be infrared or sonar. Of course, other methods may also be used.

[0028] The control unit 25 controls the power supply to the home appliances 40 in the living room 7 when the sensor 20 detects that a person 8 has left the living room 7 and the connection detection unit 15 detects that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected. The sensor 20 detecting that a person 8 has left the living room 7 means that the sensor 20 has detected that a person 8 has left the living room. The connection detection unit 15 detecting that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected means that the mobile terminal 6 is within a predetermined range from the remote control 10 and has been connected via short-range wireless communication. Therefore, when the sensor 20 detects that a person 8 has left the living room 7 and the connection detection unit 15 detects that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected, it means that a person 8 has left the living room and the mobile terminal 6 is within a predetermined range from the remote control 10 and has been connected via short-range wireless communication.

[0029] The household appliances 40 in the living room 7 refer to products installed in the living room that are powered and operate. Specifically, this includes air conditioners 41, lighting fixtures 42, and televisions 43. Controlling the power supply means stopping the power supply and rendering the household appliances 40 inoperable.

[0030] Therefore, when person 8 leaves the living room and the mobile terminal 6 is within a predetermined range from the remote control 10 and connected via short-range wireless communication, the control unit 25 stops the power supply to the air conditioner 41, lighting 42, and television 43 installed in the living room 7, rendering them inoperable. This makes it possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption while person 8 is bathing.

[0031] Furthermore, the control unit 25 operates the air conditioner 41 at a stronger intensity than the preset intensity when the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 while no person 8 is detected in the living room 7. The state in which no person 8 is detected in the living room 7 means that there is no person 8 in the living room 7, and as described above, the air conditioner 41, lighting 42, and television 43 installed in the living room 7 are not operating. The state in which the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 means that person 8, who was in the washroom 2, has left the washroom 2 with the mobile terminal 6 in their possession. In this case, it is assumed that person 8 will move from the washroom 2 to the living room 7.

[0032] The preset intensity refers to, for example, the airflow intensity and temperature set by the remote control 41A for the air conditioner 41, which issues the operation commands for the air conditioner 41. Operating the air conditioner 41 at an intensity stronger than the preset intensity means, for example, if the operating mode is set to cooling mode and the temperature is set to 28°C by the remote control 41A, it means cooling to a temperature below 28°C. In order to keep the living room 7 cool when person 8 returns from the washroom 2, it is preferable to set the temperature to, for example, 2-3°C lower or about 5°C lower than the temperature set by the remote control 41A. On the other hand, if the operating mode is set to heating mode and the temperature is set to 20°C by the remote control 41A, it means heating to a temperature higher than 20°C. In order to keep the living room 7 warm when person 8 returns from the washroom 2, it is preferable to set the temperature to, for example, 2-3°C higher or about 5°C higher than the temperature set by the remote control 41A.

[0033] Therefore, when there is no person 8 in the living room 7, and the air conditioner 41, lighting 42, and television 43 installed in the living room 7 are not operating, and person 8 who was in the washroom 2 leaves the washroom 2 with the mobile terminal 6 in their possession, if the operation mode is set to cooling mode by the remote control 41A, the control unit 25 operates the air conditioner 41 at a temperature lower than the temperature set by the remote control 41A. This lowers the temperature of the living room 7 to a level lower than the temperature when person 8 was absent before person 8 returns to the living room 7 from the washroom 2, making it possible to reach a comfortable environment for person 8 more quickly. On the other hand, if the operation mode is set to heating mode by the remote control 41A, the control unit 25 operates the air conditioner 41 at a temperature higher than the temperature set by the remote control 41A. This raises the temperature of the living room 7 to a level higher than the temperature when person 8 was absent before person 8 returns to the living room 7 from the washroom 2, making it possible to reach a comfortable environment for person 8 more quickly.

[0034] Here, the temperature information acquisition unit 30 should acquire temperature information indicating the hot water temperature setting of the water heater 5. Temperature information indicating the hot water temperature setting of the water heater 5 can be acquired by communicating with the remote control 10. The bathing time estimation unit 35 estimates the bathing time of person 8 based on the operating status of the water heater 5. The operating status of the water heater 5 means the state in which the water heater 5 is reheating or supplying hot water (operating state). Bathing time refers to the time over which bathing takes place, and not the time when bathing actually begins. The bathing time estimation unit 35 should estimate the bathing time based on the operating status when person 8 discharges hot water from the shower or faucet in the bathroom 3, for example.

[0035] The control unit 25 sets the intensity for operating the air conditioner 41 based on the temperature information acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit 30 and the bathing time estimated by the bathing time estimation unit 35. Specifically, for example, when the operating mode is cooling mode, as shown in Figure 3, the higher the set temperature (hot water temperature) of the water heater 5 indicated by the temperature information, the stronger the intensity should be set, and the longer the bathing time, the stronger the intensity should be set. On the other hand, when the operating mode is heating mode, as shown in Figure 4, the lower the set temperature (hot water temperature) of the water heater 5 indicated by the temperature information, the stronger the intensity should be set, and the shorter the bathing time, the stronger the intensity should be set.

[0036] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit 25 activates the lighting 42 and operates the air conditioner 41 at a preset intensity when the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10, and the sensor 20 detects the presence of a person 8. "The connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10" means, as described above, that person 8 who was in the washroom 2 has left the washroom 2 with the mobile terminal 6 in their possession. "The presence of person 8 is detected by the sensor 20" means that person 8 who has left the washroom 2 has entered the living room 7. "Activating the lighting 42" means that power is supplied to the lighting 42 installed in the living room 7. Therefore, the control unit 25 powers the lighting 42 installed in the living room 7 when person 8 who was in the washroom 2 has left the washroom 2 with the mobile terminal 6 in their possession, and person 8 who has left the washroom 2 has entered the living room 7. This allows the lighting 42 to be automatically activated when person 8 moves into the room 7, eliminating the need for person 8 to manually operate a switch to turn on the lighting 42 in the room 7.

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, if the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 while no person 8 is detected in the living room 7, the air conditioner 41 is operated at a stronger intensity than the preset intensity. When a person 8 enters the living room 7, the control unit 25 operates the air conditioner 41 at the intensity set by the remote control 10. This provides a comfortable environment for person 8 in the living room 7. However, if the time for which the air conditioner 41 is operated at a stronger intensity than the preset intensity is shorter than the preset time, it is possible that the environment in the living room 7 is not a comfortable environment for person 8. Therefore, if the time for which the air conditioner 41 is operated at a stronger intensity than the preset intensity is shorter than the preset time, the control unit 25 may be configured to continue operating the air conditioner 41 at a stronger intensity than the remote control 10, even when a person 8 enters the living room 7, instead of operating it at the intensity set by the remote control 10.

[0038] It is preferable that the control unit 25 be configured to further restrict the operation of the gas appliances 50 when the sensor 20 detects that a person 8 has left the living room 7 and the connection detection unit 15 detects that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected. The detection of a person 8 leaving the living room 7 by the sensor 20 and the detection of a mobile terminal 6 being connected by the connection detection unit 15 means that the person 8 is bathing. Restricting the operation of the gas appliances 50 means stopping the combustion of gas appliances 50 such as a gas stove 51 that are in use (combustion state) or restricting the ignition of gas appliances 50 such as a gas stove 51 that are not in use (non-combustion state). Therefore, when a person 8 is bathing, the control unit 25 should not only control the power supply to the above-mentioned home appliances 40, but also stop the combustion of gas appliances 50 such as a gas stove 51 that are in use (combustion state) or restrict the ignition of gas appliances 50 such as a gas stove 51 that are not in use (non-combustion state).

[0039] Next, the process of the operation control system 1 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 5. First, based on the detection results of the sensor 20, the exit of a person 8 from the living room 7 is detected (Step #10: Yes), and when the connection detection unit 15 detects the connection of the mobile terminal 6 to the remote control 10 (Step #11: Yes), the control unit 25 stops the power supply to the lighting 42 and air conditioner 41 in the living room 7 (Step #12). Furthermore, the control unit 25 restricts the operation of the gas appliance 50 (Step #13).

[0040] In this state, if the connection between the mobile terminal 6 and the remote control 10 is disconnected (step #14: Yes), the control unit 25 operates the air conditioner 41 at a stronger intensity than the one preset by the remote control 41A (step #15). Subsequently, if the presence of a person 8 is detected in the living room 7 (step #16: Yes), the control unit 25 activates the lighting 42 and operates the air conditioner 41 at the preset intensity (step #17).

[0041] In steps #10 and #11, if the sensor 20 does not detect that a person 8 has left the room 7 (step #10: No), or if the connection detection unit 15 does not detect that the mobile terminal 6 has connected to the remote control 10 (step #11: No), the process is suspended. However, the order of steps #10 and #11 may be reversed.

[0042] In step #14, if the connection of the mobile terminal 6 to the remote control 10 is not disconnected (step #14: No), the process is suspended. Similarly, in step #16, if the presence of a person 8 is not detected in the room 7 (step #16: No), the process is suspended.

[0043] As described above, the operation control system 1 enables specialized control that is suitable for a state where body temperature is different from normal after bathing, allowing people 8 to enjoy greater comfort than the room temperature control function of the air conditioner 41. In addition, since the operation of the air conditioner 41 can be limited during bathing, people 8 who bathe for extended periods can also enjoy further economic benefits. Furthermore, since this control does not depend on the functions of the air conditioner 41, the above functions can be provided not only to users of expensive air conditioners 41 with many functions, but also to many other people 8.

[0044] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the control unit 25 was described as stopping the power supply to the lighting 42 and air conditioner 41 installed in the living room 7 when it detected that a person 8 had left the living room 7 and that a mobile terminal 6 had been connected. However, the control unit 25 may be configured to stop the power supply to one of the lighting 42 and air conditioner 41 installed in the living room 7 when it detected that a person 8 had left the living room 7 and that a mobile terminal 6 had been connected, or the control unit 25 may be configured not to stop the power supply to the lighting 42 and air conditioner 41 installed in the living room 7 even when it detected that a person 8 had left the living room 7 and that a mobile terminal 6 had been connected.

[0045] (2) In the above embodiment, the control unit 25 was described as operating the air conditioner 41 at a stronger intensity than a preset intensity when the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 while no person 8 is detected in the living room 7. However, the control unit 25 can also be configured to operate the air conditioner 41 at a preset intensity when the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 while no person 8 is detected in the living room 7.

[0046] (3) In the above embodiment, the control unit 25 was described as setting the intensity of operation of the air conditioner 41 based on temperature information indicating the hot water supply set temperature of the water heater 5 and the estimated bathing time of person 8 based on the operating state of the water heater 5. However, it is also possible to configure the control unit 25 to set the intensity of operation of the air conditioner 41 based on either the temperature information indicating the hot water supply set temperature of the water heater 5 or the estimated bathing time of person 8 based on the operating state of the water heater 5. Furthermore, the control unit 25 does not have to set the intensity of operation of the air conditioner 41 based on the temperature information indicating the hot water supply set temperature of the water heater 5 and the estimated bathing time of person 8 based on the operating state of the water heater 5.

[0047] (4) In the above embodiment, the control unit 25 was described as activating the lighting 42 and operating the air conditioner 41 at a preset intensity when the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 and the sensor 20 detects the presence of a person 8. However, even if the connection detection unit 15 detects that the mobile terminal 6 has been disconnected from the remote control 10 and the sensor 20 detects the presence of a person 8, the control unit 25 does not have to activate the lighting 42, and may operate the air conditioner 41 at an intensity stronger than the preset intensity.

[0048] (5) In the above embodiment, the control unit 25 was described as further restricting the operation of the gas appliance 50 when the sensor 20 detects that a person 8 has left the living room 7 and the connection detection unit 15 detects that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected. However, it is also possible to configure the control unit 25 not to restrict the operation of the gas appliance 50 even when the sensor 20 detects that a person 8 has left the living room 7 and the connection detection unit 15 detects that a mobile terminal 6 has been connected.

[0049] (6) In the above embodiment, it was explained that the power supply to the air conditioner 41 and lighting 42 in the living room 7 is stopped in accordance with the movement of person 8. For example, there are cases in which person 8 does not react to (or reacts poorly to) the sensor 20, such as when an infant is sleeping in a crib, but it is not desirable to control the room temperature. Anticipating such cases, it is preferable to configure the system so that person 8 can select whether or not to perform automatic control and what settings to configure. Also, in the case of a remote control 10 that cannot be connected by short-range wireless communication, the same solution can be achieved by incorporating the sensor 20 into the remote control 10.

[0050] (7) In the above embodiment, the remote control 10 was described as being installed in the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3. However, the remote control 10 may be installed in only one of the washroom 2 or the bathroom 3. If the remote control 10 is installed only in the washroom 2, it is preferable that the detection range of the remote control 10 be set to include both the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3. If the remote control 10 is installed only in the bathroom 3, it is preferable that the detection range of the remote control 10 be set to include both the washroom 2 and the bathroom 3. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to detect (estimate) the movement of the person 8 carrying the mobile terminal 6 from the washroom 2.

[0051] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, provided that no inconsistencies arise. Moreover, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0052] This invention can be used in an operation control system that controls the operation of household appliances in a living room. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 1: Driving control system 2: Bathroom 3:Bathroom 4: Remote control installation room 5: Water heater 6: Mobile devices 7: Living room 8:People 10: Remote control 15: Connection detection unit 20: Sensor 25: Control Unit 30:Temperature information acquisition section 35: Estimation of bathing time 40: Home appliances 41: Air conditioner 42: Lighting 50: Gas appliances

Claims

1. A remote control is installed in a remote control installation room that includes at least one of the washroom and the bathroom, and is capable of setting the operating status of the water heater. A connection detection unit that detects the connection of a mobile terminal to the remote control via short-range wireless communication, A sensor that detects the presence of a person in a room other than the room where the remote control is installed, When the sensor detects that the person has left the room and the connection detection unit detects that the mobile terminal has been connected, the control unit controls the power supply to the home appliances in the room. An operation control system equipped with the following features.

2. The operation control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the person leaving the room and detects the connection of the mobile terminal, and stops the power supply to the lighting and air conditioner installed in the room.

3. The operation control system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit operates the air conditioner at an intensity stronger than a preset intensity when the connection detection unit detects that the connection of the mobile terminal to the remote control has been disconnected while no person is detected in the living room.

4. A temperature information acquisition unit that acquires temperature information indicating the hot water supply set temperature of the water heater, The system includes a bathing time estimation unit that estimates the bathing time of the person based on the operating status of the water heater, The control unit sets the intensity for operating the air conditioner based on the temperature information and the bathing time, according to claim 3.

5. The operation control system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the control unit activates the lighting and operates the air conditioner at the preset intensity when the connection detection unit detects that the mobile terminal has been disconnected from the remote control and the sensor detects the presence of a person.

6. The control unit further restricts the operation of the gas appliance when the sensor detects that the person has left the room and the connection detection unit detects that the mobile terminal has been connected.

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