Automatic door system, control method for automatic door system, control program for automatic door system

Abstract

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a technology for an automatic door system that can reduce the burden on the user during use. [Solution] An automatic door device 100 in one aspect of the present invention includes: an open instruction output unit installed outside the private room that outputs an open instruction when the user of the private room operates the door 20 of the private room to open it; a door drive control unit 50 that controls the opening operation of the door 20 based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit; a room occupancy detection unit 28 that detects a person inside the private room; and a determination unit that determines whether a person is active inside the private room. The door drive control unit 50 prohibits the opening operation of the door 20 based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit when the door 20 is fully closed and the room occupancy detection unit 28 is in a detection state and the determination unit determines that a person is active.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic door device, a control method for an automatic door device, and a control program for an automatic door device.

Background Art

[0002] An automatic door device provided in a toilet room is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an automatic door installed in a relatively large public toilet booth that can be entered even by wheelchair for the use of disabled or elderly people. This automatic door installs a human body detection sensor that detects the presence of a person inside the public toilet booth, and controls auxiliary equipment such as the automatic door based on the output of this sensor. This automatic door locks the automatic door according to the detection signal of the human body detection sensor and prohibits an external opening operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventor of the present invention has obtained the following recognition regarding the automatic door device. Regarding the automatic door device in the toilet room, in order to limit the use time of the toilet room, it is conceivable to prohibit the opening operation by an external opening operation within the limited time, and to enable the opening operation by an external opening operation when the human body detection time exceeds the limited time.

[0005] For example, in a multi-functional toilet, ostomates may need a long time to clean their stoma. If the door can only be opened by an external operation after the time limit has been exceeded, users may feel a sense of urgency as the remaining time approaches, preventing them from cleaning thoroughly. While it is conceivable to provide an extension button to extend the usage time, this operation would be a significant burden for wheelchair users or users with reduced mobility. The automatic door described in Patent Document 1 cannot be said to have adequately addressed the issue of reducing the burden on users during use.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these problems, and one of its objectives is to provide technology for an automatic door system that can reduce the burden on the user during use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, an automatic door device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an open instruction output unit provided outside the private room that outputs an instruction to open the door of the private room; a door drive control unit that controls the door opening operation based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit; a room occupancy detection unit that detects a person inside the private room; and a determination unit that determines whether a person is active inside the private room. The door drive control unit prohibits the door opening operation based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit when the door is fully closed, the room occupancy detection unit is in a detection state, and the determination unit determines that a person is active.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is an automatic door device. This device includes a door installed in a private room, an instruction output unit installed outside the private room that outputs an open or close instruction for the door of the private room, a control unit that controls the opening and closing drive of the door based on the open or close instruction from the instruction output unit, a room occupancy detection unit that detects a person inside the private room, a user detection unit that has a detection area within a predetermined range from the outer edge of the equipment in the private room and detects a person, and a determination unit that determines whether a person inside the private room is active based on the detection result of the user detection unit. The determination unit determines that a person inside the private room is active when there is a change in the detection result of the user detection unit within a predetermined time, and the control unit prohibits the opening operation of the door based on an open instruction from the instruction output unit when the door is fully closed and the room occupancy detection unit is in a detection state and the determination unit has determined that a person is active.

[0009] A further aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling an automatic door device. This method includes the steps of: detecting whether there is a person inside a room; determining whether there is activity inside the room; determining whether the door of the room is fully closed; and, while the door is fully closed and it is detected that there is a person inside the room, and it is determined that there is activity inside the room, prohibiting the opening operation of the door based on an instruction from an open instruction output unit that outputs an open instruction for the door.

[0010] A further aspect of the present invention is a control program for an automatic door device. This control program causes a computer to perform the following steps: to detect whether there is a person inside a room; to determine whether there is activity inside the room; to determine whether the door to the room is fully closed; and, when the door is fully closed and the presence of a person inside the room is detected, and it is determined that there is activity inside the room, to prohibit the opening of the door based on an instruction from an open instruction output unit that outputs an open instruction for the door.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is an automatic door device. This device is provided outside a private room and includes an open instruction output unit that outputs an instruction to open the door of the private room, a door drive control unit that controls the opening operation of the door based on the open instruction output unit, an estimation unit that estimates the purpose of use of the private room by the person inside, and a time determination unit that determines a usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use, wherein the door drive control unit prohibits the opening operation of the door based on the open instruction output unit from the time the door is fully closed until the determined usage limit time has elapsed.

[0012] A further aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling an automatic door device. This method includes the steps of: estimating the purpose of use of a person inside a room; determining a usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use; and prohibiting the opening operation of the door based on an open instruction output unit from the time the door of the room is fully closed until the determined usage limit time has elapsed.

[0013] A further aspect of the present invention is a control program for an automatic door device. This control program includes the steps of: estimating the purpose of use of a person inside a room; determining a usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use; and prohibiting the opening operation of the door based on an open instruction output unit from the time the door of the room is fully closed until the determined usage limit time has elapsed.

[0014] Furthermore, any combination of the above, or any substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, apparatus, programs, temporary or non-temporary storage media recording programs, systems, etc., are also valid embodiments of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology for an automatic door system that can reduce the burden on the user during use. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1]It is a plan view schematically showing a room equipped with an automatic door device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a front view showing the room equipped with the automatic door device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic door device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the automatic door device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing a third operation example of the automatic door device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a plan view showing an example of a detection area of the automatic door device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic door device of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the processing of the automatic door device of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a plan view showing an example of an infrared detection area of the automatic door device.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to each drawing based on preferred embodiments. In the embodiments and modification examples, the same or equivalent components and members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. In addition, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are appropriately enlarged or reduced for easy understanding. Also, in each drawing, some members that are not important for explaining the embodiment are omitted.

[0018] Also, different components having common points are distinguished by attaching "first", "second", etc. at the beginning of the name, and these are omitted when collectively referred to. In addition, terms including ordinals such as first and second are used to explain various components, but this term is only used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, and the components are not limited by this term.

[0019] [First Embodiment] An automatic door device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing a room 10 equipped with the automatic door device 100. Figure 2 is a front view showing the room 10 equipped with the automatic door device 100. Figure 2 shows a part of the front wall 101 of the room 10 cut away. For convenience of explanation, as shown in the figures, a certain horizontal direction will be called the X direction, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction will be called the Y direction, and a vertical direction perpendicular to both will be called the Z direction. The X direction may also be called the left-right direction, the Y direction the front-back direction, and the Z direction the up-down direction. Such directional notation does not restrict the orientation of the automatic door device 100, and the automatic door device 100 can be used in any orientation. Room 10 is an example of a private room.

[0020] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the automatic door device 100. Each block shown in Figure 3 can be realized hardware-wise using components such as a computer processor, CPU, and memory, as well as electronic circuits and mechanical devices, and software-wise using computer programs, etc. However, here, the diagram depicts functional blocks realized through the coordination of these components. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways through combinations of hardware and software.

[0021] The automatic door device 100 is a device that opens and closes a door for opening and closing an opening. The automatic door device 100 can be applied to openings of various partitioning means such as walls that divide a space. In this embodiment, the automatic door device 100 opens and closes an opening 102 provided in the front wall 101 of a room 10 using a door 20. The opening 102 in Figure 2 is provided off-center to the right of the left-right center of the front wall 101. The door 20 in this example is a sliding door that moves left and right. The room 10 can be installed in various facilities such as train stations, hotels, department stores, hospitals, and elderly care facilities.

[0022] There are no restrictions on the type of room 10, but in this example, room 10 is a toilet room used as a multi-functional toilet. A multi-functional toilet is a toilet intended for use not only by able-bodied people but also by wheelchair users, users with internal disabilities, etc. Users with internal disabilities include, for example, users of stomas such as colostomies and urostomies. As an example, room 10 is equipped with a toilet 11, an ostomy mat 12, a washbasin 13, a bed 14, a child's chair 17, and a changing table 18. The ostomy mat 12 is a washing table for users to clean their stomas. Handrails 15 are also provided around the toilet 11 and the ostomy mat 12.

[0023] Furthermore, a call operation unit 16 is provided in room 10 near the toilet 11. The call operation unit 16 detects user operations performed by a user who wishes to request assistance from another person due to illness or other reasons, and provides the detection result as a call signal to the door drive control unit 50. In this embodiment, the call operation unit 16 provides the door drive control unit 50 with a call signal as a detection result consisting of a detection state in which a user operation is detected and a non-detection state in which no user operation is detected. The call signal is turned on in the detection state and turned off in the non-detection state. In this example, the call operation unit 16 is a push-button switch that turns on the call signal when pressed and turns off the call signal when released. The call operation unit 16 is sometimes called a call switch. The door drive control unit 50 performs a predetermined emergency operation when the call signal from the call operation unit 16 is turned on. This emergency action includes notifying the administrator of room 10 of the detection result, displaying the detection result to the outdoor notification unit 46, and releasing the restriction on the movement of door 20 by the door lock unit 48. The call operation unit 16 also functions as an emergency button.

[0024] Furthermore, Room 10 is equipped with an indoor notification unit 30 and an extension operation unit 31 near the ostomate 12. The indoor notification unit 30 is a device that notifies the user of predetermined matters from the administrator of Room 10 or the door drive control unit 50. The indoor notification unit 30 can notify predetermined matters, for example, through the sound of a speaker or a display such as an LCD screen. If a usage time limit (for example, 30 minutes) is set for Room 10, the door drive control unit 50 performs predetermined indoor notification operations through the indoor notification unit 30 according to the elapsed time since the user entered the room. These indoor notification operations include notifying the remaining time until the usage time limit is reached, notifying that the usage time limit has been exceeded, and releasing the restriction on the movement of the door 20 by the door lock unit 48. Also, if the usage time limit is exceeded, the door drive control unit 50 notifies the outdoor notification unit 46 and the administrator of Room 10 that the usage time limit has been exceeded.

[0025] The extension operation unit 31 detects user operations to extend the usage time limit and provides the detection result to the door drive control unit 50 as an extension signal. In this embodiment, the extension operation unit 31 provides the door drive control unit 50 with an extension signal, which consists of a detection state in which user operations are detected and a non-detection state in which user operations are not detected. The extension signal is turned on in the detection state and turned off in the non-detection state. In this example, the extension operation unit 31 is a push-button switch that turns on the extension signal when pressed and turns off the extension signal when released. Hereinafter, the extension operation unit 31 may be referred to as the extension switch. The door drive control unit 50 extends the usage time limit by a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) when the extension signal from the extension operation unit 31 is turned on.

[0026] The automatic door device 100 drives a door 20 to open and close a rectangular opening 102 when viewed from the front. The door 20 is a movable body that is horizontally slidable on a movement path 22 that extends from a fully closed position on the right to a fully open position on the left. The movement path 22 is the trajectory of the door 20 projected onto the floor surface. The automatic door device 100 includes operation detection units 24 and 26 and a door drive control unit 50.

[0027] The operation detection units 24 and 26 detect the user's opening and closing operations and provide the door drive control unit 50 with an open door activation signal or a close door activation signal (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as "activation signals") based on the detection results. The door drive control unit 50 opens and closes the door 20 based on the activation signals from the operation detection units 24 and 26. The operation detection units 24 and 26 are exemplified by an open instruction output unit that outputs an open instruction in response to an operation to open the door 20 and a close instruction output unit that outputs a close instruction in response to an operation to close the door 20. When the open instruction output unit and the close instruction output unit are referred to collectively, they are called instruction output units. Also, when the open instruction and the close instruction are referred to collectively, they are sometimes simply called instructions.

[0028] In this embodiment, the operation detection units 24 and 26 include an external operation detection unit 24 that can be operated from outside the room 10 and an internal operation detection unit 26 that can be operated from inside the room 10. In the example shown in Figure 2, the external operation detection unit 24 is provided on the outside of the front wall 101, and the internal operation detection unit 26 is provided on the inside of the front wall 101. The operation detection units 24 and 26 may also be provided on the door 20.

[0029] The external operation detection unit 24 includes an external opening operation unit 241 that detects an opening operation to open the door 20, and an external closing operation unit 242 that detects a closing operation to close the door 20. The internal operation detection unit 26 includes an internal opening operation unit 261 that detects an opening operation to open the door 20, and an internal closing operation unit 262 that detects a closing operation to close the door 20.

[0030] The outer opening operation unit 241, the outer closing operation unit 242, the inner opening operation unit 261, and the inner closing operation unit 262 can employ devices based on various principles capable of detecting user operation. Each of the operation units 241, 242, 261, and 262 in this embodiment is a push-button switch that turns on an activation signal when pressed and turns off an activation signal when released. Hereinafter, the outer opening operation unit 241 and the inner opening operation unit 261 may be referred to as the opening switch, and the outer closing operation unit 242 and the inner closing operation unit 262 may be referred to as the closing switch.

[0031] In this embodiment, the door drive control unit 50 includes a control unit 52 and a drive unit 56. The control unit 52 controls the opening and closing operation of the door 20 based on the detection results of the operation detection units 24 and 26. The control unit 52 will be described later. The drive unit 56 slides the door 20 based on the control of the control unit 52. The drive unit 56 is sometimes referred to as a door engine. For example, the drive unit 56 can be composed of a loop-shaped belt (not shown) to which the door 20 is connected and a drive motor 562 that drives the belt. The rotation of the drive motor 562 is controlled by the control unit 52 via a drive circuit 561. The door drive control unit 50 may be provided on the transom of the front wall 101.

[0032] In this embodiment, the drive unit 56 includes a resistance detection unit 36 ​​and a position detection unit 38. The resistance detection unit 36 ​​and the position detection unit 38 provide detection results to the door drive control unit 50. The resistance detection unit 36 ​​detects the movement resistance of the door 20 during movement. The movement resistance of the door 20 is the resistance force that the door 20 experiences in the opposite direction of movement during movement, and is sometimes referred to as running resistance or sliding resistance. The movement resistance is usually greater when there is something in contact with the moving body. As an example, the resistance detection unit 36 ​​is a current sensor that transmits the result of detecting the drive current of the drive motor 562 to the door drive control unit 50. The door drive control unit 50 can identify the movement resistance based on the detection result of the resistance detection unit 36.

[0033] The position detection unit 38 detects the position of the door 20 from the fully closed position to the fully open position. For example, the position detection unit 38 is an incremental encoder that transmits a position signal, which is a pulse signal with a number of pulses proportional to the rotation angle of the drive motor 562, to the door drive control unit 50. When the automatic door device 100 is started, the door drive control unit 50 moves the door 20 to the fully closed position, uses that fully closed position as a reference position, and can determine the position of the door 20 by counting the number of pulses of the position signal from the position detection unit 38.

[0034] The automatic door device 100 of this embodiment includes a warning output unit 44 that issues a warning to the user based on the control of the door drive control unit 50. The warning output unit 44 in this example includes a sound output unit 441 that emits a warning sound and a light output unit 442 that emits a warning light, based on the control of the door drive control unit 50. The sound output unit 441 can be configured to include, for example, a speaker. The light output unit 442 can be configured to include, for example, a light-emitting element such as an LED. The warning output unit 44 may be provided on the front wall 101 as shown in the figure.

[0035] In this embodiment, the automatic door device 100 includes a side detection unit 34 capable of detecting the presence of an object on the side of the door 20. Examples of objects to be detected by the side detection unit 34 include parts of the user's body such as hands and feet, or luggage. In this example, the side detection unit 34 provides the door drive control unit 50 with a side detection signal, which consists of a detection state in which the presence of an object is detected and a non-detection state in which no object is detected. The side detection signal is turned on in the detection state and turned off in the non-detection state. The door drive control unit 50 restricts the closing operation of the door 20 when the side detection unit 34 is in the detection state. In this embodiment, the side detection unit 34 detects the presence of an object on the outer side 201 and the inner side 202 of the door 20. In this embodiment, the side detection unit 34 is configured to include a light-receiving element that receives reflected infrared light projected along the sides 201 and 202 of the door 20. As an example, the side detection unit 34 is provided on the transom of the front wall 101.

[0036] In this embodiment, the automatic door device 100 includes an opening detection unit 32 capable of detecting objects present in the path of the door 20 in the opened opening 102. The opening detection unit 32 is sometimes referred to as an auxiliary sensor. In this example, the opening detection unit 32 provides the door drive control unit 50 with an opening detection signal, which consists of a detection state in which an object is detected and a non-detection state in which no object is detected. The opening detection signal is turned on in the detection state and turned off in the non-detection state. The door drive control unit 50 restricts the closing operation of the door 20 when the opening detection unit 32 is in the detection state. Examples of objects to be detected by the opening detection unit 32 include the user's body and luggage. As an example, the opening detection unit 32 can be configured to include a set of light emitter and light receiver provided on the front wall 101 at positions separated to the left and right of the opening 102.

[0037] The opening detection unit 32 of this embodiment includes a first detection unit 321 capable of detecting an object present in the doorway 22 at a predetermined first height H1, and a second detection unit 322 capable of detecting an object present in the doorway 20 at a second height H2 lower than the first height H1. The first height H1 is set by the first detection unit 321 to a height at which a user crossing the opening 102 on foot or in a wheelchair can be detected. For example, the first height H1 can be set in the range of 200 mm to 700 mm. The second height H2 is set by the second detection unit 322 to a height at which a user lying in the doorway 22 can be detected. For example, the second height H2 can be set in the range of 100 mm to 300 mm.

[0038] In this embodiment, room 10 is provided with an activity determination unit 27 that determines whether a person is active in room 10. The activity determination unit 27 includes an object detection sensor having a detection area consisting of multiple detection spots. The detection principle of the object detection sensor is not particularly limited, but the activity determination unit 27 in this embodiment is configured to include multiple light-receiving elements that receive reflected infrared light projected onto each detection spot in the detection area. The activity determination unit 27 determines whether a person is active based on the difference between multiple detection results acquired at different times.

[0039] In this embodiment, room 10 is provided with an occupancy detection unit 28 that detects whether or not there is a person inside room 10. The detection principle of the occupancy detection unit 28 is not particularly limited, but the occupancy detection unit 28 in this embodiment is a human presence sensor that includes a pyroelectric element capable of detecting changes in infrared radiation emitted by a person. In this example, the occupancy detection unit 28 provides the door drive control unit 50 with a human presence detection signal, which consists of a detection state where a person is detected and a non-detection state where a person is not detected, in response to the signal from the pyroelectric element. The human presence detection signal is turned on when a person is detected and turned off when a person is not detected.

[0040] In this embodiment, room 10 is provided with an outdoor notification unit 46 that notifies the outside of the indoor status of room 10, such as whether it is occupied or if it is in an abnormal state. The outdoor notification unit 46 in Figure 2 is, as an example, a display that shows the word "In Use" based on the control of the door drive control unit 50. The outdoor notification unit 46 may be installed on the transom of the front wall 101, as shown in the figure. For example, the door drive control unit 50 causes the outdoor notification unit 46 to display "In Use" when the occupancy detection unit 28 is in a detection state, and stops this display when it is not detected.

[0041] In this embodiment, room 10 is provided with a door lock unit 48 that restricts the movement of the closed door 20 based on the control of the door drive control unit 50. The door lock unit 48 may mechanically restrict the movement of the door 20 by locking it with electromagnetic force, such as an electric lock, or it may controlmatically restrict the opening operation by disabling the door opening activation signal of the outer opening operation unit 241, or it may be a combination of both. For example, the door drive control unit 50 can turn on the door lock unit 48 when room 10 is in use to restrict the movement of the door 20.

[0042] Next, the control unit 52 will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 52 in this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit 521, an information output unit 522, a door operation control unit 523, a warning operation control unit 524, a storage unit 526, a time determination unit 527, a time management unit 528, and a transmission unit 529, and functions as an information processing unit.

[0043] The information acquisition unit 521 functions as an input port for acquiring activation signals, detection signals, etc., from the outward opening operation unit 241, the outward closing operation unit 242, the inward opening operation unit 261, the inward closing operation unit 262, the first detection unit 321, the second detection unit 322, the side detection unit 34, the activity determination unit 27, the occupancy detection unit 28, the call operation unit 16, the extension operation unit 31, the resistance detection unit 36, and the position detection unit 38.

[0044] The information output unit 522 outputs control signals to the sound output unit 441, the light output unit 442, the indoor notification unit 30, the outdoor notification unit 46, and the door lock unit 48 to control them. The information output unit 522 functions as an output port. The door operation control unit 523 outputs control signals to the drive circuit 561 of the drive unit 56 to control the operation of the door 20. The warning operation control unit 524 controls the operation of the door 20 via the door operation control unit 523 to execute a warning operation described later. The storage unit 526 temporarily stores the information signals from each detection unit acquired by the information acquisition unit 521. The storage unit 526 stores the control program P100 described later. The time management unit 528 functions as a time counter that counts the elapsed time after the user enters the room. The time determination unit 527 determines whether the elapsed time counted by the time management unit 528 exceeds the usage limit time. The transmission unit 529 transmits predetermined information to be output to an external party such as the administrator of the room 10. This predetermined information includes that the call operation unit 16 was operated and that the usage time limit has been exceeded.

[0045] Next, the operation of the automatic door device 100 will be explained. First, a first example of operation that does not include any special actions will be explained. In the first example of operation, the automatic door device 100 operates as follows. (1) When entering room 10, the user operates the external opening operation unit 241 (open switch). When the external opening operation unit 241 is operated, the door opening activation signal is turned on, and the door drive control unit 50 performs the opening operation. Due to the opening operation, the door 20 moves to the fully open position and stops.

[0046] (2) After entering room 10, the user operates the inner closing operation unit 262 (close switch). When the inner closing operation unit 262 is operated, the door closing activation signal is turned on, and the door drive control unit 50 performs the closing operation. Due to the closing operation, the door 20 moves to the fully closed position and stops. (3) In this state, the user uses the facilities in room 10.

[0047] (4) When exiting room 10, the user operates the inner opening operation unit 261 (open switch). When the inner opening operation unit 261 is operated, the door opening activation signal is turned on, and the door drive control unit 50 performs the opening operation. Due to the opening operation, the door 20 moves to the fully open position and stops. (5) After exiting room 10, the user operates the external closing operation unit 242 (close switch). When the external closing operation unit 242 is operated, the door closing activation signal is turned on, and the door drive control unit 50 performs the closing operation. Due to the closing operation, the door 20 moves to the fully closed position and stops.

[0048] (Example of second action) Next, a second example of operation of this embodiment will be described. The second example of operation includes a process to prohibit door opening operation. In the first example of operation, opening operation based on operation of the outside opening operation unit 241 from outside the room 10 is not prohibited, so there is a possibility that the door may be opened from the outside when in use. Therefore, in the second example of operation, when the door 20 is in a fully closed state and the occupancy detection unit 28 is in a detection state, the door drive control unit 50 prohibits door opening operation based on operation from outside the room (operation of the outside opening operation unit 241) of the operation detection unit 24 while the activity determination unit 27 has determined that the door is active.

[0049] Referring to Figure 4, process S110 of the second operation example will be explained. In this explanation, the state in which each detection unit is detecting something is referred to as "on," and the state in which each detection unit is not detecting anything is referred to as "off." Figure 4 is a flowchart of process S110 of the second operation example of the automatic door device 100. Process S110 starts when the user has entered the room after performing the operations described in (1) to (2) of the first operation example.

[0050] When process S110 is started, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the occupancy detection unit 28 is ON or OFF (step S111). If the occupancy detection unit 28 is OFF (N in step S111), the door drive control unit 50 terminates process S110 because the door 20 was closed while the room was empty for some reason.

[0051] If the occupancy detection unit 28 is ON (Y in step S111), the door drive control unit 50 prohibits the door opening operation based on the operation of the outward opening operation unit 241 (step S112). This prevents the door from being opened from the outside while in use. After step S112 is performed, the door drive control unit 50 waits for a predetermined waiting time (step S113). The predetermined waiting time in step S113 may be set to 1 to 10 minutes, or it may be omitted.

[0052] After step S113 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the activity determination unit 27 is ON or OFF (step S114). If the activity determination unit 27 is ON (Y in step S114), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S112 and repeats steps S112 to S114. In other words, as long as the activity determination unit 27 is determined to be active, the door drive control unit 50 continues to prohibit the door opening operation based on the operation of the outward opening operation unit 241.

[0053] In this way, since opening the door from the outside is prohibited during use, users can prevent the door from being opened from the outside even if it takes a long time to clean their stoma with the ostomate. Also, since there is no time limit, users can clean thoroughly without feeling rushed. Furthermore, the burden on the user, such as operating extension buttons, is reduced.

[0054] If the activity determination unit 27 is off (N in step S114), the door drive control unit 50 releases the prohibition on opening the door based on the operation of the outside opening operation unit 241 (step S115). In other words, if it is determined that there is no activity inside room 10, the user may be in an abnormal state, such as losing consciousness inside. In this case, releasing the prohibition on opening the door allows the door 20 to be opened by an outside operation, making rescue efforts easier.

[0055] After step S115 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 performs abnormality notification processing (step S116). In this example, the abnormality notification processing includes the process of transmitting to an external party, such as the administrator of room 10, that there has been no internal activity while the room was in use, and the process of displaying text or images on the outdoor notification unit 46 indicating that there has been no internal activity while the room was in use.

[0056] After executing step S116, the door drive control unit 50 terminates process S110. Process S110 is merely an example, and other steps may be added, some steps may be changed or deleted, or the order of the steps may be changed.

[0057] (Example of third action) Next, a third operation example of this embodiment will be described. The third operation example includes an automatic time limit extension process in addition to the door opening operation prohibition process. Similar to the second operation example, in the third operation example, when the door 20 is in a fully closed state and the occupancy detection unit 28 is in a detection state, the door drive control unit 50 prohibits door opening operations based on operations from outside the room by the operation detection unit 24 (operations of the outside opening operation unit 241) while the activity determination unit 27 has determined that the door is active.

[0058] Referring to Figure 5, process S120 of the third operation example will be explained. Figure 5 is a flowchart of process S120 of the third operation example of the automatic door device 100. In this explanation, the state in which each detection unit is detecting is indicated as "on," and the state in which each detection unit is not detecting is indicated as "off."

[0059] Process S120 manages the first and second time limits. The second time limit is the final time limit. The first time limit is earlier than the second time limit and serves to signal that the final time limit will soon be reached. In this example, the first time limit is set to 20 minutes and the second time limit is set to 30 minutes.

[0060] Process S120 starts when the user has entered the room after performing the operations described in (1) to (2) of the first operation example. When process S120 starts, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the occupancy detection unit 28 is ON or OFF (step S121). If the occupancy detection unit 28 is OFF (N in step S121), the door drive control unit 50 terminates process S120 because the door 20 was closed while the room was empty for some reason.

[0061] When the occupancy detection unit 28 is ON (Y in step S121), the door drive control unit 50 prohibits the door opening operation based on the operation of the outward opening operation unit 241 (step S122). This prevents the door from being opened from the outside while in use.

[0062] After step S122 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 starts counting the elapsed time (step S123). In this step, the time management unit 528 is used as a time counter, and the elapsed time is reset and counting up begins.

[0063] After step S123 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the elapsed time has reached the first time limit (step S124). If the elapsed time has not reached the first time limit (N in step S124), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S124 and repeats step S124.

[0064] When the elapsed time reaches the first time limit (Y in step S124), the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the activity determination unit 27 is ON or OFF (step S125). If the activity determination unit 27 is ON (Y in step S125), the door drive control unit 50 reduces the elapsed time by a predetermined amount (for example, 10 minutes) (step S130), returns the process to the beginning of step S124, and repeats steps S124 to S130. In other words, the elapsed time at this point is the same as the first time limit, 20 minutes, which is reduced by 10 minutes to 10 minutes, and the process returns to step S124 in this state. Therefore, as long as the activity determination unit 27 is ON, the elapsed time will not exceed the first time limit.

[0065] If the activity determination unit 27 is off (N in step S125), the door drive control unit 50 announces how to extend the usage time (step S126). In this example, the door drive control unit 50 notifies that the usage time can be extended by operating the extension operation unit 31 (pressing the extension switch) through the sound, images, etc. of the indoor notification unit 30.

[0066] After step S126 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the extension operation unit 31 is ON or OFF (step S127). If the extension operation unit 31 is ON (Y in step S127), the door drive control unit 50 proceeds to step S130, reduces the elapsed time by a predetermined amount (for example, 10 minutes), and returns to the loop in step S124.

[0067] If the extension operation unit 31 is off (N in step S127), the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the elapsed time has reached the second time limit (step S128). If the elapsed time has not reached the second time limit (N in step S128), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S127 and repeats steps S127 to S128.

[0068] When the elapsed time reaches the second time limit (Y in step S128), the door drive control unit 50 executes the time limit termination process (step S129). In this example, the time limit termination process includes releasing the prohibition on opening the door based on the operation of the outside opening operation unit 241, transmitting to an external party such as the room manager that there has been no internal activity during use, and displaying text or images on the outside notification unit 46 indicating that there has been no internal activity during use. This process allows the door 20 to be opened by an external operation, facilitating rescue efforts.

[0069] After executing step S129, the door drive control unit 50 terminates process S120. Process S120 is merely an example, and other steps may be added, some steps may be changed or deleted, or the order of the steps may be changed.

[0070] In the explanation of process S120, an example was shown in which, when the activity determination unit 27 is ON (Y in step S125), a loop is formed that reduces the elapsed time and returns the process to the beginning of step S124, but this is not limited to this. For example, when the activity determination unit 27 is ON (Y in step S125), the elapsed time count may be stopped, the process may be returned to the beginning of step S125, and step S125 may be repeated. As a result, the elapsed time count remains stopped as long as the activity determination unit 27 is ON, so the first time limit will not be exceeded. Therefore, since opening the door from the outside is prohibited during activity, even if it takes a long time for the user to clean the stoma with the ostomate 12, the door can be prevented from being opened from the outside during use. Also, since there is no time limit, the user can clean thoroughly without feeling a sense of urgency. In addition, the burden on the user, such as operating the extension button, can be reduced.

[0071] The activity determination unit 27 will be explained further. The activity determination unit 27 only needs to be able to determine whether a person is active or not, and can be configured based on various principles. In this example, the activity determination unit 27 provides the door drive control unit 50 with an activity determination signal, which consists of an active state in which it is determined that a person is active, and an inactive state in which it is determined that a person is not active. The activity determination signal is turned on in the active state in which it is determined that a person is active, and turned off in the inactive state in which it is determined that a person is not active.

[0072] It is desirable that the activity determination unit 27 be simple in configuration. Therefore, the activity determination unit 27 in this embodiment determines whether a person is active based on at least one of the following: the person's position, the person's movements, the load change the indoor equipment receives from the person, the operation the indoor equipment receives from the person, and the water flow in the indoor equipment. In this case, it can be simply configured, which is advantageous in terms of manufacturing cost.

[0073] Examples of load changes on indoor equipment from people include load changes on indoor equipment that bears a person's weight, such as the toilet 11, ostomy mat 12, washbasin 13, bed 14, infant chair 17, and handrail 15. These pieces of equipment are equipped with load sensors (not shown) capable of detecting loads based on a person's weight, and load changes can be obtained from these load sensors. The activity determination unit 27 may turn on the activity determination signal when the load change obtained from the load sensor exceeds a threshold, and turn off the activity determination signal when it is below the threshold. Although the determination could also be made based on the magnitude of the load, this method may lead to the misidentification of a state where a person is sitting on the toilet and not moving as being active, so the determination is made based on load changes.

[0074] Examples of operations that can be performed on the indoor equipment include operating the door of the toilet 11, operating the water on the toilet 11, operating the faucets of the ostomate 12 and the washbasin 13, and unfolding the bed 14. Operation sensors (not shown) capable of detecting operations are provided on these pieces of equipment, and the presence or absence of operations can be obtained from the operation sensors. The activity determination unit 27 may turn on an activity determination signal if an operation is performed on any of these pieces of equipment, and turn off the activity determination signal if no operation is performed.

[0075] Examples of water flows in indoor equipment include the upstream and downstream water flows of the toilet 11, ostomate 12, and washbasin 13. These facilities are equipped with water flow sensors (not shown) capable of detecting water flow, and the water flow can be obtained from these water flow sensors. The activity determination unit 27 may turn on an activity determination signal when the water flow rate obtained from the water flow sensor exceeds a threshold, and turn off the activity determination signal when it is below the threshold. Alternatively, the activity determination unit 27 may turn on an activity determination signal when the change in the water flow rate of any of these indoor facilities exceeds a threshold, and turn off the activity determination signal when it is below the threshold.

[0076] The object detection sensor 272 will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a plan view showing an example of a detection area 29. It is desirable to be able to detect the position of a person in detail. Therefore, the activity determination unit 27 of this embodiment includes an object detection sensor 272 having a detection area 29 consisting of a plurality of detection spots 276, and determines whether a person is active based on the position of detection spot 276-A that is in a detected state among the plurality of detection spots 276. The object detection sensor 272 functions as a user detection unit. In Figure 6, each detection spot 276 is shown as a rectangle, and detection spot 276-A that is in a detected state and has detected a user 8 (person) is shown as a hatched rectangle.

[0077] The object detection sensor 272 is an infrared reflection type sensor and includes a light emitter that emits infrared light into the detection area 29 and a light receiver that receives reflected light from people or objects. Figure 6 shows the detection area 29 and detection spot 276 of the object detection sensor 272 on the floor surface. The detection area 29 has a three-dimensional range from the floor surface to the ceiling of the room 10.

[0078] The detection area 29 of the object detection sensor 272 is set within a predetermined range from the outer edge of a predetermined piece of equipment. In this embodiment, the predetermined piece of equipment is at least one of a toilet 11, an ostomy 12 (washing platform), a washbasin 13, a bed 14, a handrail 15, a child's chair 17, and a changing table 18. In the example in Figure 6, the detection area 29 includes a first detection area 291, a second detection area 292, a third detection area 293, a fourth detection area 294, a fifth detection area 295, a sixth detection area 296, and a seventh detection area 297, which are set within a predetermined range from the outer edges of the toilet 11, the ostomy 12 (washing platform), the washbasin 13, the bed 14, the handrail 15, the child's chair 17, and the changing table 18. The width W of the detection area 29 may be set in the range of 500 mm to 700 mm.

[0079] If a user is in a position related to a specific piece of equipment, such as sitting on the toilet 11 or leaning against the ostomate 12 or handrail 15, it is possible that they are unconscious and inactive. Therefore, the location of a person in room 10 can be detected, and based on the detection results, it can be determined whether the person is active or not. For example, the activity determination unit 27 may determine that a person is active if it detects user 8 at any of the detection spots in each detection area 291 to 297, or it may determine that a person is active even if it does not detect user 8.

[0080] If a user is not moving much, it is possible that their awareness is low and they are not active. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not a person is moving and determine whether or not they are active based on that movement. For example, the activity determination unit 27 may determine that a user 8 is active if the user 8 is detected at one of the detection spots in each detection area 291 to 297, and the location of the detection spot changes over time, and the frequency of this change exceeds a predetermined frequency, while determining that the user is not active if the frequency is below the predetermined frequency. Alternatively, for example, the activity determination unit 27 may determine that a person in the private room is active if there is a change in the detection result of the object detection sensor 272 within a predetermined time.

[0081] The features of the automatic door device 100 of this embodiment, configured as described above, will now be explained. The automatic door device 100 includes an open instruction output unit (operation detection units 24, 26) located outside the private room that outputs an instruction to open the door of the private room, a door drive control unit 50 that controls the opening operation of the door 20 based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit, a room occupancy detection unit 28 that detects a person inside the private room, and a determination unit (activity determination unit 27) that determines whether a person is active inside the private room. The door drive control unit 50 prohibits the opening operation of the door 20 based on the open instruction from the open instruction output unit when the door 20 is fully closed and the room occupancy detection unit 28 is in a detection state and the determination unit determines that a person is active.

[0082] With this configuration, as long as the system detects that a user is active in the room, opening the door from the outside is prohibited, allowing the user to use the room with peace of mind without being constrained by time limits. This reduces the mental and physical burden on the user while they are using the room.

[0083] In this embodiment, the activity determination unit 27 determines whether a person is active based on at least one of the person's location, the person's movements, changes in the load the indoor equipment receives from the person, operations the indoor equipment receives from the person, and the flow of water in the indoor equipment. In this case, the activity determination unit 27 can be simply configured without using special equipment to detect activity, which is advantageous for miniaturizing and reducing the cost of the activity determination unit 27.

[0084] In this embodiment, the activity determination unit 27 includes an object detection sensor 272 having a detection area 29 consisting of multiple detection spots 276, and determines whether a person is active based on the position of detection spot 276-A among the multiple detection spots 276 that is in a detected state. In this case, since detection is performed for each of the multiple detection spots 276, the position and movement of the person can be detected in detail, and the determination accuracy can be improved.

[0085] In this embodiment, the detection area 29 is set to a predetermined range from the outer edge of a predetermined piece of equipment. In this case, compared to the case where the entire room is the detection area, it is easier to protect the use for its intended purpose and to prevent use for purposes other than its intended purpose.

[0086] In this embodiment, the designated equipment is at least one of the following: toilet 11, ostomate 12 (washing station), washbasin 13, bed 14, handrail 15, infant chair 17, and changing table 18. In this case, since users who intend to use the facilities for their intended purpose are often located or active near these designated equipment, it is easy to protect them from being used for their intended purpose.

[0087] The second to sixth embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the drawings and descriptions of the second to sixth embodiments, components and members that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Descriptions that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the descriptions will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment.

[0088] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention is a control method for an automatic door device. This control method includes the steps of: detecting whether there is a person inside a private room (room 10); determining whether there is activity inside the private room; determining whether the door 20 of the private room is in a fully closed state; and, when the door 20 is in a fully closed state and it is detected that there is a person inside the private room, prohibiting the opening operation of the door 20 based on instructions from the open instruction output unit (operation detection unit 24, 26) that outputs an open instruction to the door, as long as it is determined that there is activity inside the private room.

[0089] This control method produces the same effects and benefits as the first embodiment.

[0090] [Third Embodiment] A third embodiment of the present invention is a control program P100 (computer program) for an automatic door device. The control program P100 according to the present invention causes the computer to execute the following steps: detecting whether there is a person inside a private room (room 10); determining whether there is activity inside the private room; determining whether the door 20 is in a fully closed state; and, when the door 20 is in a fully closed state and the presence of a person inside the private room is detected, and it is determined that there is activity inside the private room, prohibiting the opening operation of the door 20 based on instructions from the open instruction output unit (operation detection unit 24, 26) that outputs an open instruction to the door.

[0091] The control program P100 may be installed in the storage (e.g., memory unit 526) of the automatic door device 100 as an application program in which multiple modules corresponding to the functional blocks of the automatic door device 100 are implemented. The control program P100 may be read into the main memory of the computer processor (e.g., CPU) that constitutes the control unit 52 of the automatic door device 100 and executed thereafter.

[0092] According to this control program P100, the same functions and effects as in the first embodiment are achieved.

[0093] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic door device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The automatic door device 100 of the fourth embodiment includes an estimation unit 62 and a time determination unit 530. In addition, the fourth embodiment shows an example in which the automatic door device 100 does not have an activity determination unit 27, but the automatic door device 100 may have an activity determination unit 27.

[0094] The estimation unit 62 estimates the purpose of use of the private room by the person inside. The estimation unit 62 in this embodiment includes a user detection unit 62a that detects the position of the person inside the private room (see Figure 9), and estimates the purpose of use of the person inside the private room based on the position of the person detected by the user detection unit 62a. The user detection unit 62a includes an infrared detection sensor 62b having an infrared detection area 621 consisting of a plurality of infrared detection spots 622 (see Figure 9). The detection principle of the infrared detection sensor 62b is not particularly limited, but the user detection unit 62a in this embodiment is configured to include a plurality of light-receiving elements that receive reflected infrared light projected onto each infrared detection spot 622 in the infrared detection area 621. The user detection unit 62a in this embodiment detects the position of the person inside the private room based on the position of the detected infrared detection spot 622 among the plurality of infrared detection spots 622. A known method can be used for detecting the position of the person based on the position of the detected infrared detection spot 622.

[0095] The information acquisition unit 521 of the fourth embodiment functions as an input port for acquiring activation signals, detection signals, etc., from the outward opening operation unit 241, outward closing operation unit 242, inward opening operation unit 261, inward closing operation unit 262, first detection unit 321, second detection unit 322, side detection unit 34, estimation unit 62, occupancy detection unit 28, call operation unit 16, extension operation unit 31, resistance detection unit 36, and position detection unit 38.

[0096] The storage unit 526 of the fourth embodiment stores a plurality of usage limit times that are set in advance for each purpose of use. The usage limit times are set to different times for each purpose of use.

[0097] The process S200 of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a flowchart of the process S200 of the fourth embodiment. Process S200 starts when the user has entered the room after performing the operations described in (1) to (2) of the first operation example. Steps S201 to S203 in Figure 8 are basically the same as steps S121 to S123 in Figure 5, except for points that are not specifically mentioned, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0098] In process S200, the purpose of use by the person in the private room is estimated, and the final usage limit time is set according to that estimated purpose.

[0099] After steps S201 to S203, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the elapsed time has reached a predetermined time (step S204). Here, the predetermined time in step S204 is the time before the usage limit time, and is set to, for example, 5 minutes. If the elapsed time has not reached the predetermined time (N in step S204), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S204 and repeats step S204.

[0100] When the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time (Y in step S204), the estimation unit 62 obtains the detection result of the person's position inside the private room from the user detection unit 62a (step S205). For example, the estimation unit 62 obtains the person's position from the user detection unit 62a when a predetermined time has elapsed since the door was fully closed.

[0101] After step S205 is executed, the estimation unit 62 determines whether the person's location within the private room is near the washbasin 13 based on the detection result of the person's location (step S206). For example, if the washbasin 13 is the closest facility to the detected person's location, the estimation unit 62 determines that the user's location is near the washbasin 13.

[0102] If the user is staying near the washbasin 13 (Y in step S206), the estimation unit 62 estimates that the user's purpose of use is for purposes other than the intended use of the private room, such as changing clothes or resting (step S207).

[0103] After step S207 is executed, the time determination unit 530 sets the usage limit time to a short-term limit time (for example, about 10 minutes) based on the estimated usage purpose (step S208). Then, process S200 proceeds to step S215. Step S212 will be described later.

[0104] Returning to step S206, if the user's location is not near the washbasin 13 (N in step S206), the estimation unit 62 determines, based on the detection result of the person's location, whether or not the user's location in the room is near the toilet 11 (step S209).

[0105] If the user is staying near the toilet 11 (Y in step S209), the estimation unit 62 estimates the user's purpose of use to be for the normal use of the private room, such as using the toilet 11 (step S210).

[0106] After step S210 is executed, the time determination unit 530 sets the usage limit time to a medium-duration limit time (for example, about 30 minutes) based on the estimated usage purpose (step S211). Then, process S200 proceeds to step S215.

[0107] Returning to step S209, if the user's location is not near the toilet 11 (N in step S209), the estimation unit 62 determines, based on the detection result of the person's location, whether or not the user's location in the room is near the ostomate 12 (step S212).

[0108] If the user's location is not near the ostomate 12 (N in step S212), the process proceeds to step S207, where the estimation unit 62 estimates the user's purpose of use to be for a purpose other than the intended use of the private room. The process then proceeds to step S208.

[0109] If the user's location is near the ostomate 12 (Y in step S212), the estimation unit 62 estimates the user's purpose of use to be for long-term use, such as using the ostomate 12 (step S213).

[0110] After step S213 is executed, the time determination unit 530 sets the usage limit time to a long-term limit time (for example, about 30 minutes) based on the estimated usage purpose (step S214). Then, process S200 proceeds to step S215.

[0111] After executing steps S208, S211, or S214, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether a predetermined timing before the expiration of the usage time limit (for example, 5 minutes before the expiration of the usage time limit) has passed (step S215). The usage time limit here is the time limit set in step S208, S211, or S214. If the predetermined timing before the expiration of the usage time limit has not been reached (N in step S215), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S215 and repeats step S215.

[0112] When a predetermined timing is reached before the usage time limit expires (Y in step S215), the door drive control unit 50 notifies that the usage time limit has expired (step S216). In this example, the door drive control unit 50 notifies, through sound, images, etc. from the indoor notification unit 30, that the usage time limit has expired and that once the usage time limit has expired, the prohibition process for opening the door based on the operation of the outer opening operation unit 241 described above will be released.

[0113] After step S216 is executed, the door drive control unit 50 determines whether the usage time limit has elapsed (step S217). If the usage time limit has not elapsed (N in step S217), the door drive control unit 50 returns the process to the beginning of step S217 and repeats step S217.

[0114] If the elapsed time reaches the usage limit (Y in step S217), the door drive control unit 50 executes the time limit termination process (step S218). In this example, the time limit termination process includes a process to release the prohibition on door opening operation based on the operation of the outer opening operation unit 241.

[0115] After step S218 is executed, process S200 terminates. Process S200 is merely an example, and other steps may be added, some steps may be changed or deleted, or the order of the steps may be changed. For example, when a predetermined timing is reached before the usage limit expires (Y in step S215), the door drive control unit 50 may notify that the usage limit has expired (step S216), determine whether the available time has expired or not (step S217), announce how to extend the usage time (step S126), and then execute steps S127-S128 and S130. Alternatively, when a predetermined timing is reached before the usage limit expires (Y in step S215), the door drive control unit 50 may determine whether the activity determination unit 27 is ON or OFF, and if the activity determination unit 27 is ON (Y in step S125), it may reduce the elapsed time by a predetermined amount of time (step S130).

[0116] According to the fourth embodiment, since the usage limit time is determined based on the purpose of use by the person in the private room, it is possible to prevent the private room from being occupied for a long time by people using it for purposes other than its intended use, and to provide a private room that is easy to use for those who need it. For example, in the case of long-term use such as for ostomates 12, a long-term usage limit time is set, so the user is less constrained by the usage limit time, which reduces the feeling of urgency and allows for thorough cleaning. In addition, since a long-term usage limit time is set according to the purpose of long-term use, the burden on the user, such as operating the extension button, can be reduced.

[0117] According to the fourth embodiment, the user detection unit 62a includes an infrared detection sensor 62b having an infrared detection area 621 consisting of a plurality of infrared detection spots 622, and detects the position of a person in the private room based on the position of the infrared detection spot 622 that is in the detection state among the plurality of infrared detection spots 622. With this configuration, the position of a person can be obtained with a single infrared detection sensor 62b, and the user's privacy can be protected because it is a detection method that uses infrared light.

[0118] In the fourth embodiment, the detection result of the user detection unit 62a was obtained as the position of the person inside the private room after a predetermined time has elapsed since the door was fully closed, but it is not limited to this. For example, the detection result of the user detection unit 62a may be obtained as the position of the person inside the private room after a predetermined time has elapsed from any point in time after the door was fully closed. Alternatively, the detection result of the user detection unit 62a may be obtained as the position where the person stayed for the longest time between the point in time after the door was fully closed and the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0119] As shown in the example in Figure 9, depending on how the infrared detection area 621 is set, the infrared detection area 621 may not include a portion of the area, including the toilet bowl 11. Therefore, if a user is sitting on the toilet bowl 11, a method that simply detects the position of the object to be detected within the infrared detection area 621 may not be able to detect that the object is near the toilet bowl 11. In this case, if the occupancy detection unit 28 has detected a person inside the cubicle but has not detected an object to be detected within the infrared detection area 621, the user detection unit 62a may output as a detection result that there is a person outside the infrared detection area 621. In this case, the estimation unit 62 may estimate that the purpose of use is the use of the toilet bowl 11, which is equipment outside the infrared detection area 621. Alternatively, the user detection unit 62a may detect the position of a person based on the movement of a person inside the cubicle from the time the door is fully closed until a predetermined time has elapsed. For example, the user detection unit 62a may use the history of the infrared detection spot 622's detection state when the detected object passes through the infrared detection area 621 as a movement path, and if the detected object enters the infrared detection area 621 while the movement path is facing the direction of the toilet seat 11 to the left rear from the opening 20, it may output as a detection result that there is a person near the toilet seat 11. Alternatively, the user detection unit 62a may output as a detection result that there is a person near the changing table 18 if the movement path is facing the changing table 18 to the rear from the opening 20. By detecting the position of a person based on the movement path of a person in the private room, the position of a person in the private room can be determined with greater accuracy, making it possible to estimate the purpose of use with greater accuracy, for example, when multiple pieces of equipment are located outside the infrared detection area 621.

[0120] In the fourth embodiment, the purpose of use was estimated based on the person's position within the room, but is not limited thereto. For example, the purpose of use may be estimated based on at least one of the person's position, the person's movements, the load changes the room equipment receives from the person, the operation the room equipment receives from the person, and the water flow in the room equipment. In this case, the estimation unit 62 can be simply configured without using special equipment to estimate the purpose of use, which is advantageous for miniaturizing and reducing the cost of the estimation unit 62.

[0121] Examples of human movements include movements of the hands around the face, movements of keeping the hands and face at a certain distance, and movements of the hands around the lower abdomen. These movements can be acquired, for example, by installing an image sensor in the private room and performing image recognition from the image data. For example, if the estimation unit 62 detects movements of the hands around the face or movements of keeping the hands and face at a certain distance, it may estimate that these are purposes other than the original purpose of the private room, such as applying makeup or using a mobile device. Also, for example, if the estimation unit 62 detects movements of the hands around the lower abdomen, it may estimate that these are purposes for use that will last for a long time, such as using the ostomate 12.

[0122] The load changes received by the indoor equipment from people, the operations performed on the indoor equipment, and the water flow in the indoor equipment are the same as in the example given in the first embodiment. If the load change acquired by the load sensor exceeds a threshold, the estimation unit 62 may estimate that the purpose of use is to utilize the indoor equipment whose load change exceeds the threshold. If the estimation unit 62 detects an operation of the indoor equipment, it may estimate that the purpose of use is to utilize the indoor equipment whose operation was performed. If the estimation unit 62 detects a water flow, it may estimate that the purpose of use is to utilize the indoor equipment whose water flow was detected.

[0123] [Fifth Embodiment] A fifth embodiment of the present invention is a control method for an automatic door device. This control method includes the steps of: estimating the purpose of use of a person inside a private room (room 10); determining a usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use; and prohibiting the opening operation of the door 20 based on an open instruction output unit (operation detection unit 24, 26) from the time the door 20 of the private room is fully closed until the determined usage limit time has elapsed.

[0124] This control method produces the same effects and benefits as the fourth embodiment.

[0125] [Sixth Embodiment] A sixth embodiment of the present invention is a control program P100 (computer program) for an automatic door device. The control program P100 according to the present invention causes a computer to perform the following steps: estimate the purpose of use of a person inside a private room (room 10); determine a usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use; and prohibit the opening operation of the door 20 based on the opening instruction output unit (operation detection unit 24, 26) from the time the door 20 of the private room is fully closed until the determined usage limit time has elapsed.

[0126] The control program P100 may be installed in the storage (e.g., memory unit 526) of the automatic door device 100 as an application program in which multiple modules corresponding to the functional blocks of the automatic door device 100 are implemented. The control program P100 may be read into the main memory of the computer processor (e.g., CPU) that constitutes the control unit 52 of the automatic door device 100 and executed thereafter.

[0127] According to this control program P100, the same functions and effects as in the fourth embodiment are achieved.

[0128] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. The embodiments described above are merely examples of how to implement the present invention. The contents of the embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes, such as changes, additions, and deletions of components, are possible as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims. In the embodiments described above, the contents in which such design changes are possible are described with notations such as "of the embodiments" or "in the embodiments," but this does not mean that design changes are not permitted in contents without such notations.

[0129] [Differentiation] The following describes modified examples. In the drawings and descriptions of the modified examples, components and members that are the same or equivalent as those in the embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. Descriptions that overlap with those in the embodiments will be omitted as appropriate, and the descriptions will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment.

[0130] In the description of the embodiments, the third example of operation showed an example in which the elapsed time is continuously counted and the time limit is controlled by reducing the elapsed time in predetermined cases, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the time limit may be controlled by stopping and restarting the count of the elapsed time in predetermined cases, or the time limit may be controlled by continuously counting the elapsed time and extending the time limit in predetermined cases.

[0131] In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which process S110 is terminated when the occupancy detection unit 28 is off in steps S111 and S121, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, if the occupancy detection unit 28 is off, the process may be returned to the beginning of steps S111 and S121.

[0132] In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the movement path 22 does not have guide means such as rails or grooves, but the movement path 22 may have guide means such as rails or grooves.

[0133] In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the side detection unit 34 is provided on the transom of the front wall 101, but for example, the side detection unit 34 may be provided on the door 20.

[0134] In the description of the embodiment, the external operation detection unit 24 and the internal operation detection unit 26 were shown as push-button switches, but for example, the external operation detection unit 24 and the internal operation detection unit 26 may be operated by wireless communication from a wireless device such as a smartphone or IC card.

[0135] The above-described modifications produce the same functions and effects as the first embodiment.

[0136] Any combination of the embodiments and modifications described above is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. The new embodiments resulting from these combinations possess the combined effects of the respective embodiments and modifications. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0137] 10 Room, 11 Toilet, 12 Ostomate (washing station), 13 Washbasin, 14 Bed, 17 Infant chair, 18 Changing table, 20 Door, 24 External operation detection unit, 26 Internal operation detection unit, 27 Activity determination unit, 28 Occupancy detection unit, 29 Detection area, 30 Indoor notification unit, 31 Extension operation unit, 50 Door drive control unit, 52 Control unit, 56 Drive unit, 62 Estimation unit, 62a User detection unit, 100 Automatic door device, 241 External opening operation unit, 242 External closing operation unit, 261 Internal opening operation unit, 262 Internal closing operation unit, 272 Object detection sensor, 276 Detection spot, 526 Memory unit, 528 Time management unit, Infrared detection area 621, infrared detection spot 622.

Claims

1. An open instruction output unit is provided outside the private room and outputs an instruction to open the door of the private room, A door drive control unit controls the opening operation of the door based on the opening instruction from the opening instruction output unit, A room occupancy detection unit that detects a person inside the aforementioned room, A determination unit that determines whether or not a person is active in the aforementioned private room, Equipped with, The door drive control unit, when the door is fully closed and the occupancy detection unit is in a detection state, and the determination unit determines that a person is active, prohibits the opening operation of the door based on the open instruction output unit. Automatic door system.

2. The determination unit determines whether a person is active based on at least one of the person's location, the person's movements, the load changes the room's equipment receives from the person, the operation the room's equipment receives from the person, and the water flow in the room's equipment. The automatic door device according to claim 1.

3. The determination unit includes an object detection sensor having a detection area consisting of multiple detection spots, and determines whether a person is active based on the location of the detection spot among the multiple detection spots that is in a detected state. The automatic door device according to claim 1.

4. The detection area is set within a predetermined range from the outer edge of a predetermined piece of equipment. The automatic door device according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned designated equipment is at least one of a toilet, a washing station, a washbasin, a changing table, a handrail, a child's chair, and a bed. The automatic door device according to claim 4.

6. The door to the private room, An instruction output unit is provided outside the private room and outputs an instruction to open or close the door of the private room, A control unit that controls the opening and closing drive of the door based on an open or close instruction from the instruction output unit, A room occupancy detection unit that detects a person inside the individual room, The user detection unit has a detection area within a predetermined range from the outer edge of the equipment in the aforementioned private room and detects people, A determination unit that determines whether a person is active in the private room based on the detection result of the user detection unit, Equipped with, The determination unit determines that a person is active in the private room when there is a change in the detection result of the user detection unit within a predetermined time. The control unit, when the door is fully closed, and the occupancy detection unit detects an occupancy and the determination unit determines that a person is active, prohibits the opening operation of the door based on an open command from the instruction output unit. Automatic door system.

7. A step to detect whether there is a person inside the private room, The steps include determining whether a person is active in the aforementioned private room, A step of determining whether the door of the private room is fully closed, The steps include: prohibiting the opening of the door based on an instruction from the open instruction output unit that outputs an instruction to open the door, while the door is fully closed and it is detected that a person is inside the room and it is determined that a person is active inside the room; A method for controlling an automatic door system, including the use of automatic doors.

8. A step to detect whether there is a person inside the private room, The steps include determining whether a person is active in the aforementioned private room, A step of determining whether the door of the private room is fully closed, The steps include: prohibiting the opening of the door based on an instruction from the open instruction output unit that outputs an instruction to open the door, while the door is fully closed and it is detected that a person is inside the room and it is determined that a person is active inside the room; A control program for an automatic door system that causes a computer to execute it.

9. An open instruction output unit is provided outside the private room and outputs an instruction to open the door of the private room, A door drive control unit controls the opening operation of the door based on the opening instruction from the opening instruction output unit, An estimation unit that estimates the purpose of use of the individual room, A time determination unit that determines the usage limit time based on the estimated purpose of use, Equipped with, The door drive control unit prohibits the opening operation of the door based on the opening instruction of the opening instruction output unit from the time the door is fully closed until the determined usage restriction time has elapsed. Automatic door system.

10. The unit includes a user detection unit that detects the location of a person inside the private room. The estimation unit estimates the purpose of use based on the position of the person inside the private room at a predetermined time after the door has been fully closed. The automatic door device according to claim 9.

11. The unit includes a user detection unit that detects the location of a person inside the private room. The estimation unit estimates the purpose of use based on the position where the person spent the longest time inside the private room from the moment the door is fully closed until a predetermined time has elapsed. The automatic door device according to claim 9.

12. The user detection unit includes an infrared detection sensor having an infrared detection area consisting of multiple infrared detection spots, and detects the position of a person in the private room based on the position of the infrared detection spot that is in a detected state among the multiple infrared detection spots. The automatic door device according to claim 10 or 11.

13. The unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires at least one of the following: human movement, changes in load on the indoor equipment of the private room from the person, operations on the indoor equipment from the person, and the flow of water in the indoor equipment. The estimation unit estimates the purpose of use based on the acquisition results of the acquisition unit. The automatic door device according to any one of claims 9 to 12.

14. The aforementioned usage restriction time is set to a different time for each estimated purpose of use. The automatic door device according to any one of claims 9 to 13.

15. The system includes a notification unit that notifies the person inside the private room that the usage restriction time has elapsed at a predetermined timing before the usage restriction time has elapsed. The automatic door device according to any one of claims 9 to 14.

16. Steps to estimate the purpose of use of the individual in the room, The steps include determining the usage time limit based on the estimated purpose of use, The steps include: prohibiting the opening operation of the door based on the open instruction output unit from the time the door of the private room is fully closed until the determined usage restriction time has elapsed; A method for controlling automatic doors, including the control of automatic doors.

17. Steps to estimate the purpose of use of the individual in the room, The steps include determining the usage time limit based on the estimated purpose of use, The steps include: prohibiting the opening operation of the door based on the open instruction output unit from the time the door of the private room is fully closed until the determined usage restriction time has elapsed; A control program for an automatic door system that causes a computer to execute it.

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