Ventilation system

Abstract

To provide a system capable of performing appropriate ventilation obtained by taking not only the number of persons staying in a room but also the distribution state of the persons staying in the room into consideration.SOLUTION: A ventilation system includes ventilation devices arranged in ventilation object spaces, control devices for controlling the operation of the ventilation devices, ventilation sensors arranged in the ventilation object spaces, repeaters disposed in the ventilation object spaces, and a server for determining a drive condition of the ventilation devices. The ventilation sensors measures carbon dioxide concentration of the ventilation object spaces, the repeaters communicate with user terminals existing in the ventilation object spaces, and the server indexes the number of persons from the number of user terminals connected to the repeaters, and determines an operation condition of the ventilation devices on the basis of the number of persons and the carbon dioxide concentration.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation system that appropriately ventilates a space (indoors) to be ventilated.

Background Art

[0002] Ventilation indoors is necessary to supply fresh air required for maintaining human respiration and to discharge polluted air. Ventilation of enclosed spaces indoors or indoors where people gather is also emphasized from the perspective of preventing infectious diseases. Commercial facilities and offices are equipped with ventilation systems to discharge the polluted air indoors to the outside and to take in fresh air from the outside.

[0003] It is necessary to perform ventilation with an appropriate ventilation air volume. For example, a ventilation device that automatically performs a ventilation operation corresponding to the occupancy situation has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In addition, an air purification device is disclosed that measures the carbon dioxide concentration at a height of 80 cm or less from the floor surface and ventilates until the measured value drops to a set value when the measured value exceeds a reference concentration (see Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The ventilation device described in Patent Document 1 grasps the number of people in the room using a wearable terminal, and controls the ventilation volume based on whether the detected number of people exceeds a threshold value. However, when controlling the ventilation air volume only based on the number of people in the room, there is no distinction between the case where the people in the room are concentrated in one place and the case where the people in the room are dispersed in the room. Ventilation is performed on the entire room under the same conditions, resulting in insufficient ventilation air volume in the area where the people in the room are concentrated and excessive ventilation air volume in the sparse area, which becomes a problem. In addition, the ventilation device described in Patent Document 1 is configured to stop ventilation when no people in the room are detected. In a meeting room where a large number of people gather and disperse at once, when all people leave, the ventilation device stops with insufficient ventilation in the room, which becomes a problem.

[0006] In the air purification device described in Patent Document 2, the carbon dioxide concentration in the room is measured, and the ventilation air volume is changed when the reference concentration is exceeded. However, in the control based only on the carbon dioxide concentration in the room, ventilation is not performed or the ventilation air volume is not changed until the carbon dioxide concentration reaches the reference concentration even though there are people in the room, so that fine ventilation according to the number of people in the room cannot be achieved, which becomes a problem.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and one of the objects is to provide a system capable of performing appropriate ventilation considering not only the number of people in the room but also the uneven distribution of the people in the room.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The gist of the present invention is to ensure the required ventilation volume by controlling the ventilation air volume based on the number and distribution of people in the room. Further, the gist of the present invention is to prevent excessive ventilation and reduce the load on the ventilation device by controlling the ventilation air volume based on the carbon dioxide concentration even when the room becomes unoccupied.

[0009] A ventilation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a ventilation device disposed in a ventilation target space, a control device that controls the operation of the ventilation device, an environmental sensor disposed in the ventilation target space, a repeater disposed in the ventilation target space, and a server that determines driving conditions of the ventilation device. The environmental sensor measures the carbon dioxide concentration in the ventilation target space, the repeater communicates with user terminals present in the ventilation target space, the server calculates the number of people from the number of user terminals connected to the repeater, and determines the operating conditions of the ventilation device based on the number of people and the carbon dioxide concentration.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the server may communicate with the repeater, identify the occupants having user terminals, count the number of occupants present in the ventilation target space from the information of the occupants, determine the operating conditions of the ventilation device from the number of people and the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration, and transmit the operating conditions to the control device. The server has a number limit mode and an air purification mode as the operating conditions of the ventilation device. The number limit mode determines the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device based on the number of people in the ventilation target space and the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration, and the air purification mode may determine the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device based on the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration in the ventilation target space. When the number of people in the ventilation target space is 0 and the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration is equal to or less than a predetermined specified value, the server may stop the ventilation device. The server may determine the ventilation air volume using a reference table in which the range of the carbon dioxide concentration, the range of the number of people, and the ventilation air volume are recorded. The server includes an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires the measurement value of the environmental sensor, an occupancy information acquisition unit that counts the number of occupants based on the information of the user terminals communicating with the repeater, and a control condition determination unit that selects the control conditions of the ventilation device based on the information of the environmental information acquisition unit and the occupancy information acquisition unit. The control condition determination unit may refer to the reference table.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the repeater may be a gateway terminal integrated with an environmental sensor. The repeater may communicate with any one of a mobile terminal as a user terminal possessed by a person present, an ID card, a wireless tag, a wristband-type terminal, and a clip-type sensor. Further, it may have a camera as a sensor for detecting a person present in the ventilation target space, and the server may count the number of people in the ventilation target space based on the image captured by the camera.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation target space is divided into a plurality of sections, an environmental sensor, a repeater, and a ventilation device are arranged for each of the plurality of sections, and the server communicates with the repeaters arranged for each of the plurality of sections and may individually determine the operating conditions of the ventilation devices arranged for each of the plurality of sections.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, appropriate ventilation can be performed according to the number of people present in the ventilation target space and the gathering situation, and when there is no person present in the ventilation target space, the load on the ventilation device can be suppressed, so that energy saving can be achieved while performing the necessary amount of ventilation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different modes, and is not construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below. The drawings may be schematically represented in terms of the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part compared to the actual mode for the purpose of making the description clearer, but this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present invention. Also, in this specification and each drawing, elements that are the same as those described above with respect to the previously shown drawings may be given the same reference numerals (or reference numerals with A, B, or a, b, etc. appended to the numbers), and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the letters "first" and "second" appended to each element are for convenience of distinguishing each element and have no further meaning unless otherwise specified.

[0016] In this specification, the ventilation target space refers to a closed space that is the target of ventilation, and is a space where a person can enter and stay for a certain period of time. The closed space is not limited to an airtight space, but is a space surrounded by walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, etc., such as a room provided inside a building, and is a space where air flows by natural convection when there is no air conditioning equipment or ventilation equipment. For example, the ventilation target space includes various rooms of different sizes such as offices, conference rooms, lecture halls, classrooms, waiting rooms, gymnasiums, theaters, movie theaters, concert halls, multipurpose halls, sales floors of commercial facilities, entertainment areas of entertainment facilities, and dining rooms of food and beverage facilities. In addition, the target space includes passenger compartments in vehicles such as trains and buses.

[0017] In this specification, an in-room person refers to a person present in the ventilation target space. More specifically, when the ventilation target space is divided into a plurality of areas, it refers to a person present (in the room) in each area. Therefore, information regarding the number of people in the target area includes the number of people present in the ventilation target area when the ventilation target space is divided into a plurality of areas. It is assumed that in-room persons are free to enter and leave the ventilation target space and can move freely within the areas divided into multiple parts.

[0018] In this specification, information regarding the environment and environmental information refer to information representing the environment of the target space. Specifically, it is the carbon dioxide concentration, and other factors such as air temperature, humidity, illuminance, and the number of fine particles floating in the air may be included.

[0019] 1. Overview of the ventilation system FIG. 1 shows an overview of a ventilation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ventilation system 100 includes ventilation devices 102A and 102B, a control device 104, a server (computer) 106, repeaters 108A and 108B, and environment sensors 110A and 110B. The ventilation devices 102 are arranged in the ventilation target space 200. The ventilation devices 102 are used to ventilate the ventilation target space 200.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows that the ventilation target space 200 is partitioned into a plurality of parts. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows that the ventilation target space 200 is divided into two areas, a first area 202A and a second area 202B. The ventilation target space 200 is one space, and the boundary between the first area 202A and the second area 202B is not separated by a structure, nor does it need to be visually indicated by drawing a line or the like. For example, there is no need to install a partition or wall like a partition between the first area 202A and the second area 202B, and there is no need to draw a line with paint or tape to distinguish the boundary.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an example in which the ventilation target space 200 is divided into a first area 202A and a second area 202B, but the number of divisions of the ventilation target space 200 is not limited. The number of divisions of the ventilation target space 200 is arbitrary and can be appropriately set according to the size of the space (for example, a room) to be ventilated.

[0022] The ventilation system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes two ventilation devices 102A and 102B. The ventilation device 102A is arranged in the first area 202A, and the ventilation device 102B is arranged in the second area 202B. In this way, the ventilation system 100 is configured such that the ventilation devices 102A and 102B are respectively arranged in two areas (the first area 202A and the second area 202B) of the ventilation target space 200 to perform ventilation of the arranged areas. In other words, the ventilation system 100 has a configuration in which the ventilation devices 102 are arranged to individually ventilate each area of the ventilation target space 200.

[0023] 1-1. Ventilation Device The ventilation devices 102A and 102B are devices that forcibly perform ventilation using mechanical elements such as a blower fan, take in outside air into the ventilation target space 200, and discharge the air inside the space to the outside. The ventilation devices 102A and 102B have an air supply port and an exhaust port (not shown), form an air flow from the air supply port to the exhaust port, and thereby perform ventilation. The ventilation devices 102A and 102B may be provided with a heat exchanger (not shown) in the air inflow and outflow paths. By having a heat exchanger, it is possible to return the cool air for air conditioning in summer and the warm air for heating in winter to the ventilation target space 200 while performing ventilation, and energy savings for air conditioning can be achieved.

[0024] 1-2. Control Device The control device 104 controls the start, stop, and ventilation air volume during operation of the two ventilation devices 102A and 102B. The control device 104 can control the two ventilation devices 102A and 102B individually. For example, it is possible to operate only the ventilation device 102B with the ventilation device 102A stopped, and it is also possible to operate with different ventilation air volumes for the ventilation device 102A and the ventilation device 102B. That is, the control device 104 can individually control the start, stop, and ventilation air volume during operation of a plurality of ventilation devices. The operation control of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B by the control device 104 is managed by the server 106.

[0025] 1-3. Repeater The repeaters 108A and 108B are arranged in the ventilation target space 200. The repeaters 108A and 108B are respectively arranged in the divided areas. Specifically, the repeater 108A is arranged in the first area 202A, and the repeater 108B is arranged in the second area 202B. The repeaters 108A and 108B are connected to a network (telecommunication line) and relay the connection between the environmental sensors 110A and 110B, the user terminals 150A, 150B, and 150C, and the server 106 arranged in the ventilation target space 200. That is, the repeaters 108A and 108B operate as routers in the network line.

[0026] Here, the user terminals 150A, 150B, and 150C are the terminals respectively held by the occupants 300a, 300b, and 300c. The occupant 300a is present in the first area 202A, and the occupants 300b and 300c are present in the second area 202B. It is assumed that the occupant 300a holds at least one user terminal 150A. The types of the user terminal 150A are various, and examples include mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet terminals, identity cards (ID cards) embedded with wireless IC chips, wristband-type terminals, clip-type sensors, etc. However, there is no limitation on the shape and function of the user terminal 150A as long as it can identify the occupant 300a. The same applies to the user terminals 150B and 150C of the occupants 300b and 300c. Note that when the occupants 300a, 300b, and 300c are outside the ventilation target space 200, they do not affect the operation of the ventilation system 100.

[0027] The repeaters 108A and 108B communicate within the installed area. For example, the repeater 108A can communicate with the environmental sensor 110A and the user terminal 150A within the first area 202A, and the communication area is limited so as not to establish communication with the environmental sensors and user terminals existing in the adjacent second area 202B. The same applies to the repeater 108B. It is preferable that the communication area is limited so that it can communicate with the environmental sensor 110B, the user terminals 150B, and 150C within the second area 202B and does not establish communication with the environmental sensors and user terminals existing in the adjacent first area 202A.

[0028] The repeater 108A communicates with the user terminal 150A within the first area 202A and does not communicate with the user terminals 150B and 150C within the second area 202B, so that the number of occupants present in the first area 202A can be known. Also, the repeater 108B communicates with the user terminals 150B and 150C within the second area 202B and does not communicate with the user terminal 150A within the first area 202A, so that the number of occupants present in the second area 202B can be known.

[0029] When the relay 108A establishes wireless communication with the user terminal 150A, it receives unique identification information from the user terminal 150A and transmits the personal identification information of the occupant 300a associated with the identification information or based on the identification information to the server 106. Similarly, when the relay 108B establishes wireless communication with the user terminals 150B and 150C respectively, it receives unique identification information from the user terminals 150B and 150C and transmits the personal identification information of the occupants 300b and 300c associated with the identification information or based on the identification information to the server 106.

[0030] 1-4. Environmental Sensor The environmental sensors 110A and 110B are arranged in the ventilation target space 200. The environmental sensors 110A and 110B are used to measure the environment of each area in the ventilation target space 200. The environmental sensor 110A is arranged in the first area 202A, and the environmental sensor 110B is arranged in the second area 202B. The environmental sensors 110A and 110B have the function of measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide. The environmental sensors 110A and 110B can also be called gas sensors or carbon dioxide sensors. The environmental sensors 110A and 110B may be added with the function of measuring temperature, humidity, and illuminance as other environments. The data measured by the environmental sensors 110A and 110B is transmitted to the server 106 via the relays 108A and 108B.

[0031] 1-5. Server Server 106 acquires information regarding the environment of the ventilation target space 200 and information regarding the number of occupants in the target area via repeaters 108A and 108B. The information regarding the environment includes the carbon dioxide concentration, and the information regarding the number of people in the target area includes the number of people in each divided area. The carbon dioxide concentration is the information measured by environmental sensors 110A and 110B, and the number of people in each target area can be obtained by distinguishing individuals based on the identification information of user terminals 150A, 150B, and 150C or the area (location) where the present occupants 300a, 300b, and 300c corresponding to the identification information are present and counting the number of people. Based on the information regarding the environment of the target area and the information regarding the number of people in the target area, server 106 determines the respective ventilation air volumes of ventilation devices 102A and 102B and outputs an instruction to control device 104 so that appropriate ventilation is performed.

[0032] Specifically, when server 106 acquires the information regarding the environment of the first area 202A and the second area 202B of the ventilation target space 200 and the information regarding the number of people in the target area, it determines the necessity of ventilation and the required ventilation air volume for each area. Then, server 106 determines the operating conditions of ventilation devices 102A and 102B respectively based on the judgment result. Since the carbon dioxide concentrations and the number of occupants in the first area 202A and the second area 202B are not the same and change over time, server 106 periodically acquires the information regarding the environment and the information regarding the number of people in the target area and determines the operating conditions of ventilation devices 102A and 102B individually each time. For example, server 106 can increase the ventilation air volume in the area with a high carbon dioxide concentration or the area with a large number of people and high density, decrease the ventilation air volume in the area with a low carbon dioxide concentration, a small number of people, or no occupants, or control to stop the ventilation device.

[0033] Ventilation system 100 can perform ventilation with an appropriate ventilation air volume for the area that requires ventilation in ventilation target space 200 by the interlocking of ventilation devices 102A and 102B, control device 104, server 106, repeaters 108A and 108B, and environmental sensors 110A and 110B.

[0034] 2. Hardware Configuration of the Ventilation System FIG. 2 shows the hardware configuration of the ventilation system 100. The ventilation system 100 includes ventilation devices 102A, 102B, a control device 104, a server 106, repeaters 108A, 108B, environmental sensors 112A, 112B, and repeaters 108A, 108B. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the ventilation target space 200 is partitioned into a first area 202A and a second area 202B, similar to FIG. 1.

[0035] 2-1. Ventilation Device The ventilation devices 102A, 102B are devices that take in outside air and discharge the air in the ventilation target space 200 (indoors). There is no limitation on the configuration of the ventilation devices 102A, 102B. For example, the ventilation devices 102A, 102B can include supply air and exhaust air blowers 1023a, 1023b, and heat exchangers 1024a, 1024b, and a device having a configuration that performs supply air and exhaust air simultaneously can be used.

[0036] An air supply port 1021a and an exhaust port 1022a are provided in the first area 202A, and an air supply port 1201b and an exhaust port 1022b are provided in the second area 202B. The ventilation devices 102A, 102B are such that the air supply path is connected to the air supply ports 1021a, 1021b of the ventilation target space, and the exhaust path is connected to the exhaust ports 1022a, 1022b of the ventilation target space. In the ventilation target space 200, there is no limitation on the positions of the air supply ports 1021a, 1021b and the exhaust ports 1022a, 1022b. For example, the air supply ports 1021a, 1021b and the exhaust ports 1022a, 1022b are installed on the ceiling or the upper side of the wall of the room that becomes the ventilation target space 200. It is preferable that the air supply ports 1021a, 1021b and the exhaust ports 1022a, 1022b are arranged in pairs so that an air flow due to ventilation is formed in the target area.

[0037] 2-2. Control Device The control device 104 is a device that controls the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102 and 102B, such as starting, stopping, ventilation air volume, and ventilation time. The control device 104 receives control commands for controlling the operations of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B from the server 106. The control device 104 controls the operations of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B based on the received control commands. The control device 104 may be provided as a device paired with the ventilation devices 102A and 102B, or in a building such as a building, it may be provided as a part of the functions of a Building and Energy Management System. Also, the functions of the control device 104 may be incorporated into the ventilation devices 102A and 102B.

[0038] 2-3. Server The server 106 is a hardware resource for determining the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B based on information regarding the environment of the ventilation target space 200 and information regarding the number of people in the target area. The server 106 is connected to the repeaters 108A and 108B and the control device 104 via a network. The server 106 receives data (data regarding the environment, data regarding the number of people) via the repeaters 108A and 108B, performs analysis according to a predetermined program, and determines the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B. The server 106 is realized by a physical server, a virtual server, a cloud server, etc., and there is no particular limitation on the form of the server. The server 106 may be arranged within the same building as the ventilation target space 200, or may be arranged in a building separated from the ventilation target space 200.

[0039] A storage device 107 for storing data may be connected to the server 106. The storage device 107 is composed of a hard disk, a solid state drive, etc. The storage device 107 may store a data table recording management items and management levels for selecting the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B, and information for identifying the occupants.

[0040] 2-4. Repeater The repeaters 108A and 108B are hardware resources that connect the environmental sensors 110A and 110B and the user terminals 150A to the server 106. The repeaters 108A and 108B have a wireless communication function and a function of forming a local area network (LAN) in the ventilation target space 200. The repeaters 108A and 108B may be routers, specifically, may be WiFi routers. The repeaters 108A and 108B may also be realized by short-range wireless communication corresponding to Bluetooth (registered trademark) and infrared communication.

[0041] 2-5. Environmental Sensor The environmental sensors 110A and 110B are hardware resources that acquire information regarding the environment of the ventilation target space 200. A specific example of the environmental sensors 110A and 110B is a gas sensor, and more specifically, a carbon dioxide sensor. The carbon dioxide sensor is realized, for example, by a device that measures the concentration of carbon dioxide by measuring the change in the amount of light in the infrared absorption wavelength band unique to carbon dioxide using an optical sensor.

[0042] There is no limitation on the position (indoor installation position) where the environmental sensors 110A and 110B are installed in the ventilation target space 200, but it is preferable that the installation position is considered according to the characteristics of the detection target. For example, when the environmental sensors 110A and 110B detect carbon dioxide, it is preferable to install them at a low position (close to the floor surface) considering the specific gravity with respect to air, or to install them according to the height of the living area. The environmental sensors 110A and 110B may further include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an illuminance sensor, and a particulate sensor (particle counter).

[0043] Note that the environmental sensors 110A and 110B and the repeaters 108A and 108B may be provided as a gateway terminal (or a sensor gateway terminal) integrated as one hardware resource.

[0044] 2-6. User Terminal The user terminal 150A is a terminal belonging to the occupant 300a and does not directly constitute the ventilation system 100, but is a hardware resource associated when the ventilation system 100 operates. There is no limitation on the type and function of the user terminal 150A, but it is preferably a device capable of wireless communication with the repeaters 108A and 108B, having some identification information for identifying the user (individual), and the identification information being recognizable when communicating with the repeaters 108A and 108B. Examples of the user terminal 150A include mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet terminals, identity cards (ID cards) embedded with wireless IC chips, list band-type terminals, clip-type sensors, etc., but there is no limitation on the shape and function of the user terminal 150A as long as it can identify the occupant 300a.

[0045] 2-7. Others Although not shown in FIG. 2, the ventilation system 100 may include cameras. The cameras are respectively arranged in the first area 202A and the second area 202B and can be used to detect the presence or absence of occupants and the number of occupants in each area. Whether there are people in the ventilation target space 200 can also be determined by a human presence sensor using infrared rays, but the number of people cannot be counted by the human presence sensor. By photographing each area using the camera and having the server 106 perform image analysis, the number of occupants can be counted. In this way, by substituting the individual identification function of the user terminal 150 with a camera, the number of occupants in each area can be counted without the user terminal 150 being assigned to the occupant 300a.

[0046] 3. Functional Configuration of the Ventilation System FIG. 3 shows the functional configuration of the ventilation system 100. The ventilation system 100 includes ventilation devices 102A and 102B, a control device 104, a server 106, repeaters 108A and 108B, and environmental sensors 110A and 110B. Note that FIG. 3, similar to FIG. 1, shows the functional configuration of the ventilation system 100 when the ventilation target space 200 has the first area 202A and the second area 202B.

[0047] 3-1. Ventilation device The ventilation device 102A includes an outside air introduction part 1026, an indoor air discharge part 1027, and a ventilation air volume control part 1028. The outside air introduction part 1026 has a function of introducing outside air into the ventilation target space 200, and the indoor air discharge part 1027 has a function of discharging the air in the ventilation target space 200 to the outside (outdoor). The ventilation air volume control part 1028 adjusts the blowing air volume and the exhaust air volume when introducing outside air, and has a function of stopping the ventilation device 102A when ventilation is not required. Although details are not shown in FIG. 3, the ventilation device 102B also has a similar configuration and mechanism.

[0048] 3-2. Control device The control device 104 includes a control information receiving part 1042, a drive condition setting part 1044, and a drive control part 1046. The control information receiving part 1042 receives information regarding the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 104B from the server 106. The information regarding the operating conditions includes information regarding the start or stop, ventilation air volume, and ventilation time of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B. The drive condition setting part 1044 has a function of starting, stopping, or setting the ventilation air volume of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B based on the information regarding the operating conditions. The drive control part 1046 has a function of individually controlling the ventilation devices 102A and 102B based on the drive conditions set by the drive condition setting part 1044.

[0049] 3-3. Environmental sensor The environmental sensor 110A includes a detection part 1102, a control part 1104, and an output part 1106. The detection part 1102 has a function of detecting information regarding the environment. The control part 1104 controls the operation of the detection part 1102, and the output part 1106 has a function of outputting the information regarding the environment detected by the detection part 1102 to the repeater 108A. Although details are not shown in FIG. 3, the environmental sensor 110B also has a similar configuration and function.

[0050] 3-4. User terminal The user terminals 150A and 150B are not components of the ventilation system 100, but are devices used in the process of the ventilation system 100 performing its functions. The user terminal 150A includes a communication unit 1502 and identification information 1504. The identification information 1504 is information unique to the user terminal 150A. The identification information 1504 may be identification information registered by the owner in the user terminal 150A, or may be unique information (e.g., MAC address) possessed by the user terminal 150A. The communication unit 1502 has a function of communicating with the repeater 108A. Also, when communicating with the repeater 108A, the communication unit 1502 has a function of transmitting the identification information 1504. Note that the user terminal 150B also has the same configuration and functions.

[0051] 3-5. Repeater The repeater 108A includes a control unit 1802, a memory 1084, a clock unit 1086, and a wireless communication unit 1088. Although omitted in FIG. 3, the repeater 108B also has the same mechanism and configuration.

[0052] The wireless communication unit 1088 has a function of performing short-range wireless communication with the environmental sensors 110A and 110B and the user terminals 150A and 150B within a predetermined distance. The communication distance in short-range wireless communication is within a range that covers the divided areas, for example, within the range of 5m to 10m.

[0053] The memory 1084 has a function of temporarily storing information on the environment measured by the environmental sensors 110A and 110B. Also, the memory 1084 has a function of storing the identification information acquired from the user terminals 150A and 150B. The memory 1084 is preferably composed of a rewritable non-volatile memory for temporarily or continuously storing these information. Also, a reference table 1072 associating the MAC address as the identification information of the user terminals 150A and 150B with the identification number (ID number) of the user (occupant) who can enter the ventilation target space 200 may be stored in the memory 1084.

[0054] The clock unit 1086 has a function of generating and outputting time information. The time information of the clock unit 1086 includes the date and time. The control unit 1082 has a function of transmitting the information about the environment sent from the environment sensors 110A and 110B to the server 106 together with the time information, and storing it in the memory 1084.

[0055] The control unit 1082 has a mechanism for controlling the operation of the wireless communication unit 1088 and controlling the communication between the environment sensors 110A and 110B and the user terminals 150A and 150B and the server 106. The control unit 1082 has a function of temporarily storing the information about the environment (for example, carbon dioxide concentration) sent from the environment sensors 110A and 110B in the memory 1084, and reading out the stored information in a timely manner and transmitting it to the server 106. For example, the control unit 1082 has a function of storing the carbon dioxide concentration sent from the environment sensors 110A and 110B in the memory 1084, and reading out the stored carbon dioxide concentration in a timely manner and transmitting it to the server 106.

[0056] When the repeater 108A communicates with the user terminal 150A, the control unit 1082 may have a function of obtaining the MAC address of the user terminal 150A, referring to the reference table 1072 stored in the memory 1084, and performing individual identification by comparing it with the registered MAC address. And when the obtained MAC address and the MAC address in the reference table match, it may have a function of counting the occupants in the room and transmitting it to the server 106.

[0057] Also, when the repeater 108A communicates with the user terminal 150A, the control unit 1082 may have a function of obtaining the identification information of the occupants in the room from the user terminal 150A. And when the obtained identification information matches the identification information registered in the reference table 1072, it may have a function of counting the occupants in the room and transmitting it to the server 106.

[0058] 3-6. Server The server 106 includes an environment information acquisition unit 1062, an occupancy information acquisition unit 1064, a control condition setting unit 1066, and a control information output unit 1068.

[0059] The environmental information acquisition unit 1062 acquires information on the environment measured by the environmental sensors 110A and 110B via the repeaters 108A and 108B. For example, the environmental information acquisition unit 1062 acquires information on the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensors 110A and 110B via the repeaters 108A and 108B. The environmental information acquisition unit 1062 has a function of acquiring information on the environment from the repeaters 108A and 108B in parallel (simultaneously) or serially (sequentially), and has a function of outputting the acquired information on the environment to the control condition setting unit 1066.

[0060] The occupancy information acquisition unit 1064 has a function of acquiring the number of people present in the ventilation target space 200 counted by identifying the user terminals 150A and 150B from the repeaters 108A and 108B. The occupancy information acquisition unit 1064 has a function of acquiring information on the number of people from the repeaters 108A and 108B in parallel (simultaneously) or serially (sequentially), and has a function of outputting the acquired number information to the control condition setting unit 1066.

[0061] In other words, the occupancy information acquisition unit 1064 has a function of acquiring information on the user terminal 150A via the repeater 108A, thereby specifying that the occupant 300a is present in the first area 202A (specifying the position of the occupant 300a), and outputting the information to the control condition setting unit 1066. Further, the occupancy information acquisition unit 1064 has a function of acquiring information on the user terminals 150B and 150C via the repeater 108B, thereby specifying that the occupants 300b and 300c are present in the second area 202B (specifying the positions of the occupants 300b and 300c), and outputting the information to the control condition setting unit 1066.

[0062] The control condition setting unit 1066 has a function of analyzing the necessity of ventilation and the required ventilation air volume for each divided area based on the information on the environment of the ventilation target space 200 acquired by the environment information acquisition unit 1062 and the information on the number of occupants in each area of the ventilation target space 200 acquired by the occupancy information acquisition unit 1064. Specifically, the control condition setting unit 1066 determines whether the carbon dioxide concentration in the target area is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value, counts the presence and number of occupants in the target area, and analyzes the required ventilation air volume.

[0063] As a reference for determining the carbon dioxide concentration, the carbon dioxide concentration outdoors can be measured and used as the reference value. Also, the carbon dioxide concentration at a specific observation point announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency may be used as the reference value. When the measured values of the environmental sensors 110A and 110B exceed the reference value, it can be determined that the air cleanliness is low. Regarding the number of people, the area occupied per person in the target area can be calculated to serve as a guideline for judgment. For example, taking 2 m 2 / person as a standard (for example, in a meeting room, there are examples where 2 - 3 m 2 / person is considered appropriate), when it becomes 1 m 2 / person or less, it can be determined that it is overcrowded (for example, in a full train, there is an estimate of 0.3 m 2 / person). Regarding the number of people, as another guideline for determining the carbon dioxide concentration, guidelines announced by government agencies and public institutions (for example, the Building Environmental Health Management Standards announced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Methods of Ventilation for Improving 'Poorly Ventilated Enclosed Spaces'"), and standards based on laws and regulations (for example, in the Building Management Law, the required ventilation volume per person is set at 30 m 3 / h), the maximum number of people who can be present in the target area can be calculated inversely from the maximum air volume of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B, and this number can be used as a guideline for judgment as the allowable occupancy number in the target area.

[0064] The control condition setting unit 1066 has a function of determining the necessity of operating the ventilation devices 102A and 102B and the ventilation air volume when operating based on the information on the environment and the number of occupants. Further, the control condition setting unit 1066 has a function of setting the operation mode of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B based on the information on the environment and the number of occupants. For example, when the carbon dioxide concentration is high, the control condition setting unit 1066 selects a condition for increasing the ventilation air volume. Also, even when the carbon dioxide concentration is within the reference value, if it is determined that the number of occupants in the area is large and overcrowded, the control condition setting unit 1066 selects a condition for increasing the ventilation air volume. Furthermore, when there are no occupants in the target area but the carbon dioxide concentration is high, the control condition setting unit 1066 can select a condition for increasing the ventilation air volume, and when there are no occupants in the target area and the carbon dioxide concentration is low, the control condition setting unit 1066 can select a condition for stopping the ventilation device.

[0065] The storage device 107 stores a reference table 1072 for setting the operation conditions (e.g., ventilation air volume) of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B. The control condition setting unit 1066 has a function of reading out the operation conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 1402B corresponding to the environmental information and the occupant information from the reference table 1072 based on the environmental information and the number of occupants.

[0066] The control information output unit 1068 has a function of outputting the operation conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B set by the control condition setting unit 1066 to the control device 104.

[0067] As described above, the ventilation system 100 has a function of acquiring information on the environment of each area of the ventilation target space 200 by the functions of the environmental sensors 110A and 110B, counting the number of occupants in each area using the user terminals 150A and 150B, determining the necessity of ventilation for each area, and performing appropriate ventilation.

[0068] 4. Operation of the ventilation system FIG. 4 shows the process flow when the ventilation system 100 performs ventilation in conjunction with the environmental sensors 110A and 110B, the repeaters 108A and 108B, the server 106, the control device 104, and the ventilation devices 102A and 102B. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to the configuration schematically shown in FIG. 1, and is shown assuming that the ventilation target space 200 is divided into two areas. That is, the ventilation target space 200 is divided into a first area 202A and a second area 202B, and environmental sensors 110A and 110B, repeaters 108A and 108B, and ventilation devices 102A and 102B are installed in each area.

[0069] In the first area 202A, the environmental sensor 110A measures the carbon dioxide concentration as information (environmental data) on the environment of the first area 202A (S202). The repeater 108A in the first area 202A communicates with the environmental sensor 110A and receives information (environmental data) on the environment of the first area 202A (S204). Further, the repeater 108A communicates with the occupant 300a in the first area 202A, acquires identification information from the user terminal 150A, and obtains information on the number of people (the number of occupants) (S204).

[0070] The server 106 collects information (environmental data) on the environment of the first area 202A and information on the number of people from the repeater 108A (S206). Then, the server 106 analyzes the required ventilation volume of the first area 202A (S208). The analysis of the required ventilation volume is performed based on the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110A as information (environmental data) on the environment of the first area 202A and the information on the number of people (the number of occupants). The server 106 selects ventilation conditions based on the information on the carbon dioxide concentration and the information on the number of people, and outputs them to the control device 104 (S210).

[0071] Based on the ventilation conditions transmitted from the server 106, the control device 104 controls the operating conditions of the ventilation device 102A that ventilates the first area 202A (S212). The ventilation device 102A receives a control signal from the control device 104 and ventilates the first area 202A under the selected operating conditions (S214).

[0072] Similar operations are performed in the second area 202A. That is, the environmental sensor 110B measures the carbon dioxide concentration as information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the second area 202B (S222), the repeater 108B communicates with the environmental sensor 110B, receives information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the second area 202B, and also communicates with the user terminals 150B and 150C of the occupants 300b and 300c, obtains identification information from the user terminals 150B and 150C, and obtains information regarding the number of people (the number of occupants) (S224). The server 106 collects information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the second area 202B and information regarding the number of people from the repeater 108B (S226), and analyzes the required ventilation volume of the second area 202B (S228). Then, the server 106 selects ventilation conditions based on the information regarding the carbon dioxide concentration and the information regarding the number of people in the second area 202B and outputs them to the control device 104 (S230). The control device 104 controls the operating conditions of the ventilation device 102B that ventilates the second area 202B based on the ventilation conditions notified from the server 106 (S232), and the ventilation device 102B ventilates the second area 202B according to the selected operating conditions (S234).

[0073] As shown in FIG. 4, in the ventilation system 100, the server 106 can communicate with the repeaters 108A and 108B, select the required ventilation volume for each area each time, and ventilate each area under appropriate conditions. The frequency at which the server 106 communicates with the repeaters 108A and 108B is arbitrary and can be set as appropriate. For example, the server 106 can communicate individually with the repeaters 108A and 108B at intervals of 1 minute to 10 minutes, and individually select the operating conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B each time.

[0074] FIG. 5 shows another example of the flow of processing performed by the ventilation system 100. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the individual operations of the environmental sensors 110A and 110B, the repeaters 108A and 108B, the server 106, the control device 104, and the ventilation devices 102A and 102B are the same as those shown in FIG. 4. The example shown in FIG. 5 simultaneously collects information regarding the carbon dioxide and the number of occupants in the first area 202A and the second area 202B, performs environmental analysis for each area to select ventilation conditions, and outputs the results to the control device.

[0075] Specifically, in the first area 202A, the environmental sensor 110A measures the carbon dioxide concentration as information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the first area 202A (S242), the repeater 108A receives the information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the first area 202A (S244), communicates with the user terminal 150A of the occupant 300a in the first area 202A, and obtains information regarding the number of people from the identification information (S244), and the server 106 collects this information (S246). Also, in the second area 202B, the environmental sensor 110B measures the carbon dioxide concentration as information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the first area 202A (S248), the repeater 108B receives the information (environmental data) regarding the environment of the second area 202B (S250), communicates with the user terminals 150B and 150C of the occupants 300b and 300c in the second area 202B, and obtains information regarding the number of people from the identification information (S250), and the server 106 collects this information (S252).

[0076] The server 106 analyzes the required ventilation volume for each area based on the environmental information (environmental data) and the information regarding the number of people transmitted from the repeaters 108A and 108B (S254), selects ventilation conditions, and outputs them to the control device 104 (S256). The control device 104 controls the operating conditions of the ventilation device 102A that ventilates the first area 202A and the operating conditions of the ventilation device 102B that ventilates the second area 202B based on the ventilation conditions transmitted from the server 106 (S258). The ventilation devices 102A and 102B receive a control signal from the control device 104 and ventilate the first area 202A and the second area 202B according to the selected operating conditions (S260, S262).

[0077] As shown in FIG. 5, after simultaneously acquiring information on the environment of the first area 202A and the second area 202B and information on the number of occupants, and the server 106 collects such data, the operation conditions of the ventilation devices 102A and 102B are selected collectively, so that even when the number of areas divided in the ventilation target space 200 increases, the ventilation of all areas can be controlled simultaneously.

[0078] 5. Control Flow of Ventilation System FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the ventilation system 100. In the ventilation system 100, the server 106 acquires information on the number of occupants in the target area (S302), and acquires information on the carbon dioxide concentration as information on the environment (S304). Then, the server 106 compares the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration in the target area with the reference value of the carbon dioxide concentration (S306). As the reference value of the carbon dioxide concentration, the carbon dioxide concentration outdoors or the carbon dioxide concentration in a specific area announced by a public institution can be used as described above.

[0079] And when the carbon dioxide concentration in the target area exceeds the reference value, based on the information on the number of occupants in the target area, it is determined whether or not there is one or more occupants in the target area (S308). When there is one or more occupants in the target area, it is determined that ventilation is necessary (S310), and the number limit mode is selected as the operation mode of the ventilation device 102 (S312). Then, the server 106 determines the ventilation air volume based on the number limit mode (S314), the control device 104 sets the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device 102 (S316), and ventilation is performed. Then, the process returns to step S302, and the same processing is continued.

[0080] If the carbon dioxide concentration is less than or equal to the reference value in step S306, it is determined whether there is one or more occupants in the target area (S318). If there is one or more occupants in the target area, it is determined that ventilation is necessary (S310), and the same processing is continued thereafter. If there are no occupants in the target area, the ventilation device 102 is stopped (S320), and the process returns to step S302.

[0081] Even if there are no occupants in the target area in step S308, since the carbon dioxide concentration exceeds the reference value, it is determined that ventilation is necessary (S322). Then, the server 106 selects the air purification mode as the operation condition of the ventilation device 102 (S324), determines the ventilation air volume based on that mode (S326), the control device 104 sets the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device 102 (S328), and ventilation is performed. Thereafter, the process returns to step S302, and the same processing is continued.

[0082] The server 106 selects the operation mode (number limit mode, air purification mode) of the ventilation device 102 based on the carbon dioxide concentration and the number of occupants in the target area. However, the ventilation air volume in each mode may be set in detail for each area based on the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration and the number of occupants. Specifically, in the number limit mode, the ventilation air volume may be set based on the carbon dioxide concentration and the number of occupants, and in the air purification mode, the ventilation air volume may be set based on the carbon dioxide concentration.

[0083] 5-1. Number Limit Mode In the number limit mode, when either the number of occupants in the target area or the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110 in the target area exceeds a predetermined reference value, the ventilation air volume is changed. Regarding the change in the ventilation air volume, for example, the conditions shown in Table 1 are stored in the reference table 1072, and the server 106 refers to the reference table 1072 and increases (decreases) the ventilation air volume based on either the carbon dioxide concentration or the number of occupants in the target area.

Table 1

[0084] Note that the standards for carbon dioxide concentration, number of people, and ventilation air volume shown in Table 1 are for reference only, and the setting conditions for the ventilation air volume are not limited to those shown. It is preferable to appropriately set the ventilation air volume based on the size, volume, number of occupants, etc. of the target area.

[0085] According to the number limit mode, when it is determined that there are many people in a specific area of the ventilation target space 200 and they are crowded, the ventilation air volume can be increased regardless of the level of carbon dioxide concentration. Therefore, compared with the case where ventilation is performed after the carbon dioxide concentration becomes high, fresh air can always be supplied to the target area.

[0086] 5-2. Air purification mode Even when it is determined that a certain area in the ventilation target space 200 is unoccupied, if there were occupants until immediately before the measurement by the environmental sensor 110, the carbon dioxide concentration may be high. Therefore, regarding the change in the ventilation air volume, for example, the conditions shown in Table 2 are stored in the reference table 1072, and the server 106 may refer to the reference table 1072 and control the ventilation air volume to increase (decrease) based on the carbon dioxide concentration in the target area.

Table 2

[0087] Note that the standards for carbon dioxide concentration and ventilation air volume shown in Table 1 are for reference only, and the setting conditions for the ventilation air volume are not limited to those shown. It is preferable to appropriately set the ventilation air volume for each target area based on information such as the reference carbon dioxide concentration.

[0088] 5-3. An example of specific operation The operation of the ventilation system 100 shown in FIG. 6 can be executed for each area in the ventilation target space 200. As shown in FIG. 7, when the first to sixth areas 202A to 202F are partitioned in the ventilation target space 200 (assuming that each area is not physically partitioned by a wall or the like), the ventilation system 100 can perform ventilation by changing the ventilation air volume for each area according to the carbon dioxide concentration and the number of occupants in each area.

[0089] For example, in FIG. 7, when there is 1 occupant in the first area 202A and the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110A is less than 500 ppm, the ventilation device 102A is operated in the number limit mode, and the ventilation air volume is set to 200 m 3 / h. When there are 6 occupants in the second area 202B and the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110B is 550 ppm, the ventilation device 102B is operated in the number limit mode, and the ventilation air volume is set to 300 m 3 / h. Although there are 0 occupants in the third area 202C, when the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110C is 700 ppm, the ventilation device 102C is operated in the air purification mode, and the ventilation air volume is set to 600 m 3 / h. In the fourth area 202D, when there are 2 occupants and the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110D is 650 ppm, the ventilation device 102D is operated in the number limit mode, and the ventilation air volume at this time is set to 450 m 3 / h. When there are 6 occupants in the fifth area 202E and the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110E is 450 ppm, the ventilation device 102E is operated in the number limit mode, and the ventilation air volume is set to 200 m 3 / h. When there are 0 occupants in the sixth area 202F and the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor 110F is 400 ppm, the operation of the ventilation device 102F is stopped. Note that the above description with reference to FIG. 7 is an example, and the setting criteria and set values of the ventilation air volume are not limited to this example.

[0090] In this way, the ventilation system 100 can perform ventilation with an appropriate ventilation air volume according to not only the carbon dioxide concentration in the target area but also the presence or absence of occupants, as well as the carbon dioxide concentration and the number of occupants. Thereby, while ensuring the necessary ventilation volume for the occupants in the target area, it is possible to prevent excessive ventilation, reduce the load on the ventilation device, and achieve energy savings.

[0091] Note that in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the ventilation system controls the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device based on the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the environmental sensor and the number of occupants in the target area. However, as information regarding the environment, the ventilation air volume may be determined taking into account the temperature, humidity, illuminance, and the number of fine particles floating in the air in the target area.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0092] 100: Ventilation system, 102: Ventilation device, 1021: Air supply port, 1022: Exhaust port, 1023: Blower fan, 1024: Heat exchanger, 1026: Outdoor air introduction section, 1027: Indoor air discharge section, 1028: Ventilation air volume control section, 104: Control device, 1042: Control information reception section, 1044: Driving condition setting section, 1046: Driving control section, 106: Server, 1062: Environmental information acquisition section, 1064: Occupancy information acquisition section, 1066: Control condition setting section, 1068: Control information output section, 107: Storage device, 1072: Reference table, 108: Repeater, 1082: Control section, 1084: Memory, 1086: Clock section, 1088: Wireless communication section, 110: Environmental sensor, 1102: Detection section, 1104; Control section, 1106: Output section, 150: User terminal, 1502: Communication section, 1504: Identification information, 200: Ventilation target space, 202: Area, 300: Occupant

Claims

1. A ventilation device arranged in a ventilation target space, A control device for controlling the operation of the ventilation device, An environmental sensor arranged in the ventilation target space, A repeater arranged in the ventilation target space, A server for determining the driving conditions of the ventilation device, and having The ventilation target space is a single closed space, and the single closed space is divided into a plurality of sections, For each of the plurality of sections, the environmental sensor, the repeater, and the ventilation device are arranged, In each of the plurality of sections, the environmental sensor measures the carbon dioxide concentration in the ventilation target space, In each of the plurality of sections, the repeater communicates with a user terminal existing in the ventilation target space, The server communicates with the repeaters arranged for each of the plurality of sections, calculates the number of people from the number of user terminals connected to the repeaters in each of the plurality of sections, and determines the operating conditions of the ventilation device for each of the plurality of sections based on the number of people and the carbon dioxide concentration. A ventilation system characterized by the above.

2. The server, Communicates with the repeaters arranged for each of the plurality of sections, identifies the occupants having the user terminals, Counts the number of occupants existing in the ventilation target space from the information of the occupants for each of the plurality of sections, Determines the operating conditions of the ventilation device for each of the plurality of sections from the measured values of the number of people and the carbon dioxide concentration, Transmits the operating conditions to the control device. The ventilation system according to claim 1.

3. The server has a population limit mode and an air purification mode as the operating conditions of the ventilation device, The population limit mode determines the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device based on the number of people and the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration in each of the plurality of sections of the ventilation target space, The air purification mode determines the ventilation air volume of the ventilation device based on the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration in each of the plurality of sections of the ventilation target space. The ventilation system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the number of people in each of the plurality of sections of the ventilation target space is 0 and the measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration is equal to or less than a predetermined specified value, the server determines to stop the ventilation device. The ventilation system according to claim 3.

5. The server, An environmental information acquisition unit that acquires measurement values of the environmental sensor; An occupancy information acquisition unit that determines the number of occupants based on information of the user terminal that communicates with the repeater; A control condition determination unit that selects control conditions for the ventilation device based on information from the environmental information acquisition unit and the occupancy information acquisition unit; comprising; The ventilation system according to claim 2, wherein the control condition determination unit refers to a reference table in which the operating conditions of the ventilation device are recorded.

6. The ventilation system according to claim 5, wherein a range of carbon dioxide concentration, a range of the number of people, and a ventilation air volume are recorded in the reference table.

7. The ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is a gateway terminal in which the environmental sensor and the repeater are integrated.

8. The ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the repeater communicates with any one of a mobile terminal, an ID card, a wireless tag, a wristband-type terminal, and a clip-type sensor as the user terminal.

9. Having a camera that photographs people present in each of the plurality of compartments in the ventilation target space, The ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the server counts the number of people in each of the plurality of compartments based on an image captured by the camera.

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