Air conditioning temperature control method and air conditioning temperature control system

Abstract

To strike a balance between the temperature in a facility and the clothing of facility users, and to provide a comfortable temperature environment for many facility users.SOLUTION: An air conditioning temperature control method controls an air conditioning temperature in a facility based on a set temperature. The air conditioning temperature control method includes the steps of: acquiring temperature information showing the temperature in the facility each day from a temperature detection value of at least one temperature sensor installed in the facility; acquiring clothing information showing the clothing of a plurality of facility users each day from a photographed image of at least one camera installed in the facility; generating temperature change data in which the temperature change on the day with respect to the previous day is digitized, from the temperature information of the previous day and the temperature information of the day; generating clothing change data in which the change of clothing on the day with respect to the previous day is digitized from the clothing information of the previous day and the clothing information of the day; changing the set temperature based on the temperature change data and the clothing change data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning temperature control method and an air conditioning temperature control system. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2017-44515 (Patent Document 1) discloses a vehicle air conditioning system that estimates whether an occupant is wearing light or heavy clothing from a thermal image that includes the occupant as a target person, and adjusts the operation of the air conditioning device based on the estimation result. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-44515 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In facilities where multiple users stay, the operation of air conditioning equipment is controlled according to a set temperature to maintain a temperature environment that is comfortable for all users. However, even if the air conditioning temperature is maintained at the set temperature, users' clothing may change depending on the season, the weather, and the temperature of the day, which can make users uncomfortable if their clothing does not match the air conditioning temperature.

[0005] For this reason, in the past, facility managers would patrol the facility to monitor the clothing of users, or change the temperature settings of air conditioning equipment in response to complaints from some users. However, this method is time-consuming for facility managers and there are concerns that it may be difficult to meet the needs of many users. Furthermore, unlike vehicles, large facilities such as commercial facilities generally have an unspecified number of users staying there, and the user composition varies from day to day. Therefore, it is considered difficult to take into account the amount of clothing each person is wearing using the technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0006] Therefore, the main objective of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioning temperature control system and an air conditioning temperature control method that can balance the temperature inside the facility with the clothing of the facility users, thereby creating a comfortable temperature environment for many facility users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An air conditioning temperature control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for controlling the air conditioning temperature within a facility based on a set temperature, and includes the steps of acquiring temperature information indicating the temperature within the facility for each day from the detection value of at least one temperature sensor installed within the facility; acquiring clothing information indicating the clothing of multiple facility users for each day from images captured by at least one camera installed within the facility; generating temperature change data that quantifies the temperature change on that day compared to the previous day from the temperature information for the previous day and the temperature information for the current day; generating clothing change data that quantifies the change in clothing on that day compared to the previous day from the clothing information for the previous day and the clothing information for the current day; and changing the set temperature based on the temperature change data and the clothing change data.

[0008] An air conditioning temperature control system according to another aspect of the present disclosure controls the air conditioning temperature in a facility based on a set temperature. The air conditioning temperature control system includes: means for acquiring temperature information indicating the temperature in the facility for each day from values ​​detected by at least one temperature sensor installed in the facility; means for acquiring clothing information indicating the clothing of a plurality of facility users for each day from images captured by at least one camera installed in the facility; means for generating temperature change data that quantifies a temperature change on the day relative to the previous day from the temperature information for the previous day and the temperature information for the day; means for generating clothing change data that quantifies a change in clothing on the day relative to the previous day from the clothing information for the previous day and the clothing information for the day; and means for changing the set temperature based on the temperature change data and the clothing change data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to balance the temperature inside the facility with the clothing of the facility users, thereby providing a comfortable thermal environment for many facility users. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the air conditioning control system. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the air conditioning control system. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of sensor individual temperature data and sensor average temperature data. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a clothing estimation result table and a clothing aggregation result table. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a previous day temperature comparison table. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the process executed in S22. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a temperature change determination table. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the concept of temperature change. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0012] <Air conditioning control system configuration> 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Air conditioning control system 100 according to this embodiment is a system for managing the air conditioning temperature in a facility and providing a comfortable temperature environment for facility users.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioning control system 100 includes an air conditioning management system 10, a temperature management system 20, a clothing estimation system 30, and a temperature change recommendation system 40. The air conditioning management system 10, the temperature management system 20, the clothing estimation system 30, and the temperature change recommendation system 40 exchange various signals and data via a communication bus 102. Of these systems, at least the air conditioning management system 10 is installed within a facility. Furthermore, the multiple temperature sensors 24_1 to 24_n in the temperature management system 20 and the multiple cameras 34_1 to 34_m in the clothing estimation system 30 are installed within the facility.

[0014] (Air Conditioning Management System 10) The air conditioning management system 10 is a system for managing air conditioning by a plurality of air conditioners 14 installed in a facility. The air conditioning management system 10 includes a controller 12 and a plurality of air conditioners 14. The controller 12 is connected to a communication bus 102 and is also connected to the plurality of air conditioners 14. The number of air conditioners 14 may be one.

[0015] The controller 12 adjusts the set temperatures of the multiple air conditioners 14 in response to a temperature change command given from the temperature change recommendation system 40. Specifically, when the controller 12 receives a temperature change command to increase the set temperature, it increases the current set temperature of each air conditioner 14 by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1°C). On the other hand, when the controller 12 receives a temperature change command to decrease the set temperature, it decreases the current set temperature of each air conditioner 14 by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1°C).

[0016] (Temperature Control System 20) The temperature control system 20 is a system for managing the temperature inside a facility. The temperature control system 20 includes a server 22 and a plurality of temperature sensors 24_1, 24_2, ..., 24_n, where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2. Hereinafter, the plurality of temperature sensors 24_1, 24_2, ..., 24_n may be collectively referred to as "temperature sensors 24." The plurality of temperature sensors 24 are installed at appropriate distances inside the facility and detect the temperature inside the facility.

[0017] The server 22 is connected to the communication bus 102 and to a plurality of temperature sensors 24. The server 22 receives signals indicating detected temperatures within the facility from the plurality of temperature sensors 24 at a predetermined control period. The server 22 generates temperature information indicating the temperature within the facility by statistically processing the signals from the plurality of temperature sensors 24. The statistical processing is typically an averaging process. The server 22 transmits the generated temperature information to the temperature change recommendation system 40.

[0018] (Clothing estimation system 30) Clothing estimation system 30 is a system for estimating the clothing of multiple users staying in a facility. Clothing estimation system 30 includes server 32 and multiple cameras 34_1, 34_2, ... 34_m, where m is an integer equal to or greater than 2. Hereinafter, multiple cameras 34_1, 34_2, ... 34_m may be collectively referred to as "cameras 34." Multiple cameras 34 are placed at appropriate distances within the facility, and can capture users walking within the facility within their imaging range.

[0019] The server 32 is connected to the communication bus 102 and also to the multiple cameras 34. The server 32 receives captured image data from the multiple cameras 34 at a control cycle. The server 32 estimates the clothing of each user by analyzing the images captured by the multiple cameras 34. Note that known techniques can be used for analyzing the captured images. For example, AI (Artificial Intelligence) such as machine learning can be used.

[0020] Server 32 compiles the estimated clothing of the multiple users and transmits the compilation result to temperature change recommendation system 40 as clothing information representing the clothing of the facility users.

[0021] (Temperature change recommendation system 40) The temperature change recommendation system 40 is a system for managing the air conditioning temperature set by the air conditioning management system 10. The temperature change recommendation system 40 includes a server 42. The server 42 receives temperature information from the server 22 of the temperature management system 20 and clothing information from the server 32 of the clothing estimation system 30. Based on the received temperature information and clothing information, the server 42 determines whether or not the air conditioning temperature in the facility should be changed.

[0022] If it is determined that the air conditioning temperature should be changed, the server 42 transmits a temperature change command to the controller 12 of the air conditioning management system 10 to instruct the controller 12 to change the set temperatures of the multiple air conditioners 14. This temperature change command includes a temperature change command to increase the current set temperature by a predetermined temperature (for example, 1°C) and a temperature change command to decrease the current set temperature by a predetermined temperature (for example, 1°C). This predetermined temperature can be set as appropriate.

[0023] <Hardware configuration of air conditioning control system> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the air conditioning control system 100. As shown in FIG.

[0024] 2, in the temperature control system 20, the server 22 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 220, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 222, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 224, an I / F (Interface) device 226, and a storage device 228. The CPU 220, the RAM 222, the ROM 224, the I / F device 226, and the storage device 228 exchange various data via a communication bus 230.

[0025] The CPU 220 loads and executes a program stored in the ROM 224 into the RAM 222. The program stored in the ROM 224 describes the processes to be executed by the server 22.

[0026] The I / F device 226 is an input / output device for exchanging signals and data with the server 32 and the server 42. The I / F device 226 transmits to the server 42 temperature information indicating the temperature inside the facility.

[0027] The memory device 228 is a storage for storing various types of information, such as information on the plurality of temperature sensors 24 and position information on the plurality of temperature sensors 24. The memory device 228 also stores individual sensor temperature data, which records detected values ​​transmitted from the plurality of temperature sensors 24 at control cycles, and average sensor temperature data, which is obtained by statistically processing (averaging) the detected values ​​of the plurality of temperature sensors 24. The various types of data stored in the memory device 228 will be described in detail later. The memory device 228 is, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

[0028] In the clothing estimation system 30, the server 32 includes a CPU 320, a RAM 322, a ROM 324, an I / F device 326, and a storage device 328. The CPU 320, the RAM 322, the ROM 324, the I / F device 326, and the storage device 328 exchange various data via a communication bus 330.

[0029] The CPU 320 loads and executes a program stored in the ROM 324 into the RAM 322. The program stored in the ROM 324 describes the processes to be executed by the server 32.

[0030] The I / F device 326 is an input / output device for exchanging signals and data with the server 22 and the server 42. The I / F device 326 transmits to the server 42 clothing information indicating the clothing of the facility user.

[0031] The storage device 328 is a storage for storing various information, such as information about the multiple cameras 34 and location information about the multiple cameras 34. The storage device 328 also stores an outfit estimation result table that records the outfits of each user estimated from the captured image data transmitted from the multiple cameras 34 at a control cycle, and an outfit aggregation result table that records the results of aggregating the outfit estimation results. The various tables stored in the storage device 228 will be explained in detail later. The storage device 328 is, for example, an HDD or SSD.

[0032] In the temperature change recommendation system 40, the server 42 includes a CPU 420, a RAM 422, a ROM 424, an I / F device 426, and a storage device 428. The CPU 420, the RAM 422, the ROM 424, the I / F device 426, and the storage device 428 exchange various data via a communication bus 430.

[0033] The CPU 420 loads and executes a program stored in the ROM 424 into the RAM 422. The program stored in the ROM 424 describes the processes to be executed by the server 42.

[0034] The I / F device 426 is an input / output device for exchanging signals and data with the server 22 and the server 32. The I / F device 426 receives temperature information from the server 22 at control intervals and receives clothing information from the server 32. The I / F device 426 also transmits a temperature change command to the controller 12 of the air conditioning management system 10.

[0035] <Air conditioning control system operation> Next, the operation of the air conditioning control system 100 will be described.

[0036] 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing executed by the server 22 of the temperature management system 20, the server 32 of the clothing estimation system 30, the server 42 of the temperature change recommendation system 40, and the controller 12 of the air conditioning management system 10. The series of processing shown in this flowchart is executed for each control period. In the following description, the control period is assumed to be, for example, 10 minutes. In FIG. 3, the series of processing executed by the server 22 and the server 32 is shown on the left, the series of processing executed by the server 42 is shown in the center, and the series of processing executed by the controller 12 is shown on the side. Hereinafter, step will be abbreviated as S.

[0037] (Operation of temperature control system 20) In S01, the server 22 collects detected values ​​of temperatures inside the facility from a plurality of temperature sensors 24 installed inside the facility. The server 22 records the collected detected values ​​as individual sensor temperature data in the storage device 228.

[0038] In S02, the server 22 generates temperature information indicating the temperature inside the facility by statistically processing the detected values ​​recorded in the individual sensor temperature data. In S02, the server 22 calculates an average temperature value by averaging the detected values ​​of the multiple temperature sensors 24. The server 22 records the calculated average temperature value in the sensor average value data in the storage device 228.

[0039] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing examples of sensor individual temperature data and sensor average temperature data, where Fig. 4A shows sensor individual temperature data and Fig. 4B shows sensor average temperature data.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 4(A), the individual sensor temperature data includes data on the detected values ​​of a plurality of temperature sensors 24_1, ..., 24_n. For example, the first line of the individual sensor temperature data will be representatively explained, which indicates that the temperature sensor 24 with sensor number "1" detected the temperature inside the facility at "October 20th, 10:10" and that the detected value was "22.5°C." In the example of Fig. 4(A), the server 22 collects the detected values ​​of the plurality of temperature sensors 24_1 to 24_n every 10 minutes, which is the control cycle, and records them in the individual sensor temperature data.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4(B), the sensor average temperature data includes data on the average value of the detection values ​​of the plurality of temperature sensors 24_1 to 24_n at each control time. For example, the second row of the sensor average value data representatively shows that the average value of the detection values ​​of the plurality of temperature sensors 24 at "October 20th, 10:10" is "23.9°C." This average value is obtained by averaging the detection values ​​(22.5°C, 24.2°C, . . . 25.2°C) of the plurality of temperature sensors 24_1 to 24_n at "October 20th, 10:10" included in the sensor individual temperature data (FIG. 4(A)). In this way, the sensor average temperature data records data on the average temperature in the facility at each control time.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 3, in S03, the server 22 reads out the average sensor temperature data at the current control time from the average sensor temperature data stored in the storage device 228, and transmits the read-out average sensor temperature data to the temperature change recommendation system 40 as temperature information.

[0043] (Operation of clothing estimation system 30) In S11, the server 32 receives captured image data from multiple cameras 34 installed within the facility. The server 32 estimates the clothing of each user by analyzing the captured images from each camera 34. Specifically, the server 32 extracts an image of the user from the captured images and analyzes the extracted image to estimate whether the user's clothing falls into the category of "heavy clothing," "normal clothing," or "light clothing."

[0044] The definitions of heavy, normal, and light clothing can be arbitrarily set by the facility manager or the like for each season. For example, if a user is wearing more than a predetermined number of layers of clothing, the user's clothing can be estimated as "heavy clothing." Conversely, if a user is wearing only one piece of clothing or is wearing revealing clothing such as a short-sleeved shirt, the user's clothing can be estimated as "light clothing."

[0045] The image analysis can be performed using known techniques, such as machine learning and other AI. The server 32 records the clothing estimation results for each user in a clothing estimation result table in the storage device 328.

[0046] In S12, the server 32 tally the estimation results recorded in the clothing estimation result table and records the tally result in the clothing tally result table in the storage device 328. The server 32 generates clothing information representing the clothing of the facility user based on the clothing tally result.

[0047] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing an example of a clothing estimation result table and a clothing tally result table, where Fig. 5A shows the clothing estimation result table and Fig. 5B shows the clothing tally result table.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5(A), the clothing estimation result table includes data on user clothing estimated from images captured by multiple cameras 34_1 to 34_m. For example, the first row of the clothing estimation result table indicates that the clothing of user 1, included in an image captured by camera 34 with camera number 1 at 10:10, is estimated to be "heavy clothing." The second row of the clothing estimation result table indicates that the clothing of user 2, included in the image, is estimated to be "normal clothing." The third row of the clothing estimation result table indicates that the clothing of user 3, included in the image, is estimated to be "light clothing."

[0049] The clothing estimation result table records the clothing estimation results of multiple users included in the images captured by multiple cameras 34_1 to 34_m for each control time. Note that the user numbers are, for example, serial numbers assigned consecutively to multiple users included in the captured images.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 5(B), the clothing tally result table includes data showing the tally results of user clothing for each control time. For example, the first row of the clothing tally result table shows that at 10:10, 25% of the users in the facility were wearing heavy clothing, 50% of the users were wearing normal clothing, and 25% of the users were wearing light clothing. This tally result is a compilation of the clothing estimation results for 10:10 recorded in the clothing estimation result table (FIG. 5(A)).

[0051] The second row of the clothing summary results table shows that at 10:20, 25% of the users in the facility were wearing heavy clothing, 55% of those users were wearing normal clothing, and 20% of those users were wearing light clothing.

[0052] The server 32 calculates the outfit balance at the current control time from the outfit aggregation results for that control time. In this specification, "outfit balance" refers to the degree of balance between the outfits of multiple users. In some situations, outfit balance can be determined by subtracting the proportion of lightly dressed people from the proportion of heavily dressed people. For example, the outfit balance at "10:10" is "±0" by subtracting the proportion of lightly dressed people, 25%, from the proportion of heavily dressed people, 25% (25-25=0). Similarly, the outfit balance at "10:20" is "+5" by subtracting the proportion of lightly dressed people, 20%, from the proportion of heavily dressed people, 25% (25-20=5).

[0053] According to this, the clothing balance will show a positive value when the proportion of people wearing heavy clothing is greater than the proportion of people wearing light clothing, a value of ±0 when the proportion of people wearing heavy clothing is equal to the proportion of people wearing light clothing, and a negative value when the proportion of people wearing heavy clothing is less than the proportion of people wearing light clothing. Clothing balance is influenced by factors such as the season, the weather and temperature of the day, etc.

[0054] Returning to FIG. 3, in S13, the server 32 reads data indicating the clothing balance for the current control time from the clothing summary result table stored in the storage device 328, and transmits the read data to the temperature change recommendation system 40 as clothing information.

[0055] (Operation of temperature change recommendation system 40) In S21, the server 42 receives the temperature information from the server 22 and also receives the clothing information from the server 32.

[0056] In S22, the server 42 stores the received temperature information and clothing information in a previous day's temperature comparison table in the storage device 428. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the previous day's temperature comparison table. As shown in Figure 6, the previous day's temperature comparison table is created based on the temperature information and clothing information of the previous day and the temperature information and clothing information of the current day.

[0057] In the previous day's temperature comparison table, "current day temperature" indicates the average temperature inside the facility at each control time on the current day, and temperature information received from the server 22 of the temperature management system 20 on the current day is recorded. "Previous day temperature" indicates the average temperature inside the facility at each control time on the previous day, and temperature information received from the server 22 of the temperature management system 20 for each control time on the previous day is recorded. "Temperature difference" indicates the temperature difference between the current day temperature and the previous day temperature at each control time. The temperature difference is calculated by subtracting the previous day's temperature from the current day temperature at the same control time (temperature difference = current day temperature - previous day temperature).

[0058] In the previous day's temperature comparison table, "Today's Outfit" indicates the user's outfit balance at each control time on the day, and records the outfit information received from the server 32 of the outfit estimation system 30 on the day. "Previous Day's Outfit" indicates the user's outfit balance at each control time on the previous day, and records the outfit information received from the server 32 of the outfit estimation system 30 on the previous day. As described above, outfit balance is a numerical representation of the balance of outfits of multiple users. "Outfit Difference" indicates the difference between the outfit of the day and the outfit of the previous day at each control time. The outfit difference is calculated by subtracting the outfit of the previous day from the outfit of the day at the same control time (outfit difference = today's outfit - previous day's outfit).

[0059] In the previous day's temperature comparison table, "temperature change" is an encoded version of the above-mentioned "temperature difference." Specifically, if the temperature difference is a positive value, the temperature change is represented by a positive (+) sign. If the temperature difference is 0, the temperature change is represented by 0. If the temperature difference is a negative value, the temperature change is represented by a negative (-) sign. In other words, a positive (+) temperature change indicates that the temperature on that day is higher than the temperature on the previous day. A temperature change of 0 indicates that the temperature on that day and the temperature on the previous day are equal. A negative (-) temperature change indicates that the temperature on that day is lower than the temperature on the previous day.

[0060] In the previous day's temperature comparison table, "Clothing change" is an encoded version of the "Clothing difference" described above. Specifically, if the clothing difference is a positive value, the clothing change is represented by a positive (+) sign. If the clothing difference is 0, the clothing change is represented by a 0. If the clothing difference is a negative value, the clothing change is represented by a negative (-) sign.

[0061] A positive (+) clothing change indicates that the clothing balance for the day is higher than the clothing balance for the previous day, i.e., that more people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day (less people are wearing light clothing). A clothing change of 0 indicates that the clothing balance for the day is equal to the clothing balance for the previous day. A negative (-) clothing change indicates that the clothing balance for the day is lower than the clothing balance for the previous day, i.e., that less people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day (more people are wearing light clothing).

[0062] In the previous day's temperature comparison table, the "Temperature change" column records the result of determining whether or not the set temperature should be changed. Whether or not the set temperature needs to be changed is determined based on the "Temperature change" data and the "Clothing change" data recorded in the previous day's temperature comparison table. The method for determining whether or not the set temperature needs to be changed will be described later.

[0063] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the process executed in S22. As shown in Fig. 7, in S221, the server 42 stores the temperature information received from the server 22 in the "Today's Temperature" column of the previous day's temperature comparison table.

[0064] In S222, the server 42 calculates the temperature difference by subtracting the previous day's temperature at the same control time from the current day's temperature stored in S221. The server 42 records the calculated temperature difference in the "Temperature Difference" column of the previous day's temperature comparison table.

[0065] Next, in S223, the server 42 obtains the temperature change by encoding the temperature difference recorded in the "Temperature Difference" column. The temperature change is expressed as either positive (+), 0, or negative (-) depending on the temperature difference. The server 42 records the obtained temperature change in the "Temperature Change" column of the previous day's temperature comparison table.

[0066] In S224, the server 42 stores the clothing information received from the server 32 in the "clothing for today" column of the previous day temperature comparison table. The clothing information indicates the clothing balance for each control time on the current day.

[0067] In S225, the server 42 calculates the clothing difference by subtracting the previous day's clothing at the same control time from the current day's clothing saved in S224. The server 42 records the calculated clothing difference in the "clothing difference" column of the previous day's temperature comparison table.

[0068] Next, in S226, the server 42 obtains a clothing change by encoding the clothing difference recorded in the "Clothing Difference" column. The clothing change is expressed as either a positive (+), 0, or negative (-) depending on the clothing difference. The server 42 records the obtained clothing change in the "Clothing Change" column of the previous day's temperature comparison table.

[0069] For example, the second row of the previous day's temperature comparison table shows that the current day's temperature (average temperature inside the facility on that day) at 10:10 is 23.9°C, the previous day's temperature (average temperature inside the facility on the previous day) is 23.6°C, and the "temperature difference" is 23.9-23.6=+0.3°C. Because this temperature difference is a positive value, the "temperature change" is positive (+).

[0070] Furthermore, the current day's outfit (the user's outfit balance for the current day) at "10:10" is "±0", the previous day's outfit (the user's outfit balance for the previous day) is "±0", and the "outfit difference" is ±0 - ±0 = 0. Since this outfit difference is 0, the "outfit change" is 0.

[0071] 3, in S23, the server 42 uses the previous day's temperature comparison table to determine whether or not to change the set temperatures of the multiple air conditioners 14. In S23, the server 42 references the temperature change determination table stored in the storage device 428 to determine whether or not to change the set temperatures at the current control time based on the data on temperature changes at the current control time and the data on clothing changes.

[0072] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a temperature change determination table. As shown in Fig. 8, in the temperature change determination table, temperature change data is set in association with a combination of temperature change data and clothing change data. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the concept of temperature change.

[0073] As mentioned above, temperature change data has three values: positive (+), 0, and negative (-). Clothing change data has three values: positive (+), 0, and negative (-). In contrast, temperature change data has five patterns: "lower," "rising trend," "0," "falling trend," and "raise."

[0074] "Lower" means to lower the current set temperature. The current set temperature corresponds to the set temperature adjusted in the previous control cycle. "Increasing trend" means that the temperature inside the facility is on an upward trend. "0" means that the current set temperature will not be changed. "Decreasing trend" means that the temperature inside the facility is on a downward trend. "Raise" means to raise the current set temperature. Of these five patterns, "Lower" and "Raise" mean that the current set temperature needs to be changed (raised / lowered). On the other hand, "Increasing trend", "0" and "Decreasing trend" mean that the current set temperature does not need to be changed.

[0075] In the temperature change determination table, if the temperature change is positive (+) and the clothing change is positive (+) (corresponding to (1) in FIG. 9), the temperature change is set to "lower."

[0076] A positive (+) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day is higher than the temperature on the previous day. A positive (+) clothing change indicates that a higher proportion of people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day (a lower proportion are wearing lighter clothing). If the temperature on the day is higher than the temperature on the previous day and a higher proportion of people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day, the set temperature will be set to "lower." If the temperature inside the facility on the day is higher than on the previous day, but a higher proportion of users are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day, it is expected that many users will feel hot inside the facility. Therefore, by lowering the set temperature, it is possible to prevent many users from feeling hot.

[0077] If the temperature change is positive (+) and the clothing change is 0 (corresponding to (2) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "rising trend." A positive (+) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day is higher than the temperature on the previous day. A clothing change of 0 indicates that the clothing balance on the day is equal to the clothing balance on the previous day. In such cases, although the temperature inside the facility is on the rise, it is determined that there is little chance of users becoming uncomfortable, and the set temperature will not be changed.

[0078] If the temperature change is positive (+) and the clothing change is negative (-) (corresponding to (3) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "0." A positive (+) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day will be higher than the temperature on the previous day. A negative (-) clothing change indicates that fewer people will be wearing thicker clothing on the day than on the previous day (more people will be wearing lighter clothing). If the temperature on the day is higher than the temperature on the previous day and more people will be wearing lighter clothing on the day than on the previous day, the set temperature will not be changed. This is because, even if the temperature inside the facility on the day is higher than on the previous day, if more people are wearing lighter clothing on the day than on the previous day, it is expected that many users will not feel that the facility is hot.

[0079] If the temperature change is 0 and the clothing change is positive (+) (corresponding to (4) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "rising trend." A temperature change of 0 indicates that the temperature on the day is the same as the temperature on the previous day. A positive clothing change (+) indicates that a higher proportion of people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day (a lower proportion of people are wearing lighter clothing). If the temperature on the day is the same as the temperature on the previous day, but a higher proportion of people are wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day, the system will simply determine that the temperature inside the facility as perceived by users is on an upward trend, and will not change the set temperature. Note that if the temperature on the day exceeds the temperature on the previous day after the next control time, the system will transition from (4) to (1) in Figure 9, and the set temperature will be lowered.

[0080] If the temperature change is 0 and the clothing change is 0 (corresponding to (5) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "0." A temperature change of 0 indicates that the temperature on the day matches the temperature on the previous day. A clothing change of 0 indicates that the clothing balance on the day matches the clothing balance on the previous day. In such cases, it is determined that there is little need to change the temperature in the facility, and the set temperature will not be changed.

[0081] If the temperature change is 0 and the clothing change is negative (-) (corresponding to (6) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "declining." A temperature change of 0 indicates that the temperature on the day is the same as the temperature on the previous day. A negative clothing change indicates that fewer people are wearing thicker clothing on the day than on the previous day (more people are wearing lighter clothing). In other words, if the temperature on the day is the same as the temperature on the previous day, but more people are wearing lighter clothing on the day than on the previous day, it is simply determined that the temperature inside the facility as perceived by users is declining, and the set temperature will not be changed. Note that if the temperature on the day falls below the temperature on the previous day after the next control time, the system will transition from (6) to (9) in Figure 9, and the set temperature will be raised.

[0082] If the temperature change is negative (-) and the clothing change is positive (+) (corresponding to (7) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "0." A negative (-) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day will be lower than the temperature on the previous day. A positive (+) clothing change indicates that a higher proportion of people will be wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day (a lower proportion of people will be wearing lighter clothing). If the temperature on the day is lower than the temperature on the previous day and a higher proportion of people will be wearing heavier clothing on the day than on the previous day, the set temperature will not be changed. This is because, even though the temperature inside the facility on the day will be lower than on the previous day, if a higher proportion of users on the day are wearing heavier clothing than on the previous day, it is expected that many users will not feel cold inside the facility.

[0083] If the temperature change is negative (-) and the clothing change is 0 (corresponding to (8) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "declining." A negative (-) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day is lower than the temperature on the previous day. A clothing change of 0 indicates that the clothing balance on the day is equal to the clothing balance on the previous day. In such cases, although the temperature inside the facility as perceived by users is on a downward trend, it is determined that there is little chance of users becoming uncomfortable, and the set temperature will not be changed.

[0084] When the temperature change is negative (-) and the clothing change is negative (-) (corresponding to (9) in Figure 9), the temperature change is set to "raise." A negative (-) temperature change indicates that the temperature on the day will be lower than the temperature on the previous day. A negative (-) clothing change indicates that fewer people will be wearing thicker clothing on the day than on the previous day (more people will be wearing lighter clothing). In other words, if the temperature on the day is lower than the temperature on the previous day and more people will be wearing lighter clothing on the day than on the previous day, the set temperature is set to "raise." If the temperature inside the facility on the day is lower than the temperature on the previous day, but more people are wearing lighter clothing on the day than on the previous day, it is expected that many people will feel cold inside the facility. Therefore, by raising the set temperature, it is possible to prevent many people from feeling cold.

[0085] The server 42 compares the temperature change data and clothing change data with the temperature change determination table to determine whether or not to change the set temperature. The server 42 then records the determination result in the "Temperature Change" column of the current day temperature comparison table shown in Figure 6. For example, taking the second row of the previous day temperature comparison table as an example, since the "Temperature Change" at "10:10" is positive (+) and the "Clothing Change" is 0, "Increasing Trend" is recorded in the "Temperature Change" column.

[0086] Returning to FIG. 3, in S24, the server 42 generates a temperature change command based on the determination result in S23 and transmits the generated temperature change command to the controller 12 of the air conditioning management system 10. In S24, if "lower" is recorded in the "temperature change" field, the server 42 generates a temperature change command to lower the set temperature and transmits it to the controller 12. If "increase" is recorded in the "temperature change" field, the server 42 generates a temperature change command to raise the set temperature and transmits it to the controller 12. On the other hand, if any of "rising trend," "0," and "falling trend" is recorded in the "temperature change" field, the server 42 does not generate a temperature change command.

[0087] In the air conditioning management system 10, when the controller 12 receives a temperature change command from the server 42 in S31, the controller 12 changes the set temperatures of the multiple air conditioners 14 in S32. In S32, if a temperature change command to increase the set temperature is received, the controller 12 increases the current set temperature by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1°C). On the other hand, if a temperature change command to decrease the set temperature is received, the controller 12 decreases the current set temperature by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1°C). The operation of the multiple air conditioners 14 is controlled in accordance with the changed set temperature, thereby increasing or decreasing the temperature in the facility.

[0088] <Effects of the embodiment> As described above, the air conditioning control system 100 according to this embodiment is configured to quantify the changes in the temperature inside the facility and the clothing of facility users on the current day compared to the previous day, and to change the set temperature of the air conditioning based on these quantified changes. In this configuration, the set temperature is changed so that the change in temperature on the current day compared to the previous day and the change in clothing on the current day compared to the previous day are balanced. In one aspect, if the temperature inside the facility on the current day is higher than the previous day, but users are more likely to be wearing heavier clothing on the current day compared to the previous day, the set temperature is lowered. In another aspect, if the temperature inside the facility on the current day is lower than the previous day, but users are more likely to be wearing lighter clothing on the current day compared to the previous day, the set temperature is raised.

[0089] This makes it possible to provide a stable, comfortable temperature environment for many facility users. In addition, because the set temperature is automatically changed in response to the numerical data of temperature changes and clothing changes, it reduces the workload of facility managers who manage the air conditioning within the facility.

[0090] In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example in which multiple servers 22, 32, and 42 cooperate to change the set temperature has been described, but at least two of these servers may be integrated. For example, one server may have at least two of CPUs 220, 320, and 420.

[0091] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The present disclosure is defined by the claims rather than the above description, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10 Air conditioning management system, 12 Controller, 14 Air conditioner, 20 Temperature management system, 22, 32, 42 Server, 24 Temperature sensor, 30 Temperature estimation system, 34 Camera, 40 Temperature change recommendation system, 100 Air conditioning control system, 102, 230, 330, 430 Communication bus, 220, 320, 420 CPU, 222, 322, 422 RAM, 224, 324, 424 ROM, 226, 326, 426 IF device, 228, 328, 428 Storage device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an air conditioning temperature in a facility based on a set temperature, comprising: acquiring temperature information indicating the temperature inside the facility for each day from a detected value of at least one temperature sensor installed inside the facility; acquiring clothing information indicating clothing worn by a plurality of facility users on each day from images captured by at least one camera installed within the facility; generating temperature change data that digitizes the temperature change of the day relative to the previous day from the temperature information of the previous day and the temperature information of the day; generating clothing change data that quantifies a change in clothing on the day compared to the previous day based on the clothing information on the previous day and the clothing information on the day; changing the set temperature based on the temperature change data and the clothing change data.

2. The step of generating temperature change data includes: generating the temperature change data from a difference between the temperature inside the facility on the current day and the temperature inside the facility on the previous day; The step of acquiring clothing information includes: a step of estimating, from the captured image, whether the clothing of each facility user is heavy, normal, or light; acquiring, as the clothing information, an outfit balance representing a difference between a proportion of heavily dressed and a proportion of lightly dressed among a plurality of facility users; The step of generating clothing change data includes: The air-conditioning temperature control method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of generating the clothing change data from a difference between the clothing balance of the current day and the clothing balance of the previous day.

3. The step of changing the set temperature includes: a step of lowering the set temperature when the temperature in the facility on the current day is higher than that on the previous day and a large proportion of facility users are wearing thick clothing; 3. The air conditioning temperature control method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of increasing the set temperature if the temperature inside the facility on the current day is lower than that on the previous day and a large proportion of facility users are wearing light clothing.

4. The step of changing the set temperature includes: not changing the set temperature if the temperature in the facility on the current day is higher than that on the previous day and a large proportion of facility users are wearing light clothing; 4. The air conditioning temperature control method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising the step of not changing the set temperature if the temperature in the facility on the current day is lower than that on the previous day and a large proportion of the facility users are wearing heavy clothing.

5. The step of changing the set temperature includes:

4. The air conditioning temperature control method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of not changing the set temperature if the temperature inside the facility is the same on the current day and the previous day, or if the clothing balance of a plurality of facility users is the same on the current day and the previous day.

6. A system for controlling the air conditioning temperature in a facility based on a set temperature, a means for acquiring temperature information indicating the temperature inside the facility for each day from a detected value of at least one temperature sensor installed inside the facility; means for acquiring clothing information indicating the clothing of a plurality of facility users on each day from images captured by at least one camera installed within the facility; a means for generating temperature change data that digitizes the temperature change of the day relative to the previous day from the temperature information of the previous day and the temperature information of the day; means for generating clothing change data that quantifies a change in clothing on the day compared to the previous day based on the clothing information on the previous day and the clothing information on the day; and means for changing the set temperature based on the temperature change data and the clothing change data.

Images