Device control system, device control device, device control method, and device control program

Abstract

A device control system (1) includes: a device (30) for changing the environment of an observation area (60); an environment detection unit (40) for detecting the state of the environment; a physical state detection unit (50) for detecting the physical states of persons; and a device control apparatus (10). The device control apparatus (10) includes: a goal acquisition unit (12) for acquiring goal information (A0) indicating the status of the goals of the actions of a plurality of persons in the observation area (60); an environment information acquisition unit (13) for acquiring, from the environment detection unit (40), environment information (B0) indicating the state of the environment of the observation area (60) where the plurality of persons are present; a physical state information acquisition unit (14) for acquiring, from the physical state detection unit (50), physical state information (C0) indicating the physical states of the plurality of persons; and a control unit (11) for controlling the device (30) such that the status of actions of the plurality of persons approaches a goal status, on the basis of the goal information (A0), the environment information (B0), and the physical state information (C0).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device control system, a device control device, a device control method, and a device control program. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a device that detects biometric information and controls emotion improvement means to bring the emotions of multiple people closer together when the emotions of multiple people are far apart, in order to improve the sense of unity of emotions among multiple people in the same vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-137871 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, in a gathering of multiple people (for example, a meeting), it is desirable to reach a useful conclusion through lively discussion, and it is also desirable to avoid a situation in which an overly lively person (for example, an overly excited person) prevents the discussion from progressing and a useful conclusion is not reached. However, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is a device for bringing the emotions of multiple people closer to each other, and does not have a function for activating or calming the states of multiple people.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to bring the states of multiple people in a target area closer to a target state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The device control system according to the present disclosure includes a device that changes the environment of a target area, an environment detection unit that detects the state of the environment, a physical state detection unit that detects the physical state of a person, and a device control device, wherein the device control device includes a target acquisition unit that acquires goal information indicating a target state of a behavior of a plurality of people in the target area, an environment information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information indicating the state of the environment of the target area where the plurality of people are present from the environment detection unit, a physical state information acquisition unit that acquires physical state information indicating the physical states of the plurality of people from the physical state detection unit, and a control unit that controls the device so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target state based on the goal information, the environmental information, and the physical state information, and the device control device controls the device based on an input operation by the person performed to change the atmosphere of the place in the target area. Ku The target information acquisition The atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device is set to the state of the target information.

[0007] The device control method according to the present disclosure is a method implemented by a device control device that controls devices that change the environment of a target area, and includes the steps of acquiring goal information indicating a state of a goal of the actions of a plurality of people in the target area, and changing the atmosphere of the place in the target area based on input operations of the people. Ku The target information acquisition and setting the atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device to the state of the target information; acquiring environmental information indicating the environmental state of the target area where the plurality of people are present from an environment detection unit that detects the state of the environment; acquiring physical state information indicating the physical states of the plurality of people from a physical state detection unit that detects the physical states of the people; and controlling the device based on the target information, the environmental information, and the physical state information so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the states of multiple people in a target area can be made to approach a target state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a device control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a device control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a device control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of devices in a device control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an environment detection unit of the device control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a physical condition detection unit of the device control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a distribution of activity levels. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the device control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 9 is a flowchart showing a calculation process of a current value of activity level in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart showing device control by the device control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a device control system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a device control device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the correlation between Big Five personality traits and the operation of home appliances. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing calculation of personal characteristics by the device control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing processing by a device control device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a device control system, a device control device, a device control method, and a device control program according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and the embodiments can be combined as appropriate and each embodiment can be modified as appropriate.

[0011] 1. First embodiment 1-1 Configuration FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a device control system 1 according to a first embodiment. The device control system 1 is a system for bringing the states of multiple people (e.g., meeting participants) in a target area 60 closer to a target state. The multiple people in the target area 60 may be people who are unrelated to each other (i.e., strangers). The multiple people in the target area 60 may also be people who gather in a public place (e.g., on a train, in a shopping mall, at a school, or at a hospital). Although the target area 60 is illustrated as a single area in FIG. 1, the target area 60 may also be composed of multiple areas in which a conference system (e.g., a video conference system, a web conference system, etc.) is installed, which is a communication system that enables people in remote locations to become participants in a meeting.

[0012] The target state of the multiple people in the target area 60 is a goal of the meeting set by, for example, the participants of the meeting or an administrator managing the meeting. For example, if the goal of the meeting is to reach a useful conclusion through lively discussion, a high activity level (e.g., a high numerical value corresponding to a high activity level) indicating that the activity level of the multiple people participating in the meeting (e.g., the activity level of the discussion) should be increased is set as the target state. Furthermore, if it is desired to avoid overly active people (e.g., people who get too excited), a low activity level (e.g., a low numerical value corresponding to a low activity level) indicating that the activity level of the multiple people participating in the meeting should be decreased is set as the target state. Furthermore, the target state of the multiple people in the target area 60 may be determined based on the state of a specific person (e.g., one or more specific people set in advance) among the multiple people gathered in the target area 60. In other words, the target state of the multiple people in the target area 60 does not necessarily need to be the state of all of the multiple people gathered, but the state of one or more representatives of the multiple people gathered (e.g., the person in charge of the meeting) may be used. When the target area 60 is a home, the state of someone in the home may be used as the target state of multiple people in the target area 60.

[0013] It is believed that there is a positive correlation between the activity level of a person and the level of excitement of the person, and the level of excitement of the person can be measured based on the person's physical condition (e.g., biological information). For example, an increase in a person's excitement level can be measured based on physical conditions such as an increase in body temperature, an increase in pulse rate, an increase in blood pressure, an increase in speech volume, an increase in speech rate, and gestures during speech. In this way, the device control system 1 is a system that, when multiple people gather, measures the activity level of the multiple people (generally referred to as the "atmosphere of the place" created by the multiple people gathered) by detecting the physical conditions of the multiple people, and controls devices (e.g., electrical devices) to change the environment of the target area 60 to a state corresponding to a set target state.

[0014] The device control system 1 includes a device 30 that changes the environment of a target area 60, an environment detection unit 40 that detects the state of the environment of the target area 60, a physical state detection unit 50 that detects the physical state of a person in the target area 60, and a device control device 10 as an information processing device that controls the device 30. The device control system 1 may include multiple devices 30, multiple environment detection units 40, and multiple physical state detection units 50. The multiple device control devices 10 are devices that can implement the device control method according to the first embodiment. The device control device 10 is, for example, a computer that can execute the device control program according to the first embodiment. The device 30, the environment detection unit 40, and the physical state detection unit 50 are connected to the device control device 10 by, for example, a wired or wireless network. Examples of the network include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet. The environment detection unit 40 may be provided as a part of the device 30. A specific example of the device 30 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4.

[0015] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the device control device 10 according to Embodiment 1. The device control device 10 includes a target acquisition unit 12, an environmental information acquisition unit 13, a physical condition information acquisition unit 14, and a control unit 11.

[0016] The target acquisition unit 12 acquires goal information A0 indicating the state of the behavioral goals of multiple people (e.g., meeting participants) in the target area 60 and provides the target information A0 to the control unit 11. The goal information A0 is input to the target acquisition unit 12, for example, from an input unit (shown in FIG. 3 , which will be described later) operated by a person. For example, the target acquisition unit 12 acquires the goal information A0 as a target value A1 indicating the level of activity of the behavior of multiple people in the target area 60 and provides the target value A1 to the control unit 11. The target acquisition unit 12 or the control unit 11 may also dynamically change the target information A0. For example, when the target information A0 is set as a target value, the target information A0 may be dynamically changed, for example, by setting the value to a value for activating discussion in the first half of the meeting and a value for calming down the discussion in the second half of the meeting. Furthermore, the target information A0 may be automatically changed to a value for calming down meeting participants when they become too excited.

[0017] The environment information acquisition unit 13 acquires environment information B0 indicating the state of the environment of the target area 60 where multiple people are present from the environment detection unit 40, and provides the environment information B0 to the control unit 11. If the environment detection unit 40 is provided as part of the device 30, the environment information B0 may include device status information indicating the state of the device 30. For example, the environment information B0 may be an output signal of a temperature sensor installed separately from an air conditioner as the device 30, or may be device status information (e.g., an output signal of a temperature sensor provided in the air conditioner or the set temperature of the air conditioner). However, the device status information may also be provided directly from the device 30 to the control unit 11 via a network. A specific example of the environment detection unit 40 will be described later using FIG. 5.

[0018] The physical condition information acquisition unit 14 acquires physical condition information C0 indicating the physical conditions of multiple people in the target area 60 from the physical condition detection unit 50, and provides the physical condition information C0 to the control unit 11. The physical condition information C0 is information indicating the excitement level of the people and the activity level of the people's behavior. A specific example of the physical condition detection unit 50 will be described later using FIG. 6.

[0019] Based on the goal information A0, the environment information B0, and the physical state information C0, the control unit 11 controls the devices 30 so that the behavioral states of the multiple people in the target area 60 approach the target state. The environment information B0 includes device state information. That is, the control unit 11 may estimate the brightness of the target area 60 from the state of the lighting device, rather than detecting it with an illuminance sensor. In this case, the control unit 11 controls the devices 30 so that the behavioral states of the multiple people in the target area 60 approach the target state, based on the goal information A0, the device state information as the environment information B0, and the physical state information C0. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may estimate the temperature of the target area 60 from the set temperature and operating state of the air conditioner, rather than detecting it with a temperature sensor. When the goal acquisition unit 12 acquires the goal information A0 as a target value (i.e., target activity value) A1 indicating the level of activity of the activities of multiple people, the control unit 11 calculates a current value (i.e., current activity value) A2 indicating the level of activity of the activities of multiple people based on the physical condition information C0, and controls the equipment 30 to create an environment that brings the current value A2 closer to the target value A1.

[0020] The activity levels of the multiple people are values ​​calculated from the activity levels of each of the multiple people. The current value of the activity levels of the multiple people is, for example, a statistical value (e.g., average, weighted average, median, etc.) of the multiple current values ​​of the activity levels of the multiple people, or the current value of the activity level of one representative of the multiple people, or a statistical value (e.g., average, weighted average, median, etc.) of the multiple current values ​​of multiple representatives of the multiple people.

[0021] Specifically, when the difference between the current activity level A2 and the target activity level A1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold T1 and the current activity level A2 is lower than the target activity level A1, the control unit 11 controls the device 30 to create an environment that increases the activity level. Examples of control of the device 30 to create an environment that increases the activity level include control of an air conditioner to increase the temperature in the target area 60, control of lighting equipment to brighten the target area 60, control of lighting equipment to change the color of the illumination light in the target area 60 from daylight white to closer to daylight white, control of audio equipment to play fast-paced music in the target area 60, and control of electric window blinds to open the blinds. However, the control of the device 30 to change the environment is not limited to these or a combination of two or more of these.

[0022] Furthermore, when the difference between the current activity level A2 and the target activity level A1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold T2 and the current activity level A2 is higher than the target activity level A1, the control unit 11 controls the device 30 to create an environment that reduces the activity level. The first threshold T1 and the second threshold T2 may be the same value or different values. The control of the device 30 to create an environment that reduces the activity level may include, for example, one or a combination of two or more of the following: control of an air conditioner to lower the temperature in the target area 60; control of an air conditioner, electric fan, or ventilation fan to increase the airflow in the target area 60; control of an aroma diffuser to provide a calming fragrance to the air in the target area 60; control of a lighting device to reduce the brightness of the target area 60; control of a lighting device to change the color of the lighting in the target area 60 from daylight color to closer to daylight white; control of an audio device to play quiet, slow-tempo music in the target area 60; and control of an electric window to open the window. However, the control of the device 30 for changing the environment is not limited to these or a combination of two or more of these.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a device control device 10 according to the first embodiment. The device control device 10 is, for example, a computer. The device control device 10 may be on a cloud service (cloud server). The device control device 10 includes a processor 101, a memory 102, a storage unit 103 that is a non-volatile storage device, an interface 104, a communication unit 105, and an input unit 106. The processor 101 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The memory 102 is, for example, a volatile semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 103 is, for example, a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage unit 103 stores information and programs. The communication unit 105 communicates with other devices via a network. The input unit 106 is an operation unit such as a keyboard that is an input interface. The input unit 106 accepts input from a person. Devices such as the environment detection unit 40 and the physical condition detection unit 50 are connected to the interface 104. The functions of the device control device 10 may be realized by a plurality of computers or by a computer and a cloud server.

[0024] Each function of the device control device 10 is realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware, or may be a processor 101 that executes a program stored in memory 102. The processor 101 may be any of a processing device, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor).

[0025] When the processing circuitry is dedicated hardware, the processing circuitry may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or any combination thereof.

[0026] When the processing circuit is the processor 101, the device control program according to the first embodiment is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the memory 102. The processor 101 can realize the functions of the units shown in FIG. 2 by reading and executing the device control program stored in the memory 102. The device control program is installed in the device control device 10 by downloading it over a network or from a recording medium (i.e., a storage medium) that records information, such as an optical disc. Note that the device control device 10 may be partially realized by dedicated hardware and partially realized by software or firmware. In this way, the processing circuit can realize the functions of the functional blocks shown in FIG. 1 by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device 30 in the device control system 1 according to the first embodiment. The device 30 includes at least one of the first to fifth electric devices 31 to 35 (i.e., a combination of one or more). The device 30 can be connected to a network directly or via a gateway (GW), and transmits device status information to the device control device 10 via the network. Note that the first to fifth electric devices are classified based on their functions, but this classification is merely an example, and other classifications may also be used. For example, if a robot classified as the fifth electric device has a function as an audio device, it would also be classified as the third electric device.

[0028] The device status information indicates, for example, an operation status indicating an operation performed by a person, such as turning on or off the device 30, a setting status indicating the setting of the device 30, or an operating status indicating the operation of the device 30. Here, the device status information includes at least the operating status.

[0029] The first electrical appliance 31 adjusts the air-related environment of the target area 60. The first electrical appliance 31 changes, for example, at least one of the temperature, humidity, airflow, odor, and air quality (i.e., one or a combination of several) of the target area 60. The airflow includes the strength and direction of the air flow. The air quality is a component of the air, and includes the content or concentration of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates such as dust, and chemicals such as formaldehyde. The first electrical appliance 31 includes, for example, at least one of an air conditioner, an electric fan, a ventilation fan, a humidifier, an aroma diffuser, and an air purifier. Furthermore, a tea dispenser or coffee maker may be used as an aroma device similar to an aroma diffuser.

[0030] The second electrical device 32 adjusts the environment related to the brightness of the target area 60. For example, the second electrical device 32 changes at least one of the brightness, color, and lighting effect (i.e., one or a combination of a plurality of them) in the target area 60. The change in brightness is a change in illuminance. The change in color is a change in the color of the illumination light. Examples of colors include warm white, neutral white, and daylight white. The change in lighting effect is a change in the surface illuminated by the light, such as illuminating the entire room uniformly, illuminating only the ceiling surface, illuminating only the walls, illuminating only the floor surface, illuminating both the walls and the floor surface, or illuminating the ceiling and the walls. The change in lighting effect is also performed by, for example, lighting devices installed in the target area 60.

[0031] The third electrical device 33 adjusts the environment related to video or sound in the target area 60. The third electrical device 33, for example, provides at least one of video and sound (i.e., one or a combination thereof) in the target area 60. The third electrical device 33 includes at least one of a video device such as a display device and an audio device such as an audio player. In this case, the display device can output text, images, animations, and video together with audio. Furthermore, the audio device can play sound, voice, and music.

[0032] The fourth electrical device 34 adjusts the environment related to a window or a door in the target area 60. The fourth electrical device 34 performs at least one of (i.e., one or a combination of) opening and closing a window, opening and closing a window blind, and opening and closing a door in the target area 60. The fourth electrical device 34 includes at least one of (i.e., a combination of) an electrically operated window that opens and closes electrically, an electrically operated door that opens and closes electrically, and an electrically operated blind (i.e., an electrically operated curtain) that opens and closes electrically.

[0033] The fifth electrical device 35 is a robot placed in the target area 60. The actions and speech of a soothing robot or animal robot can ease a person's excited state. Also, the actions and speech of a cheering robot or an invigorating robot can lift a person's spirits when they are feeling down.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the environment detection unit 40 of the device control system 1 according to the first embodiment. The environment detection unit 40 has at least one of first to fourth environment sensors 41 to 44 (i.e., a combination of one or more). The environment detection unit 40 is connectable to a network and transmits environment information B0 to the device control device 10 via the network. The environment information B0 may include device status information indicating the status of the device 30. Each of the first to fourth environment sensors does not have to exist independently, but may exist as part of the device. Furthermore, multiple environment sensors may be configured as a single unit.

[0035] The first environmental sensor 41 detects an environment related to the air in the target area 60. The first environmental sensor 41 detects, for example, at least one of (i.e., one or a combination of) the temperature, humidity, airflow, odor, and air quality of the target area 60. The first environmental sensor 41 includes at least one of a thermal image sensor, a human presence sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a wind direction sensor, an air volume sensor, and an air quality sensor.

[0036] The second environment sensor 42 detects an environment related to the brightness of the target area 60. The second environment sensor 42 detects, for example, at least one of brightness, color, and lighting effect (i.e., one or a combination of a plurality of them) in the target area 60. The second environment sensor 42 includes at least one of an illuminance sensor, a camera, and a detector for detecting the device state of a lighting device.

[0037] The third environmental sensor 43 detects an environment related to images or sounds in the target area 60. The third environmental sensor 43 detects, for example, at least one of images and sounds (i.e., a combination of one or more) provided in the target area 60. The third environmental sensor 43 includes a detection unit for detecting the device state of the video device or audio device.

[0038] The fourth environmental sensor 44 detects an environment related to a window or a door in the target area 60. The fourth environmental sensor 44 detects, for example, at least one of (i.e., one or a combination of) the open / closed state of a window, the open / closed state of a window blind, and the open / closed state of a door in the target area 60. The fourth environmental sensor 44 includes a detection unit for detecting at least one of the open / closed state of a window, the open / closed state of a window blind, and the open / closed state of a door.

[0039] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the physical condition detection unit 50 of the device control system 1 according to Embodiment 1. The physical condition detection unit 50 has at least one of first to fourth physical condition sensors 51-54.

[0040] The first physical condition sensor 51 detects primarily vital signs among the physical conditions of the multiple people. The first physical condition sensor 51 detects at least one of the heartbeat, respiration, body temperature, and blood pressure of the multiple people (i.e., one or a combination of a plurality of them). The first physical condition sensor 51 includes, for example, a vital sign sensor, a thermal imaging camera, etc. The first physical condition sensor 51 is, for example, a wearable device or a non-contact vital sign sensor. The first physical condition sensor 51 may include an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor.

[0041] The control unit 11 can calculate the activity level (for example, the level of excitement or relaxation) of each individual person in the target area 60 from physical condition information such as heart rate, respiratory rate, or heartbeat interval, or from an LF / RF (=Low Frequency / Respiratory Frequency=heart rate variability / respiratory variability) value calculated from the heartbeat interval or an RRI (RR Interval) value. The heartbeat interval RRI is the interval between R waves, and the average or standard deviation of the RRI is an index for stress estimation.

[0042] For example, the blood pressure fluctuation E in the low frequency (LF) region of the power spectrum (i.e., from 0.05 Hz to 0.15 Hz) L The respiratory fluctuation F in the high frequency (HF) region of the power spectrum (i.e., from 0.15 Hz to 0.40 Hz) corresponds to the Mayer wave, H It is known that it corresponds to E L / F H The time integral value of RRI can be used as a stress index (also called "LH / HF index") that indicates the activity level of the sympathetic nerves. Such a stress index can be used as the activity level of an individual person. In this way, the control unit 11 can estimate the activity level by determining whether the parasympathetic nerves have become active (i.e., whether the degree of relaxation has increased) using an evaluation method using a Lorenz plot of the heart rate interval RRI. The control unit 11 may also calculate the activity level from sensed states of a person other than the heart rate, respiratory rate, and heart rate interval.

[0043] The second physical condition sensor 52 mainly detects the movement of the entire body or a body part (e.g., a hand, a foot, a neck, etc.) among the physical conditions of a plurality of people. The second physical condition sensor 52 includes, for example, a camera, a distance measurement sensor such as LiDAR, etc.

[0044] The third physical state sensor 53 mainly detects at least one of the volume, pitch, and speaking rate of the voices of the plurality of people (i.e., one or a combination thereof) among the physical states of the plurality of people. The third physical state sensor 53 includes, for example, a microphone and a voice emotion recognition tool (e.g., a software program) that recognizes emotions (e.g., excitement level or relaxation level) from voice.

[0045] The fourth physical state sensor 54 mainly detects at least one of facial expressions and pupils of the plurality of people among the physical states of the plurality of people. The fourth physical state sensor 54 includes, for example, a face camera and an expression emotion recognition tool (for example, a software program). The fourth physical state sensor 54 estimates the person's emotion (for example, excitement level or relaxation level) based on the person's facial expressions, pupils, etc. The fourth physical state sensor 54 is, for example, smart glasses that are eyeglass-type sensors.

[0046] The control unit 11 can calculate the activity level of a person's behavior from, for example, the person's facial expression, pupils, body posture, voice volume, voice pitch, speaking rate, body movement, body temperature, acceleration, or a combination of two or more of these. Furthermore, when the control unit 11 can acquire the person's attribute information (for example, when there is input from the input unit), it can also estimate the activity level by taking into account the person's attributes, such as the person's gender and age. For example, a young person has a high average heart rate, an average respiratory rate, or both. Furthermore, an older person has a low average heart rate and an average respiratory rate. Furthermore, women's voices tend to be higher in pitch than men's voices. By collecting and storing people's attribute data in advance and making corrections according to the attributes, the accuracy of calculating the activity level can be improved.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the distribution of activity levels. In FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents activity levels, and the vertical axis represents the number of people. The control unit 11 can, for example, use the average or median of the activity levels calculated individually as the activity levels of the participants in the meeting. The control unit 11 can also calculate the activity levels based on a value obtained by weighting and adding the activity levels, using the number of people with activity levels as a weight.

[0048] The control unit 11 may dynamically change the goal by receiving feedback from the physical state detection unit 50 and the environment detection unit 40. In other words, the control unit 11 controls the device 30 to provide an environment according to the goal state acquired by the goal acquisition unit 12, thereby enabling meeting participants to have lively discussions and reach a useful conclusion, or by avoiding the occurrence of people becoming overly excited.

[0049] 《1-2》Operation 8 is a flowchart showing the processing of the device control device 10 according to the first embodiment. First, the control unit 11 acquires, via the target acquisition unit 12, goal information A0 (e.g., target value A1) indicating the state of a goal for the actions of a plurality of people in the target area 60 (step S11). Next, the control unit 11 acquires, from the environment information acquisition unit 13, environment information B0 indicating the state of the environment of the target area 60 in which a plurality of people are present (step S12). Next, the control unit 11 acquires, from the body state information acquisition unit 14, physical state information C0 indicating the physical states of the plurality of people (step S13). Note that the order of steps S11 to S13 is not limited to the order shown in FIG. 8, and may be other orders.

[0050] Next, the control unit 11 calculates the current value A2 of the activity level from the physical condition information C0. Next, the control unit 11 controls the device 30 to create an environment that brings the current value A2 of the activity level closer to the target value A1.

[0051] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the calculation process (step S14) of the current activity level value A2 in Fig. 8. First, the control unit 11 acquires physical condition information C0 of each person (step S21). Next, the control unit 11 calculates the activity level of each person (i.e., the current value of the activity level) based on the physical condition information C0.

[0052] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the number of calculated activity levels (i.e., current activity level values) is smaller than the number J of people present in the target area 60. If it is smaller (YES in step S23), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S22 and calculates the activity levels of other people. If the number of calculated activity levels (i.e., current activity level values) is equal to or greater than the number J of people (NO in step S23), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S24. The number J may be a number input in advance via the input unit or a number detected based on a camera image. The threshold used in the determination in step S23 may be set to another value, such as half the number J of people present in the target area 60. This is because the overall activity level can be estimated from the activity levels of some people, even if the activity levels of all people present in the target area 60 are not calculated. Furthermore, if there is a person who is particularly excited, it is thought that this may affect the people around them and increase the overall activity level. Therefore, if there are one or more people with an abnormally high activity level (an activity level threshold used to detect extremely excited people), the device may be controlled to lower the activity level if there are one or more people with an activity level above this threshold.

[0053] 10 is a flowchart showing the control of the device 30 by the device control device 10 according to embodiment 1. The control unit 11 determines the control content of the device 30 that changes the environment of the target area 60 based on the current activity level, environmental information, and device state information (which may be acquired as environmental information) (steps S31 and S32). Next, the control unit 11 controls the device 30 in accordance with the determined control content.

[0054] Effect 1-3 As described above, according to the first embodiment, the states of multiple people in the target area 60 can be brought closer to a target state. For example, according to the first embodiment, when the activity levels of the participants in a meeting become too high and the discussion becomes too heated, the device 30 can be controlled to lower the activity level (i.e., calm down), or when the meeting becomes too quiet, to raise the activity level (i.e., make the meeting more active).

[0055] The activity level may include information other than numerical values. For example, the activity level may include information indicating coordinates or a range specified by a two-dimensional region (or three-dimensional space) within the target area 60. In other words, the information indicating the activity level of the meeting participants may be set to a different value for each location within the target area 60.

[0056] 1-4 Variation 1 Next, a device control system according to a first modification of the first embodiment will be described. In the first modification, a case will be described in which the target area 60 is a public place used by multiple people (for example, a train, a shopping mall, a school, or a hospital). In a public place used by multiple people, a low activity level state is often required as the target state of the multiple people so that the multiple people can maintain a calm mood. In the first modification, an example will be described in which the target area 60 is a public place used by multiple people, the target people are multiple people gathered in the public place, and a low activity level state is set as the target state. Note that in the description of the first modification, reference will be made to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0057] In the equipment control system of variant 1, changes in voice, body movements, or both are detected for multiple people (which may be a representative state of a small number of people among the multiple people) in a public place that is a target area 60, and based on the detection results, physical condition information of the people in the target area 60 is obtained, and the activity level of the people in the target area 60 is detected based on this physical condition information.

[0058] The device control system of variant 1 controls the operation of device 30 to bring the state of the multiple people in target area 60 closer to a target state when it detects that one of the people in target area 60 suddenly raises the volume of their voice (for example, a person who is determined to be in an excited state based on the volume of their voice), or when it detects that one of the people suddenly becomes excited (for example, a person who is determined to be in an excited state based on violent body movements), or when it detects both of these.

[0059] Specifically, the equipment control system of variant example 1 performs a first step of "applying a strong stimulus to people in the target area 60 to make them realize that they are in an excited state" (applying a first stimulus), and a second step of "applying a stimulus to alleviate the excited state and calm them down" (applying a second stimulus different from the first stimulus).

[0060] Examples of the application of the first-stage stimulus include suddenly blowing cold air from an air conditioner (for example, air at a temperature that is lower than room temperature by a preset temperature) toward people in the target area 60, making a loud sound (for example, a horn or warning sound) from an audio device that is likely to startle people in the target area 60, and emitting a strong light (for example, a momentary flash of light) from a lighting device that is likely to startle people in the target area 60. The application of the first-stage stimulus may be a combination of two or three of suddenly blowing cold air, making a loud sound (for example, a warning sound) from an audio device that is likely to startle people, and emitting a strong light (for example, a momentary flash of light) from a lighting device that is likely to startle people in the target area 60.

[0061] Examples of providing the second-stage stimulus include outputting music with a calming effect from an audio device toward people in the target area 60, emitting a scent with a calming effect from an aroma diffuser toward people in the target area 60, and outputting a video with a calming effect from a video device toward people in the target area 60. The second-stage stimulus may be a combination of two or three of outputting music, emitting a scent, and outputting a video.

[0062] As described above, the device control system according to the first variant of the first embodiment can effectively provide stimuli to bring the state of an unspecified number of people in the target area 60, which is a public place such as a train, a shopping mall, a school, or a hospital (for example, the state of people in an excited state) closer to a target state (for example, a state of low activity).

[0063] 1-5 Variation 2 Next, a device control system according to a second modification of the first embodiment will be described. In the second modification, a case will be described in which the target area 60 is a public place used by multiple people (for example, an event venue such as a concert venue, movie theater, theater, or stadium). In concert venues (for example, indoor or outdoor venues where live concerts are held), movie theaters, theaters, sports stadiums, and the like, a high activity level is often required as the target state of the multiple people so that the multiple people can maintain a sense of excitement and openness. Furthermore, depending on the situation provided in the target area 60 (for example, the content of the music, video, program, or sport provided), a low activity level may be required as the target state of the multiple people in order to suppress the activity level of the multiple people in the public place. In the device control system according to the second modification, an example will be described in which the target area 60 is a public place used by multiple people, the target people are multiple people gathered in the public place, and a high activity level is set as the target state. The following description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0064] The equipment control system of variant 2 detects changes in sounds (e.g., cheers, cheers, applause) made by people in a public place that is the target area 60, physical movements (e.g., actions such as standing up, raising hands, dancing), or both, and based on the detection results, obtains physical condition information of multiple people in the target area 60, and detects the activity levels of multiple people in the target area 60 based on the physical condition information.

[0065] The device control system according to the second modification controls the operation of the devices 30 when it is determined that the state of a plurality of people in the target area 60 (which may be the state of a representative person who is a small number of the plurality of people) is not in an excited state (i.e., a highly active state) and not in a state in which they are feeling open (i.e., a highly active state), to bring the state of the plurality of people in the target area 60 closer to a target state. Specifically, the device control system according to the second modification releases an awakening scent (e.g., a refreshing scent, a stimulating scent, or both of these scents) from an aroma diffuser toward the plurality of people in the target area 60, or uses a fan, humidifier, or air conditioner to send airflow at a humidity that makes the plurality of people in the target area 60 feel comfortable and at a low temperature that makes them feel cool, or both of these, which is expected to make the event more enjoyable.

[0066] As described above, the device control system according to the second modification of the first embodiment can make people in the target area 60 feel even more joyful by providing stimuli to bring the state of an unspecified number of people in the target area 60, which is a public place (for example, a low activity state) closer to a target state (for example, a high activity state). Furthermore, the device control system according to the second modification of the first embodiment can make people in the target area 60 feel even more joyful by controlling the stimuli to bring the state of an unspecified number of people in the target area 60, which is a public place (for example, a high activity state) closer to a target state (for example, a low activity state) (for example, by changing or stopping the type of scent being provided, by weakening or stopping the airflow being provided, or by controlling both the scent and the airflow).

[0067] 1-6 Variation 3 In the above-described first embodiment and the first and second variations of the first embodiment, a scene that gives a sense of calm and warmth can be reproduced using lighting equipment, video equipment, and an air conditioner to reduce the activity levels of multiple people in the target area 60. For example, people are said to feel calm near a bonfire. Therefore, the device control system according to the third variation of the first embodiment combines two or more of the sound of a bonfire produced by a speaker, flickering light simulating a bonfire projected by a lighting device, warm air blown by an air conditioner, and a fragrance emitted from an aroma diffuser, thereby making people feel like they are near a bonfire and effectively reducing their activity levels. While it is difficult to simulate such an environment by controlling a single device, simulating a specific environment by controlling a combination of multiple devices can effectively calm an excited person (i.e., a person whose activity level is higher than a threshold).

[0068] 1-7 Variation 4 In the first embodiment and the first to third variations of the first embodiment, a scene that gives a sense of calm and quiet can be reproduced using lighting equipment, video equipment, and an air conditioner in order to reduce the activity levels of multiple people in the target area 60. For example, people are said to feel soothed and calm in environments with flowing water, such as near a waterfall or a fountain. The device control system according to the fourth variation of the first embodiment combines two or more of the sound of water from a speaker, cool, moderately humidified air blown by an air conditioner, and blue light projected from a lighting device, thereby making people feel like they are in an environment near water (e.g., an environment near a waterfall, an environment with a fountain, an environment with a stream, an environment when it is raining, an environment with the sound of waves on the beach, etc.), thereby effectively reducing the activity levels of people. In other words, while it is difficult to simulate such an environment by controlling a single device, simulating a specific environment by controlling a combination of multiple devices can effectively calm an excited person (i.e., a person whose activity level has risen above a threshold).

[0069] 1-8 Variation 5 In the above-described first embodiment and the first to fourth variations of the first embodiment, it has been explained that the activity level of a representative person who is a small number of people among the people may be used as the activity level of multiple people in the target area 60. In the fifth variation of the first embodiment, a case will be explained in which the representative person is a predetermined person among the multiple people (for example, a person whose physical information should be preferentially detected based on gender, whether the person is a child or an adult, whether the person is elderly among adults, estimated height, body shape, clothing, amount of belongings, type of belongings, etc.), that is, a person with a high priority.

[0070] The device control system according to Variation 5 detects, from the voice or behavior of a person among multiple people in the target area 60, a person who is not feeling well or in a bad mood, and sets the detected person as a person with a high monitoring priority. This is because such a person with a high priority is likely to affect those around them, causing them to feel unwell or in a bad mood. For example, the poor health or bad mood of one person among multiple people can spread to those around them, worsening the physical or mental states of many people in the target area 60 and creating a bad atmosphere in the target area 60. To prevent such a situation, the device control system according to Variation 5 identifies, from the voice or behavior of the person among multiple people in the target area 60, the person who is thought to be in the worst physical state or the worst mood, sets the identified person as a person with a high priority, and controls devices to create an environment in which the high-priority person can maintain a comfortable physical or mental state. This can be expected to ultimately improve the condition of the people in that area.

[0071] 1-9 Variation 6 In the first embodiment and the first to fifth variations of the first embodiment, the activity levels of a plurality of people (or representatives) in the target area 60 are detected mainly based on the voices of the people, the actions of the people, or a combination of these. The device control system according to the sixth variation of the first embodiment detects the activity levels of a plurality of people (or representatives) in the target area 60 based on internal body information (e.g., brain waves, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, etc.) that is the vital signs of each person, external body information such as posture and movement (e.g., a bowed posture, trembling movements, a still posture, a silent state, a gaze direction, etc.), and climate information (e.g., weather, atmospheric pressure, etc.), or a combination of internal body information, external body information, and mechanical information. The device control system according to the sixth variation of the first embodiment detects that a specific person's physical or mental state is poor, and controls the devices to recreate an environment in which the specific person's physical or mental state was good. For example, the equipment control system of variant example 6 can recreate the environment when a particular person's physical or mental state was good by adjusting the temperature and humidity using an air conditioner, adjusting the illuminance using lighting equipment, adjusting the color temperature using lighting equipment, adjusting the output sound using audio equipment, adjusting the displayed image using video equipment, or a combination of these adjustments.

[0072] 1-10 Variation 7 In the first embodiment and the first to sixth variations of the first embodiment, various devices are controlled to create an environment that improves the physical or mental state of a specific person, thereby controlling the activity levels of people in the target area 60. In the seventh variation of the first embodiment, an example is described in which factors that contribute to a person's poor physical or mental state include an irregular lifestyle, restrictions on people's outings (resulting in lack of exercise), lack of sleep, and accumulated fatigue. For example, when the lifestyles of multiple people in the target area 60 can be grasped (e.g., when multiple people are visiting or working at a hospital, or when multiple people are attending or working at a school), the device control system according to the seventh variation of the first embodiment can estimate factors that contribute to the poor physical or mental states of the multiple people through a prior investigation (e.g., investigations such as medical examinations and health checkups). In such cases, the device control system according to the seventh variation can suppress or increase the activity levels of the multiple people by recreating an environment in the target area 60 where multiple people are present using robots, audio equipment, and video equipment. The equipment control system of variant 7 can reproduce an environment similar to a real indoor or outdoor environment by combining adjustment of the temperature and humidity of the airflow generated by an air conditioner with adjustment of the illuminance and color by lighting equipment.

[0073] Furthermore, when a person's poor physical or mental condition is due to lack of sleep, accumulated fatigue, or the like, the equipment control system of variant example 7 can provide a sense of rest to people within the target area 60 by adjusting the temperature and humidity of the airflow generated by an air conditioner, adjusting the brightness of lighting by lighting equipment to be lower, making the color temperature of lighting by lighting equipment closer to a warm color temperature, providing music by audio equipment, providing images by video equipment, or a combination of these.

[0074] 2. Second Embodiment 2-1 Configuration Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a device control system 2 according to embodiment 2. In Fig. 11, components that are the same as or correspond to those shown in Fig. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals as those shown in Fig. 1. The device control system 2 differs from the device control system 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the device control device 20 acquires personal characteristic information indicating the attributes of a plurality of people within a target area 60.

[0075] Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a device control device 20 according to embodiment 2. In Fig. 12, components that are the same as or correspond to those shown in Fig. 2 are assigned the same reference numerals as those shown in Fig. 2. The device control device 20 differs from the device control device 10 according to embodiment 1 in that it has a target acquisition unit 12, an environmental information acquisition unit 13, and a personal characteristic acquisition unit 15, and in the control content of the control unit 11a.

[0076] The individual characteristic acquisition unit 15 acquires characteristic information (also referred to as "personality information") that determines the personality of an individual. The individual's characteristics are, for example, the Big Five personality traits. The Big Five personality traits are also called the Five-Factor Model, and indicate personality using five parameters: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability. In other words, the characteristic information may be included in any of the five parameters. The Big Five personality traits are described, for example, in Non-Patent Document 1.

[0077] [Non-Patent Document 1] Oliver P. John, Laura P. Naumann, and Christopher J. Soto, “Paradigm shift to the integrative big five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and conceptual issues”, Handbook of personality: Theory and research, 3.2 edition, Guilford Press, (2008), pp.114-158

[0078] Openness indicates the degree to which one likes new experiences or diversity, and may be rephrased as openness to experience. Conscientiousness indicates the degree to which one tends to be ambitious and achieve goals or to prefer planned actions, and may be rephrased as conscientiousness. Extroversion indicates the degree to which one likes to socialize or converse with others. Agreeableness indicates the degree to which one tends to be cooperative with others, and may be rephrased as agreeableness or affability. Emotional lability indicates the degree to which one tends to have a stable personality and not easily experience unpleasant emotions, and may be rephrased as neuroticism, which has the opposite meaning.

[0079] Furthermore, the personality information may include, for example, a parameter indicating the strength of self-control as an element. Self-control is explained in, for example, Non-Patent Document 2.

[0080] [Non-patent document 2] June P. Tangney, Roy F. Baumeister, and Angie Luzio Boone, “High Self-Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success”, Journal of Personality 72:2, (2004), pp.271-324

[0081] Self-control is the willful pursuit of desirable behavior and the inhibition of undesirable behavior when faced with temptation or impulse. Personality information may also include other parameters whose definitions and measurement methods are established in the field of psychology. If multiple people use device 30, it is preferable to have personality information for each of those people.

[0082] The personal characteristic acquisition unit 15 may acquire personality information obtained by, for example, conducting a questionnaire about personality with a person. The questionnaire may be conducted using the input unit 106, or may be conducted face-to-face when purchasing the device 30. The personal characteristic acquisition unit 15 may acquire scores of personality scales that have already been measured from the communication unit 105 via a network or the like, or may acquire the scores by manual input.

[0083] Furthermore, the personality information may be, for example, information estimated from the operation history of a button-type interface such as a "Like!" button in a social network service (SNS) or from the posting history, and acquired via a network, etc. A method for acquiring such personality information is described, for example, in Non-Patent Document 3.

[0084] [Non-patent document 3] Wu Youyou, Michal Kosinski, and David Stillwell, “Computer-based personality judgments are more accurate than those made by humans”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112.4 (2015), pp.1036-1040

[0085] Furthermore, the personality information may be estimated from the operation history, operation history, or stored contents of a device such as a smartphone, and acquired via a network, etc. Such an estimation method is described, for example, in Non-Patent Document 4.

[0086] [Non-patent document 4] Clemens Stachl et al. “Predicting personality from patterns of behavior collected with smartphones”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117.30 (2020), pp.17680-17687

[0087] The device used to acquire personality information may be the same as the wearable device or non-contact vital sensor connected to the physical condition information acquisition unit 14, or may be a different device.

[0088] The control unit 11a determines the personal characteristics based on the personality information acquired by the personal characteristic acquisition unit 15. The control unit 11a may determine the personality information from the device operation and operation history of the device. The personality information is estimated from the device operation using the correlation between the Big Five personality traits in the personality information and the preferences for device operation. An example is described below.

[0089] Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the correlation between the Big Five personality traits and the operation of home appliances. Figure 13 shows an example of the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and the operation or operation history of home appliances such as air conditioners, heat pump water heaters used when bathing, and refrigerators. Because a positive or negative correlation is observed between the Big Five personality traits and appliance operation, personality information can be inferred from the appliance operation or operation history.

[0090] For example, FIG. 13 shows the following examples (G1) to (G8) in a table format. (G1) There is a strong negative correlation between people who frequently adjust the temperature setting on their air conditioner (g1) and agreeableness. (G2) There is a strong positive correlation between people (g2) who use the automatic setting for their air conditioner temperature and openness (i.e., a personality that is easily receptive to new features), a negative correlation between people (g2) and emotional instability (i.e., a personality that is sensitive to changes in temperature), and a positive correlation between people (g2) and extraversion. (G3) There is a strong positive correlation between people who prefer automatic air conditioning control (g3) and emotional instability. (G4) There is a positive correlation between people who frequently change the direction of their air conditioner (g4) and openness, and a negative correlation between people (g4) and agreeableness. (G5) There is a strong positive correlation between people who spend a long time bathing (g5) and openness, and there is a positive correlation between people who spend a long time bathing (g5) and extroversion. (G6) There is a strong positive correlation between people who spend a lot of time bathing (g6) and openness, and there is a positive correlation between people (g6) and extraversion. (G7) There is a strong positive correlation between people (g7) who frequently open the vegetable drawer of their refrigerator and extroversion, a strong positive correlation between people (g7) and openness, a positive correlation between people (g7) and conscientiousness, and a weak negative correlation between people (g7) and emotional instability. (G8) There is a weak positive correlation between people who frequently open the freezer compartment of their refrigerator (g8) and extraversion, a weak positive correlation between people (g8) and openness, and a positive correlation between people (g8) and conscientiousness.

[0091] When calculating the current values ​​of the activity levels of meeting participants, the control unit 11a performs corrections according to the personality information acquired by the personal characteristic acquisition unit 15. For example, people with high levels of agreeableness have a strong tendency to behave in accordance with others, and therefore their activity levels are less likely to change. People with high levels of extroversion are more likely to experience large changes in their activity levels. People with high levels of emotional instability tend to have a greater tendency to change their activity levels more easily.

[0092] The control unit 11a performs corrections based on personality information when determining the target value of activity level. The control unit 11a adjusts the target value of activity level for the overall behavior of multiple people in the target area 60 depending on the personal characteristics of the people. For example, if there are many highly cooperative people (i.e., people with small fluctuations in activity level) among the meeting participants, the control unit 11a adjusts and sets a larger target value of activity level. Furthermore, if there are many highly extroverted people (i.e., people with large fluctuations in activity level) among the meeting participants, the control unit 11a adjusts and sets a lower target value of activity level. Furthermore, if there are many highly emotionally unstable people (i.e., people with large fluctuations in activity level) among the meeting participants, the control unit 11a adjusts and sets the target value of activity level to a value closer to the current value of activity level.

[0093] 《2-2》Operation 14 is a flowchart showing calculation of personal characteristics by device control device 20 according to embodiment 2. First, control unit 11a acquires attributes related to people and person detection values, which are physical quantities detected from people, as person information via physical condition information acquisition unit 14 and communication unit 105 (step S41). The acquired person information is provided to personal characteristic acquisition unit 15. In addition, device operation patterns of the people scheduled to attend the meeting stored in storage unit 103 are called up (step S42).

[0094] The control unit 11a calculates the individual characteristics from the attributes from the physical condition information acquisition unit 14 or from the device operation pattern (step S43).

[0095] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the processing of the device control device 20 according to the second embodiment. First, the control unit 11a acquires, via the target acquisition unit 12, goal information A0 (e.g., a target value A1) indicating the state of a goal for the behavior of a plurality of people in the target area 60 (step S41). Next, the control unit 11a acquires, from the environment information acquisition unit 13, environmental information B0 (including machine state information) indicating the state of the environment of the target area 60 where the plurality of people are present (step S42). Next, the control unit 11a acquires, from the physical state information acquisition unit 14, physical state information C0 indicating the physical states of the plurality of people (step S43). Next, the control unit 11a acquires, from the individual characteristic acquisition unit 15, individual characteristics D0 indicating personality information of the plurality of people, and adjusts the activity level target value A1 in accordance with the individual characteristics D0 (step S44). Note that the order of steps S41 to S44 is not limited to the order shown in FIG. 14 and may be other orders.

[0096] Next, the control unit 11a calculates the current activity level A2 from the physical condition information C0. Next, the control unit 11a controls the device 30 to create an environment that brings the current activity level A2 closer to the adjusted target value A1.

[0097] 2-3 Effects As described above, according to the second embodiment, the states of multiple people in the target area 60 can be made closer to a target state with higher accuracy. For example, by dynamically changing the target value of activity level according to individual characteristics, it is possible to control the device 30 to lower the activity level (i.e., calm down) when the activity level of the participants in a meeting becomes too high and the discussion becomes too heated, or to raise the activity level (i.e., make the meeting more active) when the meeting becomes too quiet.

[0098] In all other respects, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1, 2 Device control system, 10, 20 Device control device, 11 Control unit, 12 Target acquisition unit, 13 Environmental information acquisition unit, 14 Physical condition information acquisition unit, 15 Personal characteristic acquisition unit, 30 Device, 31 First electrical device, 32 Second electrical device, 33 Third electrical device, 34 Fourth electrical device, 40 Environment detection unit, 41 First environmental sensor, 42 Second environmental sensor, 43 Third environmental sensor, 44 Fourth environmental sensor, 50 Physical condition detection unit, 51 First physical condition sensor, 52 Second physical condition sensor, 53 Third physical condition sensor, 54 Fourth physical condition sensor, 60 Target area, 101 Processor, 102 Memory, 103 Storage unit, 104 Interface, 105 Communication unit, 106 Input section: A0 goal information, B0 environmental information, C0 physical state information.

Claims

1. Equipment that changes the environment of the target area; an environment detection unit that detects the state of the environment; a physical condition detection unit that detects a physical condition of a person; an equipment control device; and The device control device a target acquisition unit that acquires target information indicating a state of a target of the actions of a plurality of people in the target area; an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information indicating an environmental state of the target area where the plurality of people are present from the environmental detection unit; a physical condition information acquisition unit that acquires physical condition information indicating the physical conditions of the plurality of people from the physical condition detection unit; a control unit that controls the device based on the goal information, the environmental information, and the physical state information so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target states; and The device control device acquires the target information based on the input operation of the person performed to change the atmosphere of the place in the target area, and sets the atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device to the state of the target information. An equipment control system comprising:

2. The device control system according to claim 1 , wherein the atmosphere of the place indicates the level of activity of the plurality of people.

3. 3. The device control system according to claim 2, wherein the target information is automatically changed in accordance with activity levels of the actions of the plurality of people.

4. The equipment control system described in Claim 1 is characterized in that the equipment control device identifies a person among the multiple people who has a high priority for monitoring based on the voice or behavior detected by the physical condition detection unit, and controls the equipment so as to create an environment in which the identified person can maintain a comfortable physical or mental state.

5. the goal acquisition unit acquires the goal information indicating a state of the goal of the behavior as a goal value indicating a level of activity of the behavior of the plurality of people; The control unit calculates a current value indicating a level of activity of the behavior of the plurality of people based on the physical state information, and controls the device to create the environment that brings the current value closer to the target value.

4. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein the device control system is a device control system for controlling a device.

6. The control unit controls the device to create the environment that increases the activity level when a difference between the current value and the target value is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold and the current value is lower than the target value.

6. The device control system according to claim 5.

7. When a difference between the current value and the target value is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold and the current value is higher than the target value, the control unit controls the device to create an environment that reduces the activity level.

6. The device control system according to claim 5.

8. The activity level of the plurality of people is a value calculated from the activity levels of each of the plurality of people.

6. The device control system according to claim 5.

9. a personal characteristic acquisition unit that acquires characteristic information indicating the personal characteristics of each of the plurality of people; The activity levels of the plurality of people are determined in accordance with the individual characteristics of the plurality of people.

6. The device control system according to claim 5.

10. the device includes at least one of first to fourth electrical devices; the first electrical device modifies at least one of temperature, humidity, airflow, odor, and air quality in the target area; the second electrical device changes at least one of brightness, color, and lighting effects in the target area; the third electrical device provides at least one of video and sound in the target area; The fourth electrical device performs at least one of opening and closing windows, opening and closing window blinds, and opening and closing doors in the target area.

4. The device control system according to claim 2 or 3.

11. the first electrical device includes at least one of an air conditioner, an electric fan, a ventilation fan, a humidifier, an aroma diffuser, and an air purifier; the second electrical device includes a lighting device; the third electrical device includes at least one of a video device and an audio device; The fourth electrical device includes at least one of an electric window, an electric door, and an electric blind. The device control system according to claim 10 .

12. the environment detection unit has at least one of first to fourth environment sensors; the first environmental sensor detects at least one of temperature, humidity, airflow, odor, and air quality in the target area; the second environmental sensor detects at least one of brightness, color, and lighting effects in the target area; the third environmental sensor detects at least one of video and sound being provided in the target area; The fourth environmental sensor detects at least one of an open / closed state of a window, an open / closed state of a window blind, and an open / closed state of a door in the target area.

4. The device control system according to claim 2 or 3.

13. The environment detection unit is provided as a part of the device.

4. The device control system according to claim 2 or 3.

14. the physical condition detection unit includes at least one of first to fourth physical condition sensors; the first physical condition sensor detects at least one of a heart rate, a respiratory rate, a body temperature, and a blood pressure of the plurality of people; the second physical condition sensor detects movement of the plurality of people; the third physical condition sensor detects at least one of a volume, a pitch, and a speaking rate of the voices of the plurality of people; The fourth physical condition sensor detects at least one of a facial expression and a pupil of the plurality of people.

4. The device control system according to claim 2 or 3.

15. 4. The device control system according to claim 2, wherein the device control device determines the target information differently for each location in the target area.

16. An equipment control device that controls equipment that changes the environment of a target area, a target acquisition unit that acquires target information indicating a state of a target of the actions of a plurality of people in the target area; an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information indicating the environmental state of the target area where the plurality of people are present from an environmental detection unit that detects the environmental state; a physical condition information acquisition unit that acquires physical condition information indicating the physical conditions of the plurality of people from a physical condition detection unit that detects the physical conditions of the people; a control unit that controls the device based on the goal information, the environmental information, and the physical state information so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target states; and The device control device acquires the target information based on the input operation of the person performed to change the atmosphere of the place in the target area, and sets the atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device to the state of the target information. An equipment control device characterized by:

17. A device control method implemented by a device control device that controls a device that changes the environment of a target area, comprising: acquiring goal information indicating a state of a goal of the actions of a plurality of people in the target area; acquiring the target information based on the input operation of the person performed to change the atmosphere of the place in the target area, and setting the atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device to a state of the target information; acquiring environmental information indicating the environmental state of the target area where the plurality of people are present from an environment detection unit that detects the environmental state; acquiring physical condition information indicating the physical conditions of the plurality of people from a physical condition detection unit that detects the physical conditions of the people; controlling the device based on the goal information, the environmental information, and the physical state information so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target states; A device control method comprising:

18. A device control program executed by a computer that controls a device that changes the environment of a target area, acquiring goal information indicating a state of a goal of the actions of a plurality of people in the target area; acquiring the target information based on the input operation of the person performed to change the atmosphere of the place in the target area, and setting the atmosphere of the place adjusted by the device to a state of the target information; acquiring environmental information indicating the environmental state of the target area where the plurality of people are present from an environment detection unit that detects the environmental state; acquiring physical condition information indicating the physical conditions of the plurality of people from a physical condition detection unit that detects the physical conditions of the people; controlling the device based on the goal information, the environmental information, and the physical state information so as to bring the behavioral states of the plurality of people closer to the target states; A device control program characterized by causing a computer to execute the above.

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