Air conditioning device, control method and program

Abstract

An air conditioning device (2) comprises: an air conditioning unit (80); a fatigue level acquisition means; and a control means. The air conditioning unit (80) air-conditions a space to be air-conditioned. The fatigue level acquisition means acquires the fatigue level of a user in the space to be air-conditioned. On the basis of the fatigue level acquired by the fatigue level acquisition unit, the control means controls the air conditioning unit (80), using predetermined settings for reducing the fatigue level of the user.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning apparatus, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Air conditioners have been developed that adjust the environment of the space that a user is in. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that adjusts the environment of a space based on thermal images of the people and the environment in the room. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-180139 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Simply adjusting the spatial environment based on the temperature of the occupants and the environment does not necessarily ensure a user's comfort. The degree to which a user feels comfortable also depends on the user's own condition. For example, even if a user feels comfortable in an ambient environment when they are not fatigued, it is often difficult for them to feel comfortable if they are fatigued. However, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 makes it difficult to reduce user fatigue.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an air conditioning apparatus, a control method, and a program that perform air conditioning control that can provide an environment that reduces user fatigue. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an air conditioning unit, a fatigue level acquisition means, and a control means. The air conditioning unit conditions an air-conditioned space. The fatigue level acquisition means acquires the fatigue level of a user of the air-conditioned space. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to acquire the fatigue level acquired by the fatigue level acquisition means. is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold, at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space is corrected in a predetermined direction. To reduce user fatigue Fatigue-reducing driving Air Conditioning Department to repetition Let it run. The control means If the user's fatigue level increases after the previous fatigue reduction drive, the direction of correction in the next fatigue reduction drive is reversed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, an air conditioning apparatus can acquire a fatigue level indicating a user's fatigue state and perform air conditioning control to reduce the fatigue level, thereby providing an environment that reduces user fatigue. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of an air-conditioned space in which indoor units of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment are arranged. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a horizontal detectable range of a biological information detection device disposed in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vertical detectable range of a biological information detection device disposed in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a control mode table for reducing fatigue level stored in the storage unit of the indoor unit control unit shown in FIG. 3; [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an outdoor unit control unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an indoor unit control unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6]1 is a flowchart of a fatigue reduction operation control process executed by an air conditioning apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart of a fatigue reduction operation control process executed by an air conditioning apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of an air-conditioned space in which indoor units of an air-conditioning apparatus according to a second embodiment are arranged. [Figure 8B] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a horizontal detectable range of a biological information detection device disposed in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8C] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a vertical detectable range of a biological information detection device disposed in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of a control mode table for reducing fatigue level stored in a memory unit of an indoor unit control unit included in the indoor unit of the air conditioner shown in FIG. 9A. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of history information used in the fatigue level reduction control process; [Figure 10B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of history information of multiple people used in the fatigue level reduction control process. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a modified example of the configuration of the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An air conditioning apparatus, a control method, and a program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) [Configuration of Air Conditioning System 1] An air conditioning system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is a system that conditions an indoor space 71, which is an air-conditioned space, based on a fatigue level indicating a fatigue state of a user HM present in the indoor space 71. Air conditioning refers to adjusting the temperature, humidity, cleanliness, airflow, etc. of the air in the air-conditioned space, and specifically includes heating, cooling, dehumidification, humidification, air purification, etc.

[0011] The fatigue level indicating the fatigue state of the user HM means the degree to which the user HM feels fatigued. Here, "fatigue" includes various types of fatigue, such as acute fatigue, which is muscle fatigue caused by work, exercise, etc., subacute fatigue caused by continuous medical examination work, diurnal fatigue, which is fatigue from the previous day that continues into the next day and causes lethargy, drowsiness, decreased attention span, etc., and chronic fatigue, which is depression, apathy, disappointment, confusion, irritability, insomnia, etc. that continues for several days.

[0012] The configuration of an air conditioning system 1 is shown in Fig. 1. The air conditioning system 1 includes an air conditioner 2, which is equipment for conditioning an indoor space 71, and an information device 90 operated by a user HM. During air conditioning operation, air conditioning control is performed to reduce the fatigue level of the user HM present in the indoor space 71. The information device 90 and an indoor unit control unit 53 provided in the air conditioner 2 are connected via a network NW.

[0013] The air conditioner 2 is installed in a house 3. As an example, the house 3 is a typical detached house. The air conditioner 2 is a heat pump type air conditioning facility that uses, for example, CO2 (carbon dioxide) or HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) as a refrigerant. Note that the house 3 is not limited to a detached house, and may also be an apartment, condominium, building, etc.

[0014] The air conditioning device 2 includes an outdoor unit 11 provided outside the house 3, an indoor unit 13 provided inside the house 3, and a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as remote control) 55 operated by a user HM. The outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 13 are connected via refrigerant piping 61 through which a refrigerant flows and a communication line 63 through which various signals are transferred.

[0015] The outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21 that compresses and circulates the refrigerant, a four-way valve 22 that switches the flow direction of the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger 23 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the external space, an expansion valve 24 that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and expands it, an outdoor fan 31 that sends outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and an outdoor unit control unit 51 that controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11.

[0016] The indoor unit 13 also includes an indoor heat exchanger 25 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the indoor space 71, an indoor blower 33 that sends the air in the indoor space 71 to the indoor heat exchanger 25, a vane 34 that adjusts the airflow direction, and an indoor unit control unit 53 that controls the operation of the indoor unit 13. Hereinafter, mechanisms for controlling the airflow direction, such as the vane and louvers, will be collectively referred to as the vane 34. The air conditioner 2 has a refrigerant circuit that is configured by connecting a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, and the indoor heat exchanger 25 via refrigerant piping 61. The refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant to operate the refrigeration cycle.

[0017] The compressor 21 compresses the refrigerant and circulates it through the refrigerant pipe 61. Specifically, the compressor 21 compresses a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant and discharges the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to the four-way valve 22. The compressor 21 is equipped with an inverter circuit that can change the operating capacity according to the drive frequency. The operating capacity is the amount of refrigerant that the compressor 21 delivers per unit time. The compressor 21 changes the operating capacity according to instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

[0018] The four-way valve 22 is installed on the discharge side of the compressor 21. The four-way valve 22 switches the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe 61 depending on whether the air conditioner 2 is operating in cooling or dehumidifying operation, or in heating operation.

[0019] The outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in an outdoor space 72 that is outside the space to be air-conditioned, in other words, the air in the external space. The outdoor blower 31 is provided near the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and sends the air in the outdoor space 72 to the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The outdoor blower 31 draws in air from the outdoor space 72. The drawn-in air is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61, and is then blown out into the outdoor space 72.

[0020] The expansion valve 24 is installed between the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the indoor heat exchanger 25, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61 to expand it. The expansion valve 24 is an electronic expansion valve whose opening degree can be controlled. The expansion valve 24 changes its opening degree in accordance with instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51 to adjust the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0021] The indoor heat exchanger 25 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the indoor space 71. The indoor blower 33 is provided near the indoor heat exchanger 25 and sends the air in the indoor space 71 to the indoor heat exchanger 25. The indoor blower 33 draws in air from the indoor space 71. The drawn-in air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant piping 61. After that, the air direction is adjusted by the vanes 34. The air whose air direction has been adjusted is blown into the indoor space 71 as conditioned air. This conditions the indoor space 71. The indoor heat exchanger 25 has a humidifying function and a dehumidifying function. The humidifying method may be evaporative humidification, or steam humidification such as primary steam spray, secondary steam spray, or electric steam generation, and any known method can be used. The dehumidifying method may be weak cooling dehumidification, reheat dehumidification, or any known method.

[0022] Hereinafter, among the parts that air-condition the indoor space 71, the compressor 21, four-way valve 22, outdoor heat exchanger 23, expansion valve 24, and outdoor blower 31 arranged in the outdoor unit 11 will be referred to as the outdoor unit air-conditioning section 81, and the indoor heat exchanger 25, indoor blower 33, and vane 34 arranged in the indoor unit 13 will be referred to as the indoor unit air-conditioning section 82. Furthermore, the outdoor unit air-conditioning section 81 and the indoor unit air-conditioning section 82 will collectively be referred to as the air-conditioning section 80 as the part that performs air-conditioning.

[0023] The outdoor unit 11 further includes an outdoor temperature sensor 83. The outdoor temperature sensor 83 includes a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor, a thermocouple, etc., and detects the outdoor air temperature, which is the temperature outside where the outdoor unit 11 is installed. In the following description, the outdoor air temperature detected by the outdoor temperature sensor 83 will also be referred to as the outdoor air temperature To.

[0024] The indoor unit 13 further includes an indoor temperature sensor 41 for detecting temperature, a humidity sensor 42 for detecting humidity, an infrared sensor 44 for detecting infrared rays emitted from objects such as people and objects, and a biometric information detection device 43 for identifying the fatigue level of the user HM.

[0025] The indoor temperature sensor 41 includes a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor, a thermocouple, etc., and detects the room temperature, which is the air temperature in the indoor space 71. The humidity sensor 42 is a sensor of an electrical resistance type, a capacitance type, etc., and detects the indoor humidity, which is the air humidity in the indoor space 71. The indoor temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 are installed at the intake port of the indoor heat exchanger 25, and detect the temperature and humidity of the air drawn into the indoor heat exchanger 25 by the indoor blower 33. By being installed at the intake port of the indoor heat exchanger 25, the indoor temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 can accurately detect the temperature and humidity of the air in the indoor space 71.

[0026] The infrared sensor 44 is a pyroelectric, thermopile, or other type of sensor, and detects infrared rays emitted from objects such as people and objects. The infrared sensor 44 can identify the presence and position of objects such as people and objects by detecting infrared rays emitted from objects present in the indoor space 71. The infrared sensor 44 has directionality, and is configured so that the direction of direction can be controlled by a drive motor, a gimbal mechanism, or the like.

[0027] The biological information detection device 43 detects biological information and determines the level of fatigue. The biological information detection device 43 includes a Doppler sensor (not shown). The Doppler sensor is directional and its direction of direction can be controlled using a gimbal mechanism or the like. The Doppler sensor may be installed in a fixed position. The Doppler sensor emits sinusoidal radio waves in the microwave or quasi-millimeter wave band toward the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44. The Doppler sensor receives the reflected waves from the human body and detects the human pulse wave. The pulse wave is a waveform that indicates changes in the movement of the body surface due to heartbeat, breathing, etc. The biological information detection device 43 analyzes the pulse wave detected by the Doppler sensor and determines the level of fatigue. Any known method can be used to derive the level of fatigue from the pulse wave.

[0028] For example, time-series data of heart rate fluctuations is obtained from time-series data of pulse waves, and this is subjected to frequency analysis to extract high-frequency fluctuation components (HF components) caused by parasympathetic nerve activity and low-frequency components (LF components) caused by sympathetic nerve activity. Then, LogTP, which is the logarithm of the total power TP (HF+LF) obtained by summing these, is calculated. LogTP is known to be related to the degree of fatigue in a person's autonomic nervous function, so the degree of fatigue can be calculated by quantifying LogTP. Note that the degree of fatigue may also be calculated by taking into account values ​​other than LogTP, such as heart rate and the ratio of the HF component to the LF component (LF / HF).

[0029] It is also possible to utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) such as neural networks to measure fatigue levels. In this case, training data is created by investigating in advance the relationship between a set of input data, such as the user HM's pulse wave and its changes, the user HM's heart rate and its changes, the user HM's brain waves and its changes, the user HM's body temperature and its changes, changes in the user HM's facial muscle movements, changes in the quality and volume of the user HM's voice, and the user HM's behavior, and the output fatigue level. Next, an AI device is made to learn the training data. The AI ​​device inputs biometric information such as pulse waves and brain waves measured by the biometric information detection device 43, their change rates, their history, etc., and outputs an index indicating the fatigue level.

[0030] Hereinafter, the indoor temperature sensor 41, humidity sensor 42, infrared sensor 44, and biological information detection device 43 will be collectively referred to as the sensor group 40. Their outputs will be collectively referred to as the output group of the sensor group 40. The output group of the sensor group 40 will be supplied to the indoor unit control unit 53.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, a remote control 55 is placed in the indoor space 71. The remote control 55 transmits and receives various signals to and from the indoor unit control unit 53. The remote control 55 is equipped with a display unit 55a. The remote control 55 is equipped with push buttons, a touch screen, an LCD display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc., and functions as a command receiving unit that receives various commands from the user HM, and as a display unit 55a that displays various information to the user HM. The user HM inputs commands to the air conditioner 2 by operating the remote control 55. The commands are, for example, commands to switch between operation and stop, and commands to switch the operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, air volume, air direction, timer, etc. The air conditioner 2 operates in accordance with the input commands.

[0032] The indoor unit 13 further includes a main body display unit 58. The main body display unit 58 is, for example, an LCD monitor, various lamps, etc., and is a display unit for notifying the user HM of any information such as the operating status and setting information of the air conditioner 2. The main body display unit 58 displays various information to be notified to the user HM, including the operating mode of the air conditioner 2.

[0033] The information device 90 is a device owned by the user HM, including a smartphone, tablet, etc. The information device 90 has a display unit 90a. Various information is displayed on the display unit 90a. An application for the air conditioner is installed on the information device 90, making it possible to operate the air conditioner 2 via the network NW.

[0034] In the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2A, the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location where it can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71, for example, on the upper part of a wall. The indoor space 71 is cooled or heated by the cool air and warm air blown out from the indoor unit 13. The indoor unit 13 detects the fatigue level of one user HM present in the indoor space 71 using the biological information detection device 43, and performs air conditioning control based on the fatigue level of the user HM.

[0035] In the following explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set, with the width direction of the interior space 71 shown in Fig. 2A as the X-axis direction, the height direction as the Z-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Z-axis directions as the Y-axis direction, and explanations will be made with reference to this system as appropriate. Furthermore, the direction of each arrow shown in Fig. 2A is referred to as the + direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction is referred to as the - direction.

[0036] The biological information detection device 43 is capable of detection in both the horizontal and vertical directions with itself as the center. Schematic diagrams of the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 are shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. First, FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a horizontal detectable range SAH in the horizontal direction of the biological information detection device 43. The horizontal detectable range SAH is a semicircle with a radius N centered on the biological information detection device 43. For example, in FIG. 2B, the dotted line connecting point A in the -X direction to point A' in the +X direction and the dotted arc line form the horizontal detectable range SAH.

[0037] 2C is a diagram showing a vertical detectable range SAV in the vertical direction of the biological information detection device 43. The vertical detectable range SAV is a semicircle of radius N centered on the biological information detection device 43. For example, in FIG. 2C, the dotted line connecting point B in the -Z direction to point B' in the +Z direction and the dotted arc line form the vertical detectable range SAV. Note that, hereinafter, the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV are collectively referred to as the detectable range SA.

[0038] The biological information detection device 43 can detect the biological information of the user HM present within the detectable range SA. Therefore, it is desirable that the size of the indoor space 71 where the user HM is present be within the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43. Furthermore, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 may be set in accordance with the size of the indoor space 71 where the user HM is present.

[0039] Next, the outdoor unit control unit 51, which is responsible for the control functions of the air conditioner 2, and the indoor unit control unit 53, which controls the operation of the indoor unit 13, will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3. The outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 are control units that work together to control the entire air conditioning system 1 and perform air conditioning control, and hereinafter both are collectively referred to as the control device 50.

[0040] The outdoor unit control unit 51 controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11. The outdoor unit control unit 51 includes a control unit 51a that controls the entire outdoor unit 11, a memory unit 51b that stores data necessary for control, a timing unit 51c that measures time, and a communication unit 51d that serves as a communication interface.

[0041] The control unit 51a receives control instruction signals including power on / off, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow, timer information, detection data of various sensors, etc. from the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63. In response to the control instruction signals, the control unit 51a controls the entire outdoor unit 11, and in particular the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, such as controlling the operating frequency of the compressor 21, controlling the switching of the four-way valve 22, controlling the rotation speed of the outdoor blower 31, and controlling the opening of the expansion valve 24. The storage unit 51b is composed of memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and stores data necessary for control. The timing unit 51c is a unit that measures time.

[0042] The timing unit 51c is equipped with an RTC (Real Time Clock) and is a timing device that continues to measure time even when the air conditioning apparatus 2 is powered off. The control unit 51a refers to the time measured by the timing unit 51c to start, stop, etc. the timer. The communication unit 51d is an interface that enables the control unit 51a to communicate with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63.

[0043] The indoor unit control unit 53 receives instructions from the user HM from the remote control 55, supplies control instruction information to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication line 63, and controls the operation of the indoor unit 13. The indoor unit control unit 53 includes a control unit 53a that controls the entire indoor unit 13, a memory unit 53b that stores data necessary for control, a timing unit 53c that measures time, and a communication unit 53d that serves as a communication interface.

[0044] The control unit 53a receives control information from the remote control 55, including power on / off, operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, set air volume, timer information, detection data from various sensors, etc. The control unit 53a also receives outputs from the sensor group 40. Based on the received information, the control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and controls the vanes 34 and the indoor blower 33 to perform air conditioning processing. The control unit 53a corresponds to an example of the "fatigue level acquisition means" and "control means" of the present disclosure.

[0045] The storage unit 53b is configured with memories such as RAM and ROM, and stores programs and data necessary for control. Specifically, the storage unit 53b stores general air conditioning control programs such as for cooling control, heating control, and dehumidification control, and also stores a control program that causes the control unit 53a to execute air conditioning control that reduces the fatigue level of the user HM in the indoor space 71, i.e., a fatigue level reduction control program 54.

[0046] The fatigue level reduction control program 54 functionally includes an acquisition processing unit 54a that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to acquire the fatigue level, a judgment processing unit 54b that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to determine whether the acquired fatigue level is above a threshold value, and a control processing unit 54c that causes the control unit 53a to execute an air conditioning process to reduce the fatigue level.

[0047] The storage unit 53b further stores a control mode table 54d. The control mode table 54d is a table that stores various information referenced in the fatigue reduction operation control process described below. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the control mode table 54d stores information indicating a fatigue level determination threshold Th for determining whether to start the fatigue reduction operation control process and control details for the fatigue reduction operation. For example, the control details for the heating operation of the fatigue reduction control are as follows: the target temperature value (set temperature) is reduced by a subtraction amount Tm from a lower limit T1 to an outside temperature To; the humidity is set to a target value Mh, the air volume is minimized, and the airflow direction is a windscreen that does not directly blow the airflow toward the user HM. Meanwhile, the control details for the cooling operation of the fatigue reduction control are as follows: the target temperature value (set temperature) is increased by an addition amount Tp from an upper limit T2 to an outside temperature To; the humidity is set to a target value Mc, the air volume is minimized, and the airflow direction is a windscreen. Each value in the control mode table 54d is determined in advance by the user HM. Alternatively, each value in the control mode table 54d may be determined based on past operating data.

[0048] Returning to Fig. 3, the timing unit 53c is a part that measures time. The timing unit 53c is equipped with an RTC and is a timing device that continues to measure time even while the air conditioner 2 is powered off. The communication unit 53d communicates with the outdoor unit control unit 51, and also communicates with the information device 90 via the network NW.

[0049] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 will be described with reference to Figures 5A and 5B. First, the outdoor unit control unit 51 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and includes, for example, as shown in Figure 5A, a processor 1001 that executes a control program, a memory 1002 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1003 that stores the control program, an input / output (I / O) interface 1004 that inputs and outputs signals, and a communication module 1005 that performs communication, all connected to each other via a bus 1000.

[0050] The processor 1001 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 1001 loads a control program stored in a secondary storage device 1003 into a memory 1002 and executes the program.

[0051] The memory 1002 is a main storage device configured by, for example, a RAM. The memory 1002 functions as a work memory for the processor 1001, and stores the control program that the processor 1001 reads from the secondary storage device 1003.

[0052] The secondary storage device 1003 is configured by a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The secondary storage device 1003 stores the control program executed by the processor 1001, fixed data, etc.

[0053] The I / O (Input / Output) interface 1004 is configured with a serial port, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port interface, etc. The I / O interface 1004 transmits control signals to the outdoor unit air conditioning section 81 in the outdoor unit 11, such as the compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the expansion valve 24, the outdoor blower 31, etc., to enable control by the processor 1001.

[0054] The communication module 1005 is configured, for example, by a network interface, and realizes communication between the processor 1001 and the indoor unit control unit 53. The control unit 51a and the timing unit 51c are configured, for example, by the processor 1001 and an I / O interface 1004. The storage unit 51b is configured by a memory 1002 and a secondary storage device 1003. The communication unit 51d is configured, for example, by the communication module 1005.

[0055] Next, the indoor unit control unit 53 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the indoor unit control unit 53 includes a processor 1011 that executes a control program, a memory 1012 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1013 that stores the control program, an I / O interface 1014 that inputs and outputs signals, and a communication module 1015 that performs communication, all of which are connected via a bus 1010.

[0056] The processor 1011, memory 1012, secondary storage device 1013, I / O interface 1014, and communication module 1015 have the same configurations and functions as the bus 1000, processor 1001, memory 1002, secondary storage device 1003, I / O interface 1004, and communication module 1005 that constitute the outdoor unit control unit 51 shown in Fig. 5A. However, the secondary storage device 1013 stores a control program, and the I / O interface 1014 is connected to the sensor group 40, remote control 55, and indoor unit air conditioning unit 82, for example, a drive mechanism for the vane 34. In addition, the communication module 1015 is connected to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and a network NW.

[0057] So far, the configuration of the air conditioning system 1 has been described. Next, its operation will be described. The air conditioning device 2 normally performs air conditioning operation in a general normal mode. When switching from normal mode to air conditioning operation in fatigue reduction mode, a fatigue reduction operation control process is executed to reduce the fatigue level of the user HM. For ease of understanding, the fatigue reduction operation control process executed by the air conditioning device 2 in the usage environment exemplified in FIG. 2A will be described below. The fatigue reduction operation control process is assumed to be included in the fatigue level reduction control program 54 as a fatigue reduction operation control process program. The fatigue reduction operation control process will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

[0058] When the user HM selects the "fatigue reduction mode" using the remote controller 55, the selection is recognized by the control unit 53a. The control unit 53a executes the fatigue level reduction control program 54 to start the fatigue reduction operation control process.

[0059] When the fatigue reduction driving control process is started, first, the control unit 53a acquires the fatigue level of the user HM from the biological information detection device 43 (step S101). Then, the control unit 53a determines whether the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Th stored in the control mode table 54d (step S102). If the acquired fatigue level is smaller than the determination threshold Th (step S102; No), the user HM is not currently feeling fatigued, and the process proceeds to step S104.

[0060] On the other hand, if the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Th (step S102; Yes), the control unit 53a changes the setting of the air conditioning unit 80 in accordance with the control content defined in the control mode table 54d (step S103). Specifically, in the case of heating operation, the control unit 53a reduces the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 80 by a subtraction amount Tm, with the lower limit T1 as the upper limit, so that the set temperature approaches the outside air temperature To. As a result, the temperature of the indoor space 71 gradually approaches the outside air temperature To (or the lower limit T1 if the outside air temperature To is lower than the lower limit T1), thereby eliminating fatigue caused by setting the set temperature too high during heating operation. The control unit 53a also references the control mode table 54d and changes the set humidity to the target value Mh. As a result, the humidity in the indoor space 71 is adjusted to a range optimal for fatigue recovery without hindering the human body's temperature regulation through sweating. The control unit 53a also references the control mode table 54d and controls the air volume to the minimum and the air direction to the windshield. This reduces the operating noise of the air conditioning unit 80 and prevents the airflow from directly hitting the user HM, thereby promoting recovery from fatigue of the user HM. The same applies to the content of this process during cooling operation.

[0061] Next, the control unit 53a determines whether the fatigue reduction mode has been stopped (step S104). If it is determined that the fatigue reduction mode has been stopped (step S104: Yes), the control unit 53a ends the fatigue reduction operation control process. At this time, the operation may return to the normal mode, or the operation of the air conditioning system 1 may be stopped.

[0062] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S104 that the fatigue reduction mode has not been stopped (step S104: No), the control unit 53a re-executes the process of step S101 after a certain time has elapsed. Note that stopping of the fatigue reduction mode includes when an instruction to end the "fatigue reduction mode" is given via the remote control 55, when an instruction to stop operation of the air conditioning device 2 is given, etc.

[0063] As described above, the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment acquires the fatigue level of the user HM and controls the air conditioning unit 80 with predetermined settings for reducing the fatigue level of the user HM based on the acquired fatigue level. Specifically, when the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment determines that the fatigue level of the user HM is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold Th, it controls the temperature, humidity, air volume, air direction, and the like to conditions that reduce the fatigue level of the user HM. This makes it possible to reduce the fatigue felt by the user HM.

[0064] Furthermore, the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment controls the air conditioning unit 80 to bring the temperature of the indoor space 71 closer to the outside air temperature To as a control for reducing the fatigue level of the user HM. This makes it possible to alleviate excessive heating and cooling, and effectively reduce the fatigue felt by the user HM.

[0065] (Modification of the first embodiment) The above-mentioned first embodiment can be modified in various ways.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the air conditioning unit 80 is controlled to bring the temperature of the indoor space 71 closer to the outside air temperature To as a control for reducing the fatigue level of the user HM. However, the content of the control for reducing the fatigue level is not limited to this, and various control methods for reducing fatigue are possible. For example, during heating operation, the air conditioning unit 80 may be controlled to increase the set temperature of the indoor space 71 to a predetermined temperature, thereby reducing fatigue caused by the cold. Furthermore, during cooling operation, the air conditioning unit 80 may be controlled to decrease the set temperature of the indoor space 71 to a predetermined temperature, thereby reducing fatigue caused by the heat. The content of these controls may be specified in the control mode table 54d.

[0067] In the first embodiment, when the fatigue level of the user HM is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Th (step S102 in FIG. 6; Yes), the settings of the air conditioning unit 80 are changed according to the control content defined in the control mode table 54d (step S103), but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, when repeating control, control may be performed that reflects a change in the fatigue level of the user HM due to the previous change in settings.

[0068] The fatigue reduction operation control process in this case will be described using the example of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the fatigue reduction operation control process for changing the temperature setting to eliminate fatigue.

[0069] First, the control unit 53a acquires the fatigue level of the user HM detected by the biological information detection device 43 (step S201). Then, the control unit 53a determines whether the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than a determination threshold Th (step S202). If the fatigue level is lower than the determination threshold (step S202: No), the user HM does not feel tired, and the process proceeds to step S209.

[0070] On the other hand, if the fatigue level is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Th (step S202: Yes), the control unit 53a compares the currently acquired fatigue level with the previously acquired fatigue level (step S203). If this is the first time and no previously acquired fatigue level has been obtained (step S203: first time), the control unit 53a selects a correction direction to increase the room temperature during heating operation and to decrease the room temperature during cooling operation (step S204). Note that the correction direction is adjusted as appropriate in the processing described below, so the opposite correction direction may also be selected. Then, the control unit 53a corrects the set temperature by one step in the selected correction direction (step S205). The correction width at this time is a preset temperature difference. The processing then proceeds to step S209.

[0071] On the other hand, if the fatigue level has increased compared to the previous time in step S203 and worsened (step S203: worsening), the control unit 53a reverses the temperature correction direction from the previous correction direction (step S206). Note that, taking into account natural recovery of fatigue over time, if the fatigue level has not increased by a predetermined value or a predetermined rate compared to the previous time, it may also be determined in step S203 that the fatigue level has worsened, and the correction direction may be determined accordingly. Then, the control unit 53a corrects the set temperature by one step in the reversed correction direction (step S207). Then, the process proceeds to step S209.

[0072] On the other hand, if the fatigue level has decreased compared to the previous time and improved in step S203 (step S203: improved), the control unit 53a corrects the set temperature by one step in the same direction as the previous temperature correction direction (step S208). Here, the temperature after correction in steps S205, S207, and S208 may be limited to a temperature within a predetermined range. Then, the process proceeds to step S209.

[0073] In step S209, the control unit 53a determines whether the fatigue reduction mode has been stopped (step S209). If it is determined that the fatigue reduction mode has been stopped (step S209: Yes), the control unit 53a ends the fatigue reduction driving control process. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S209 that the fatigue reduction mode has not been stopped (step S209: No), the control unit 53a re-executes the process of step S201 after a certain time has elapsed.

[0074] In this way, when the fatigue level is equal to or greater than the threshold value Th, the direction of temperature correction is determined based on the change in fatigue level resulting from the previous change when changing the set temperature. This makes it possible to control the air conditioning unit 80 in a way that reflects the characteristics of changes in the user HM's fatigue level in response to changes in the setting, thereby realizing a space environment that is more suited to the user HM. In this case, the fatigue reduction operation control process can be executed simply by storing only the determination threshold value Th in the control mode table 54d.

[0075] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may change one or more of the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction according to the fatigue level of the user HM. For example, when the fatigue level of the user HM is equal to or higher than the determination threshold Th, the control unit 53a may execute a process of changing the target humidity value to a value considered optimal for the human body (for example, 50 percent) and / or a process of changing the air direction to direct air toward the room when the fatigue level of the user HM is equal to or higher than the determination threshold Th. Furthermore, the control unit 53a may determine whether to raise or lower the room temperature according to the current operation mode. The control unit 53a may switch the operation mode between heating and cooling. Furthermore, the control unit 53a may control the operation according to conditions preset by the user HM.

[0076] If the answer is YES in step S102 of Fig. 6 or YES in step S202 of Fig. 7, the control unit 53a may stop operation or turn off the power of the air conditioning device 2. Furthermore, when the control unit 53a stops operation or turns off the power of the air conditioning device 2, it may identify the fatigue level of the user HM after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and if the fatigue level is equal to or less than the determination threshold value Th, it may resume operation of the air conditioning device 2 or turn on the power.

[0077] In step S102 of FIG. 6 or step S202 of FIG. 7, it is determined whether the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value Th. Alternatively, it may be determined whether the time-series change in the acquired fatigue level increases by a predetermined rate or more.

[0078] Machine learning technology may also be used. In this case, control unit 53a is equipped with a machine learning device. The machine learning device learns, for example, the relationship between the fatigue level and each set value, such as temperature, humidity, air volume, and wind direction. In actual control situations, the machine learning device outputs a combination of each set value, such as temperature, humidity, air volume, and wind direction, that can reduce the fatigue level. Control unit 53a controls indoor unit air conditioning unit 82 in accordance with the output set values, and further controls outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 via control unit 51a.

[0079] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may notify the user HM of the current fatigue level in accordance with the increase or decrease in the fatigue level during air conditioning operation in the fatigue reduction mode. For example, when the fatigue level is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Th, the control unit 53a notifies the user HM that the fatigue level is high by the notifying means. This allows the user HM to grasp the current fatigue level of the user HM.

[0080] The notification means may be, for example, a lamp or buzzer attached to the body of the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A, or the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90 shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the user HM is notified by lighting up a lamp or buzzer attached to the body of the indoor unit 13, or by displaying a message or icon via a push notification on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90. When a push notification is sent to the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90, it may be accompanied by a sound or a display illumination. The notification mode of the notification means may be changed depending on the level of the detected fatigue level. The lamp or buzzer attached to the body of the indoor unit 13, the display unit 55a of the remote control 55, and the display unit 90a of the information device 90 correspond to examples of notification means in the present disclosure.

[0081] Furthermore, in addition to or instead of notification by such notification means, a similar notification may be made to a terminal of another person associated with the user HM by email, push notification, or the like. For example, if the user HM is a telecommuter, the terminal of the other person may be the terminal of the labor manager of the company to which the user HM belongs. This allows the company to grasp the fatigue state of the user HM while telecommuting. Furthermore, if the user HM is an elderly person or a person with a disability living alone, the terminal of the other person may be the terminal of a caregiver. This allows the caregiver to easily grasp the fatigue state of the user HM.

[0082] (Embodiment 2) In the above-described first embodiment, a case has been described in which one user HM exists in the indoor space 71. However, there may be cases in which multiple users HM exist in the indoor space 71. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, it is assumed that a first user HM1 and a second user HM2 exist in the indoor space 71. Then, similarly to the first embodiment, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 is a semicircular range in the horizontal and vertical directions centered on the biological information detection device 43, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C.

[0083] In this case, the biological information detection device 43 acquires a pulse wave that is a composite of the pulse wave of the first user HM1 and the pulse wave of the second user HM2, both of which are present within the detectable range SA. When the pulse waves of multiple users HM are combined, it is possible to separate the pulse waves of each user HM using a known technique such as Fourier transform, but this processing becomes complicated. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 is narrowed and the device is rotated by the rotating unit 430, thereby making it possible to individually detect the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 present in the indoor space 71.

[0084] 8A, the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location, for example, on the upper part of a wall, where it can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71. The indoor unit 13 is provided with a biological information detection device 43A and a rotation unit 430 that can rotate the biological information detection device 43A.

[0085] 8B and 8C are schematic diagrams of the detectable range SA of the biometric information detection device 43A in the second embodiment. First, FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a horizontal detectable range SAH in the horizontal direction of the biometric information detection device 43A. The horizontal detectable range SAH is a sector-shaped range with a radius N and an angle θ, centered on the biometric information detection device 43A. The rotation unit 430 moves the horizontal detectable range SAH in both directions of the dotted arrow by rotating the biometric information detection device 43A. This allows the biometric information detection device 43A to detect the user HM within the range of the dotted arrow connecting point A in the -X direction to point A' in the +X direction and the dotted arrow of the arc.

[0086] FIG. 8C is a diagram showing the vertical detectable range SAV of the biometric information detection device 43A in the vertical direction. The vertical detectable range SAV is a sector-shaped range with a radius N and an angle θ centered on the biometric information detection device 43A. The rotation unit 430 rotates the biometric information detection device 43A to move the vertical detectable range SAV in both directions of the dotted arrow. This allows the biometric information detection device 43A to detect the user HM within the range of the dotted arrow connecting point B in the -Z direction to point B' in the +Z direction and the dotted arrow on the arc. Note that, hereinafter, the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV are collectively referred to as the detectable range SA.

[0087] The biological information detection device 43A can individually detect the biological information of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 who are present within the detectable range SA. For this reason, it is desirable that the angle θ between the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV be set to an angle that allows the detectable range SA to fit within the body width of the user HM.

[0088] When multiple users HM are present in the indoor space 71, the air conditioning device 2, upon switching from a general normal mode to air conditioning operation in the fatigue reduction mode, executes a fatigue reduction operation control process to reduce the fatigue level of each user HM. For example, when the first user HM1 or the second user HM2 shown in FIG. 8A selects the "fatigue reduction mode" using the remote control 55, the control unit 53a determines the selection. The control unit 53a starts executing the fatigue reduction control program 54. The control unit 53a first executes the fatigue reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the first user HM1. Then, the control unit 53a executes the fatigue reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the second user HM2. This allows the fatigue levels of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 to be individually determined and the temperature, humidity, air volume, air direction, and the like to be controlled to reduce the fatigue level of each user. Alternatively, in the fatigue reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6, the fatigue levels of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 may be obtained individually (step S101), and if the average of these fatigue levels is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold Th, or if the maximum value of these fatigue levels is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold Th, a Yes determination may be made in step S102, and a process may be executed to change the settings of the air conditioning unit 80 (step S103).

[0089] (Modification of the second embodiment) In the above-described second embodiment, the fatigue levels of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 are individually determined, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, wind direction, etc. are controlled to reduce the fatigue levels of each user. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The temperature, humidity, air volume, wind direction, etc. may be controlled to reduce the fatigue level of the user HM who is most fatigued. Furthermore, the set values ​​for the temperature, humidity, air volume, wind direction, etc. may be the average values ​​of the set values ​​for all users.

[0090] In the above-described second embodiment, the fatigue levels of all of the multiple users HM in the indoor space 71 are acquired, but it is also possible to acquire the fatigue levels of users HM among the multiple users HM that meet a predetermined condition, and perform air conditioning control based on the acquired fatigue levels. The "predetermined condition" here refers to, for example, a condition in which the user HM is a child, a condition in which the user HM has remained in the indoor space 71 for 30 minutes or more, etc. Whether the user HM is a child or not can be determined, for example, from the size of the area corresponding to the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44.

[0091] In the second embodiment described above, the detectable range SA of biological information detection device 43 is narrowed, and the pulse waves of first user HM1 and second user HM2 are individually detected by rotating biological information detection device 43 with rotating unit 430, thereby determining the respective fatigue levels. However, even with biological information detection device 43 having a wide detectable range SA as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C , it is possible to individually detect the pulse waves of first user HM1 and second user HM2 to determine the fatigue levels. In this case, biological information detection device 43 may perform a Fourier transform to separate a combined pulse wave of first user HM1 and second user HM2, both of which are within detectable range SA, thereby individually detecting the pulse waves of first user HM1 and second user HM2 and determining the fatigue levels.

[0092] (Embodiment 3) In the above-described first and second embodiments, the air conditioning of only the air conditioner 2 is controlled based on the fatigue level of the user HM, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In addition to the air conditioner 2, as illustrated in FIG. 9A , external devices such as a lighting device 91, a water heater 92, and an electric fan 93 connected to the network NW may be controlled. These external devices may be operated via a wired signal or a wireless signal such as an infrared signal from the air conditioner 2, or via a cloud server. These external devices are placed in the indoor space 71, and are installed and used in a manner that can affect the fatigue level of the user HM located in the indoor space 71.

[0093] In this case, a control mode table 54d illustrated in Fig. 9B instead of Fig. 4 is stored in the storage unit 53b of the indoor unit control unit 53. Identification information of external devices to be controlled during fatigue reduction operation and their control modes are registered in this control mode table 54d.

[0094] In this embodiment, when changing the settings of the air conditioning unit 80 in step S103 of the fatigue reduction operation control process shown in Fig. 6, the control unit 53a transmits commands corresponding to each of the lighting device 91, the water heater 92, and the electric fan 93 via the network NW in accordance with the settings in the control mode table 54d in Fig. 9B. As a result, the lighting device 91 is controlled to emit light at a dimming level of 60% to promote sleep at night, the water heater 92 is controlled to increase the bath temperature by 2°C, and the electric fan 93 is controlled to start in rhythmic wind mode. The operation of these external devices is expected to have the effect of further reducing the fatigue level of the user HM.

[0095] Furthermore, during normal operation, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the air temperature near the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 25 reaches the set temperature, but in fatigue reduction mode, the air conditioning operation may be performed so that the sensible temperature actually felt by the user HM approaches the set temperature, which is the target temperature. In this case, in the configuration of FIG. 1, for example, a sensible temperature sensor that detects the sensible temperature of the user HM is disposed adjacent to the infrared sensor 44. Then, in step S103 of FIG. 6, the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the temperature detected by the sensible temperature sensor approaches the set temperature.

[0096] (Variation) The above first to third embodiments can be modified in various ways.

[0097] In the above-described first to third embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 10A, history information including the implementation date and time of operation control to reduce fatigue level, weather, temperature, driving mode, changes in fatigue level, etc. may be formed and stored in the memory unit 53b or an external storage device. The history information may be fed back during subsequent operation control to reduce fatigue level. For example, operation to reduce fatigue level with different driving modes may be performed multiple times, and then the driving mode with the highest fatigue level reduction rate may be identified from the recorded driving modes, and control identical to or similar to that driving mode may be performed. Furthermore, a temperature setting value that can reduce fatigue level may be determined from the relationship between the temporal changes in fatigue level recorded in the history information and changes in temperature and humidity, and used for operation control.

[0098] Furthermore, if multiple users HM exist in the indoor space 71, each user HM may be identified, and history information for each user HM may be created, as shown in Fig. 10B. In this case, when the fatigue reduction mode is activated, the user HM in the indoor space 71 is identified, and based on the history information of the identified user HM, for example, the driving behavior when the fatigue level was at its lowest is reproduced. This is expected to effectively reduce the fatigue level.

[0099] In the first to third embodiments, the air conditioner 2 has the control device 50 installed inside. However, this is not limited to this, and the control device 50 may be installed outside the air conditioner 2. In this case, the control device 50 is connected to the air conditioner 2A via a network NW, for example, as shown in FIG. 11 . In this case, the air conditioner 2A is equipped with, for example, a communication device 56 that communicates with an external device. The communication device 56 enables communication between the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 of the externally installed control device 50, and enables communication between the indoor unit control unit 53 of the externally installed control device 50 and the sensor group 40, the remote control 55, and the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82.

[0100] Furthermore, for example, the control device 50 may be configured as a server device 57 connected to the network NW. In this case, for example, a fatigue level reduction control program 54 that executes the control processes executed by the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 may be installed in the server device 57, and the outdoor unit control function and the indoor unit control function may be established on the server device 57. Note that the server device 57 may be realized by a personal computer.

[0101] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, the air conditioner 2 is equipped with the biological information detection device 43, but the biological information detection device 43 may be located outside the air conditioner 2. For example, the biological information detection device 43 may be placed on the ceiling, wall, floor, etc. that form the indoor space 71. A wearable biological information detection device may also be used. In this case, it is desirable to connect the wearable biological information detection device and the indoor unit control unit 53 via wireless communication or wired communication.

[0102] Furthermore, some recent portable information terminals have the function of measuring and analyzing various types of biological information. Using this type of portable information terminal as a sensor, for example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 3 , the information device 90 and the indoor unit control unit 53 may be directly connected by wire or wirelessly, or connected via a network NW, and the portable information terminal may acquire the biological information, analyze it to determine the fatigue level, and notify the indoor unit control unit 53 of the result. Alternatively, the portable information terminal may acquire the biological information and transmit it to the indoor unit control unit 53, which may then analyze the biological information to determine the fatigue level. The biological information detection device 43 may, for example, simply receive a Doppler signal, and the indoor unit control unit 53 may analyze the Doppler signal to extract a pulse wave, and further analyze the pulse wave to determine the fatigue level.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the fatigue reduction driving control process is started when the user HM selects the fatigue reduction mode using the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The start and end can be set in any manner. For example, the fatigue reduction driving control process may be automatically started when a human presence sensor such as the infrared sensor 44 detects a person in the indoor space 71, and may be ended when the person is no longer detected.

[0104] Furthermore, in the fatigue reduction operation control process, if the fatigue level becomes an exceptional value that is indicated when the user HM is absent, the fatigue reduction operation control process may be terminated or the operation of the air conditioning device 2 may be stopped. For example, if the acquired fatigue level is "zero," the control unit 53a may stop the operation of the air conditioning device 2.

[0105] Furthermore, when the infrared sensor 44 detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation may be performed in the fatigue reduction mode, and when the infrared sensor 44 no longer detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the fatigue reduction mode may be stopped.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, an infrared sensor 44 and a Doppler sensor are provided. The infrared sensor 44 identifies the position of a person, and the Doppler sensor detects the pulse waves of the human body, and the two work together to fulfill the role of sensors, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The air conditioning device 2 may be provided with only a Doppler sensor, and the Doppler sensor may not only detect the pulse waves of the human body but also identify the position of the person. Furthermore, the detection by the infrared sensor 44 and the detection by the Doppler sensor may be combined to increase reliability.

[0107] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, the pulse wave of the human body is detected by a Doppler sensor, but the pulse wave may be detected by any type of sensor. For example, the pulse wave of the human body may be detected by a 24 GHz to 79 GHz FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar) sensor. Alternatively, the pulse wave may be measured by irradiating a living body with light of infrared, red light, green wavelength, or the like, and measuring the light reflected within the living body or the light transmitted through the living body with a light receiving element. Furthermore, the sensor is not limited to a non-contact type, and a contact type sensor that detects by contacting the human body may also be used. For example, an electrocardiogram may be used on the human body to measure the pulse wave, and the pulse wave may be extracted from the electrocardiogram.

[0108] Furthermore, biological information other than pulse waves may be used as long as it can provide a degree of fatigue. For example, i) blood flow may be measured using a blood flow sensor, and fatigue may be determined from the blood flow, ii) brain waves may be measured using an electroencephalogram sensor, and fatigue may be determined from the intensity of alpha waves, etc., iii) cerebral blood flow may be determined using a technique such as near-infrared spectroscopy, and fatigue may be determined from the cerebral blood flow, or iv) a surface electromyogram may be obtained using an electromyogram sensor attached to the skin, and fatigue may be determined from the surface electromyogram.

[0109] Alternatively, the fatigue level may be acquired without using biological information. For example, the remote controller 55, the information device 90, or the like may receive an input of the subjective fatigue level from the user HM and transmit it to the control unit 53a, and the control unit 53a may execute the same air conditioning control as in the first to third embodiments based on the received subjective fatigue level.

[0110] In the first to third embodiments, the infrared sensor 44 identifies the presence or absence of the user HM and the positions of multiple people, but instead, a Doppler sensor may identify the positions of multiple people. Specifically, the Doppler sensor irradiates light while changing the irradiation angle to identify the positions of people.

[0111] In the first to third embodiments, the indoor unit 13 is provided with the vane 34 including the vane and the louver, but may be provided with any airflow direction adjusting mechanism as long as it can change the airflow direction.

[0112] In the first to third embodiments, the indoor unit control unit 53 receives instructions from the user HM from the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The indoor unit control unit 53 may also receive instructions from the user HM from an information device 90 in which an application for the air conditioning apparatus 2 is installed.

[0113] In the first and second embodiments, the indoor space 71 is not limited to a room, but may be a closed space or a semi-closed space with a part open. It may also be a substantially closed space or a semi-closed space separated by an air curtain or the like.

[0114] Furthermore, a computer capable of realizing each of the above-described functions may be configured by storing and distributing a program for realizing each of the above-described functions on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and installing this program on a computer. If each function is realized by sharing the work between an OS (Operating System) and an application, or by cooperation between an OS and an application, only the application may be stored on the recording medium.

[0115] The present disclosure allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0116] The present disclosure can be suitably used in air conditioning devices and air conditioning systems including air conditioning devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1 Air conditioning system, 2, 2A Air conditioner, 3 House, 11 Outdoor unit, 13 Indoor unit, 21 Compressor, 22 Four-way valve, 23 Outdoor heat exchanger, 24 Expansion valve, 25 Indoor heat exchanger, 31 Outdoor blower, 33 Indoor blower, 34 Vane, 40 Sensor group, 41 Indoor temperature sensor, 42 Humidity sensor, 43, 43A Biometric information detection device, 44 Infrared sensor, 50 Control device, 51 Outdoor unit control unit, 51a, 53a Control unit, 51b, 53b Memory unit, 51c, 53c Timekeeping unit, 51d, 53d Communication unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 54 Fatigue level reduction control program, 54a Acquisition processing unit, 54b Determination processing unit, 54c Control processing unit, 54d Control mode table, 55 Remote controller (remote control), 55a, 90a display unit, 56 communication device, 57 server device, 58 main body display unit, 61 refrigerant piping, 63 communication line, 71 indoor space, 72 outdoor space, 80 air conditioning unit, 81 outdoor unit air conditioning unit, 82 indoor unit air conditioning unit, 83 outdoor temperature sensor, 90 information equipment, 91 lighting equipment, 92 water heater, 93 electric fan, 430 rotating unit, 1000, 1010 bus, 1001, 1011 processor, 1002, 1012 memory, 1003, 1013 secondary storage device, 1004, 1014 I / O interface, 1005, 1015 communication module, NW network, HM user, HM1 first user, HM2 second user

Claims

1. an air conditioning unit that conditions the air conditioning target space; a fatigue level acquisition means for acquiring a fatigue level of a user of the air-conditioned space; a control means for causing the air conditioning unit to repeatedly perform a fatigue reduction operation to reduce the user's fatigue level by correcting at least one of the temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and air volume of the air-conditioned space in a predetermined direction when the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than a predetermined judgment threshold; the control means reverses the direction of the correction in the next fatigue reduction drive to be performed when the user's fatigue level has increased after the previous fatigue reduction drive. Air conditioning equipment.

2. the control means further controls an external device to reduce fatigue of the user. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

3. When there are multiple users in the air-conditioned space, the fatigue level acquisition means acquires all fatigue levels of the plurality of users, the control means controls the air conditioning unit in accordance with the fatigue levels of the respective users. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When there are multiple users in the air-conditioned space, the fatigue level acquisition means acquires fatigue levels of users who meet predetermined conditions among the plurality of users; The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a rotation unit that rotates the fatigue level acquisition means horizontally or vertically; the fatigue level acquisition means acquires the fatigue level of the user in the air-conditioned space by rotating the rotating unit in a horizontal or vertical direction. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. further comprising a notification means for notifying the user, When the acquired fatigue level of the user is equal to or greater than the determination threshold, the control means controls the notifying means to notify the user that the fatigue level is high. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the control means controls the notification to a terminal of another person associated with the user. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6.

8. A control method executed by an air conditioning apparatus, an acquisition step of acquiring a fatigue level of a user in the air-conditioned space; a control step of repeatedly causing an air conditioning unit that air-conditions the air-conditioned space to perform a fatigue reduction operation to reduce the user's fatigue level by correcting at least one of the temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate of the air-conditioned space in a predetermined direction when the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, In the control step, when the fatigue level of the user has increased after the previous fatigue reduction driving, the direction of the correction in the fatigue reduction driving to be performed next is reversed. Control method.

9. On the computer, A fatigue level acquisition process for acquiring the fatigue level of a user in the air-conditioned space; a control process for repeatedly causing an air conditioning unit that air-conditions the air-conditioned space to repeatedly perform a fatigue reduction operation to reduce the user's fatigue level by correcting at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air-conditioned space in a predetermined direction when the acquired fatigue level is equal to or greater than a predetermined judgment threshold; Execute In the control process, if the fatigue level of the user has increased after the previous fatigue reduction drive, the direction of the correction in the fatigue reduction drive to be executed next is reversed. program.

Images