air conditioner

Abstract

This air conditioner 100 comprises: a blowing unit 14 that blows air into a space to be air-conditioned; an acquiring unit 131 that acquires, as sensor information, activity information indicating an activity state of a user; a determining unit 132 that determines whether the activity state of the user is active or not active on the basis of the activity information acquired by the acquiring unit 131; and a control unit 133 that, when the activity state of the user determined by the determining unit 132 indicates that the user is not active, reduces the blowing amount of the blowing unit 14 in comparison to when the activity state of the user indicates that the user is active.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the automatic operation mode of an air conditioner, when the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is equal to or greater than a threshold, the rotation speed of the blower fan is increased to increase the airflow compared to when the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is less than the threshold. Furthermore, when the rotation speed of the blower fan is increased, the rotation noise of the blower fan becomes louder, which can cause discomfort to users.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for reducing the discomfort caused to users by the rotational noise of the blower fan by rotating the blower fan at a rotational speed equal to or greater than a threshold value before the user returns home, and then rotating the blower fan at a rotational speed below the threshold value after the user returns home (when a person is detected in the room). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2019-199994 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the rotation speed of the blower fan is uniformly controlled to be less than a threshold value after the user returns home. Therefore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it reduces comfort for users who want to harmonize the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature.

[0006] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air conditioner that reduces the discomfort caused to users by the rotation noise of the blower fan while preventing any impairment of user comfort. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes a blower that blows air into a space to be air-conditioned, and a sensor that outputs activity information indicating a user's activity status, including electronic device identification information for identifying electronic devices installed in the space to be air-conditioned and the operating status of the electronic devices. , from an activity meter or HEMS installed in a location other than the indoor unit The device includes an acquisition unit that acquires sensor information, a determination unit that determines whether the user's activity state is active or inactive based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a control unit that, when the user's activity state determined by the determination unit is active and the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is equal to or greater than a threshold, increases the airflow rate of the blower unit compared to when the user's activity state is active and the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is less than the threshold, and decreases the airflow rate of the blower unit compared to when the user's activity state is active when the user's activity state is inactive. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present disclosure can provide an air conditioner that reduces the discomfort felt by the user due to the rotational noise of the blower fan while suppressing any loss of comfort for the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air conditioning system having an air conditioner. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the indoor unit. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the determination result of the determination unit and the air volume of the blower unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing of the air conditioner. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air conditioning system having an air conditioner. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the determination result of the determination unit, the air volume of the blower unit, and the temperature of the space to be air-conditioned. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing of the indoor unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the indoor unit. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air conditioning system having an air conditioner. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing of the indoor unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0011] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air conditioning system 5 having an air conditioner 100. As shown in FIG. The air conditioning system 5 includes an air conditioner 100, a sensor information storage unit 4, and a sensor information generation device 6. The sensor information generation device 6 includes an activity meter 6a and / or a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) 6b.

[0012] The activity meter 6a generates activity information indicating the activity state of the user, such as the number of steps taken per unit time, heart rate, and / or energy consumption, in association with user identification information for identifying the user, as shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows an example of activity information indicating the activity state of the user.

[0013] [Table 1]

[0014] The HEMS 6b stores information in the sensor information storage unit 4 as activity information indicating the user's activity status, including user identification information for identifying the user, space identification information for identifying a space to be air-conditioned, such as the user's home (e.g., living room, bedroom, etc.), electronic device identification information for identifying electronic devices (e.g., television, induction cooker, etc.) located in the space to be air-conditioned, and the operating status (operating, non-operating) of the electronic devices, as shown in Table 2. The operating status of the electronic devices may be determined based on well-known techniques, such as whether or not power is being supplied to the electronic device and / or the amount of power supplied per unit time. Furthermore, the electronic device identification information of the electronic device may be registered in association with, for example, a power strip connected to the electronic device's outlet, or in association with the amount of power supplied per unit time to the electronic device and / or the waveform of the rise of power supplied to the electronic device. Table 2 shows an example of activity information indicating the user's activity status.

[0015] [Table 2]

[0016] The sensor information generating device 6 stores the generated activity information in the sensor information storage unit 4 via a network (not shown).

[0017] The sensor information storage unit 4 is a storage area provided on the network 3, and stores activity information. Here, the air conditioning system 5 may include two or more sensor information storage units 4. The sensor information storage units 4 may be provided individually by multiple businesses, such as a business that provides the air conditioning system 5, a business that provides the activity meter 6a, and a business that provides the HEMS 6b.

[0018] The air conditioner 100 is a device that conditions the air in a room, which is a space to be air-conditioned, by cooling, heating, dehumidifying, etc. The air conditioner 100 includes an indoor unit 1 and an outdoor unit 2.

[0019] The indoor unit 1 is installed in a space to be air conditioned. The indoor unit 1 conditions the air in the space to be air conditioned, for example, by blowing out air whose temperature and / or humidity has been adjusted into the space to be air conditioned.

[0020] The indoor unit 1 includes a memory 12, a processor 13, a blower 14, a detector 15, a storage unit 16, a communication interface 11, an input / output interface 17, and an operation unit 18.

[0021] The operation unit 18 is, for example, a remote controller, and accepts operations desired by the user, such as starting operation, stopping operation, setting a target temperature, setting a target humidity, and the like.

[0022] The detection unit 15 has, for example, a sensor that detects the temperature and / or humidity of the space to be air-conditioned. The blower unit 14 has a blower fan and a blower motor provided inside the housing of the indoor unit 1. The blower unit 14 rotates the blower fan with the blower motor to generate an air current that is blown into the space to be air-conditioned.

[0023] The processor 13 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which processes input data and outputs the processing results. The memory 12 is, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) that functions as a main storage device. The memory 12 temporarily stores, for example, a program executed by the processor 13. The memory 12 and the processor 13 may be configured as a single processing circuit. The storage unit 16 is, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores data as an auxiliary storage device. The storage unit 16 stores, for example, data used in the processing of the processor 13.

[0024] The communication interface 11 is, for example, a LAN adapter or a wireless LAN transceiver, and is connected to the sensor information storage unit 4 via the network 3.

[0025] The input / output interface 17 is connected to the outdoor unit 2 installed outdoors via a communication cable (not shown).

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the function of the indoor unit 1. As shown in FIG. The processor 13 of the indoor unit 1 executes the program read from the memory 12 to realize the functions of an acquisition unit 131, a determination unit 132, and a control unit 133.

[0027] The acquisition unit 131 acquires, via the communication interface 11, activity information that indicates the activity state of the user stored in the sensor information storage unit 4 as sensor information.

[0028] The determination unit 132 determines whether the activity state of the user is active or inactive based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131. Here, when the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 is activity information generated by the activity meter 6a, the determination unit 132 determines whether the activity state of the user is "active" or "inactive" by comparing each item included in the sensor information with a threshold value corresponding to each item defined in a determination table 132b (Table 3) stored in the storage unit 16. Table 3 shows the information set in the determination table 132b.

[0029] [Table 3]

[0030] For example, if the number of steps taken by user A (4,000 steps in Table 1) is equal to or greater than the threshold value for the number of steps (1,000 steps in Table 3), the determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of user A is "active." Similarly, for example, if the number of steps taken by user B (500 steps in Table 1) is less than the threshold value (1,000 steps in Table 3), the determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of user B is "inactive." Here, the determination unit 132 determines the activity state of the user based on the number of steps. However, this is not limiting. The determination unit 132 may also determine whether the activity state of the user is "active" or "inactive" by comparing the heart rate with a threshold value or the energy consumption with a threshold value. Furthermore, the determination unit 132 may determine the activity state of the user based on the larger number of "active" or "inactive" in multiple results, rather than based on only one result of comparing the activity information with a threshold value. The threshold value may be set to a different value depending on the age, sex, height, and / or weight of the user, or may be set to an arbitrary value by the user. Furthermore, if the activity meter 6a can determine whether the user is sleeping, the determination unit 132 may determine whether the user is "inactive" or "active" based on the determination result of the activity meter 6a, rather than comparing it with the threshold value.

[0031] Furthermore, when the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 is activity information generated by the HEMS 6b, the determination unit 132 determines whether the activity state of the user is "active" or "inactive" based on the operation information of the electronic device included in the sensor information and a determination table 132b (Table 4) stored in the storage unit 16. Table 4 shows the information set in the determination table 132b. The determination table 132b is set so that if an induction cooker is operating, the user is determined to be active. The determination table 132b is also set so that if a television is operating, the user is determined to be inactive.

[0032] [Table 4]

[0033] For example, in Table 2, if an induction cooker installed in user B's kitchen is running, the determination unit 132 determines the activity state of user B, who is presumed to be cooking, as "active." Similarly, for example, if user C's television is running, the determination unit 132 determines the activity state of user C, who is presumed to be watching (taking a break), as "inactive." Here, if there are multiple electronic devices in one air-conditioned space, a priority order may be set in advance for determining which condition associated with an electronic device is to be used for determining whether the user is active. For example, even if user C's television is running, if a video game console connected to the television is running, the determination unit 132 may determine the activity state of user C, who is presumed to be playing a game, as "active." The conditions for determining whether the user is active set in the determination table 132b may be set to any value by the user.

[0034] The acquisition unit 131 may acquire, as sensor information within a predetermined unit time, both the activity information generated by the activity meter 6a and the activity information generated by the HEMS 6b. When a determination result based on the activity information generated by the activity meter 6a (e.g., “active”) is the same as a determination result based on the activity information generated by the HEMS 6b (e.g., “active”), the determination unit 132 determines the determination result as the activity state of the user. On the other hand, when a determination result based on the activity information generated by the activity meter 6a (e.g., “active”) is different from a determination result based on the activity information generated by the HEMS 6b (e.g., “inactive”), the determination unit 132 determines the activity state of the user as “active.” In this way, rather than prioritizing either the determination result based on the activity information generated by the activity meter 6a or the determination result based on the activity information generated by the HEMS 6b, prioritizing either of the determination results indicating that the user is active can prevent the user's comfort from being impaired.

[0035] When determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "inactive," control unit 133 outputs control information to blower unit 14 to control the air volume of blower unit 14 to be weaker than when determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "active." Also, when determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "active," control unit 133 outputs control information to blower unit 14 to control the air volume to the automatic operation mode.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the determination result of the determination unit and the air volume of the blower unit. As shown in the figure, when determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "inactive," control unit 133 controls airflow volume of air blower unit 14 to be weaker than when determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "active." By controlling the airflow volume of air blower unit 14 in this manner, control unit 133 can reduce the discomfort felt by the user by the rotation noise of the blower fan of air blower unit 14.

[0037] Furthermore, when the determination unit 132 determines that the activity state of the user is "active," the control unit 133 controls the airflow volume to be that of the automatic operation mode. Here, when there is a discrepancy between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature, the control unit 133 controls the airflow volume of the air blower 14 to be stronger than when the activity state of the user indicates "inactivity." In this way, by controlling the airflow volume of the air blower 14, the control unit 133 can prevent a loss of comfort for a user who desires harmony between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing of the air conditioner. The acquisition unit 131 acquires activity information indicating the activity state of the user as sensor information (step S100). The determination unit 132 determines whether the activity state of the user is active or inactive based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 (step S101). If the activity state of the user indicates active (S101: YES), the control unit 133 controls the airflow of the airflow unit 14 to the airflow volume of the automatic operation mode (S102). On the other hand, if the activity state of the user indicates inactive (S101: NO), the control unit 133 controls the airflow of the airflow unit 14 to the airflow volume of the silent mode, i.e., to be weaker than when the activity state of the user is determined to be "active" (S103).

[0039] As described above, when the user's activity state indicates inactivity, the control unit 133 of the air conditioner 100 controls the air volume of the blower unit 14 to be lower than when the user's activity state is determined to be "active." This allows the air conditioner 100 to reduce the discomfort felt by the user due to the rotational noise of the blower fan. Furthermore, when the determination unit 132 determines that the user's activity state is "active," the control unit 133 controls the air volume to be that of the automatic operation mode. That is, when the indoor temperature deviates from the target set temperature, the control unit 133 controls the air volume of the blower unit 14 to be higher as the air volume of the automatic operation mode than when the user's activity state indicates inactivity. In this way, by controlling the air volume of the blower unit 14, the control unit 133 can prevent a loss of comfort for users who wish to harmonize the indoor temperature with the target set temperature.

[0040] Embodiment 2 When a user returns home or moves from one air-conditioned space to another within the home, their comfort may be impaired due to a discrepancy between the indoor temperature and the target temperature setting. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the occupancy status of the air-conditioned space is determined based on not only the user's activity status but also the user's presence history in the air-conditioned space and / or presence information indicating the user's planned presence, and the air conditioning of the air-conditioned space is controlled based on the determination result.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air conditioning system 5 having an air conditioner 100. As shown in FIG. The air conditioning system 5 includes an air conditioner 100, a sensor information storage unit 4, and a sensor information generation device 6. The sensor information generation device 6 includes an activity meter 6a and / or a HEMS 6b. As in the first embodiment, the activity meter 6a and the HEMS 6b generate activity information used to determine the activity status of a user. The sensor information generation device 6 also includes a HEMS 6b, a scheduler 6c, and / or a positioning device 6d. The HEMS 6b, the scheduler 6c, and the positioning device 6d generate presence information used to determine whether or not a user is present in the air-conditioned space (hereinafter referred to as the presence status).

[0042] The HEMS 6b stores information including user identification information for identifying the user, space identification information for identifying the air-conditioned space such as the user's home (e.g., living room, bedroom, etc.), electronic device identification information for identifying electronic devices (e.g., television, induction cooker, etc.) placed in the air-conditioned space, and the operating status of the electronic devices (operating, not operating) in the sensor information storage unit 4 as presence information used to determine the user's presence status.

[0043] The scheduler 6c stores the user's schedule information in the sensor information storage unit 4 as occupancy information used to determine the user's occupancy status. The schedule information includes, for example, information indicating the past occupancy history of the air-conditioned space and / or future occupancy plans. The schedule information also includes information such as the occupancy start date and time when occupancy in the air-conditioned space begins / occurs, the occupancy end date and time when occupancy in the air-conditioned space ends / occupies, and the air-conditioned space in which occupancy is / occurs. The scheduler 6c accepts data input of the user's schedule information via an operation unit (not shown), but the acquisition method and data format are not important.

[0044] The positioning device 6d is, for example, a mobile terminal carried by the user, and stores location information generated by measuring the location of the terminal itself as presence information used to determine the presence status of the user in the sensor information storage unit 4. The sensor information storage unit 4 stores changes in the user's location information (movement history) from the past to the present.

[0045] The acquisition unit 131 acquires the presence information stored in the sensor information storage unit 4 as sensor information. The determination unit 132 determines whether the user is "present" or "not present" in the air-conditioned space based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131. Furthermore, if the user is "not present" in the air-conditioned space, the determination unit 132 determines the expected presence time at which the user will be "present" in the air-conditioned space.

[0046] When determining the scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space based on the occupancy information generated by HEMS 6b, the determination unit 132 determines the scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space from the statistical value of the switching time of the operating status (operating, not operating) of the electronic devices included in the occupancy information.

[0047] For example, as shown in Table 5, if the statistical value of the time when the operating status of a light (electronic device) installed in the living room (air-conditioned space) switches from "not operating" to "operating" is 17:00, the determination unit 132 determines that the scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space is 17:00.

[0048] [Table 5]

[0049] Also, for example, as shown in Table 6, if the statistical value of the time when the operating status of the security terminal (electronic device) installed in the living room (air-conditioned space) switches from "in operation" to "in operation" is 17:00, the determination unit 132 determines that the scheduled time of presence in the living room (air-conditioned space) is 17:00.

[0050] [Table 6]

[0051] When determining the scheduled occupancy time in the air-conditioned space based on the occupancy information generated by the scheduler 6c, the determination unit 132 determines the scheduled occupancy time in the air-conditioned space from the past occupancy history of the air-conditioned space and / or the statistical values ​​of the occupancy start times included in the information indicating the future occupancy schedule.

[0052] For example, as shown in Table 7, if the statistical value of the occupancy start time included in the past occupancy history of the living room (air conditioned space) is 17:00, the determining unit 132 determines that the scheduled occupancy time of the air conditioned space is 17:00.

[0053] [Table 7]

[0054] When determining the expected time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space based on the location information generated by the positioning device 6d, the determination unit 132 determines the expected time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space from the statistical values ​​of the time when the user's location information indicates the air-conditioned space.

[0055] For example, as shown in Table 8, if the statistical value for the time when the user's location information indicates the air conditioned space (home) is 17:00, the determining unit 132 determines that the expected time of presence in the air conditioned space is 17:00.

[0056] [Table 8]

[0057] Incidentally, there may be cases where the occupancy information generated by the HEMS 6b, the occupancy information generated by the scheduler 6c, and the occupancy information generated by the positioning device 6d obtained as sensor information are different from one another. In this case, the determination unit 132 may prioritize the occupancy information generated by any of the HEMS 6b, the scheduler 6c, and the positioning device 6d over the occupancy information generated by the other devices.

[0058] The control unit 133 outputs control information to the blower unit 14 to control the air volume of the blower unit 14 so that the deviation between the indoor temperature of the air-conditioned space and the target set temperature is less than a threshold value by the scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space determined by the determination unit 132.

[0059] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the determination result of the determination unit, the air volume of the blower unit, and the temperature of the space to be air conditioned. At time Ti1, a predetermined time β before the expected occupancy time Ti2 determined by the determination unit 132, if the temperature Te3 of the air-conditioned space is higher than the threshold temperature Te2 and the user is not present in the room, the control unit 133 sets the air volume (air volume in automatic operation mode) in the blower unit 14 so that the difference between the temperature of the air-conditioned space and the set temperature Te1 is less than the threshold Te2 by the expected occupancy time Ti2.

[0060] In addition, even if the time is later than the expected time of presence Ti2, if the judgment unit 132 judges that the user's activity state is "active", the control unit 133 sets the air volume (air volume in automatic operation mode) in the blower unit 14 to be the air volume in automatic operation mode.

[0061] When the determination unit 132 determines that the user's activity state is "inactive", the control unit 133 sets the air volume of the air blower 14 to be weaker than when the determination unit 132 determines that the user's activity state is "active".

[0062] By controlling the air volume of blower unit 14 in this way, control unit 133 can prevent a loss of comfort for a user who desires harmony between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature. Furthermore, by controlling the air volume of blower unit 14 in this way, control unit 133 can reduce the discomfort felt by the user by the rotation noise of the blower fan of blower unit 14.

[0063] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the indoor unit 1. The acquisition unit 131 acquires the occupancy information stored in the sensor information storage unit 4 as sensor information (step S104).

[0064] The determining unit 132 determines whether the user is "present" or "not present" in the air conditioned space based on the sensor information acquired by the acquiring unit 131 (step S105).

[0065] If it is determined in step S105 that the user is "not present" (step S105; NO), the determination unit 132 calculates the expected presence time Ti2 at which the user will be "present" in the air-conditioned space based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 (step S106).

[0066] At time Ti1, which is a predetermined time β before the scheduled occupancy time Ti2 determined by the determination unit 132 (step S107: YES), the control unit 133 sets the air volume (air volume in automatic operation mode) in the blower unit 14 so that the difference between the temperature of the air-conditioned space and the set temperature Te1 is less than the threshold value α by the scheduled occupancy time Ti2 (step S108).

[0067] When the determination unit 132 determines that the user is "present" in the air-conditioned space based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 (step S105; YES), it acquires activity information indicating the activity state of the user as sensor information (step S100). The subsequent processing is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore a detailed description will be omitted.

[0068] As described above, in Embodiment 2, the air conditioner 100 determines the occupancy status of the air conditioned space based not only on the user's activity status but also on the user's presence history in the air conditioned space and / or presence information indicating the user's planned presence, and conditions the air in the air conditioned space based on the determination results. This makes it possible for the air conditioner 100 to prevent a loss of comfort due to a discrepancy between the indoor temperature and the target temperature setting when the user returns home or moves from one air conditioned space to another within the home.

[0069] Embodiment 3 In the above-described embodiment, the determination unit 132 calculates the scheduled occupancy time in the air-conditioned space based on statistical values. However, the determination unit 132 may calculate the scheduled occupancy time in the air-conditioned space using a method other than statistical values. For example, the determination unit 132 may calculate the scheduled occupancy time in the air-conditioned space by using an estimation model generated using occupancy information indicating the occupancy status in the air-conditioned space as learning data.

[0070] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the function of the indoor unit 1. As shown in FIG. The acquisition unit 131 acquires activity information indicating the activity state of the user stored in the sensor information storage unit 4 as sensor information.

[0071] The determination unit 132 inputs the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 into the estimation model 132a, and sets the time output from the estimation model 132a as the expected occupancy time in the air-conditioned space.

[0072] Embodiment 4 In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 133 controls the air volume of the blower unit 14 to reduce the discomfort felt by the user by the rotation sound of the blower fan of the blower unit 14. However, the notification sound from the indoor unit 1 may cause discomfort to the user. Therefore, the control unit 133 may control the volume of the sound emitting unit of the indoor unit 1 in addition to controlling the air volume of the blower unit 14 to reduce the discomfort felt by the notification sound from the sound emitting unit to the user.

[0073] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an air conditioning system 5 having an air conditioner 100. As shown in FIG. The indoor unit 1 of the third embodiment differs from the indoor unit 1 of the first and second embodiments in that it is provided with a sound emitting section 19.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing of the indoor unit 1. The acquisition unit 131 acquires activity information indicating the activity state of the user as sensor information (step S200). The determination unit 132 determines whether the activity state of the user is active or inactive based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 (step S201). If the activity state of the user indicates active (S201: YES), the control unit 133 maintains the volume of the sound emitting unit 19. The control unit 133 also maintains the airflow volume of the automatic operation mode (S202). On the other hand, if the activity state of the user indicates inactive (S201: NO), the control unit 133 controls the volume of the sound emitting unit 19 to be lower than when the activity state is determined to be "active." The control unit 133 also controls the airflow volume of the air blower 14 to be lower than the airflow volume of the silent mode, i.e., lower than when the activity state of the user is determined to be "active" (S203).

[0075] As described above, when the activity state of the user indicates inactivity, the control unit 133 controls the volume of the sound emitting unit 19 to be lower than when the activity state of the user indicates activity. In this way, by performing air conditioning while suppressing the sound generated from the indoor unit 1, the control unit 133 can suppress discomfort to the user, such as being unable to fall asleep due to the sound when inactive (for example, when going to bed), in addition to the effect of the first embodiment.

[0076] Other application examples In the above-described embodiment, when the activity status of the user indicates "active," the control unit 133 controls the air volume of the blower unit 14 to be the air volume in the automatic operation mode. However, the control unit 133 is not limited to the air volume in the automatic operation mode, and may set any air volume (strong, medium, weak, etc.) that is set in advance.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment, the determination unit 132 determines whether or not a user is present in the air-conditioned space based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131. However, the determination unit 132 may also detect whether or not a user is present in the air-conditioned space based on the detection result of the detection unit 15. In this case, the detection unit 15 detects a user present in the air-conditioned space based on detection data such as, for example, imaging data generated by imaging the air-conditioned space, thermal data generated by detecting heat in the air-conditioned space, or sound data generated in the air-conditioned space.

[0078] As a result, when the determination unit 132 uses the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 and the detection data detected by the detection unit 15, it can more accurately detect users present in the air-conditioned space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 indoor unit, 11 communication interface, 12 memory, 13 processor, 14 air blower, 15 detection unit, 16 storage unit, 17 input / output interface, 18 operation unit, 19 sound emission unit, 131 acquisition unit, 132 judgment unit, 132a estimation model, 132b judgment table, 133 control unit, 100 air conditioner, 2 outdoor unit, 3 network, 4 sensor information storage unit, 5 air conditioning system, 6 sensor information generation device, 6a activity meter, 6b HEMS, 6c scheduler, 6d positioning device.

Claims

1. a blower that blows air into the space to be air-conditioned; an acquisition unit that acquires activity information indicating a user's activity status, including electronic device identification information for identifying an electronic device installed in the air-conditioned space and an operating status of the electronic device, as sensor information from an activity meter or a HEMS that is provided in a location different from the indoor unit; a determination unit that determines whether the activity state of the user is active or inactive based on the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit; a control unit that, when the activity state of the user determined by the determination unit is active and the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is equal to or greater than a threshold, increases the airflow rate of the air blower unit compared to when the activity state of the user is active and the deviation between the indoor temperature and the target set temperature is less than the threshold, and decreases the airflow rate of the air blower unit compared to when the activity state of the user is active, when the activity state of the user is inactive; An air conditioner comprising:

2. The activity information includes: The energy consumption per unit time of the user is included, The determination unit If the energy expenditure is less than a threshold, the activity state of the user is determined to be inactive.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

3. The activity information includes: a heart rate of the user; The determination unit If the heart rate is less than a threshold, the activity state of the user is determined to be inactive.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The activity information includes: The number of steps taken by the user is included. The determination unit If the number of steps is less than a threshold, the activity state of the user is determined to be inactive.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is a compressor.

5. The acquisition unit acquiring, as the sensor information, occupancy information indicating an occupancy status of the air-conditioned space; The determination unit determining a scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space from the sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit; The control unit The air volume of the air blower is controlled so that the difference between the indoor temperature of the air conditioned space and the target set temperature becomes less than a threshold value by the scheduled occupancy time of the air conditioned space determined by the determination unit.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is a compressor.

6. The presence information is The operating status of electronic devices installed in the air-conditioned space is included, The determination unit A scheduled time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space is determined based on a statistical value of the time when the operating state of the electronic device is switched from non-operating to operating.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5.

7. The presence information is including schedule information of the user; The determination unit Determine the expected time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space based on the schedule information 7. The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The presence information is including location information of the user; The determination unit Determine the expected time of occupancy in the air-conditioned space based on the location information 8. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the air conditioner is a compressor.

9. The air conditioner comprises: a detection unit that detects imaging data generated by imaging the air-conditioned space, thermal data generated by detecting heat in the air-conditioned space, or sound data generated in the air-conditioned space, The acquisition unit The detection data detected by the detection unit is acquired as the sensor information.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is a compressor.

10. The air conditioner comprises: Equipped with a sound emitting section, The control unit When the activity information indicates inactivity, the volume of the sound emitting unit is made smaller than when the activity information indicates activity.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is a compressor.

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