Air conditioning system, air conditioning device, control method and program

Abstract

An air conditioning system (1) for controlling air conditioning in an air conditioning space is provided with an air conditioning unit (80) for performing air conditioning in the air conditioning space and a control device (50) for controlling the air conditioning unit (80). A control unit (53a) in the control device (50) acquires the degree of concentration obtained from the change in movement of the body surface of a user in the air conditioning space and controls the air conditioning unit (80) on the basis of the degree of concentration so as to increase the degree of concentration of the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning system, an air conditioner, a control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] An air conditioning system has been developed that adjusts the environment of a space where a user is present to prevent a decrease in the user's concentration. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning system that estimates concentration from the user's body temperature and adjusts the environment of the space to prevent a decrease in concentration when the concentration decreases. Regarding the determination of whether there is a decrease in concentration, it is determined that "there is a decrease in concentration" when the rate of change in the user's body temperature becomes equal to or higher than a threshold value. For example, when the rate of change in the user's body temperature rises above the threshold value, it is determined that "there is a decrease in concentration", and an operation is performed to lower the user's sense of warmth or cold.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The method of estimating concentration from the user's body temperature has problems of low reliability and many false detections. For example, when the user is concentrating to complete work in a short period of time, excitement, tension, etc. are intertwined, and at the same time, stress may be felt and the body temperature may rise in a short time. In such a case, with the method of estimating based on body temperature, there is a risk of determining that "there is a decrease in concentration" even though the user's concentration is high. In this case, if an operation is performed to lower the sense of warmth or cold to increase the concentration, the user may feel cold due to cold sweat caused by stress, and the user's concentration may be decreased.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 exemplifies methods for reducing the sensation of heat or cold, such as lowering the room temperature and adjusting the airflow at the user's location. However, these adjustments alone are insufficient to improve the user's concentration, and further improvements are needed.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide an air conditioning system, air conditioning device, control method, and program that can perform air conditioning control capable of determining a decrease in user concentration with higher accuracy and providing an environment that is more conducive to concentration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the air conditioning system according to this disclosure is an air conditioning system that controls the air conditioning of a space to be air-conditioned, and comprises an air conditioning unit and a control device. The air conditioning unit air-conditions the space to be air-conditioned. The control device controls the air conditioning unit. The control device has an index value acquisition means and a control means. The index value acquisition means acquires a concentration level obtained from changes in the movement of the body surface of a user present in the space to be air-conditioned. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to increase the concentration level of the user based on the acquired concentration level. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of the control targets, such as temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate, in the air-conditioned space. The index value acquisition means periodically acquires the user's concentration level. If the concentration level acquired by the index value acquisition means shows a decreasing trend, the control means increases the number of control targets as the degree of decrease increases. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, an air conditioning system can acquire a concentration level determined from changes in body surface movement and perform air conditioning control to increase the concentration level. Therefore, it is possible to determine the user's concentration level with high accuracy and provide an environment that makes it easier for the user to concentrate. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the layout of the air-conditioned space in which the indoor unit of the air conditioning system in Embodiment 1 is located. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the functional configuration of the air conditioning system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows an example of a control mode table for centralized mode stored in the memory unit of the indoor unit control unit. [Figure 5] (A) and (B) are diagrams showing an example of the hardware configuration of the outdoor unit control unit and indoor unit control unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] Flowchart of the concentration improvement control process performed by the air conditioning system in Embodiment 1 [Figure 7] (A) and (B) are schematic diagrams that explain the airflow direction using the distance between the user's position and the point where the airflow hits the floor. [Figure 8] Figures (A) to (C) are diagrams showing examples of control modes in the air conditioning system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of a control mode in the air conditioning system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] Figure 4 shows a modified example of the control mode table for centralized mode. [Figure 11] (A) and (B) are diagrams showing examples of the configuration of history information for the concentration improvement control process, respectively. [Figure 12] Figure 1 shows a modified example of the configuration of the air conditioning system. [Figure 13] (A) is a diagram showing another variation of the configuration of the air conditioning system shown in Figure 1, and (B) is a diagram showing a variation of the control mode table for centralized mode. [Figure 14] Schematic diagram illustrating the wind exposure control process in Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The air conditioning system, air conditioning device, and control method according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) [Configuration of Air Conditioning System 1] The air conditioning system 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure is a system that air-conditions an indoor space 71 based on the concentration level CR of a user HM present in the indoor space 71, which is the space to be air-conditioned. 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. Concentration means focusing one's attention on one thing and working on it. Concentration level CR refers to the degree of concentration. When a person continues to work, their concentration level CR tends to gradually decrease. Also, when a person's concentration level CR decreases, they tend to become sleepy. The reverse is also true; when a person becomes sleepy, their concentration level CR decreases. In any case, there is a close relationship between the concentration level CR and the sleepiness level, which indicates the degree of sleepiness. Concentration level CR is an index that indicates the degree of concentration, and in this specification, the higher or greater the concentration level CR, the higher the degree of concentration and the lower the sleepiness level.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system 1 comprises an air conditioning unit 2, which is equipment for air conditioning the indoor space 71, and an information device 90 operated by the user HM. During air conditioning operation, air conditioning control is performed to improve the concentration CR of the user HM present in the indoor space 71. The information device 90 and the indoor unit control unit 53 provided in the air conditioning unit 2 are connected via a network NW.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system 2 is installed in the house 3. House 3 is, for example, a typical detached house. The air conditioning system 2 is a heat pump type air conditioning system that uses, for example, CO2 (carbon dioxide) or HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) as a refrigerant.

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

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location that can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71, for example, on the upper part of a wall. The indoor space 71 is heated and cooled by the cool and warm air blown out from the indoor unit 13. In this embodiment, air conditioning control is performed based on the concentration CR of a single user HM present in the indoor space 71. Details will be described later.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21 that compresses and circulates the refrigerant, a four-way valve 22 that switches the direction of refrigerant flow, an outdoor heat exchanger 23 that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the outside space, an expansion valve 24 that depressurizes and expands the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61, an outdoor fan 31 that sends outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and an outdoor unit control unit 51 that controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11.

[0017] Furthermore, the indoor unit 13 includes an indoor heat exchanger 25 that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the indoor space 71, an indoor fan 33 that sends the air from the indoor space 71 to the indoor heat exchanger 25, vanes 34 that adjust the airflow direction, and an indoor unit control unit 53 that controls the operation of the indoor unit 13. Hereinafter, mechanisms that control the airflow direction, such as vanes and louvers, will be collectively referred to as vanes 34. The air conditioning system 2 has a refrigerant circuit configured by connecting a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, and an indoor heat exchanger 25 by refrigerant piping 61. The refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant to perform the operation of the refrigeration cycle.

[0018] The compressor 21 compresses the refrigerant and circulates it through the refrigerant piping 61. Specifically, the compressor 21 compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant and discharges the high-pressure and high-temperature refrigerant to the four-way valve 22. The compressor 21 is equipped with an inverter circuit that can change its 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 its operating capacity according to instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

[0019] The four-way valve 22 is installed on the discharge side of the compressor 21. The four-way valve 22 switches the direction of refrigerant flow in the refrigerant piping 61 depending on whether the air conditioning system 2 is operating in cooling, dehumidifying, or heating mode.

[0020] The outdoor heat exchanger 23 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the outdoor space 72, which is outside the space to be air-conditioned. The outdoor fan 31 is installed next to the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and sends air from the outdoor space 72 to the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The outdoor fan 31 draws in air from the outdoor space 72. The drawn-in air is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, where it undergoes heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61, and then is blown out into the outdoor space 72.

[0021] The expansion valve 24 is installed between the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the indoor heat exchanger 25, and depressurizes and expands the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61. The expansion valve 24 is an electronically controlled expansion valve whose opening degree can be controlled. The expansion valve 24 adjusts the refrigerant pressure by changing its opening degree according to instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

[0022] The indoor heat exchanger 25 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the indoor space 71. The indoor blower 33 is installed next to the indoor heat exchanger 25 and sends air from 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 undergoes heat exchange with the refrigerant piping 61. After the airflow direction is adjusted by the vanes 34, the air is blown out into the indoor space 71 as conditioned air. In this way, the indoor space 71 is air-conditioned. The indoor heat exchanger 25 is equipped with humidification and dehumidification functions. The humidification method can be any known method, such as evaporative humidification, primary steam spray type, secondary steam spray type, or power-operated steam generation type humidification. The dehumidification method can be any known method, such as weak cooling dehumidification or reheat dehumidification.

[0023] 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 located 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 vanes 34 located 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 together will be referred to as the air conditioning section 80.

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

[0025] The temperature sensor 41 is equipped with a resistance thermometer, thermistor, thermocouple, etc., and detects the room temperature, which is the air temperature in the indoor space 71. The humidity sensor 42 is an electrical resistance type, capacitive type, etc., and detects the indoor humidity, which is the air humidity in the indoor space 71. The temperature sensor 41 and 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 temperature sensor 41 and 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 that detects infrared radiation emitted from objects such as people and objects. By detecting infrared radiation emitted from objects such as people and objects present in the indoor space 71, the infrared sensor 44 can identify the presence and location of such objects. The infrared sensor 44 is directional and is configured to allow control of its direction of illumination using a gimbal mechanism or the like.

[0027] The biological information detection device 43 detects biological information and identifies the concentration level CR. 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 by a gimbal mechanism or the like. The Doppler sensor emits sinusoidal radio waves of approximately 24 GHz, called the microwave band or quasi-millimeter wave band, towards the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44. The Doppler sensor receives reflected waves from the human body and detects changes in the movement of the body surface, i.e., the pulse wave of the human body. A pulse wave is a waveform that shows changes in the movement of the human body surface due to the pulsation of the heart, and includes waveforms of changes in the movement of blood vessels and waveforms of changes in the body surface around the heart. The biological information detection device 43 analyzes the pulse wave detected by the Doppler sensor and identifies the concentration level CR. The biological information detection device 43 periodically analyzes the pulse wave and periodically identifies the concentration level CR. Any known method can be used to derive the concentration level CR from the pulse wave. For example, time-series data of heart rate variability can be obtained from time-series data of pulse waves, and this can be subjected to frequency analysis to obtain high-frequency data corresponding to respiratory variability. Namiari By extracting the HF component and the low-frequency component (LF component) corresponding to the Mayer wave (blood pressure fluctuation), and quantifying the ratio (=LF / (HF+LF)) to the total power (=HF+LF), the concentration level (CR) can be determined. Furthermore, since the LF component appears when the sympathetic nervous system is dominant, the value of the LF component can also be used as the sympathetic nervous system activity level, i.e., the concentration level (CR).

[0028] Furthermore, it is possible to extract pulse rate from pulse waves, use changes in pulse rate to determine the degree of brain arousal, and then estimate the concentration level (CR) from the determined arousal level. For example, a large change in pulse rate indicates a high degree of arousal and a high concentration level (CR). On the other hand, a small change in pulse rate indicates a low degree of arousal, a state of drowsiness, and a low concentration level (CR).

[0029] Body temperature fluctuates significantly both while sleeping and awake. Furthermore, body temperature tends to change more rapidly in the morning and less rapidly in the afternoon. Therefore, judging concentration level (CR) based on body temperature change rates is inaccurate and unreliable. In contrast, pulse wave analysis does not have these problems, allowing for a more accurate determination of concentration level (CR).

[0030] Hereinafter, the 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 outputs of the sensor group 40 are supplied to the indoor unit control unit 53.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, a remote control 55 is located in the indoor space 71. The remote control 55 transmits and receives various signals with 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, a liquid crystal display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc., and functions as a command receiving unit that receives various commands from the user HM, and a display unit 55a that displays various information to the user HM. The user HM inputs commands to the air conditioning unit 2 by operating the remote control 55. Commands include, for example, commands to switch between operation and stop, operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, airflow, airflow direction, timer, etc. The air conditioning unit 2 operates according to the input commands.

[0032] Information device 90 is a device owned by the user HM, including smartphones, tablets, etc. Information device 90 has a display unit 90a. Various types of information are displayed on the display unit 90a. By installing an application for the air conditioning system on information device 90, the air conditioning system 2 can be operated via the network NW.

[0033] The indoor unit 13 further includes a main unit display unit 58. The main unit display unit 58 is a display unit for informing the user HM of arbitrary information such as the operating status and setting information of the air conditioning system 2. The main unit display unit 58 displays various information to be notified to the user HM, including the operating mode of the air conditioning system 2. The main unit display unit 58 is an example of the "display means" in this disclosure.

[0034] Next, the details of the outdoor unit control unit 51, which is responsible for the control functions of the air conditioning system 2, and the indoor unit control unit 53, which controls the operation of the indoor unit 13, will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 work together to control the entire air conditioning system 1 and perform air conditioning control, and hereinafter, both will be collectively referred to as the control device 50.

[0035] 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 storage 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.

[0036] The control unit 51a receives control instruction signals from the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63, including power on / off, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow, timer information, and detection data from various sensors. In response to the control instruction signals, the control unit 51a controls the entire outdoor unit 11, particularly the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, such as controlling the operating frequency of the compressor 21, switching the four-way valve 22, controlling the rotational speed of the outdoor fan 31, and controlling the opening degree of the expansion valve 24. The storage unit 51b consists of memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory) and stores data necessary for control. The timing unit 51c is the part that measures time. 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 power to the air conditioning unit 2 is off. The control unit 51a refers to the time measured by the timing unit 51c for starting and stopping by timer. The communication unit 51d is an interface for the control unit 51a to communicate with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63.

[0037] The indoor unit control unit 53 receives instructions from the user HM via 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 comprises a control unit 53a that controls the entire indoor unit 13, a storage unit 53b that stores data necessary for control, a timing unit 53c that measures time, and a communication unit 53d that acts as a communication interface.

[0038] The control unit 53a receives control information from the remote control 55, including power on / off status, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow rate, timer information, and detection data from various sensors. The control unit 53a also receives the output group of the sensor group 40. Based on this 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. The control unit 53a also plays a role in informing the user HM by displaying information such as the operating status, operating mode, and setting information of the air conditioning system 2 on the main display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13. In addition to the main display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13, the control unit 53a also sends instructions to the remote control 55 and the information device 90 to display the operating status of the air conditioning system 2. As a result, the operating status of the air conditioning system 2 is displayed on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 and the display unit 90a of the information device 90. Such a display makes it easier for the user HM to understand the operating status of the air conditioning unit 2, or guides the user HM to take actions that allow for greater concentration. The control unit 53a corresponds to an example of the "indicator value acquisition means" and "control means" described herein.

[0039] The memory unit 53b is composed of memory such as RAM and ROM, and stores the programs and data necessary for control. Specifically, the memory unit 53b stores general air conditioning control programs such as cooling control, heating control, and dehumidification control, as well as a control program 54 for concentrated mode (hereinafter simply referred to as the control program) that causes the control unit 53a to execute air conditioning control to improve the concentration level CR of the user HM in the indoor space 71. Here, "concentrated mode" means an operating mode in which air conditioning control is performed to improve the concentration level CR of the user HM. Functionally, the control program 54 includes an acquisition processing unit 54a that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to acquire the concentration level CR, a determination processing unit 54b that causes the control unit 53a to execute a determination process that includes a process to determine whether the acquired concentration level CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha, a control processing unit 54c that causes the control unit 53a to execute air conditioning processing in concentrated mode, and a set value group 54d.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the set value group 54d stores the judgment thresholds Tha and Thb, which are reference values ​​for determining the degree of decrease or increase in concentration level CR; the control target and control content during heating in concentrated mode; the control target and control content during refrigeration; and the transition period. In Figure 4, for example, in concentrated mode heating operation, the settings are to lower the room temperature to the target temperature THo regardless of the set value, raise the humidity to the target humidity HHo regardless of the set value, raise the airflow to the target airflow FHo regardless of the set value, and control the airflow. The transition period is the set period from when concentrated mode is set until each control target transitions to its target value, and in Figure 4, it is set to Ps. In Figure 4, a common transition period Ps is set for the four control targets, but the transition period may be set individually for each control target. The storage unit 53b stores the acquired concentration level CR along with time information. The storage unit 53b also stores the initial concentration level CR as a value that indicates high concentration levels, such as during entrance examinations, certification exams, and athletic competitions.

[0041] The timing unit 53c shown in Figure 3 is the part that measures time. The timing unit 53c is equipped with an RTC and is a timing device that continues to measure time even when the power to the air conditioner 2 is turned off.

[0042] The communication unit 53d communicates with the outdoor unit control unit 51 and also communicates with the information device 90 via the network NW.

[0043] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 will be explained with reference to Figures 5(A) and (B).

[0044] The outdoor unit control unit 51 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and for example, as shown in Figure 5(A), it includes a processor 1001 that executes a control program, a memory 1002 that functions as a main memory 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.

[0045] The processor 1001 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 1001 reads the control program stored in the secondary storage device 1003 into the memory 1002 and executes it.

[0046] Memory 1002 is a main memory, for example, composed of RAM. Memory 1002 functions as the work memory of the processor 1001 and stores the control program that the processor 1001 reads from the secondary memory 1003.

[0047] The secondary storage device 1003 consists of flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The secondary storage device 1003 stores control programs executed by the processor 1001, fixed data, etc.

[0048] The I / O (Input / Output) interface 1004 consists of 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 inside the outdoor unit 11, such as the compressor 21, four-way valve 22, expansion valve 24, outdoor blower 31, etc., enabling control by the processor 1001.

[0049] The communication module 1005 consists of a network interface and the like, and enables communication between the processor 1001 and the indoor unit control unit 53.

[0050] The control unit 51a and the timing unit 51c are composed of, for example, a processor 1001 and an I / O interface 1004. The storage unit 51b is composed of a memory 1002 and a secondary storage device 1003. The communication unit 51d is composed of, for example, a communication module 1005.

[0051] On the other hand, the indoor unit control unit 53 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and for example, as shown in Figure 5(B), it includes a processor 1011 that executes a control program, a memory 1012 that functions as a main memory 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 to each other via a bus 1010. The processor 1011, memory 1012, secondary storage device 1013, I / O interface 1014, and communication module 1015 have the same configuration 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 Figure 5(A). However, the secondary storage device 1013 stores the control program 54 for centralized mode, and the I / O interface 1014 is connected to the sensor group 40, the remote control 55, the main unit display unit 58, and the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82, for example, the drive mechanism of the vanes 34. In addition, the communication module 1015 is connected to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the network NW.

[0052] We have now explained the configuration of air conditioning system 1. Next, we will explain its operation. Normally, the air conditioning unit 2 operates in a general normal mode, but when it switches to centralized mode, it executes a concentration-enhancing control process, such as a pre-set one, to improve the concentration level CR of the user HM. To facilitate understanding, the concentration-enhancing control process executed by the air conditioning unit 2 will be explained below in the usage environment exemplified in Figure 2.

[0053] When a user HM is continuously performing various tasks such as working on a computer or reading a book and begins to feel a decline in concentration, they select "Concentration Mode" using the remote control 55. This selection is then detected by the control unit 53a, which then starts executing the Concentration Mode control program 54. The control unit 53a first identifies the presence of the user HM using the infrared sensor 44 and sends an instruction to the biometric information detection device 43 to acquire the user HM's concentration level CR.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 53a starts the concentration improvement control process shown in Figure 6. First, the control unit 53a acquires and stores the concentration level CR of the user HM from the biological information detection device 43 (step S101). The control unit 53a then stores the previously acquired concentration level CR. t-1 And the concentration level CR obtained this time t The difference CB t (=CR t -CR t-1 ) is a negative value, and the difference CB t It is determined whether the absolute value of is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102). As described above, the memory unit 53b stores the initial concentration level CR t-1 Therefore, the control unit 53a stores the value that indicates a high level of concentration. For this reason, the control unit 53a initially stores the previously acquired concentration level CR. t-1 Using this as the initial concentration level CR, the process in step S102 is performed.

[0055] Since user HM has started to feel a decline in concentration and has selected the "concentration mode", initially, the concentration level CR decreases, and the absolute value of the difference CB t is assumed to be greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102: Yes). When the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference CB t is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102: Yes), it executes a concentration improvement operation (step S103). The concentration improvement operation means an operation performed to increase the concentration level CR of user HM. The control unit 53a saves the execution start time of the concentration improvement operation in the storage unit 53b based on the timer unit 53c.

[0056] In the concentration improvement operation, deviating from the settings of user HM, in the case of cooling, as illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, during the transition period Ps, the room temperature is lowered to the target temperature TCo, the humidity is lowered to the target humidity HCo during the transition period Ps, the air volume is increased to the target air volume FCo during the transition period Ps, and the air direction is set to air blowing control. In the case of heating, the room temperature is lowered to the target temperature THo, the humidity is increased to the target humidity HHo, the air volume is increased to the target air volume FHo, and the air direction is set to air blowing control. The air blowing control is a method of controlling the air direction so that the air blown from the indoor unit 13 directly hits user HM in the air, as schematically shown in FIG. 7(A). The air blowing control does not include the mode of air blowing that reaches user HM after hitting the floor, wall, etc. Also, it is not limited to the example of blowing air at the feet of user HM. The body part of user HM can be specified by the biological information detection device 43 and the infrared sensor 44, and the air direction may be controlled so that the air hits a preset part, for example, the waist, chest, face, head, etc. If it is necessary to determine the body part of user HM, for example, an image sensor may be added to the sensor group 40, and the part may be obtained from image analysis.

[0057] For the concentration improvement operation, the control unit 53a specifies the room temperature TR, humidity HR, air volume FR, and air direction at that time. Next, in the case of heating, the control unit 53a identifies the temperature difference DT between the current room temperature TR and the target room temperature THo in the preset concentration improvement control, the humidity difference DH between the current humidity HR and the target humidity HHo in the preset concentration improvement control, and the airflow difference DF between the current airflow FR and the target airflow FHo in the preset concentration improvement control. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figures 7(A) and (B), the control unit 53a identifies the position of the user HM and the current position where the airflow hits the floor, calculates the distance DL between them, and uses this as data indicating the airflow direction. Note that the angle of inclination of the airflow from the vertical direction may also be used as data indicating the airflow direction.

[0058] Next, the calculated temperature difference DT, humidity difference DH, airflow difference DF, and distance DL are divided by the preset transition period Ps to determine the change per unit time. For example, in heating operation, if the current room temperature is TR°C, the preset target room temperature is THo°C, and the transition period is Ps[m], then the temperature change ΔT per unit time is calculated as (TR-THo) / Ps[°C / m]. Similarly, as schematically shown in Figures 7(A) and (B), if the distance between the current airflow pointing to the floor and the user HM's position is DL[m], then in heating operation, to make DL=0, the airflow position movement ΔDL per unit time is calculated as DL[m] / Ps[m]. The humidity change ΔH and airflow change ΔF are calculated in the same way.

[0059] The control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication unit 53d, which includes information such as the operating mode being centralized mode, whether it is heating or cooling, target temperature, target humidity, target airflow rate, target airflow direction, and unit change amounts ΔT, ΔH, ΔF, ΔDL.

[0060] The control unit 51a of the outdoor unit control unit 51 receives control instruction signals transmitted from the control unit 53a via the communication unit 51d, and controls the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, namely the rotation frequency of the compressor 21, the opening degree of the expansion valve 24, and the airflow rate of the outdoor blower 31, etc., while referring to the timing time of the timing unit 51c, so as to change the temperature and airflow rate by unit change amounts ΔT and ΔF to the target temperature THo or TCo and the target airflow rate FHo or FCo.

[0061] Similarly, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 controls the heat exchange amount, airflow rate, humidity control amount, vane 34 orientation, etc., of the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82, i.e., the indoor blower 33, so as to change the temperature, humidity, airflow rate, and air supply by unit change amounts ΔT, ΔH, ΔF, ΔDL to the target temperature THo or TCo, target humidity HHo or HCo, target airflow rate FHo or FCo, and target position, while referring to the timing time of the timing unit 53c.

[0062] Furthermore, when the control units 51a and 53a reach the target value for each controlled object, such as temperature, they control the system to maintain that target value thereafter.

[0063] Returning to Figure 6, if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR acquired in step S101 has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is not greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102: No), then the concentration level CR of the user HM has increased, remained stable, or the decrease is not significant, so the control unit 53a does not perform concentration improvement operation and proceeds to step S108 to determine whether the "concentration mode" has been stopped (step S108). If it is determined that the "concentration mode" has been stopped (step S108: Yes), the control unit 53a terminates the concentration improvement control process and sends a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 indicating the end of the concentration mode. The outdoor unit control unit 51 also performs the stop process. Alternatively, it may return to normal mode operation. The "concentration mode" is stopped when the remote control 55 instructs the end of the "concentration mode" and when the air conditioner 2 is instructed to stop operation, etc.

[0064] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that the "concentration mode" has not been stopped (step S108: No), the process returns to step S101.

[0065] If the concentration-enhancing operation in step S103 is continued for a certain period of time, the control unit 53a determines whether the concentration-enhancing operation has been performed for a predetermined time or longer, based on the start time of the concentration-enhancing operation stored in the memory unit 53b and the timing unit 53c (step S104). In this embodiment, the predetermined time is 3 minutes. However, the execution time of the concentration-enhancing operation is not limited to 3 minutes; it may be 5 minutes or any other execution time as long as the effects of this embodiment are achieved.

[0066] If the control unit 53a determines that the concentration improvement operation has not been performed for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: No), it obtains the concentration level CR from the biological information detection device 43, similar to step S101 (step S105). The control unit 53a determines whether the concentration level CR obtained in step S105 is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold Thb (step S106). If the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR is not equal to or greater than the determination threshold Thb (step S106: No), the concentration level CR of the user HM has not improved. Therefore, the control unit 53a returns to step S104 while continuing the concentration improvement operation.

[0067] If the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Thb (step S106: Yes), it determines that the concentration level CR of the user HM has been improved. Therefore, the control unit 53a stops the concentration improvement operation (step S107). After stopping the concentration mode (step S108: Yes), the control unit 53a terminates the concentration improvement control process and returns to the normal operation mode. Alternatively, the operation of the air conditioner 2 may be stopped. If the control unit 53a determines in step S108 that the concentration mode has not been stopped (step S108: No), it returns the process to step S101.

[0068] If the control unit 53a determines that the concentration-enhancing operation has been performed for a predetermined period of time or longer (step S104: Yes), it stops the concentration-enhancing operation (step S107). The effect of concentration-enhancing operation is easily generated by the change from normal operation. For this reason, the effect of improving the concentration level CR tends to decrease even if concentration-enhancing operation is continued, so the control unit 53a stops the concentration-enhancing operation after it has been performed for a predetermined period of time or longer. The processing after step S107 is the same as described above.

[0069] Furthermore, while the concentration-enhancing operation is being performed in step S106, the control unit 53a displays information indicating the control mode on the main display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13. Specifically, the control unit 53a causes the main display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13 to display information indicating the operating mode, the controlled object, and the control content of the concentration mode control mode table illustrated in Figure 4 as information to be notified to the user HM. The control unit 53a may also send instructions to the remote control 55 and the information device 90 to display the operating mode, the controlled object, and the control content of the concentration mode control mode table on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 and the display unit 90a of the information device 90 as information to be notified to the user HM. In addition, the control unit 53a may also notify the information indicating the control mode by voice during concentration-enhancing operation. For example, the control unit 53a may notify by a speaker provided in the indoor unit 13.

[0070] The above describes how, in the concentration improvement control process, the air conditioning unit is controlled to increase the concentration level CR based on the concentration level CR. In this embodiment, "based on the concentration level CR" means that the decision of whether or not to perform concentration improvement operation and whether or not to continue concentration improvement operation is made "based on the concentration level CR".

[0071] As described above, in the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 53a determines the concentration degree CR based on the pulse wave of the user HM. The estimation of the concentration degree CR based on the pulse wave can be made with higher reliability than the estimation of the concentration degree CR based on the body temperature. Therefore, it becomes possible to determine the decrease in the concentration degree CR of the user HM with higher accuracy, set the concentration mode, and provide an environment in which it is easy to concentrate. Further, in the concentration improvement operation, not only simply reducing the temperature sensation, but also performing air blowing control to directly apply the conditioned air from the indoor unit 13 to the user HM himself / herself, and performing humidity control, it becomes possible to provide an environment in which it is easier to concentrate.

[0072] (Modification example of the first embodiment) The above first embodiment can be variously modified. For example, in the first embodiment, in the concentration improvement control process, the determination of whether to perform the concentration improvement operation (step S102) is based on the difference CB of the concentration degree CR t (=CR t -CR t-1 ), but this is just an example. Arbitrary sample data of the concentration degree CR, for example, sample data CR t-m and CR t-n may be used. Here, m and n are natural numbers, and m < n. Also, a moving average of a plurality of differences or the like may be used. In the following description, the same applies to the case where sample data obtained at different timings is used.

[0073] In the first embodiment, in the concentration improvement control process, the determination of whether to perform the concentration improvement operation (step S102) is made based on whether the concentration degree CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference in the concentration degree CR is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The control unit 53a determines whether to perform the concentration improvement operation (step S102) based on whether the concentration degree CR has decreased and the ratio RC of the concentration degree CR t (=CR t / CR t-1 ) is greater than or equal to a predetermined determination threshold Thc. Alternatively, the determination of whether or not to perform concentration-enhancing operation (step S102) may be made by comparing the concentration level CR with a predetermined determination threshold Thb. For example, the control unit 53a may determine whether or not to perform concentration-enhancing operation (step S102) based on whether or not the concentration level CR is less than the determination threshold Thb. If the concentration level CR is less than the determination threshold Thb, the control unit 53a may perform concentration-enhancing operation.

[0074] In Embodiment 1, the determination of whether or not to continue the concentration improvement operation (step S106) in the concentration improvement control process was made based on whether or not the concentration level CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Thb, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The control unit 53a determines whether or not to continue the concentration improvement operation (step S106) based on the previously acquired concentration level CR t-1 And the concentration level CR obtained this time t The difference RB t (=CR t -CR t-1 ) may be determined by whether or not it is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold Thv. Alternatively, the ratio of the two RC may be used. t (=CR t / CR t-1 Alternatively, the determination may be made based on whether or not the result is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold Thr.

[0075] Furthermore, in concentration-enhancing operation, the concentration level CR may be monitored, and the controlled object may be controlled to increase the concentration level CR. For example, at a certain point t during a driving session with increased concentration, the previous concentration level CR t-1 And the concentration level this time CR t The difference CB t (=CR t -CR t-1 If ) is a positive value, the planned control will continue as is, and the differential CB t If the value is negative, the control amount of the controlled object that has a positive correlation with the concentration CR may be made larger than the planned amount so that the concentration CR is sure to increase. For example, at timing t, the humidity is ΔH t If a control mode is planned to increase the humidity by only ΔH, tIncrease it by +α. Here, α is a positive value, and α = f(CB t The function f is represented by the difference CB. t This is a function that increases as the value of the parameter becomes smaller (the absolute value becomes larger). The same applies to the control of other controlled objects. Also, the concentration level CR from last time t-1 And the concentration level this time CR t Ratio RC t (=CR t / CR t-1 The same process is possible even when ) is less than "1".

[0076] Also, the target value of concentration level CR o The system is configured, and the concentration level CR is periodically acquired by the biological information detection device 43, and the deviation eCR (=CR) is obtained. o The -CR) can be calculated, and based on the deviation eCR, PID control (proportional-integral-derivative control) can be used to control the temperature, humidity, airflow rate, and airflow direction changes ΔT, ΔH, ΔF, and ΔL as shown by the following equations. ΔT=a1·eCR+b1·∫eCRdt+c1·eCR / dt ΔH=a2·eCR+b2·∫eCRdt+c2·eCR / dt ΔF=a3·eCR+b3·∫eCRdt+c3·eCR / dt ΔL=a4·eCR+b4·∫eCRdt+c4·eCR / dt Note that a1, ... a4, b1, ... b4, c1, ... c4 are coefficients.

[0077] Furthermore, machine learning techniques may be used. In this case, the control unit 53a includes a machine learning device. The machine learning device may, for example, determine the target value CR of the concentration level CR. o The machine learning system learns the relationship between the deviation eCR and the target values ​​To, Ho, Fo, Lo for temperature, humidity, airflow, and wind direction as training data. In actual control scenarios, the machine learning system learns the target value CR. o The control unit 53a takes the deviation eCR as input and outputs the target temperature value To, the target humidity value Ho, the target airflow value Fo, and the target airflow direction value Lo. The control unit 53a controls the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82 so that each target value is obtained, and further controls the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 via the control unit 51a. Furthermore, the input to the machine learning device is, for example, the target value CR of concentration level. o The temperature T, humidity H, airflow DF, and airflow direction L at that time may be used, and the output may be set to a target value for each controlled object.

[0078] In Embodiment 1, after performing the concentration enhancement operation in step S103, the control unit 53a performs a determination process for the duration of the concentration enhancement operation (step S104), but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The control unit 53a may continue the concentration enhancement operation without performing the determination process in step S104 until an instruction to end the concentration mode or an instruction to end the air conditioning is given.

[0079] Furthermore, if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is not greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102: No), it may terminate the concentration level improvement control process.

[0080] In Embodiment 1, the control unit 53a would stop the concentration-enhancing operation (step S107) if it had performed the concentration-enhancing operation for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: Yes), and then determine whether or not to stop the concentration mode (step S108). However, if the concentration-enhancing operation is stopped (step S107), the concentration mode may be stopped.

[0081] In Embodiment 1 described above, an example was shown in which control targets such as temperature, humidity, airflow, and airflow direction are changed at a constant rate of change to target values ​​as a concentration-enhancing operation. However, the choice of which variable quantities to control and what kind of change to implement is arbitrary, as long as it increases the concentration level CR of the user HM.

[0082] For example, instead of gradually changing the controlled objects such as temperature, humidity, airflow, and airflow direction to target values, the transition period Ps may be set to approximately 0 (zero), causing a short, instantaneous change, and then maintaining the target values ​​thereafter. Alternatively, the airflow direction may be changed all at once to the target value, while the temperature, humidity, and airflow are changed gradually to the target values. For example, when the concentration-enhancing operation is started, the control unit 53a may adjust the vanes 34 to control the airflow direction all at once, so that it hits preset positions such as the feet, waist, chest, and face of the user HM detected by the bio-information detection device 43 and the infrared sensor 44.

[0083] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8(A), (B), and (C), each control variable may be changed linearly, curvilinearly, or stepwise with respect to time. As shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), by decreasing the amount of change over time, the amount of change at the start of the concentration mode can be increased, thereby suppressing drowsiness and promoting wakefulness. Also, as shown in Figure 8(C), by increasing the amount of change over time, wakefulness can be sustained. Immediately after starting the concentrated mode, the system may perform a concentration-enhancing operation based on a predetermined control pattern or control history, and thereafter, the operation pattern may be changed according to the change in the concentration level CR of the user HM.

[0084] Furthermore, for example, in a concentrated mode, temperature and airflow direction may be adjusted, but humidity and airflow may not be adjusted, thus selectively adjusting only some of the control targets.

[0085] Furthermore, the controlled objects may be changed over time. For example, as illustrated in Figure 9, immediately after the start of the centralized mode, all four controlled objects may be controlled for centralized control, then after time T1, wind direction may be excluded from the centralized control, after time T2, airflow may be excluded from the centralized control, after time T3, humidity may be excluded from the centralized control, and so on. In this way, the controlled objects for the centralized mode may be changed over time.

[0086] In Embodiment 1, the control unit 53a performed airflow control during concentrated operation, but it may also be possible to achieve stimulation of the user HM by airflow by swinging the airflow direction up and down or left and right.

[0087] In the above embodiment 1, control was performed in either the heating or cooling operation mode during concentrated operation. However, in environments where neither cooling nor heating is required, control may be performed in the fan operation mode. In this case, the control unit 53a may control the airflow and airflow direction, but not the temperature and humidity.

[0088] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may change the execution time of the concentration-enhancing operation according to the change in concentration level CR, rather than a predetermined time. For example, if the rate of increase in concentration level CR remained small from immediately after the start of the concentration-enhancing operation, but the rate of increase in concentration level CR increased when the execution time of the concentration-enhancing operation approached the predetermined time, the execution time of the concentration-enhancing operation may be extended.

[0089] In Embodiment 1, the control unit 53a stopped the concentration improvement operation (step S107) if it had been performed for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: Yes). However, the concentration improvement operation may be performed until the concentration level CR reaches or exceeds the determination threshold Thb.

[0090] In Embodiment 1, if the control unit 53a determined that the concentration mode had not stopped after stopping the concentration-enhancing operation (step S107) (step S108: No), it returned to step S101. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The improvement of concentration CR tends to be effective due to changes in the operating state. For this reason, if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration mode has not stopped after stopping the concentration-enhancing operation (step S107) (step S108: No), it may not immediately return to step S101, but may wait for a predetermined amount of time to elapse before returning to step S101.

[0091] In the above embodiment 1, the determination of whether or not to perform concentration improvement operation was made by comparing the absolute value of the difference with one determination threshold Tha in the determination process (step S102) of whether the concentration level CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha, but multiple determination thresholds may be set. For example, Figure 10 shows an example in which two determination thresholds Tha1 and Tha2 are used. Note that Tha1 > Tha2. In this example, when the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR decreases is greater than or equal to the first determination threshold Tha1, all four control targets are controlled for concentration mode, when the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR decreases is greater than or equal to the second determination threshold Tha2 and less than the first determination threshold Tha1, temperature and wind direction are targeted for control in concentration mode, and when the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR decreases is less than the second determination threshold Tha2, only temperature is controlled for concentration mode.

[0092] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(A), the date and time of the concentration-enhancing operation, the operation mode, the change in concentration level CR, the rate of increase in concentration level CR, etc., may be recorded in the storage unit 53b or an external storage device to form history information, which may then be fed back into subsequent concentration-enhancing operations. For example, multiple concentration-enhancing operations with different operation modes may be performed, and then the control operation mode with the highest rate of increase in concentration level CR among the recorded operation modes may be identified, and the same or similar control may be performed as that operation mode. Note that the rate of increase in concentration level CR is, for example, the concentration level CR at the start of the concentration mode. t=0 and the level of concentration CR after a certain period of time TE has elapsed. t=TE The ratio value CR t=TE / CR t=0 You can find it by doing this.

[0093] Furthermore, the user HM may be identified, and the history of concentration-enhancing operation may be recorded for each user HM, as illustrated in Figure 11(B). In this case, when the concentration mode is activated, the user HM in the indoor space 71 is identified, and based on the history information of that user HM, for example, the operation pattern of concentration-enhancing operation when the concentration level CR was at its highest can be reproduced, thereby improving the concentration level CR. Immediately after starting the concentrated mode, the system will perform a concentration-enhancing operation based on the history, and thereafter, it will monitor the change in the concentration level CR of the user HM (=CR). t -CR t-1 ) or rate of change (=(CR t -CR t-1 ) / CR t The operating mode may be adjusted according to the following. For example, if the concentration level CR does not change much during the previous concentration-enhancing operation, the amount of change for each controlled object may be increased to be greater than the previous amount of change or the planned amount. If the concentration level CR increases rapidly, the amount of change for each controlled object may be decreased to be less than the previous amount of change or the planned amount.

[0094] Furthermore, when selecting a suitable driving mode, temporal factors such as the day of the week, time of day, and season may be taken into consideration. For example, if the history shows that reducing the airflow on a holiday afternoon tends to improve the concentration level (CR) compared to weekdays, then if the activation of the concentration mode falls on a holiday afternoon, the system may start the concentration-enhancing operation with reduced airflow.

[0095] While Doppler sensors are directional and their direction of direction can be controlled by a gimbal mechanism or the like, this disclosure is not limited to this. Doppler sensors may also be in a fixed form whose direction of direction cannot be controlled. Multiple Doppler sensors may be provided, not just one, to detect the pulse wave of a user HM present in the indoor space 71. Furthermore, in addition to the indoor unit 13 being equipped with Doppler sensors, Doppler sensors may be installed on walls, ceilings, etc., or, for example, Doppler sensors may be fixed on tripods at the four corners of the room so that the direction of microwave irradiation faces the center of the room.

[0096] In Embodiment 1, the system was equipped with an infrared sensor 44 and a Doppler sensor. The infrared sensor 44 identified the location of a person, and the Doppler sensor detected the pulse wave of the human body, with both working together to perform their roles as sensors. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. The air conditioner 2 may be equipped with only a Doppler sensor, and the Doppler sensor may identify the location of a person as well as detect the pulse wave of the human body. Furthermore, the detection of the infrared sensor 44 and the detection of the Doppler sensor may be combined to improve reliability.

[0097] In Embodiment 1, the pulse wave of the human body was 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 24GHz to 79GHz FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave radar) sensor. Alternatively, the pulse wave may be measured by irradiating the body with light such as infrared light, red light, or green wavelength light, and measuring the light reflected within the body or the light transmitted through the body with a photodetector. Furthermore, the sensor is not limited to non-contact types; a contact-type sensor that detects by coming into contact with the human body may also be used. For example, an electrocardiogram (ECG) may be used to measure the pulse wave on the human body, and the pulse wave may be extracted from the ECG.

[0098] In Embodiment 1, the air conditioning system 2 had a control device 50 inside, but the control device 50 may be located outside the air conditioning system 2. In this case, the control device 50 is connected to the air conditioning system 2 via a network NW, for example, as shown in Figure 12. In this case, the air conditioning system 2 includes, for example, a communication device 56 that communicates with the outside. The communication device 56 enables communication between the outdoor unit control unit 51 of the externally located control device 50 and the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 of the air conditioning system 2, and enables communication between the indoor unit control unit 53 of the externally located control device 50 and the sensor group 40, remote control 55, and indoor unit air conditioning unit 82.

[0099] Furthermore, for example, the control device 50 may consist of a server device 57 connected to a network NW. In this case, for example, a control program that executes the control processing performed by the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 can be installed on the server device 57, thereby building the outdoor unit control function and the indoor unit control function on the server device 57. Note that the server device 57 may be implemented using a personal computer.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 2 was equipped with a biometric information detection device 43, but the biometric information detection device 43 may be located outside the air conditioner 2. For example, the biometric information detection device 43 may be placed on the ceiling, walls, floor, etc., that form the indoor space 71. Alternatively, a wearable biometric information detection device may be used. In this case, it is desirable to connect the wearable biometric information detection device and the indoor unit control unit 53 by wireless or wired communication.

[0101] Furthermore, some recent portable information terminals have functions to measure and analyze various types of biological information. Using this type of portable information terminal as a sensor, for example, in the configuration shown in Figure 3, the information device 90 and the indoor unit control unit 53 may be directly connected by wire or wireless, or connected via a network NW, and the information device 90 may acquire biological information, further analyze it to determine the concentration level CR, and notify the indoor unit control unit 53. Alternatively, the information device 90 may acquire biological information and transmit it to the indoor unit control unit 53, and the indoor unit control unit 53 may analyze the biological information to determine the concentration level CR. The biological information detection device 43 may, for example, only 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 concentration level CR.

[0102] In Embodiment 1, the concentration enhancement control process was started when the user HM selected a concentration mode using the remote control 55, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The start and end can be set in any manner. For example, when a human presence sensor such as an infrared sensor 44 detects a person in the indoor space 71, the concentration enhancement control process may be started automatically and terminated when no more people are detected.

[0103] Furthermore, in the concentration improvement control process, if the concentration level CR becomes an exceptional value such as that shown when no one is present, the concentration improvement control process may be terminated, or the operation of the air conditioner 2 may be stopped. For example, if the acquired concentration level CR is "zero", the control unit 53a may stop the operation of the air conditioner 2.

[0104] In the above embodiment, temperature, humidity, airflow, and airflow direction were controlled in the centralized mode, but other parameters may be controlled in place of some of these controls, or along with these controls. For example, control may be performed to change the temperature control timing from the temperature control timing during normal operation. Here, temperature control timing means the timing at which temperature control is turned on or off. Here, "temperature control off" means stopping the compressor 21 of the outdoor unit 11 and stopping "cooling" or "heating", and "temperature control on" means operating the compressor 21 of the outdoor unit 11 and performing "cooling" or "heating". The timing for "temperature control off" is set when the temperature difference ΔTR between the room temperature TR and the set temperature TS set in the user HM reaches ΔToff℃, and the timing for "temperature control on" is set when the temperature difference ΔTR between the room temperature TR and the set temperature TS reaches ΔTon℃. For example, consider a scenario where the cooling operation is in normal mode, the set temperature is 28°C, the timing for turning off temperature control is set to ΔToff = -2°C, and the timing for turning on temperature control is set to a temperature difference of ΔTon = 0°C. In this case, when the room temperature TR drops to the set temperature of 26°C and the temperature difference ΔTR becomes -2°C, the compressor 21 stops and the "cooling" operation ceases. Subsequently, when the room temperature TR rises to 28°C and the temperature difference ΔTR becomes 0°C, the compressor 21 starts operating and the "cooling" operation resumes.

[0105] For example, in the concentration improvement control process, during concentration improvement operation (step S103), control may be performed to change the temperature control on / off timing set for normal mode. For example, in step S103 of Figure 6, the temperature difference ΔTon℃ that defines the timing to turn on the temperature control is set to -1℃, which is smaller than that of the normal mode, and the temperature difference ΔToff℃ that defines the timing to turn off the temperature control is set to -1.5℃, which is larger than that of the normal mode. In this case, in the above example, when the room temperature TR reaches 27℃, which is 1℃ lower than the set temperature TS, the difference between the room temperature TR and the set temperature TS reaches ΔTon℃, so the compressor 21 is operated to resume "cooling". Also, when the room temperature TR reaches 26.5℃, which is 1.5℃ lower than the set temperature TS, control is performed to stop "cooling".

[0106] In Embodiment 1, only the air conditioning unit 2 was controlled based on the concentration level CR, but in addition to this, equipment used by the user HM may also be controlled. The equipment used by the user HM adjusts the environment in a way that affects the user HM's concentration level CR. In addition to the air conditioning unit 2, external equipment such as lighting equipment 91a, 91b, electric fans 92, water heaters, air purifiers, and ventilation fans, which are connected directly to the outdoor unit 11 or indoor unit 13 or via a network NW, may also be controlled, as illustrated in Figure 13(A). These external equipment may be operated via wired signals or wireless signals such as infrared signals from the air conditioning unit 2, or via a cloud server. These external equipment is located in the house 3 and is installed and used in a manner that can affect the concentration level CR of the user HM located in the indoor space 71.

[0107] In this case, the storage unit 53b of the indoor unit control unit 53 stores a control mode table for centralized mode, as illustrated in Figure 13(B). This table registers the identification information and control mode of the external equipment to be controlled when performing the centralized operation.

[0108] For example, in step S103 of Figure 6, the indoor unit control unit 53 sends commands to lighting devices 91a and 91b according to the settings in the control mode table for concentration mode, instructing them to lower the dimming level of lighting 1 to 60% and setting the dimming level of lighting 2 to 100%. The control content for lighting devices 91a and 91b is based on the tendency that if lighting 1 is a lamp that brightens the entire indoor space 71 and lighting 2 is a desk lamp, then slightly dimming the entire room and brightening the area around the desk will enhance concentration. A command is sent to the server device 57 via the network NW to set the wind speed of the fan 92 connected to the server device 57 to level "2". Also, for example, if the fan 92 has a rhythmic wind mode function that provides a natural breeze, the indoor unit control unit 53 switches the operating mode to rhythmic wind mode. Furthermore, if the external device is a water heater, the indoor unit control unit 53 sets the set temperature higher. If the external device is an air purifier, the indoor unit control unit 53 switches to a quiet setting so that the operating noise is not noticeable. Also, if the external device is a ventilation fan, the indoor unit control unit 53 operates the ventilation fan to lower the carbon dioxide concentration in the room and improve the concentration CR. The indoor unit control unit 53 controls these external devices during the concentration improvement operation in step S103. By controlling external devices in addition to the air conditioning system 2, a further improvement in the concentration CR can be achieved.

[0109] Furthermore, during normal operation, the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the air temperature near the intake port of the indoor heat exchanger 25 reaches the set temperature. However, in concentrated mode, it may perform air conditioning operation to bring the perceived temperature that a person actually feels closer to the target temperature, which is the set temperature. In this case, in the configuration of Figure 1, for example, a perceived temperature sensor that detects the user HM's perceived temperature is placed adjacent to the infrared sensor 44, and in step S103 of Figure 6, air conditioning operation is performed to bring the temperature detected by the perceived temperature sensor closer to the set temperature, instead of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 41.

[0110] Furthermore, if the infrared sensor 44 detects a user HM, the centralized air conditioning operation may be performed, and if the infrared sensor 44 no longer detects a user HM, the centralized air conditioning operation may be stopped.

[0111] In Embodiment 1, the indoor unit control unit 53 received instructions from the user HM from the remote control 55, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The indoor unit control unit 53 may also receive instructions from the user HM from an information device 90 on which an application for the air conditioning system 2 is installed.

[0112] (Embodiment 2) Embodiment 1 shows an example where the user HM targeted by the concentration improvement control process is one person. The disclosure is not limited thereto, and as illustrated in Figure 14, the control unit 53a may perform concentration improvement control processing for multiple user HMs. If there are multiple user HMs, the biometric information detection device 43 detects the pulse wave of each user HM and identifies the concentration level CR of each user HM. In addition, the infrared sensor 44 identifies the locations of multiple people. In Figure 14, the control unit 53a performs concentration level improvement control processing for two users HM1 and HM2, but it may target any number of people, not just two. The following explanation will focus on the differences from Embodiment 1, referring to the flowchart in Figure 6. Note that Figure 14 is an example where the air conditioning system 1 is ceiling-mounted.

[0113] In Embodiment 2, the control unit 53a acquires the concentration levels CR1 and CR2 of two users HM1 and HM2 in the concentration improvement control process (step S101). Subsequently, in the determination process, the control unit 53a acquires the concentration levels CR1 of two users HM1 and HM2 t and CR2 t The average value of AVCR t =(CR1 f +CR2 f ) / 2 and the previous average value AVCR t-1 =(CR1 f-1 +CR2 f-1 ) / 2 difference CB t The control unit 53a calculates the average value AVCR for this time. t The previous average value AVCR t-1 It is lower than and the difference CB tThe control unit 53a determines whether the absolute value of is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102). The control unit 53a performs the processing in step S105 in the same way as in step S101. In the processing in step S106, the control unit 53a determines the concentration level CR1 of the two users HM1 and HM2. t and CR2 t The average value of AVCR t =(CR1 f +CR2 f It is determined whether ) / 2 is greater than or equal to the judgment threshold Thb (step S106).

[0114] When performing concentration-enhancing operation, the control unit 53a controls temperature, humidity, airflow rate, and airflow direction for two users, HM1 and HM2, based on the average concentration level AVCR. On the other hand, for airflow direction, the control unit 53a controls the vane 34 to generate two airflows F1 and F2, and controls them individually for the two users, HM1 and HM2. This allows for airflow control, for example, by controlling the airflow directions from the solid lines F1 and F2 to the dashed lines F1' and F2' as shown in Figure 14. This makes it possible to improve the concentration level CR for each user HM.

[0115] (Modified version of Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 2, in the determination process (step S102), the absolute value of the difference between the average values ​​AVCR of the concentration levels CR of the two individuals was compared with the determination threshold Tha to determine whether or not to perform concentration improvement operation. In addition, in the determination process (step S106), the average value AVCR of the concentration levels CR of the two individuals was compared with the determination threshold Thb to determine whether or not to continue concentration improvement operation. The disclosure is not limited to these. For example, the determination threshold may be compared with any representative value such as the median, minimum, or maximum value of the concentration levels CR of multiple users HM, or the determination threshold may be compared with the determination threshold to determine whether or not to perform or continue the operation.

[0116] Furthermore, in Embodiments 1 and 2, the control unit 53a was described as determining whether the concentration level CR of the user HM has decreased and the absolute value of the difference in concentration levels CR is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102), and performing concentration improvement operation only when the concentration level CR of the user HM has decreased and the absolute value of the difference in concentration levels CR is greater than or equal to the determination threshold Tha (step S102: Yes). However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. When a concentration mode is specified, the control unit 53a may unconditionally start concentration improvement operation.

[0117] In embodiments 1 and 2, the infrared sensor 44 identified the presence or absence of user HM and the locations of multiple people. However, instead, a Doppler sensor may be used to identify the locations of multiple people. Specifically, the Doppler sensor identifies the location of a person by illuminating while changing the irradiation angle.

[0118] In embodiments 1 and 2, the indoor space 71 is not limited to an indoor space; it may be a closed space or a semi-closed space with a part of it open. It may also be a substantially closed space or a semi-closed space separated by an air curtain or the like.

[0119] (Embodiment 3) In Embodiments 1 and 2, the concentration level CR was determined based on the pulse wave. This disclosure is not limited thereto. Other biometric information may be used in combination to improve the accuracy of the concentration level CR. For example, the pulse wave and its changes, heart rate and its changes, brainwaves and their changes, body temperature and its changes, facial muscle movements, and behavior of the user may be measured by sensors, and the concentration level CR may be determined from each of these measurements. The multiple concentration levels CRs obtained may then be weighted and averaged to determine the concentration level CR to be used for control.

[0120] Furthermore, it is possible to utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) such as neural networks to measure the concentration level (CR). In this case, for example, the relationship between a set of input data such as the user's pulse wave and its changes, the user's heart rate and its changes, the user's brainwaves and their changes, the user's body temperature and its changes, the user's facial muscle movements and the user's behavior, and the output concentration level (CR) is investigated in advance to create training data. Next, the AI ​​device is trained with the training data. The AI ​​device takes biometric information such as pulse waves and brainwaves measured by sensors, their rate of change, and their history as input, and outputs an index that indicates the concentration level (CR).

[0121] Furthermore, in embodiments 1 and 2, in step S102, it was determined whether or not to perform concentration improvement operation based on the relationship between a preset standard and the concentration level CR, but concentration improvement operation may be performed without such determination. For example, AI technology may be utilized in the indoor unit control unit 53, and for example, the concentration level CR, its change, rate of change, or its history may be input to the AI ​​device, and the AI ​​device may be configured to output an appropriate control mode. In this case, for example, the relationship between the concentration level CR, its amount of change or rate of change, their history, the controlled object, the control content, and its effect is investigated in advance to create training data. Next, the AI ​​device is trained with the training data. In step S102 of Figure 6, the AI ​​device receives the concentration level CR etc. supplied from the biological information detection device 43 as input and outputs an appropriate controlled object and control content. Subsequently, in step S103, the air conditioning control indicated by the output controlled object and control content is performed.

[0122] This disclosure allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. In other words, the scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0123] 1 Air conditioning system, 2 Air conditioning device, 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 fan, 33 Indoor fan, 34 Vane, 40 Sensor group, 41 Temperature sensor, 42 Humidity sensor, 43 Biometric information detection device, 44 Infrared sensor, 50 Control device, 51 Outdoor unit control unit, 51a Control unit, 51b Memory unit, 51c Timing unit, 51d Communication unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 53a Control unit, 53b Memory unit, 53c Timing unit, 53d Communication unit, 54 Control program for centralized mode, 54a Acquisition processing unit, 54b Judgment processing unit, 54c Control processing unit, 54d Set value group, 55 Remote control, 55a Display unit, 56 Communication device, 57 Server device, 58 Main unit 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, 90 Information equipment, 90a Display unit, 91a,91b Lighting equipment, 92 Fan, 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,HM1,HM2 User

Claims

1. An air conditioning system that controls the air conditioning of a space to be air-conditioned, An air conditioning unit that air-conditions the aforementioned space to be air-conditioned, A control device for controlling the air conditioning unit, Equipped with, The control device is An index value acquisition means for acquiring the degree of concentration obtained from changes in the movement of the user's body surface in the air-conditioned space, The system includes control means for controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the user's concentration level based on the acquired concentration level, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of the control targets of the air-conditioned space: temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate. The aforementioned index value acquisition means periodically acquires the user's concentration level, The control means, when the concentration level obtained by the index value acquisition means shows a tendency to decrease, increases the number of controlled objects as the degree of decrease increases. Air conditioning system.

2. The control means increases the number of controlled objects as the acquired concentration level decreases from the concentration level acquired a predetermined period before the time of acquisition, and as the absolute value of the difference between the acquired concentration level and the concentration level acquired a predetermined period before the time of acquisition increases. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

3. If the absolute value is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust all of the controlled objects. The air conditioning system according to claim 2.

4. If the absolute value is determined to be smaller than the predetermined threshold, the air conditioning unit is controlled to adjust any two or one of the controlled objects. The air conditioning system according to claim 3.

5. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust the control target, which includes the temperature, among the control targets. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

6. The control device, in addition to controlling the air conditioning unit, further controls the equipment used by the user in order to improve the user's level of concentration. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

7. When the control means controls the air conditioning unit to increase the concentration level, if it determines that the execution time for controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the concentration level is longer than a predetermined time, it stops controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the concentration level. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

8. If there are multiple users in the aforementioned air-conditioned space, The means for acquiring the index value acquires the concentration level of all of the multiple users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to increase the representative value of the acquired concentration level. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

9. If there are multiple users in the aforementioned air-conditioned space, The means for acquiring the index value acquires the concentration level of all of the multiple users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to increase the minimum concentration level among the acquired concentration levels. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

10. The system further includes a display means for displaying information to be communicated to the user, The display means displays information indicating the control mode for controlling the air conditioning unit when the air conditioning unit is being controlled to increase the concentration level. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

11. An air conditioning system that controls the air conditioning of a space to be air-conditioned, An air conditioning unit that air-conditions the aforementioned space to be air-conditioned, A control device for controlling the air conditioning unit, Equipped with, The control device includes an index value acquisition means for acquiring the degree of user concentration in the air-conditioned space, The system includes control means for controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the user's concentration level based on the acquired concentration level, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of the control targets of the air-conditioned space: temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate. The aforementioned index value acquisition means periodically acquires the user's concentration level, The control means, when the concentration level obtained by the index value acquisition means shows a tendency to decrease, increases the number of controlled objects as the degree of decrease increases. Air conditioning system.

12. Performs air conditioning control for the air-conditioned space, The concentration level of users in the air-conditioned space is obtained, Control is performed to increase the aforementioned concentration level, The air conditioning control is performed to adjust at least one of the control targets of the air-conditioned space: temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate. Periodically acquire the concentration level of the aforementioned user, If the acquired concentration level shows a tendency to decrease, the number of controlled objects will be increased as the degree of decrease increases. Control method.

13. On the computer, A process for controlling the air conditioning of a space to be air-conditioned. A process for obtaining the concentration level of users in the air-conditioned space. A process that controls the concentration to increase the aforementioned level of concentration. A process of performing the air conditioning control to adjust at least one of the control targets of the air-conditioned space: temperature, humidity, airflow direction, and airflow rate. A process to periodically acquire the concentration level of the aforementioned user, If the acquired concentration level shows a tendency to decrease, the number of controlled objects is increased as the degree of decrease increases. A program that executes the command.

Images