Apparatus and method for predicting temperature changes in a target area

Abstract

To prevent the drive of an unnecessary air conditioner and minimize the power consumption of the air conditioner, a temperature change amount prediction device and method that accurately predict the temperature change amount of a target area are provided. 【Solution means】 It is performed by a device on a processor board, and includes a step of collecting a plurality of base information, and a step of calculating base relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the temperature change amount of the target area based on the plurality of base information. Each of the plurality of base information is information on the temperature change amount of the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area in a late-night time period. The late-night time period is set based on at least one of the activity schedule information of the target area, the sunrise time, and the sunset time. The late-night time period is a time period between a first time point and a second time point. The first time point corresponds to the later time point among the end time of the activity time of the target area and the sunset time. The second time point corresponds to the earlier time point among the start time of the activity time of the target area and the sunrise time. The late-night time period is characterized by starting at a time when a predetermined time has elapsed after passing the first time point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for predicting a temperature change amount in a target area, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for predicting a temperature change amount in a target area that is used to control the driving of a heating and cooling device in the target area.

Background Art

[0002] A heating and cooling device (or air conditioner) is a device that comfortably maintains the indoor temperature suitable for human activities using a refrigeration cycle. The heating and cooling device cools the indoor space by inhaling the hot air in the room, exchanging heat with a low-temperature refrigerant, and then discharging it into the room, or warms the indoor space by the opposite action. Generally, the driving of a heating and cooling device is controlled by direct human operation. As an example, in summer, when the indoor temperature is high, the user turns on the heating and cooling device and sets the desired temperature of the turned-on heating and cooling device low to quickly reduce the high indoor temperature. On the other hand, many users are located in spaces such as cafeterias, cafes, and offices, and generally, the administrator directly controls the driving of the heating and cooling device. However, there is a problem that the heating and cooling device is not efficiently driven due to the ignorance or indifference of the administrator.

[0003] As an example, in summer, when the administrator sets the desired temperature of the heating and cooling device high, the user may feel hot, and when the administrator sets the desired temperature of the heating and cooling device low, the user may feel cold. As a result, the user feels inconvenience. Furthermore, when the desired temperature of the heating and cooling device is set low in summer, there is a problem that the power consumption of the heating and cooling device increases, thereby increasing the electricity cost of the space. Therefore, a technology is required to efficiently drive the heating and cooling device without the administrator directly operating it.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a temperature change prediction device and method for accurately predicting the amount of temperature change in a target area in order to prevent unnecessary operation of air conditioners and minimize power consumption of air conditioners. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a temperature change prediction device and method for calculating baseline relationship information of a target area used to predict the amount of temperature change in that area. The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other objectives and advantages of the present invention not mentioned can be understood from the following description and will be more clearly understood from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of the present invention can be achieved by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The method for predicting the amount of temperature change in a target area according to the present invention includes the steps of: collecting a plurality of base information; and calculating base relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area based on the plurality of base information, wherein each of the plurality of base information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area during a nighttime period, and the nighttime period is set based on at least one of the activity schedule information of the target area, the sunrise time, and the sunset time. The temperature change prediction device for a target area of ​​the present invention includes a memory for storing computer-readable instructions and a processor embodied to execute the instructions, wherein the processor collects a plurality of base information, calculates base relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the temperature change amount of the target area based on the plurality of base information, each of the plurality of base information is information on the temperature change amount of the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area during a nighttime period, and the nighttime period is set based on at least one of the activity schedule information of the target area, sunrise time, and sunset time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, by accurately predicting the amount of temperature change in a target area based on information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference collected during the nighttime period, unnecessary operation of air conditioners and heaters can be prevented, and the power consumption of air conditioners and heaters can be minimized. Furthermore, according to the present invention, by calculating the basis relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the temperature change amount of the target area, which reflects the base thermal characteristic parameters, it is possible to accurately predict the temperature change amount of the target area, reflecting the unique thermal characteristics of the target area. Furthermore, the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, but should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention as described in the detailed description or claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration of the space of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows a schematic configuration of the heating and cooling system control system of the present invention. [Figure 3] This diagram shows a schematic configuration of the management server of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an overall flowchart of the drive control method for the heating and cooling system of the present invention. [Figure 5a] This figure illustrates the concept of a relational polynomial function related to the drive control method for a heating and cooling system of the present invention. [Figure 5b] This figure illustrates the concept of a relational polynomial function related to the drive control method for a heating and cooling system of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the concept of a relational polynomial function related to the drive control method for a heating and cooling system of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates the concept of a relational polynomial function related to the drive control method for a heating and cooling system of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] While the present invention can be modified in various ways and has many embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated and described in detail in the drawings. However, this should not be understood as limiting the present invention to specific embodiments, but rather as including all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the description of each drawing. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but such components should not be limited by such terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. The term "and / or" includes combinations of multiple related items or any one of multiple related items.

[0009] When it is stated that one component is “connected” or “linked” to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or linked to the other component, but there may also be another component in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is “directly connected” or “directly linked” to another component, it should be understood that there is no other component in between. The terms used herein are used solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “includes” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and should not be understood to preemptively exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0010] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as those generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as ideal or overly formal unless expressly defined herein.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of space 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, space 1 includes multiple areas 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. Multiple zones 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d can be separated from each other by interior walls. By being separated by interior walls, the indoor temperature and humidity of each of the multiple zones 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d can be different from each other. Each of the multiple zones 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d can be equipped with a heating and cooling unit 20, a temperature and humidity sensor 30, and a control module 40. Furthermore, a gateway 50 can be installed in at least some of the zones 10b among the multiple zones 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. On the other hand, although not shown in Figure 1, an access point 60 (see Figure 2) can be further installed in specific zones among the multiple zones 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0012] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained assuming that area 10b, where gateway 50 is installed, is the target area 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the contents of the present invention described later can be applied to all of the multiple areas 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. Figure 2 shows a schematic configuration of the heating and cooling system 2 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the air conditioning control system 2 includes a temperature and humidity sensor 30, a control module 40, a gateway 50, an access point 60, and a management server 70. The temperature and humidity sensor 30 can measure the indoor temperature and humidity of the target area 10. For this purpose, the temperature and humidity sensor 30 can include a temperature sensor module and a humidity sensor module. The temperature and humidity sensor 30 can be installed at a position where it can measure the temperature and humidity of the area where people mainly move, but is not limited thereto. The temperature and humidity sensor 30 can also be built into the air conditioner 20. The temperature and humidity sensor 30 can communicate with other electronic devices within the target area 10. For this purpose, the temperature and humidity sensor 30 can include a short-range communication module. As an example, the temperature and humidity sensor 30 can include a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0013] The control module 40 can be a device that transfers a drive control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 20 to the air conditioner 20. The control module 40 can be installed in a specific part of the target area 10 adjacent to the air conditioner 20. As will be described later, the drive control signal can be generated by the management server 70 and transferred from the management server 70 to the control module 40 via the access point 60 and the gateway 50. For this purpose, the control module 40 can include a short-range communication module and an infrared data association (IrDA) module. As an example, the control module 40 can include a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0014] The gateway 50 can communicate with the temperature and humidity sensor 30, the control module 40, and the access point 60, respectively. To this end, the gateway 50 may include a first short-range communication module for communication with the temperature and humidity sensor 30 and the control module 40, and a second short-range communication module for communication with the access point 60. For example, the first short-range communication module may be a Bluetooth® communication module, and the second short-range communication module may be a WiFi (Wireless fidelity) communication module, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The gateway 50 can receive indoor temperature and humidity information from the temperature and humidity sensor 30 and then transfer it to the access point 60. The gateway 50 can also receive drive control signals for the air conditioner 20 (described later) from the access point 60 and then transfer them to the control module 40. Furthermore, the gateway 50 can receive drive-related data for the air conditioner 20 from the control module 40.

[0015] The access point 60 can relay communication between the gateway 50 and the management server 70. For this purpose, the access point 60 may include a second short-range communication module and a long-range communication module. The management server 70 may be a device that actually controls the air conditioner 20. The management server 70 can communicate with the access point 60 and the weather server 80. The management server 70 can receive indoor temperature and humidity information for the target area 10 from the access point 60 and weather information for the target area 10 from the weather server 80. The management server 70 can generate a drive control signal for the air conditioner 20 using the indoor temperature and humidity information and the weather information for the target area 10, and can transfer the drive control signal to the access point 60. The weather server 80 may be a server that provides weather information (weather information) for each administrative area. The weather information may be predicted information. The weather information may include outdoor temperature, cloud cover, probability of precipitation, humidity, etc. On the other hand, cloud cover can correspond to solar radiation (i.e., the amount of sunlight).

[0016] The management server 70 will be described in more detail below. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the management server 70 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the management server 70 may include a communication unit 710, a control unit 720, and a storage unit 730. The functions of each component will be described in detail below. The communication unit 710 may be a module that communicates with the access point 60 and the weather server 80. For example, the communication unit 710 may include a long-distance communication module that is implemented wirelessly, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As described above, the communication unit 710 can receive indoor temperature and humidity information measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 30, and can receive weather information for the target area 10 provided by the weather server 80. The control unit 720 may include memory and a processor. The memory may be volatile and / or non-volatile memory and may store instructions or data related to at least one other component of the management server 70. The processor may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor, or a communication processor.

[0017] The control unit 720 can control the communication unit 710 and generate a drive control signal for the air conditioner 20. The drive control signal can be generated based on indoor temperature and humidity information and weather information for the target area 10. In order to generate the drive control signal, the control unit 720 can calculate processing information using the aforementioned information. The control unit 720 can generate processing information in real time at the time of control when attempting to control the air conditioner 20, or it can generate processing information in advance before the control time. Here, the control time can correspond to the time when the temperature change amount of the target area 10 is predicted. The storage unit 730 can store various information related to the drive control of the air conditioner 20. On the other hand, as will be described later, the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 can be predicted in order to generate a drive control signal. That is, the management server 70 can correspond to a device that predicts the amount of temperature change in the target area 10.

[0018] The following will first explain the concept of the thermal characteristics of the target area 10 that affect the indoor temperature of the target area 10, and then describe an example in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is controlled by predicting the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. 1. Thermal characteristics of area 10 The thermal characteristics of area 10 can be defined as the influence that changes in the internal and external environment of area 10 have on the indoor temperature changes of area 10. The thermal characteristics of area 10 may differ from those of other areas. The thermal characteristics of the target area 10 can be defined by a plurality of thermal characteristic parameters. According to the embodiment, the plurality of thermal characteristic parameters may include at least one of the following: sunlight, human body, power consumption device, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structure. Sunlight is light that naturally shines into the target area 10 through windows or other openings provided in the area 10, without the user's intention. The more sunlight (i.e., solar radiation) enters the target area 10, the higher the indoor temperature of the target area 10 may become.

[0019] On the other hand, the amount of sunlight entering an area can be related to cloud cover. As cloud cover increases, the amount of sunlight entering an area may decrease, and as cloud cover decreases, the amount of sunlight entering an area may increase. For example, cloud cover can be expressed on nine levels. On a very sunny day, cloud cover is at level 0 (i.e., minimum cloud cover) and sunlight inflow is at its maximum. On a very cloudy day, cloud cover is at level 8 (i.e., maximum cloud cover) and sunlight inflow is at its minimum. A human body is a user located in area 10, and is a natural heat source that emits heat. The indoor temperature of area 10 may increase as the number of users located in area 10 increases. A power-consuming device is an electrical / electronic device that uses electricity to perform a specific operation and releases heat when it is in operation. Examples of power-consuming devices include lighting equipment, PCs (personal computers), refrigerators, water purifiers, TVs, humidifiers, air purifiers, dishwashers, etc. In this case, air conditioners 20 are defined to be excluded from the definition of power-consuming devices. In particular, lighting equipment is a device that emits light into the target area 10 according to the user's intention, and a moderate amount of heat may be released from the lighting equipment when light is emitted.

[0020] On the other hand, power-consuming devices such as refrigerators and water purifiers are not turned off in the target area 10 and are always turned on to release heat. Therefore, power-consuming devices that are always turned on are defined as "baseline power-consuming devices," and power-consuming devices that are turned on only during specific time intervals (for example, the activity time of the target area 10 described later) and turned off outside of those specific time intervals are defined as "non-baseline power-consuming devices." Air infiltration is outside air that flows into the target area 10 through gaps in windows or doors, etc. In other words, air infiltration is outside air that flows into the target area 10 naturally without the user's intention. For example, in summer, the more air infiltration flows in, the higher the indoor temperature of the target area 10 may rise, and in winter, the more air infiltration flows in, the lower the indoor temperature of the target area 10 may fall. Ventilation is the outside air that flows into the target area 10 through opening windows, operating ventilation equipment, etc. In other words, ventilation can be the exchange of air between the inside and outside air in the target area 10 at the user's discretion. Similar to air infiltration, in summer, the more ventilation there is, the higher the indoor temperature in the target area 10 may rise, and in winter, the more ventilation there is, the lower the indoor temperature in the target area 10 may fall.

[0021] Wall structures include doors, windows, walls, etc. Heat inside the target area 10 can flow out to the outside of the target area 10 through the wall structures by radiation / convection / conduction, and heat outside the target area 10 can flow into the target area 10 through the wall structures by radiation / convection / conduction. On the other hand, the target area 10 may be an area where a specific activity takes place. For example, the target area 10 may be an office where business activities take place, or a cafe or cafeteria where service activities take place. Furthermore, the target area 10 may have an activity schedule or pre-set activity hours. For example, an office may have office hours, and a cafe or cafeteria may have service hours. Activity hours can be defined as including the time required to prepare for the activity.

[0022] At this time, when the activity time in area 10 ends, all users who are active in area 10 may leave the area, non-baseline power consumption devices, especially lighting devices, may be turned off, and ventilation may not occur. Also, during nighttime hours, sunlight does not flow into area 10, and all the heat stored in the wall structure may be released due to the thermal inertia of the wall structure. In other words, the indoor temperature of the target area 10 during nighttime hours may not be affected by at least one of the following: heat from sunlight passing into the target area 10, heat emitted from human bodies located in the target area 10, heat emitted from non-baseline power consumption devices that are turned off during nighttime hours, and heat from outside air entering the target area due to ventilation. However, the indoor temperature of the target area 10 during nighttime hours may be affected by heat emitted by the operation of baseline power consumption devices, heat from outside air entering through permeation, and heat associated with wall structures. In other words, base power consumption devices, ventilation, and wall structures can be defined as base thermal characteristic parameters among the thermal characteristic parameters, and base thermal characteristic parameters can always affect the indoor temperature of area 10 at all times. In addition, sunlight, human bodies, non-base power consumption devices, and ventilation can be defined as non-base thermal characteristic parameters among the thermal characteristic parameters, and non-base thermal characteristic parameters may not affect the indoor temperature of area 10 during nighttime hours.

[0023] 2. Drive control of the air conditioner 20 based on the predicted temperature change in the target area 10. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the overall drive control method for the heating and cooling system of the present invention. The drive control method for the air conditioning and heating system can be performed by the management server 70 described above. The process performed at each stage will be explained in detail below. First, in step (S10), information for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 20 can be collected or calculated. According to the embodiment, the information for controlling the drive described above may include collected information and calculated information. The collected information may include base information and intermediate information, and the calculated information may include base relationship information and intermediate relationship information. The base information may be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 during a pre-set late-night time interval. The indoor-outdoor temperature difference in area 10 is the difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature of area 10 (T o -T i This can be done in conjunction with the above. At this time, the outdoor temperature of the target area 10 can be collected from the weather server 80, and the indoor temperature of the target area 10 can be measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 30.

[0024] As described above, the indoor temperature of the target area 10 can be measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 30. In this case, if multiple temperature and humidity sensors 30 are installed in the target area 10, the indoor temperature of the target area 10 may be the average value of the indoor temperatures measured by each of the multiple temperature and humidity sensors 30. The temperature change in the target area 10 can be defined as the temperature change per unit time in the target area 10. For example, the unit time may be 1 hour, but the present invention is not limited to this. The nighttime period can be set based on at least one of the following: activity schedule information for the target area 10, sunrise time, and sunset time. According to the embodiment, the late-night time interval may be the time interval between the first time point and the second time point. The second time point can arrive after the first time point. In this case, the first time point can correspond to the later of the end of the activity time in the target area 10 and sunset, and the second time point can correspond to the earlier of the disclosure of the activity time in the target area 10 and sunrise.

[0025] For example, if the target area 10 is an office, and the office's operating hours are from 9:00 to 18:00, with sunset at 19:50 and sunrise (i.e., sunrise the next day) at 5:10, then the first time point could be 19:50 (sunset) and the second time point could be 5:10 (sunrise). As another example, if the target area 10 is a cafe, and the cafe's operating hours are from 7:00 to 20:00, with sunset at 17:31 and sunrise at 7:50, then the first time point could be 20:00 (end of operating hours) and the second time point could be 7:00 (disclosure of operating hours). Furthermore, the late-night period may be the period after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the end of the activity hours in the target area 10. The nighttime period can begin after a predetermined time has elapsed following the first point in time. At this time, all heat stored in the wall structure can be released within the predetermined time. For example, the length of the predetermined time may be 40 minutes, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0026] Baseline data can be collected at predetermined intervals during nighttime hours. For example, if the length of the nighttime hours is one hour, baseline data can be collected in 10-minute intervals. The base information can be collected during the nighttime hours of at least one day prior to the control time mentioned above. In other words, multiple base information can be collected on at least one day prior to the control time. In this case, at least one day can include the target day in which the control time is included. In other words, base information can also be collected during the nighttime hours of the target day. That is, the at least one day can be a day earlier than the control time. At least one day can be set to the day immediately preceding the control time. For example, at least one day could be "the 10th," but the present invention is not limited to this. On the other hand, the base information may include off-base information and on-base information.

[0027] The off-base information may be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference when the air conditioner 20 is turned off during the nighttime period. The ON base information may be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference when the air conditioner 20 is turned on during the nighttime period. In this case, the air conditioner 20 can be turned on at a preset default desired temperature in order to collect the ON base information. For example, the default desired temperature may be the desired temperature of the most frequently used air conditioner 20 (for example, 24°C in cooling mode), but the present invention is not limited to this. The at least one day on which off-base information is collected and the at least one day on which on-base information is collected can be different from each other. That is, on a day when off-base information is collected, on-base information may not be collected, and on a day when on-base information is collected, off-base information may not be collected.

[0028] In short, the baseline information is information collected during the nighttime hours and may not reflect the influence of non-baseline thermal characteristic parameters (i.e., human body, non-baseline power consumption devices, and ventilation) on the indoor temperature of the target area 10, but only the influence of baseline thermal characteristic parameters (i.e., baseline power consumption devices, air infiltration, and wall structures). In other words, the baseline information may be information about the unique thermal characteristics of the target area 10. The underlying relationship information can be defined as the relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 during nighttime hours and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. The underlying relationship information can be set by the multiple pieces of underlying information described above.

[0029] On the other hand, as similar to what is described above, the base relationship information can include off-base relationship information and on-base relationship information. Off-base relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned off during nighttime hours. On-base relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned on during nighttime hours. According to the embodiment, the basis relation information can be expressed by a trend line for multiple basis information and a corresponding basis relation function equation. According to the embodiment, the trend line can be a polynomial trend line, and in particular can be a quadratic polynomial trend line. That is, the basis relation information can correspond to a basis relation polynomial function equation that outputs the temperature change amount of the target area 10, with the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area 10 as a variable. In this case, the basis relation information can be set separately for the cooling mode and heating mode of the air conditioner 20.

[0030] Figure 5 shows an example of a trend line based on multiple basis information, i.e., a basis relation polynomial function equation. In this case, Figure 5a shows the basis relation polynomial function equation for the cooling mode, and Figure 5b shows the basis relation polynomial function equation for the heating mode. According to the embodiment, the function value of the basis relation polynomial can be expressed as shown in Equation 1 below for both the cooling mode and the heating mode.

[0031]

number

[0032] Here, △T D(o-i) This is the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in area 10, f(△T D(o-i) ) represents the temperature change in the target area 10, a and b are coefficients of the variable term defined by the thermal characteristic parameters of the target area 10, and c is a constant term defined by the thermal characteristic parameters of the target area 10.

[0033] In short, the base relationship information can be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the temperature change amount in the target area 10, reflecting the base thermal characteristic parameters of the target area 10. It can include off-base relationship information when the air conditioner 20 is turned off and on-base relationship information when the air conditioner 20 is turned on. In this case, the influence related to non-base thermal characteristic parameters is not included in the base relationship information. That is, the base relationship information can be relationship information that reflects the unique thermal characteristics of the target area 10. Intermediate information may include information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 during the activity period.

[0034] On the other hand, similar to what is described above, the intermediate information may include off-intermediate information and on-intermediate information. Off-intermediate information may be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference when the air conditioner 20 is turned off during the activity time. On-intermediate information may be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference when the air conditioner 20 is turned on during the activity time. In this case, in order to collect on-intermediate information, the air conditioner 20 may be turned on at a preset default desired temperature. The days on which off-intermediate information is collected and the days on which on-intermediate information is collected may be different from each other.

[0035] Intermediate information can be collected during specific time intervals of activity on days prior to the control point mentioned above. There can be at least one such prior day. That is, at least one piece of intermediate information can be collected on a day prior to the control point. In this case, the prior day can also include the target day that contains the control point. That is, intermediate information can also be collected during the activity hours of the target day. In other words, the prior day can be an earlier day than the control point. According to the embodiment, each of the multiple intermediate pieces of information may include a plurality of first intermediate pieces of information and a plurality of second intermediate pieces of information. Each of the multiple first intermediate information points could be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 during the activity time on a day with maximum cloud cover prior to the control point. Here, "maximum cloud cover" can correspond to "very cloudy day," "level 8 cloud cover," or "minimum sunlight." Each of the multiple second intermediate pieces of information could be information on the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 during the activity time on a day with minimal cloud cover prior to the control point. Here, "minimum cloud cover" can correspond to "very sunny day," "0 level cloud cover," or "maximum sunlight."

[0036] In short, the intermediate information is information collected during the activity period and may reflect all the effects on the indoor temperature of the target area 10 on the base thermal characteristic parameters (i.e., base power consumption devices, infiltration, and wall structures) and non-base thermal characteristic parameters (i.e., sunlight, human body, non-base thermal consumption devices, and ventilation). In particular, the first intermediate data was collected during activity hours on a very cloudy day, and therefore does not reflect the effects of sunlight. That is, the first intermediate data may reflect the effects on the human body, power consumption equipment, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures, excluding sunlight. The second intermediate data was collected during activity hours on a very sunny day, and therefore reflects the effects of sunlight on the maximum inflow. That is, the second intermediate data may reflect the effects on sunlight, the human body, power consumption equipment, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures on the maximum inflow. Intermediate relationship information can be defined as relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area 10 during the activity period and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. Intermediate relationship information can be set by the multiple intermediate information described above. Intermediate relationship information can be set separately for the cooling mode and heating mode of the air conditioner 20.

[0037] On the other hand, similar to what is described above, the intermediate relationship information may include off-intermediate relationship information and on-intermediate relationship information. Off-intermediate relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned off during the activity time. On-intermediate relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned on during the activity time. According to the embodiment, intermediate relation information can be set by reflecting the intermediate information in the base relation information. Therefore, intermediate relation information can also be expressed as an intermediate relation polynomial function. According to the example, the intermediate relational polynomial expression can be set by changing the constant term of the basis relational polynomial expression using intermediate information.

[0038] Specifically, intermediate information can be represented by two-dimensional coordinate values, i.e., (indoor-outdoor temperature difference, temperature change). In this case, the "indoor-outdoor temperature difference" coordinate value of the intermediate information is substituted into the basis relational polynomial equation to calculate the output value of the basis relational polynomial equation. The "temperature change" coordinate value of the intermediate information is subtracted from the output value of the basis relational polynomial equation to calculate the difference in temperature change. The difference in temperature change is added to the constant term of the basis relational polynomial equation to calculate the intermediate relational polynomial equation. In other words, the basis relational polynomial equation and the intermediate relational polynomial equation can have a relationship in which the constant term differs but the variable term is the same. The intermediate relational polynomial equation can also be expressed by the equation 1 described above. On the other hand, if there are multiple intermediate information items, the above calculation process can be performed for each of the intermediate information items to calculate the difference values ​​of multiple temperature changes, and the average value of the difference values ​​of the multiple temperature changes can be added to the constant term of the basis relation polynomial equation to calculate the intermediate relation polynomial equation.

[0039] According to the embodiment, the intermediate relationship information may include first and second intermediate relationship information. The first intermediate relation information may be relation information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference and the temperature change amount of the target area 10 during the activity time when cloud cover is maximum (sunlight inflow is minimum). The first intermediate relation information can be set by reflecting the first intermediate information in the base relation information. In particular, the first intermediate relation information can correspond to the first intermediate relation polynomial function equation set by changing the constant term of the base relation polynomial function equation using the first intermediate information.

[0040] In particular, as mentioned above, the first intermediate information reflects the human body, power consumption devices, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures, but does not reflect the effects of sunlight. Therefore, the first intermediate relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10, which reflects the human body, power consumption devices, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures, and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. The second intermediate relation information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the temperature change amount in the target area 10 during the activity time when cloud cover is minimum (sunlight inflow is maximum). The second intermediate relation information can be set by reflecting the second intermediate information in the base relation information. The second intermediate relation information can correspond to a second intermediate relation polynomial function equation that is set by changing the constant term of the base relation polynomial function equation using the second intermediate information.

[0041] In particular, as mentioned above, the second intermediate information is information that reflects all the effects related to the maximum amount of sunlight, along with the human body, power consumption equipment, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures. Therefore, the second intermediate relational information may be relational information that reflects all of the maximum amount of sunlight, the human body, power consumption equipment, air infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures. In short, the first and second intermediate relational information are relational information derived from the base relational information, the first intermediate relational information may be the base relational information with further reflections of the human body, non-baseline power consumption devices, and ventilation, and the second intermediate relational information may be the first intermediate relational information with further reflections of the maximum inflow of sunlight.

[0042] Referring again to Figure 4, in step (S20), the indoor-outdoor temperature difference and cloud cover at the control point can be collected. As described above, the control time is a point in the target day and can be a prediction time for predicting the temperature change in the target area 10. The indoor-outdoor temperature difference at the control time can be calculated based on the indoor temperature at the control time measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 30 and the outdoor temperature at the control time collected from the weather server 80. The cloud cover at the control time can be collected from the weather server 80. In stage (S30), the base relationship information can be corrected based on the cloud cover at the control time, and the target relationship information can be calculated. Here, the target relationship information is relationship information used to predict the amount of temperature change during the control period of the target area 10 after the control time, and may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area 10 at the control time and the amount of temperature change of the target area 10.

[0043] On the other hand, similar to what is described above, the target relationship information can include off-target relationship information and on-target relationship information. The off-target relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned off at the time of control. The ON-target relationship information may be relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area 10 and the amount of temperature change in the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned on at the time of control. On the other hand, the target relationship information can be set for each desired temperature of the air conditioner 20. That is, as described above, the management server 70 can calculate each piece of target relationship information for the default desired temperature. However, at the time of control, the air conditioner 20 may be turned on at a desired temperature other than the default desired temperature. In this case, the management server 70 can estimate the target relationship information for the other desired temperature based on the target relationship information for the default desired temperature.

[0044] According to the embodiment, the control time may be the time at which the control period is disclosed, and the length of the control period may be a unit time (for example, 1 hour). The control period can correspond to the period for predicting the temperature change of the target area 10. According to the embodiment, the basis relation information can correspond to a basis relation polynomial function equation, and in step (S30), the target relation information and the target relation polynomial function equation corresponding to the target relation information can be calculated by changing the constant value of the basis relation polynomial function equation based on the cloud cover at the control time. Furthermore, according to other embodiments, the target relationship information can be calculated by reflecting the cloud cover at the control time in the first and second intermediate relationship information derived from the base relationship information. As described above, the first intermediate relationship information may be relationship information that reflects the thermal characteristic parameters of the human body, power consumption devices, infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures, excluding sunlight, and the second intermediate relationship information may be relationship information that reflects all the thermal characteristic parameters of the maximum inflow of sunlight, the human body, power consumption devices, infiltration, ventilation, and wall structures. Therefore, in step (S30), by reflecting the cloud cover at the control time related to sunlight in the first intermediate relationship information and the second intermediate relationship information, target relationship information for predicting the amount of temperature change during the control period of the target area 10 can be calculated.

[0045] According to the embodiment, similar to the above, the object relation information can correspond to an object relation polynomial function. In this case, the object relation polynomial function can be set by changing the constant term of the base relation polynomial function based on the first intermediate relation polynomial function, the second intermediate relation polynomial function, and the cloud cover at the control time. Specifically, the object relation polynomial expression can have a relationship with the basis relation polynomial expression, the first intermediate relation polynomial expression, and the second intermediate relation polynomial expression, each differing in the constant term but having the same variable term.

[0046] Figure 6 shows the basis relation polynomial equation, the first intermediate relation polynomial equation, the second intermediate relation polynomial equation, and the symmetry relation polynomial equation when the air conditioner 20 of the present invention operates in cooling mode. As shown in Figure 6, the basis relation polynomial, the first intermediate relation polynomial, the second intermediate relation polynomial, and the object relation polynomial can each have a relationship in which the variable term is the same and the constant term is different. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the constant term of the symmetry relation polynomial equation can be a value between the constant term of the first intermediate relation polynomial equation and the constant term of the second intermediate relation polynomial equation, and this value can be estimated based on the cloud cover at the control time. Here, the greater the cloud cover at the control time, the more the symmetry relation polynomial equation approaches the first intermediate relation polynomial equation, and the less the cloud cover at the control time, the more the symmetry relation polynomial equation approaches the second intermediate relation polynomial equation.

[0047] For example, when the cloud cover at the control point is level 0, the symmetry relation polynomial equation is identical to the second intermediate relation polynomial equation. Also, when the cloud cover at the control point is level 8, the symmetry relation polynomial equation is identical to the first intermediate relation polynomial equation. Furthermore, when the cloud cover at the control point is level 5, the symmetry relation polynomial equation lies between the first and second intermediate relation polynomial equations, and the constant term of the symmetry relation polynomial equation corresponds to the average value of the constant terms of the first and second intermediate relation polynomial equations. On the other hand, the ON target relationship information can be set according to the desired temperature of the air conditioner 20. That is, the management server 70 can calculate the target relationship information for each default desired temperature, but it is possible that the air conditioner 20 may be turned on at a desired temperature other than the default desired temperature at the time of control. In this case, the management server 70 can estimate the ON target relationship information for the aforementioned other desired temperature based on the ON target relationship information for the default desired temperature.

[0048] Figure 7 illustrates the concept that a polynomial function equation for each desired temperature is estimated based on the polynomial function equation for the default desired temperature. As shown in Figure 7, the polynomial function equation for each desired temperature can have a relationship in which the constant term is changed by the polynomial information for the default desired temperature. In short, the base relationship information may be relationship information that reflects the base thermal characteristic parameters, the first intermediate relationship information may be relationship information that reflects the thermal characteristic parameters excluding sunlight from among multiple thermal characteristic parameters, the second intermediate relationship information may be relationship information that reflects all thermal characteristic parameters, including sunlight for the maximum inflow, and the target relationship information may be relationship information that reflects the thermal characteristic parameters at the control time based on the first and second intermediate relationship information and the cloud cover at the control time. Furthermore, each relationship information may include off-related information and on-related information, as described above.

[0049] As shown again in Figure 4, in step (S40), the indoor-outdoor temperature difference at the control time of the target area 10 can be applied to the target relationship information to predict the amount of temperature change during the control period of the target area 10. In this case, the temperature change amount of the target area 10 during the control period may include a first temperature change amount and a second temperature change amount. The first temperature change amount may be the temperature change amount of the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned off during the control period, and the second temperature change amount may be the temperature change amount of the target area 10 when the air conditioner 20 is turned on during the control period. According to the embodiment, when the object relation information corresponds to the object relation polynomial function, in step (S40), the indoor-outdoor temperature difference at the control time can be substituted into the variables of the object relation polynomial function to calculate the temperature change during the control period.

[0050] To summarize, the management server 70 of the present invention can: i) calculate base relationship information that reflects the thermal characteristic parameters (i.e., base thermal characteristic parameters) specific to the target area 10 based on base information; ii) calculate first intermediate relationship information that reflects the thermal characteristic parameters of the target area 10 excluding sunlight based on first intermediate information and base relationship information; iii) calculate second intermediate relationship information that reflects all thermal characteristic parameters of the target area 10 based on second intermediate information and base relationship information; iv) calculate target relationship information based on the first and second intermediate relationship information and the cloud cover at the control time; and v) calculate the amount of temperature change of the target area 10 during the control period based on the target relationship information and the indoor-outdoor temperature difference at the control time. At this time, since the target relationship information reflects all thermal characteristic parameters at the control time, it can represent the thermal characteristics of the target area 10 at the control time. Therefore, the amount of temperature change of the target area 10 during the control period can be accurately predicted using the target relationship information.

[0051] Finally, in step (S50), the operation of the air conditioner 20 can be controlled based on the temperature change during the control period. That is, in step (S50), the operation of the air conditioner 20 can be controlled based on the first and second temperature changes during the control period. In this case, the operation control of the air conditioner 20 may include changing the operation state of the air conditioner 20 (i.e., changing the turn-on / off state of the air conditioner 20) and setting the desired temperature of the air conditioner 20 when it is operated. According to the embodiment, in step (S50), the operation of the air conditioner 20 can be controlled based on a preset comfort temperature and the amount of temperature change during the control period. Here, the comfort temperature can be defined as the perceived temperature at which a user located in the target area 10 feels comfortable. The comfort temperature can be set differently depending on the season, and it can also be set differently depending on the period included in the target day. Multiple periods can be set based on the operating schedule for the target area 10. In this case, the comfort temperature can include the off-comfort temperature, which is the perceived temperature at which a user feels comfortable when the air conditioner 20 is turned off, and the on-comfort temperature, which is the perceived temperature at which a user feels comfortable when the air conditioner 20 is turned on.

[0052] As described above, in step (S50), the operation of the air conditioner 20 can be controlled by performing a first process based on the off-comfort temperature and the first temperature change, and a second process based on the on-comfort temperature and the second temperature change. On the other hand, the above-described drive control method for air conditioners is a method for calculating target relationship information by correcting base relationship information according to cloud cover (i.e., sunlight) and predicting the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described content. That is, the drive control method for air conditioners can also calculate target relationship information by correcting base relationship information according to non-base thermal characteristic parameters other than sunlight (i.e., at least one of the human body, non-base power consumption devices, and ventilation) and predict the amount of temperature change in the target area 10. This is similar to the above-described content, so the explanation of the overlapping content will be omitted.

[0053] On the other hand, the operations described in Figures 4 to 6 can also be performed by a control module 40 other than the management server 70. In this case, the control module 40 includes a control unit of a high-performance processor base and may further include the second short-range communication module and infrared communication module described above. The control module 40 can acquire weather information for the target area 10 from the weather server 80 via the access point 60 and gateway 50, and can acquire the indoor temperature and humidity of the target area 10 measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 30 via the gateway 50. Furthermore, the temperature and humidity sensor 30 and the control module 40 can be built into the air conditioner 20. In this case, the control module 40 can also directly acquire the indoor temperature and humidity from the temperature and humidity sensor 30. The operation performed by the control module 40 is similar to the description above, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0054] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention can be embodied in the form of program instructions that can be executed via various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., individually or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be specifically designed and configured for the present invention, or may be publicly known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code produced by compilers, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The aforementioned hardware devices may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operation of one embodiment of the present invention, and vice versa.

[0055] As described above, the present invention has been explained with specific details such as concrete components, and with limited embodiments and drawings. However, these are provided only to aid in the general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. A person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs can make various modifications and variations from this description. Therefore, the concept of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and it can be said that not only the claims described later, but also everything that is equivalent to or has an equivalent variation to the claims, falls within the scope of the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. In a method for predicting the amount of temperature change in a target area performed on a processor-based device, The stage of collecting multiple pieces of basic information, and The step includes calculating the basis relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the temperature change amount of the target area based on the plurality of basis information, Each of the aforementioned plurality of base information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area during the nighttime period. A method for predicting the amount of temperature change, characterized in that the aforementioned late-night time interval is set based on at least one of the activity schedule information of the target area, the time of sunrise, and the time of sunset.

2. The aforementioned late-night time interval is the time interval between the first time point and the second time point. The aforementioned first time point corresponds to the later of the end of the activity time in the target area and the time of sunset. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 1, characterized in that the second time point corresponds to the earlier of the time point at which the activity time of the target area is disclosed and the time of sunrise.

3. The aforementioned late-night period is characterized by starting at a time after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the first time point. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned collection step involves collecting the aforementioned multiple pieces of base information on at least one day. The at least one of the aforementioned days is characterized by being an earlier day than the predicted time for the temperature change in the target area. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned basis relation information is characterized by being expressed by a trend line for the plurality of basis information and a corresponding basis relation function equation. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned base relationship information includes off-base relationship information and on-base relationship information. The aforementioned off-base relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the air conditioner installed in the target area is turned off. The ON-base relationship information is characterized by being relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the heating and cooling unit is turned on. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 1.

7. The indoor temperature of the target area during the aforementioned late-night period is not affected by the non-base thermal characteristic parameters. The non-base thermal characteristic parameter is characterized by including at least one of the following: sunlight passing into the target area, a human body located in the target area, a power consumption device that is turned off during the nighttime period, and an intentional inflow of outside air into the target area. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 6.

8. A step of collecting information on the non-base thermal characteristic parameters at the time of predicting the temperature change amount of the target area, and The process further includes the step of correcting the base relationship information based on information about non-base thermal characteristic parameters collected at the aforementioned prediction time to calculate target relationship information, The aforementioned target relationship information is characterized by being relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area at the time of prediction. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 7.

9. When the aforementioned base relationship information is the on base relationship information, the air conditioner is turned on at the predicted time. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 8.

10. The process further includes the step of applying the indoor-outdoor temperature difference at the aforementioned prediction time to the aforementioned target relationship information to predict the amount of temperature change during the prediction period of the target area, The aforementioned prediction period is characterized by being included in the activity time of the target area. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 8.

11. If the aforementioned base relationship information is the off-base relationship information, Each of the aforementioned plurality of base information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area when the air conditioner installed in the target area is turned off. The aforementioned relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the air conditioner is turned off during the nighttime period. The aforementioned relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the heating and cooling unit is turned off at the predicted time. The temperature change during the forecast period is characterized by being the temperature change assuming that the air conditioner has been turned off. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 10.

12. If the aforementioned base relationship information is the on-base relationship information, Each of the aforementioned plurality of base information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area when the air conditioner installed in the target area is turned on. The aforementioned relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the air conditioner is turned on during the nighttime period. The aforementioned relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area when the heating and cooling unit is turned on at the predicted time. The temperature change during the forecast period is characterized by being the temperature change assuming that the heating and cooling unit has been turned on. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 10.

13. The information collected regarding the non-base thermal properties parameters is the cloud cover corresponding to the sunlight, The step of calculating the aforementioned target relationship information involves calculating the aforementioned target relationship information based on intermediate relationship information obtained by reflecting the cloud cover at the forecast time and previously collected intermediate information in the basis relationship information. The aforementioned intermediate relationship information includes first and second intermediate relationship information, The first intermediate relationship information is relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area during the activity time when the cloud cover is maximum. The second intermediate relationship information is characterized by being relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area and the amount of temperature change in the target area during the activity time when cloud cover is minimal. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 10.

14. The aforementioned intermediate information includes first and second intermediate information, The first intermediate information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area during the activity time interval in which the cloud cover is maximum prior to the prediction time. The second intermediate information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area during the activity time interval in which the cloud cover is minimum prior to the prediction time. The first intermediate relationship information is set by reflecting the first intermediate information in the base relationship information, and the second intermediate relationship information is set by reflecting the second intermediate information in the base relationship information. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 13.

15. The aforementioned basis relation information corresponds to a basis relation polynomial function equation that outputs the amount of temperature change in the target area, with the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area as a variable. The first intermediate relation information corresponds to the first intermediate relation polynomial function expression which is set by changing the constant term of the basis relation polynomial function expression using the first intermediate information, The second intermediate relation information is characterized in that it corresponds to a second intermediate relation polynomial function that is set by changing the constant term of the basis relation polynomial function using the second intermediate information. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 10.

16. The aforementioned object relation information corresponds to an object relation polynomial function that is set by changing the constant term of the basis relation polynomial function using the first intermediate relation polynomial function, the second intermediate relation polynomial function, and the cloud cover at the forecast time, The constant term of the aforementioned symmetry relation polynomial is characterized by being a value between the constant term of the first intermediate relation polynomial and the constant term of the second intermediate relation polynomial. The method for predicting the amount of temperature change according to claim 15.

17. Memory for storing computer-readable instructions, and Includes a processor embodied to execute the aforementioned instructions, The processor collects multiple base information pieces and calculates base relationship information between the indoor-outdoor temperature difference of the target area and the temperature change amount of the target area based on the multiple base information pieces. Each of the aforementioned plurality of base information is information on the amount of temperature change in the target area due to the indoor-outdoor temperature difference in the target area during the nighttime period. The temperature change prediction device is characterized in that the aforementioned late-night time interval is set based on at least one of the activity schedule information, sunrise time, and sunset time of the target area.

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