Air conditioning control device and air conditioning control method

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning controller which controls air conditioning considering adjustment of clothing.SOLUTION: An air conditioner controller 100 includes: an image input section 110 to which an indoor image of an indoor space, in which air conditioning is performed by an air conditioner, is input; an analysis section 112 which analyzes clothing states of people located in the indoor space from the indoor image input to the image input section 110; a storage section 114 which stores clothing adjustment widths; an estimation section 116 which estimates the clothing states after clothing adjustment behavior based on the clothing states analyzed by the analysis section 112 and the clothing adjustment widths stored in the storage section 114; and an air conditioning control section 118 which controls the air conditioner based on the clothing states after the adjustment behavior estimated by the estimation section 116.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning control device and an air conditioning control method. [Background Art]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to an air conditioner equipped with a function capable of performing control to achieve a comfortable environment according to the position and state of occupants in a room.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology related to a guidance display system that displays information serving as a guideline for settings in an air conditioning system that performs settings using air temperature, relative humidity, air blowing and the like as control elements and performs control based on the set values.

[0004] Patent Document 3 discloses a technology related to a control device for an air conditioner in which an air conditioning operation is controlled according to conditions such as the number, position, motion, activity amount, and clothing amount of people in a room.

[0005] Patent Document 4 discloses a technology related to a clothing-corresponding service providing apparatus that provides services to an occupant based on a clothing pattern. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 06-018073 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 09-229463 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-259942 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-120289 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0007] It is known that the clothing status of people in a room can be derived through image analysis, and PMV control is performed based on this clothing status.

[0008] People indoors can adjust their clothing by, for example, rolling up their sleeves when they feel hot or putting on a jacket when they feel cold. However, current air conditioning control systems do not take clothing adjustments into consideration.

[0009] In view of the above facts, the present invention aims to control air conditioning while taking into account the adjustment of clothing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The first embodiment is an air conditioning control device comprising: an image input unit that receives an indoor image of a room air-conditioned by an air conditioning device; an analysis unit that analyzes the clothing status of a person in the room from the indoor image input to the image input unit; a storage unit that stores the clothing adjustment range; an estimation unit that estimates the clothing status after a clothing adjustment action based on the clothing status analyzed by the analysis unit and the clothing adjustment range stored in the storage unit; and an air conditioning control unit that controls the air conditioning device based on the clothing status after the adjustment action estimated by the estimation unit.

[0011] In the first embodiment of the air conditioning control device, the air conditioning equipment is controlled based on the clothing state after the act of adjusting clothing, thereby encouraging people in the room to adjust their clothing. For example, in the summer, if the room temperature is raised, it is presumed that people will roll up their sleeves to adjust their clothing to make themselves cooler. Or, in the winter, if the room temperature is lowered, it is presumed that people will put on a jacket to make themselves warmer. Therefore, the energy consumption of the air conditioning equipment is reduced compared to a case where clothing adjustment behavior is not encouraged.

[0012] The second embodiment is an air conditioning control device according to the first embodiment, wherein the air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment so that the thermal environment evaluation index reflecting the state of clothing after the clothing adjustment action becomes equivalent to the thermal environment evaluation index of the state of clothing before the adjustment action.

[0013] In the second embodiment of the air conditioning control device, the air conditioning equipment is controlled so that the thermal environment evaluation index before and after the act of adjusting clothing is the same, thereby maintaining each person's thermal comfort.

[0014] The third embodiment is an air conditioning control device according to the second embodiment, wherein the analysis unit identifies individuals in the room, the storage unit stores the clothing adjustment range for each individual, the estimation unit estimates the clothing state after clothing adjustment for each individual, and the air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment so that the thermal environment evaluation index reflecting the estimated clothing state after clothing adjustment for each individual becomes equivalent to the thermal environment evaluation index of the clothing state before adjustment.

[0015] In the third embodiment of the air conditioning control device, the accuracy of the thermal environment evaluation index is improved by estimating the clothing status after adjustment actions for each individual.

[0016] The fourth embodiment is an air conditioning control device according to any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment based on the state of clothing after the clothing adjustment action and the state in which the environmental adjustment member is used.

[0017] In the fourth embodiment of the air conditioning control device, the air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment based on the clothing state after the adjustment action and the state in which the environmental adjustment member is used, thereby encouraging the use of the environmental adjustment member, and as a result, the energy consumption of the air conditioning equipment is further reduced.

[0018] The fifth aspect is an air conditioning control method comprising the steps of: inputting an indoor image of a room air-conditioned by an air conditioning device; analyzing the clothing status of a person in the room from the input indoor image; estimating the clothing status after an action to adjust clothing based on the analyzed clothing status and the clothing adjustment range stored in the memory unit; and controlling the air conditioning device based on the estimated clothing status after an action to adjust clothing.

[0019] In the air conditioning control method according to the fifth aspect, controlling the air conditioning device based on the clothing state after a person adjusts their clothing encourages the person staying indoors to adjust their clothing. For example, it is estimated that if the room temperature is increased in summer, a person will roll up the sleeves of their long-sleeved clothes to adjust the clothing state to be cooler. Alternatively, it is estimated that if the room temperature is decreased in winter, a person will put on a jacket to adjust the clothing state to be warmer. Therefore, compared with the case where the adjustment of clothing is not encouraged, the energy consumption of the air conditioning device is reduced. Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, air conditioning can be controlled in consideration of clothing adjustment, so the energy consumption of the air conditioning device is reduced. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a schematic configuration diagram of an office room in which an air conditioning device is controlled by an air conditioning control device. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram of an air conditioning system. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of an air conditioning control device. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram of the functional configuration of an air conditioning control device. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart of air conditioning control. [Figure 6] It is a table of clothing adjustment ranges for each person. [Figure 7] It is a table of wind speeds of a desk fan. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] <Embodiment> An air conditioning control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0023] (Office) First, an example of an office 10 in which an air conditioning device 50 is controlled by an air conditioning control device 100 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

[0024] In the office 10 shown in Figure 1, the interior 12 is furnished with multiple desks 14 and chairs 16. Inside the interior 12 are several individuals: Person PA, Person PB, Person PC, Person PE, and Person PD, who are working at their desks 14 and chairs 16. A desk fan 30 is placed on Person PB's desk 14. Person PA, Person PB, Person PC, and Person PD are male, while Person PE is female. Note that individuals may be referred to as Person P when there is no need to distinguish them.

[0025] An air outlet 52 and an air intake 54 are provided in the ceiling 18 of the office 10. An imaging device 70 is also provided in the ceiling 18 of the office 10. The imaging device 70 in this embodiment has a thermographic function.

[0026] Office 10 is equipped with an air conditioning unit 50 for air conditioning the room 12, and an air conditioning control device 100 for controlling the air conditioning unit 50. The air conditioning unit 50 is connected to the aforementioned air outlet 52 and intake port 54 by ducts 56 and 58. The air conditioning unit 50 air-conditions the room 12 by drawing in air from the intake port 54, processing it through heat exchange with a heat transfer medium (refrigerant or chilled / hot water) supplied from a heat source device (not shown), and then blowing it out from the air outlet 52, thereby adjusting the temperature and relative humidity of the room 12.

[0027] Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 50 is capable of measuring the room temperature and relative humidity of the room 12 from the air drawn in from the intake port 54. In addition, the air conditioning unit 50 is also capable of measuring the outside air temperature and relative humidity.

[0028] (Air conditioning system) Next, we will describe the air conditioning system 90 that provides air conditioning to the indoor space 12.

[0029] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system 90. The air conditioning system 90 consists of an imaging device 70, air conditioning equipment 50, and an air conditioning control device 100. The imaging device 70 and the air conditioning equipment 50 are electrically connected to the air conditioning control device 100.

[0030] In this embodiment, the air conditioning control device 100 is electrically connected to the desk fan 30 on the employee PB's desk 14 (see Figure 1). The air conditioning control device 100 monitors the usage status of the desk fan 30.

[0031] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the air conditioning control device 100. The air conditioning control device 100 is composed of a CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, storage 34, and a communication interface 35, etc. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 39 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0032] The CPU 31 is a central processing unit and has the function of executing various programs and controlling various parts. Specifically, the CPU 31 reads a program from the ROM 32 or storage 34 and executes the program using the RAM 33 as a working area. The CPU 31 controls the air conditioning equipment 50 (see Figures 1 and 2) and performs various calculations according to the program recorded in the ROM 32 or storage 34.

[0033] ROM 32 stores various programs and data. RAM 33 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage 34 is composed of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores various programs including the operating system and various data. Communication interface 35 is an interface for the air conditioning control device 100 to communicate with the air conditioning equipment 50 (see Figure 1), imaging device 70, and other devices, and standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark) are used.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the air conditioning control device 100 functionally includes an image input unit 110, an analysis unit 112, a storage unit 114, an estimation unit 116, and an air conditioning control unit 118. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 31 (see Figure 3) reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 32 (see Figure 3) or storage 34 (see Figure 3).

[0035] The image input unit 110 receives an indoor image captured by the imaging device 70 of the indoor room 12, which is air-conditioned by the air conditioning equipment (see Figure 1).

[0036] The analysis unit 112 analyzes the clothing status of person P in the room 12 (see Figure 1) from the indoor image input to the image input unit 110. In this embodiment, the analysis unit 112 identifies individuals using facial recognition or the like, and determines the clothing status of each identified person P by analyzing it using a thermographic function or the like. Specifically, the analysis of clothing status in this embodiment analyzes whether the clothing status matches the clothing status in the table in Figure 6, or which clothing status it is closest to. More specifically, in this embodiment, it is determined by analyzing which of levels 1 to 4 each person P's clothing status corresponds to. A detailed explanation of the table in Figure 6 will be given later.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the analysis unit 112 analyzes the activity level of each person P from the indoor image.

[0038] The memory unit 114 stores a clothing adjustment range table (see Figure 6) for each person P in the room 12 (see Figure 1). As mentioned above, details of Figure 6 will be described later.

[0039] The estimation unit 116 estimates the clothing state of each person P after clothing adjustment actions, based on the clothing state of each person P analyzed by the analysis unit 112 and the clothing adjustment range table (see Figure 6) stored in the memory unit 114. Details of the method for estimating the clothing state after adjustment actions will be described later.

[0040] The air conditioning control unit 118 controls the air conditioning equipment 50 (see figure) based on the clothing status after the adjustment action estimated by the estimation unit 116. Details of the air conditioning control method will be described later.

[0041] (Air conditioning control method) Next, an example of an air conditioning control method for the air conditioning control device 100 will be described.

[0042] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the air conditioning control process. The air conditioning control process is performed when the CPU 31, as shown in Figure 3, reads a program from the ROM 32 or storage 34, loads it into the RAM 33, and executes it.

[0043] In step S101 of the flowchart shown in Figure 5, the CPU 31 (see Figure 3) analyzes the images captured by the imaging device 70 (see Figure 1). Specifically, it identifies individuals using facial recognition or the like, and analyzes and determines the clothing status of each identified person P. More specifically, it uses thermographic technology to analyze which clothing status the person is in and which clothing status they are closest to, as shown in the table in Figure 6. More specifically, in this embodiment, it analyzes and determines which of levels 1 to 4 the person is in.

[0044] Furthermore, the CPU 31 monitors the operating status of the desk fan 30. In addition, the CPU 31 analyzes the activity level of each person P from the indoor image.

[0045] In step S102, the CPU 31 estimates the clothing state after the clothing adjustment action based on the analyzed clothing state and clothing adjustment range (see Figure 6). Details of the method for estimating the clothing state after the adjustment action will be described later.

[0046] In step S103, the CPU 31 controls the air conditioning equipment based on the estimated clothing state after clothing adjustment behavior, the presence or absence of the desk fan 30, and its usage status. Details of the method for controlling the air conditioning equipment will be described later.

[0047] In step S104, the CPU 31 determines whether the set time has elapsed since step S103. If the set time has not elapsed (step S104: NO), step S104 is repeated. If the set time has elapsed (step S104: YES), the process returns to step S101.

[0048] (Clothing adjustment range) Next, I will explain the range of clothing adjustment.

[0049] Figure 6 is an example of a table of clothing adjustment ranges stored in the memory unit 114 (see Figure 3) of the air conditioning control device 100. Figure 6 shows the relationship between clothing status (clothing) for each person P, the season, and heating / cooling. Note that the relationship between clothing status (clothing) for each person P, the season, and heating / cooling in Figure 6 has been simplified for ease of explanation.

[0050] In this embodiment, levels are assigned to the clothing state. Level 1 is the lightest clothing, Level 2 is thicker than Level 1, Level 3 is thicker than Level 2, and Level 4 is the thickest clothing. Level 2(-) is a clothing state between Level 1 and Level 2, where the sleeves of a long-sleeved shirt are rolled up. However, it is known in advance that human PD and human PE do not roll up the sleeves of their long-sleeved shirts. Therefore, the Level 2(-) clothing state is not included in the table for human PD and human PE.

[0051] Note that since Level 1 is a short-sleeved shirt, adjustments to clothing levels other than Level 2(-) are not considered. Also, adjustments from clothing levels of Level 2(-) or higher to Level 1 clothing are not considered.

[0052] Furthermore, the value for "clothing amount" is the thermal resistance clo value due to clothing, which is used when calculating the predicted mean value (PMV) described later.

[0053] (Details of the estimation of clothing status after clothing adjustment behavior) Next, we will explain the details of estimating the state of clothing after the clothing adjustment action in step S102.

[0054] The season is determined from time information acquired by the air conditioning control device 100. This time information includes the current time, year, month, day, hour, and minute, and in this embodiment, it is acquired from an NTP server via the internet. Based on the acquired time information, March, April, and May are considered spring, June, July, and August are considered summer, September, October, and November are considered autumn, and December, January, and February are considered winter.

[0055] In this embodiment, the switching between cooling and heating is performed as appropriate by the management company of office 10 (see Figure 1).

[0056] Then, the adjusted clothing state is estimated from the current clothing state, the current season, and the current operating setting (cooling or heating) shown in Figure 6. Specifically, for each seasonal adjustment range, in the case of cooling, the level at which the lightest clothing is worn is estimated as the adjusted clothing state, and in the case of heating, the level at which the heaviest clothing is worn is estimated as the adjusted clothing state. As mentioned above, Level 1 cannot be adjusted to other clothing levels, nor can it be adjusted from other levels.

[0057] Next, we will explain a specific example of the estimation procedure. Currently, we assume that all individuals P are wearing Level 2 clothing (see also Figure 1).

[0058] For example, in autumn, human PA, human PB, and human PC will be in one of three clothing states (clothing) levels: Level 2(-), Level 2, or Level 3. Also, human PD and human PE will not roll up their sleeves, so they will be in one of two clothing states (clothing) levels: Level 2 or Level 3.

[0059] Currently, when the operating setting is air conditioning, the lightest clothing (attire) in autumn is estimated to be the clothing (attire) after adjustment. In other words, human PA, human PB, and human PC are estimated to have Level 2(-) as their clothing (attire) after adjustment, while human PD and human PE are estimated to have Level 2 as their clothing (attire) after adjustment.

[0060] Currently, in the case of heating, the warmest clothing worn in autumn is estimated to be the clothing state after adjustment. In other words, for all individuals (PA, PB, PC, PD, and PE), Level 3 is estimated to be the clothing state after adjustment.

[0061] Furthermore, in winter, for example, all of the human PAs, human PBs, human PCs, human PDs, and human PEs will be in one of three clothing levels: Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4.

[0062] In the case of winter, since heating is involved, we estimate that Level 4, which is the most heavily dressed state in winter clothing, represents the clothing state after adjusting clothing.

[0063] (Details on how to control air conditioning equipment) Next, we will explain the details of how to control the air conditioning equipment.

[0064] First, based on the clothing status before the adjustment action, the presence or absence of the desk fan 30 (see Figure 1), and its usage status, the air conditioning is controlled to optimize the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) value.

[0065] For example, suppose all players (P) are wearing Level 2 clothing, and only player (PC) has a desk fan (30) but is not using it. The goal is to control the game so that the Predicted Mean Value (PMV) is optimal in this state. The optimal range for the Predicted Mean Value (PMV) is between +0.5 and -0.5.

[0066] Next, the air conditioning equipment 50 is controlled so that the predicted mean metered value (PMV), which reflects the estimated clothing state after the adjustment action and the state in which the person PC used the desk fan 30, is the same before and after the adjustment action. To explain from another perspective, the room temperature and relative humidity are set based on the clothing state after the adjustment action and the state in which the person PC used the desk fan 30, so that the predicted mean metered value (PMV) is the same before and after the adjustment action, and the air conditioning equipment 50 is controlled to achieve these set room temperature and relative humidity levels.

[0067] Figure 7 shows the wind speed of the desk fan 30 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the wind speed when using the desk fan 30 is set to "medium," but it is not limited to this.

[0068] Here, "Predicted Mean Value (PMV)" is a thermal comfort index that represents how a person feels based on six factors: room temperature, relative humidity, radiation, airflow, activity level, and clothing level. Specifically, it is a numerical value calculated by substituting these six factors into the PMV comfort equation, and it represents a 7-point rating scale indicating whether a person feels warm or cold at that time.

[0069] The temperature (room temperature) and relative humidity of room 12 are measured by the air conditioning unit 50. Radiation and activity levels can be determined by analyzing the room images from the imaging device 70. Airflow can be set based on the wind speed blown out from the air conditioning unit 50 and whether or not the desk fan 30 is used. Clothing levels can be determined as described above.

[0070] <Mechanism and Effects> Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0071] The air conditioning control device 100 controls the air conditioning equipment 50 based on the clothing status of person P after they have adjusted their clothing while inside the office 10, thereby prompting person P to adjust their clothing. For example, in the summer, raising the room temperature will prompt person P to roll up their sleeves and adjust their clothing to stay cool. Or, in the winter, lowering the room temperature will prompt person P to put on a suit jacket and adjust their clothing to stay warm. Therefore, the energy consumption of the air conditioning equipment 50 is reduced compared to a case where clothing adjustments are not prompted.

[0072] Furthermore, the air conditioning control device 100 controls the air conditioning equipment 50 so that the predicted mean value (PMV) before and after the clothing adjustment behavior is the same, thereby maintaining the thermal comfort of each individual P.

[0073] Furthermore, since the air conditioning control device 100 estimates the clothing status after adjustment behavior for each person P (individual), the accuracy of the predicted mean value (PMV) is improved.

[0074] Furthermore, the air conditioning control device 100 controls the air conditioning equipment 50 based on the clothing status after the adjustment action and the status when the desk fan 30 is used, thereby encouraging the use of the desk fan 30, and as a result, the energy consumption of the air conditioning equipment 50 is further reduced.

[0075] <Other> Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0076] The clothing adjustment range in the above embodiment is merely an example and is not limited thereto. For example, the table could be further subdivided by season. Alternatively, the clothing adjustment range could be set by month instead of by season. Furthermore, while the clothing adjustment range in the above embodiment was set by person P, it is not limited to this. There could be two tables, one for men and one for women, or there could be no distinction between men and women, just one table.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the operating state (cooling or heating) of the air conditioning equipment 50 was set as appropriate by the administrator, but this is not limited to this. The air conditioning control device 100 may automatically set cooling or heating based on the room temperature, the relative humidity of the room 12, the outside temperature and the relative humidity of the outside air, etc.

[0078] Furthermore, while the above embodiment uses thermographic imaging (infrared images) to determine the clothing status, it is not limited to this. Instead of thermographic imaging (infrared images), for example, visible images may be used to determine the clothing status.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the estimation of the clothing state after the clothing adjustment action was performed based on the clothing state before the adjustment action, the season, and the operating state (cooling or heating), but it is not limited to this. For example, the estimation of the clothing state after the clothing adjustment action may be performed based on the clothing state before the adjustment action, the date, and the outside temperature.

[0080] Furthermore, although a desk fan 30 was used as an environmental control member in the above embodiment, the system is not limited to this. The environmental control member may be a small heater for warming the feet, a hand fan, or a blanket. The small heater is electrically connected to the air conditioning control device 100, which monitors its usage status. In the case of items other than electrical products such as hand fans and blankets, the analysis unit 112 analyzes the usage status for each person P from the indoor image. Even with electrical products such as the desk fan 30 and small heaters, the analysis unit 112 may analyze the usage status for each person P from the indoor image.

[0081] Furthermore, although the above embodiment uses the Predicted Mean Value (PMV) as the thermal environment evaluation index, it is not limited to this. For example, the new standard effective temperature (SET*) may be used as the thermal environment evaluation index. Moreover, the air conditioning equipment 50 may be controlled without using a thermal environment evaluation index.

[0082] In short, the air conditioning control device should estimate the clothing state after clothing adjustment actions and control the air conditioning equipment based on the estimated clothing state after the adjustment actions.

[0083] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 12 Indoor 30. Desktop fan (an example of an environmental control component) 50 Air conditioning equipment 70 Imaging device 90 Air conditioning system 100 Air conditioning control device 110 Image Input Section 112 Analysis Department 114 Storage section 116 Estimation Department 118 Air Conditioning Control Unit

Claims

1. An image input unit receives an image of the room air-conditioned by an air conditioning unit, An analysis unit identifies individuals present in a room from the indoor image input to the image input unit and analyzes the clothing status of each individual. A storage unit that stores the clothing adjustment range for each individual while they are wearing the clothing, An estimation unit estimates, for each individual, the adjusted state of the clothing after adjusting the clothing using the clothing adjustment range stored in the memory unit, based on the clothing state analyzed by the analysis unit. An air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment so that the thermal environment evaluation index, which reflects the adjusted clothing state estimated for each individual by the estimation unit, becomes equivalent to the thermal environment evaluation index of the clothing state before the adjustment action. An air conditioning control device equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The air conditioning control unit controls the air conditioning equipment based on the adjusted clothing state and the state in which the environmental adjustment member is used. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1.

3. A step of inputting an indoor image of a room that has been air-conditioned by an air conditioning device, The process involves identifying individuals present in a room from the input indoor image and analyzing the clothing status of each individual. A step of estimating, for each individual, the adjusted state of clothing after adjusting the clothing using the adjustment range for the individual's clothing state stored in the memory unit, based on the analyzed clothing state, A step of controlling the air conditioning equipment so that the thermal environment evaluation index, which reflects the adjusted clothing state estimated for each individual, becomes equivalent to the thermal environment evaluation index of the clothing state before the adjustment action. A method for controlling air conditioning.

Images