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

Abstract

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

Description

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

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

[0002] Air conditioning systems have been developed that adjust the environment of the space in which a user is present to prevent a decrease in the user's concentration. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an air conditioning system that estimates the user's concentration level from their body temperature and adjusts the environment of the space to prevent a decrease in the concentration level when the concentration level decreases. To determine whether or not a decrease in concentration level has occurred, the system determines that a "decline in concentration level has occurred" when the user's body temperature change rate exceeds a threshold. For example, when the user's body temperature change rate exceeds a threshold, the system determines that a "decline in concentration level has occurred" and operates to reduce the user's thermal sensation.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-39443

[0004] Methods that estimate a user's concentration level from their body temperature have the problem of low reliability and frequent false positives. For example, when a user is concentrating to complete a task in a short period of time, feelings of elation and tension may be mixed together, causing stress and a rise in body temperature in a short period of time. In such cases, methods that estimate the user's concentration level based on body temperature may judge the user's concentration level to be "decreased" even though the user's concentration level is high. In this case, if the device is operated to reduce thermal sensation in order to increase the concentration level, the user may feel chills due to cold sweat caused by stress, which will reduce the user's concentration level.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 gives examples of methods for reducing the sensation of warmth and coldness, such as lowering the room temperature and adjusting the airflow volume at the user's position, but these adjustments alone are insufficient to improve the user's concentration, and improvements are required.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an air conditioning system, air conditioning device, control method, and program that perform air conditioning control that can determine a decrease in a user's concentration level with greater accuracy and provide an environment that makes it easier to concentrate.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure is an air conditioning system that controls the air conditioning of an air-conditioned space, and includes an air conditioning unit and a control unit. The air conditioning unit conditions the air-conditioned space. The control unit controls the air conditioning unit. The control unit has an index value acquisition means and a control means. The index value acquisition means acquires a concentration level calculated from changes in the movement of the body surface of a user present in the air-conditioned space. The control means controls the air conditioning unit based on the acquired concentration level to increase the user's concentration level.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, an air conditioning system can obtain a concentration level calculated from changes in body surface movement and control air conditioning to increase the concentration level. This makes it possible to determine a user's concentration level with high accuracy and provide an environment in which the user can easily concentrate.

[0009] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 2 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of a space to be air-conditioned in which an indoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus according to the first embodiment is arranged; 3 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an air conditioning system according to the first embodiment; 4 is a diagram showing an example of a control mode table for a concentration mode stored in a storage unit of an indoor unit control unit shown in FIG. 3; 5 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an outdoor unit control unit and an indoor unit control unit according to the first embodiment; 6 is a flowchart of a control process for improving concentration executed by an air conditioning apparatus according to the first embodiment; Schematic diagrams for explanation (A) to (C) are diagrams showing an example of a control mode in the air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. Diagrams showing an example of a control mode in the air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. Diagrams showing modified examples of the control mode table for the concentration mode shown in FIG. 4 are diagrams showing examples of the configuration of history information of the concentration level improvement control process. Diagrams showing modified examples of the configuration of the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 1. (A) is a diagram showing another modified example of the configuration of the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 1, and (B) is a diagram showing a modified example of the control mode table for the concentration mode. Schematic diagrams for explaining the wind blowing control process in embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

[0010] An air conditioning system, an air conditioning apparatus, and a control method according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) [Configuration of Air Conditioning System 1] An air conditioning system 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is a system that conditions an indoor space 71, which is an air-conditioned space, based on the concentration level CR of a user HM present in the indoor space 71. Air conditioning refers to adjusting the temperature, humidity, cleanliness, airflow, etc. of the air in the air-conditioned space, and specifically includes heating, cooling, dehumidification, humidification, air purification, etc. Concentration refers to focusing one's mind on one thing and working on it. The concentration level CR refers to the degree of concentration. As a person continues to work, their concentration level CR tends to gradually decrease. Furthermore, as the concentration level CR decreases, a person tends to become drowsy. Conversely, when a person becomes drowsy, the concentration level CR decreases. In any case, the concentration level CR and the drowsiness level, which indicates the degree of drowsiness, are closely related. The concentration level CR is an index that indicates the degree of concentration, and in this specification, it is assumed that the higher or larger the concentration level CR, the higher the degree of concentration and the lower the level of sleepiness.

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

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

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

[0015] 2, the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location, for example, on the upper part of a wall, where it can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71. The indoor space 71 is cooled or heated by the cold air and hot air blown out from the indoor unit 13. In this embodiment, air conditioning control is performed based on the concentration degree CR of one user HM present in the indoor space 71. Details will be described later.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1 , the outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21 that compresses and circulates the refrigerant, a four-way valve 22 that switches the flow direction of the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger 23 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the external space, an expansion valve 24 that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 to expand it, an outdoor blower 31 that sends outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and an outdoor unit control unit 51 that controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11.

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

[0018] The compressor 21 compresses the refrigerant and circulates it through the refrigerant pipe 61. Specifically, the compressor 21 compresses a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant and discharges the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to the four-way valve 22. The compressor 21 is equipped with an inverter circuit that can change its operating capacity in accordance with its drive frequency. The operating capacity is the amount of refrigerant that the compressor 21 delivers per unit time. The compressor 21 changes its operating capacity in accordance with instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

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

[0020] The outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61 and air in an outdoor space 72 that is outside the space to be air-conditioned, in other words, the air in the external space. The outdoor blower 31 is provided near the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and sends air from the outdoor space 72 to the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The outdoor blower 31 draws in air from the outdoor space 72. The drawn-in air is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61, and is then blown out into the outdoor space 72.

[0021] The expansion valve 24 is installed between the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the indoor heat exchanger 25, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61 to expand it. The expansion valve 24 is an electronic expansion valve whose opening degree can be controlled. The expansion valve 24 changes its opening degree in accordance with instructions from the outdoor unit control unit 51 to adjust the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0022] The indoor heat exchanger 25 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 61 and the air in the indoor space 71. The indoor blower 33 is provided near the indoor heat exchanger 25 and sends the air in the indoor space 71 to the indoor heat exchanger 25. The indoor blower 33 draws in air from the indoor space 71. The drawn-in air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant piping 61. After that, the air direction is adjusted by the vanes 34 and the air is blown into the indoor space 71 as conditioned air. This conditions the indoor space 71. The indoor heat exchanger 25 has a humidifying function and a dehumidifying function. The humidifying method may be evaporative humidification, or steam humidification such as primary steam spray, secondary steam spray, or electric steam generation, and any known method can be used. The dehumidifying method may be weak cooling dehumidification, reheat dehumidification, or any known method.

[0023] Hereinafter, among the parts that air-condition the indoor space 71, the compressor 21, four-way valve 22, outdoor heat exchanger 23, expansion valve 24, and outdoor blower 31 arranged in the outdoor unit 11 will be referred to as the outdoor unit air-conditioning section 81, and the indoor heat exchanger 25, indoor blower 33, and vane 34 arranged in the indoor unit 13 will be referred to as the indoor unit air-conditioning section 82. Furthermore, the outdoor unit air-conditioning section 81 and the indoor unit air-conditioning section 82 will collectively be referred to as the air-conditioning section 80 as the part that performs air-conditioning.

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

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

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

[0027] The biometric information detection device 43 detects biometric information and determines the concentration level CR. The biometric information detection device 43 includes a Doppler sensor (not shown). The Doppler sensor is directional and its direction of direction can be controlled using a gimbal mechanism or the like. The Doppler sensor emits approximately 24 GHz sinusoidal radio waves, known as microwave or quasi-millimeter wave waves, toward the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44. The Doppler sensor receives the reflected waves from the human body and detects changes in the movement of the human body surface, i.e., the human body's pulse wave. A pulse wave is a waveform that indicates changes in the movement of a person's body surface due to the pulsation of the heart, and includes a waveform indicating changes in the movement of blood vessels and a waveform indicating changes in the body surface around the heart. The biometric information detection device 43 analyzes the pulse wave detected by the Doppler sensor and determines the concentration level CR. The biometric information detection device 43 periodically analyzes the pulse wave and periodically determines the concentration level CR. Any known method can be used to derive the concentration level CR from the pulse wave. For example, time series data of heart rate fluctuations can be obtained from time series data of pulse waves, and this can be frequency analyzed to extract high frequency fluctuation components (HF components) corresponding to respiratory fluctuations and low frequency components (LF components) corresponding to Mayer waves, which are blood pressure fluctuations, and the concentration level CR can be calculated by quantifying the ratio (=LF / (HF+LF)) to the total power (=HF+LF). Furthermore, since the LF component appears when the sympathetic nervous system is dominant, the numerical value of the LF component can be used as the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system, i.e., the concentration level CR.

[0028] It is also possible to extract the pulse rate from the pulse wave, use the change in the pulse rate to determine the level of brain arousal, and estimate the concentration level CR from the determined level of arousal. For example, a large change in the pulse rate indicates a high level of arousal and a high level of concentration CR. On the other hand, a small change in the pulse rate indicates a low level of arousal and a state of drowsiness, resulting in a low level of concentration CR.

[0029] Body temperature varies greatly both when asleep and when awake. Furthermore, body temperature tends to change more rapidly in the morning and less rapidly in the afternoon. Therefore, determining the concentration level CR based on the rate of change in body temperature is inaccurate and unreliable. In contrast, pulse waves do not present such problems, and the concentration level CR can be calculated with greater accuracy.

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

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

[0032] The information device 90 is a device owned by the user HM, including a smartphone, tablet, etc. The information device 90 has a display unit 90a. Various information is displayed on the display unit 90a. An application for the air conditioning device is installed on the information device 90, which enables the operation of the air conditioning device 2 via the network NW.

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

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

[0035] The outdoor unit control unit 51 controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11. The outdoor unit control unit 51 includes a control unit 51a that controls the entire outdoor unit 11, a memory unit 51b that stores data necessary for control, a timer unit 51c that measures time, and a communication unit 51d that serves as a communication interface.

[0036] The control unit 51a receives control instruction signals from the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63, including power on / off, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow, timer information, and detection data from various sensors. In response to the control instruction signals, the control unit 51a controls the entire outdoor unit 11, particularly the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, including, for example, control of the operating frequency of the compressor 21, control of switching of the four-way valve 22, control of the rotation speed of the outdoor blower 31, and control of the opening degree of the expansion valve 24. The storage unit 51b is composed of memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory) and stores data necessary for control. The timer unit 51c measures time. The timer unit 51c is equipped with a real time clock (RTC) and is a timing device that continues to measure time even when the air conditioning apparatus 2 is powered off. The control unit 51a references the time measured by the timer unit 51c to start and stop the timer. The communication unit 51 d is an interface for the control unit 51 a to communicate with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63 .

[0037] The indoor unit control unit 53 receives instructions from the user HM via the remote control 55, supplies control instruction information to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication line 63, and controls the operation of the indoor unit 13. The indoor unit control unit 53 includes a control unit 53a that controls the entire indoor unit 13, a memory unit 53b that stores data necessary for control, a timing unit 53c that measures time, and a communication unit 53d that serves as a communication interface.

[0038] The control unit 53a receives control information from the remote control 55, including power on / off, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow, timer information, and detection data from various sensors. The control unit 53a also receives outputs from the sensors 40. Based on the received information, the control unit 53a transmits control instruction signals to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and controls the vanes 34 and the indoor blower 33 to perform air conditioning processing. The control unit 53a also displays information such as the operating status, operating mode, and setting information of the air conditioning apparatus 2 on the main body display 58 of the indoor unit 13, thereby notifying the user HM. In addition to the main body display 58 of the indoor unit 13, the control unit 53a also sends instructions to the remote control 55 and the information device 90 to display the operating status of the air conditioning apparatus 2. As a result, the operating status of the air conditioning apparatus 2 is displayed on the display 55a of the remote control 55 and the display 90a of the information device 90. Such a display has the effect of making it easier for the user HM to understand the operating status of the air conditioning device 2, or of guiding the user HM to take actions that allow them to concentrate more. The control unit 53a corresponds to an example of the "index value acquisition means" and the "control means" of the present disclosure.

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

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4 , the set value group 54d stores the determination thresholds Tha and Thb, which are reference values ​​for determining the degree of decrease or increase in the concentration level CR, the control target and control content for heating in the concentration mode, the control target and control content for refrigeration, and a transition period. In FIG. 4 , for example, in the heating operation in the concentration mode, the room temperature is lowered to the target temperature THo regardless of the set value, the humidity is raised to the target humidity HHo regardless of the set value, and the air volume is raised to the target air volume FHo regardless of the set value, thereby controlling the airflow. The transition period is a set period from when the concentration mode is set until each control target transitions to its target value, and is set to Ps in FIG. 4 . Although a common transition period Ps is set for the four control targets in FIG. 4 , a separate transition period may be set for each control target. The memory unit 53b stores the acquired concentration level CR together with time information. The memory unit 53b stores a value indicated when concentration is high, such as during an entrance exam, a certification exam, or a competition, as the initial concentration level CR.

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

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

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

[0044] The outdoor unit control unit 51 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 5(A), a processor 1001 that executes a control program, a memory 1002 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1003 that stores the control program, an input / output (I / O) interface 1004 that inputs and outputs signals, and a communication module 1005 that performs communication, all of which are connected to one another via a bus 1000.

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

[0046] The memory 1002 is a main storage device configured by, for example, a RAM. The memory 1002 functions as a work memory for the processor 1001 and stores the control program that the processor 1001 reads from the secondary storage device 1003.

[0047] The secondary storage device 1003 is configured by a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The secondary storage device 1003 stores the control program executed by the processor 1001, fixed data, etc.

[0048] The I / O (Input / Output) interface 1004 is composed of a serial port, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port interface, etc. The I / O interface 1004 transmits control signals to the outdoor unit air conditioning section 81 in the outdoor unit 11, such as the compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the expansion valve 24, the outdoor blower 31, etc., to enable control by the processor 1001.

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

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

[0051] On the other hand, the indoor unit control unit 53 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and includes, for example, a processor 1011 that executes a control program, a memory 1012 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1013 that stores the control program, an I / O interface 1014 that inputs and outputs signals, and a communication module 1015 that performs communications, all of which are connected to one another via a bus 1010, as shown in Fig. 5(B). The processor 1011, memory 1012, secondary storage device 1013, I / O interface 1014, and communication module 1015 have the same configurations and functions as the bus 1000, processor 1001, memory 1002, secondary storage device 1003, I / O interface 1004, and communication module 1005 that constitute the outdoor unit control unit 51 shown in Fig. 5(A). However, the secondary storage device 1013 stores the intensive mode control program 54, and the I / O interface 1014 is connected to the sensor group 40, the remote controller 55, the main body display unit 58, and the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82, for example, the drive mechanism of the vane 34. In addition, the communication module 1015 is connected to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the network NW.

[0052] So far, the configuration of the air conditioning system 1 has been described. Next, its operation will be described. The air conditioning device 2 normally performs air conditioning operation in a general normal mode, but when it switches to air conditioning operation in the intensive mode, it executes, for example, a preset concentration improvement control process that improves the concentration level CR of the user HM. For ease of understanding, the concentration improvement control process executed by the air conditioning device 2 in the usage environment illustrated in FIG. 2 will be described below.

[0053] When the user HM continues to perform various tasks, such as working on a computer or reading a book, and begins to feel a decline in his or her concentration, he or she selects "concentration mode" using the remote control 55. The selection is then recognized by the control unit 53a, which then starts executing the concentration mode control program 54. The control unit 53a first identifies the presence of the user HM using the infrared sensor 44, and sends an instruction to the biological information detection device 43 to acquire the concentration level CR of the user HM.

[0054] The control unit 53a also starts the concentration level improvement control process shown in Fig. 6. First, the control unit 53a acquires and stores the concentration level CR of the user HM from the biological information detection device 43 (step S101). t-1 And the concentration CR obtained this time t Difference CB ｔ (=CR t -CR t-1 ) is a negative value, and the difference CB ｔ It is determined whether the absolute value of the initial concentration level CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold value Tha (step S102). t-1 Therefore, the control unit 53a stores the value indicated when the concentration is high as the previously acquired concentration level CR. t-1 is set as the initial concentration level CR, and the process of step S102 is performed.

[0055] The user HM begins to feel a decline in his / her concentration and selects the "concentration mode." Therefore, the concentration level CR decreases and the difference CB ｔis equal to or greater than the determination threshold value Tha (step S102: Yes). ｔ If it is determined that the absolute value of is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102: Yes), a concentration-improving operation is performed (step S103). The concentration-improving operation refers to an operation performed to increase the concentration level CR of the user HM. The control unit 53a stores the start time of the concentration-improving operation in the memory unit 53b based on the timing unit 53c.

[0056] In the concentration improvement operation, the user HM is not set. In the case of cooling, as illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, the room temperature is lowered to the target temperature TCo during the transition period Ps, the humidity is lowered to the target humidity HCo during the transition period Ps, the air volume is increased to the target air volume FCo during the transition period Ps, and the air direction is controlled to be ... Furthermore, the example is not limited to blowing wind at the feet of the user HM, but the biological information detection device 43 and the infrared sensor 44 may be used to identify a body part of the user HM, and the wind direction may be controlled so that the wind blows on a predetermined part, such as the waist, chest, face, head, etc. If it is necessary to identify a body part of the user HM, for example, an image sensor may be added to the sensor group 40, and the part may be determined from image analysis.

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

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

[0059] The control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication unit 53d, including information such as that the operating mode is the concentrated mode, whether it is heating or cooling, the target temperature, the target humidity, the target air volume, the target air direction, the unit change amounts ΔT, ΔH, ΔF, and ΔDL.

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

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

[0062] When each controlled object such as temperature reaches a target value, the control units 51a and 53a thereafter perform control so as to maintain that target value.

[0063] Returning to FIG. 6 , if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration level CR acquired in step S101 has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is not equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102: No), the control unit 53a determines whether the "concentration mode" has been stopped (step S108) without performing the concentration level improvement operation because the concentration level CR of the user HM is not increasing, being maintained, or decreasing significantly. If the control unit 53a determines that the "concentration mode" has been stopped (step S108: Yes), the control unit 53a ends the concentration level improvement control process and transmits a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 indicating the end of the concentration mode. The outdoor unit control unit 51 also performs a stop process. Note that the control unit 53a may return to normal mode operation. The "concentration mode" may be stopped when an instruction to end the "concentration mode" is given via the remote control 55, an instruction to stop operation of the air conditioning device 2, or the like.

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

[0065] When the concentration improvement operation in step S103 continues for a certain period of time, the control unit 53a determines whether the concentration improvement operation has been performed for a predetermined time or longer based on the concentration improvement operation execution start time stored in the memory unit 53b and the timing unit 53c (step S104). In this embodiment, the predetermined time is three minutes. Note that the execution time of the concentration improvement operation is not limited to three minutes, but may be five minutes, or any execution time may be used as long as the effect of this embodiment is achieved.

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

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

[0068] When the control unit 53a determines that the concentration-improving driving has been performed for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: Yes), it stops the concentration-improving driving (step S107). The effect of the concentration-improving driving is likely to be produced by a change from normal driving. Therefore, even if the concentration-improving driving is continued, the effect of improving the concentration level CR tends to decrease, so the control unit 53a stops the concentration-improving driving if it has been performed for a predetermined time or longer. The processing from step S107 onwards is the same as above.

[0069] Furthermore, while the control unit 53a is performing the concentration improvement operation in step S106, the control unit 53a displays information indicating the control mode on the main body display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13. Specifically, the control unit 53a causes the main body display unit 58 of the indoor unit 13 to display information indicating the operation mode, the control target, and the control content in the control mode table for concentration mode, as illustrated in FIG. 4, as information to be notified to the user HM. The control unit 53a may send instructions to the remote control 55 and the information device 90 to display information indicating the operation mode, the control target, and the control content in the control mode table for concentration mode on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 and the display unit 90a of the information device 90 as information to be notified to the user HM. Furthermore, the control unit 53a may notify the information indicating the control mode by voice during the concentration improvement operation. For example, the control unit 53a may notify the information by a speaker provided in the indoor unit 13.

[0070] As described above, in the concentration improvement control process, the air conditioning unit is controlled to increase the concentration level CR based on the concentration level CR. Note that in this embodiment, "based on the concentration level CR" means that the determination of whether to perform the concentration improvement operation and whether to continue the concentration improvement operation is made "based on the concentration level CR."

[0071] As described above, in the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 53a determines the concentration level CR based on the pulse wave of the user HM. Estimating the concentration level CR based on the pulse wave can be more reliable than estimating the concentration level CR based on body temperature. This makes it possible to more accurately determine a decrease in the concentration level CR of the user HM, set a concentration mode, and provide an environment that is conducive to concentration. Furthermore, in the concentration improvement operation, it is possible to provide an environment that is conducive to concentration by not only simply reducing the thermal sensation but also by controlling the airflow to directly blow conditioned air from the indoor unit 13 onto the user HM and by controlling humidity.

[0072] (Modification of the First Embodiment) The first embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the first embodiment, in the concentration improvement control process, the determination of whether or not to perform the concentration improvement driving (step S102) is performed based on the difference CB ｔ (=CR t -CR t-1 ), but this is just an example. Sample data of an arbitrary concentration level CR, for example, sample data CR t-m and CR t-n Alternatively, a moving average of multiple differences may be used. Note that m and n are natural numbers, and m<n. In the following description, the same applies to situations where sample data obtained at different times is used.

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

[0074] In the first embodiment, in the concentration improvement control process, the determination of whether to continue the concentration improvement driving (step S106) is made based on whether the concentration level CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold value Thb, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. t-1 And the concentration CR obtained this time t Difference RB ｔ (=CR t -CR t-1 ) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value Thv. ｔ (=CR t / CR t-1 ) is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold value Thr.

[0075] Further, during the concentration-enhancing driving, the concentration level CR may be monitored, and the controlled object may be controlled so that the concentration level CR increases. For example, at a certain timing t during the concentration-enhancing driving, the previous concentration level CR t-1 And this concentration CR t Difference CB ｔ (=CR t -CR t-1 If the difference CB ｔ If ΔH is a negative value, the controlled variable of the controlled object having a positive correlation with the concentration level CR may be set larger than the planned variable so that the concentration level CR increases reliably. ｔ When a control mode is planned to increase the humidity by ΔH ｔ+α, where α is a positive value, and α = f(CB ｔ ) The function f is expressed as the difference CB ｔ The smaller the value (the larger the absolute value), the larger the function. The same applies to the control of other control objects. t-1 And this concentration CR t Ratio with RC ｔ (=CR t / CR t-1 ) is less than "1", the same processing can be performed.

[0076] In addition, the target value CR of the concentration degree CR ｏ is set, and the concentration level CR is periodically acquired by the biological information detection device 43, and the deviation eCR (= CR ｏ -CR), and based on the deviation eCR, PID control (proportional integral derivative control) may be used to control the amounts of change ΔT, ΔH, ΔF, and ΔL in temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction as shown in the following equations: ΔT = a1 · eCR + b1 · ∫ eCRdt + c1 · eCR / dt ΔH = a2 · eCR + b2 · ∫ eCRdt + c2 · eCR / dt ΔF = a3 · eCR + b3 · ∫ eCRdt + c3 · eCR / dt ΔL = a4 · eCR + b4 · ∫ eCRdt + c4 · eCR / dt Note that a1, ...a ４ , b1,...b ４ , c1,...c ４ , are coefficients.

[0077] Alternatively, machine learning technology may be used. In this case, the control unit 53a includes a machine learning device. The machine learning device may, for example, calculate a target value CR of the concentration level CR. ｏ The machine learning device learns the relationship between the deviation eCR and the target values ​​To, Ho, Fo, and Lo of temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction as learning data. ｏ and deviation eCR, and outputs a target value To for temperature, a target value Ho for humidity, a target value Fo for air volume, and a target value Lo for air direction. The control unit 53a controls the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82 so as to obtain each target value, and further controls the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 via the control unit 51a. Note that the input to the machine learning device may be, for example, a target value CR for the concentration level CR ｏThe temperature T, humidity H, air volume DF, and air direction L at that time may be set as the target value for each control object.

[0078] In the first embodiment, after the concentration-improving operation is performed in step S103, the control unit 53a performs the process of determining the execution time of the concentration-improving operation (step S104), but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The control unit 53a may continue the concentration-improving operation until an instruction to end the concentration mode or an instruction to end air conditioning is received, without performing the determination process of step S104.

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

[0080] In embodiment 1, when the concentration improvement operation is performed for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: Yes), the control unit 53a stops the concentration improvement operation (step S107) and determines whether to stop the concentration mode (step S108). However, the control unit 53a may stop the concentration mode once the concentration improvement operation is stopped (step S107).

[0081] In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, an example of concentration improvement operation is shown in which control objects such as temperature, humidity, air volume, and wind direction are changed at a constant rate of change to target values, but the variable quantities to be controlled and the manner of change to be used are arbitrary as long as they increase the concentration level CR of the user HM.

[0082] For example, rather than gradually changing the controlled variables such as temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction to their target values, the transition period Ps may be set to approximately 0 (zero), and the controlled variables may be changed instantaneously for a short period of time, and then the target values ​​may be maintained. Alternatively, the air direction may be changed to the target value all at once, and the temperature, humidity, and air volume may be changed gradually to their target values. For example, when the control unit 53a starts the concentration improvement operation, the control unit 53a may adjust the vanes 34 to instantly control the air direction so that the air hits predetermined locations of the user HM, such as the feet, waist, chest, and face, as detected by the biometric information detection device 43 and the infrared sensor 44.

[0083] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8(A), (B), and (C), each control variable may be changed linearly, curvilinearly, or stepwise over time. As shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), by decreasing the amount of change over time, the amount of change at the start of the concentration mode can be increased, thereby suppressing drowsiness and promoting wakefulness. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(C), by increasing the amount of change over time, wakefulness can be maintained. Note that immediately after the start of the concentration mode, a concentration-improving operation may be performed based on a predetermined control mode or control history, and thereafter, the operation mode may be changed according to changes in the concentration level CR of the user HM.

[0084] Also, for example, in the intensive mode, the temperature and wind direction may be adjusted, but the humidity and wind volume may not be adjusted, so that only some of the control targets may be selectively adjusted.

[0085] Furthermore, the control targets to be controlled may be changed over time. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 9, immediately after the start of the concentrated mode, all four control targets are controlled in the concentrated mode, and after time T1, the airflow direction is excluded from the control targets for the concentrated mode, after time T2, the airflow volume is excluded from the control targets for the concentrated mode, and after time T3, humidity is excluded from the control targets for the concentrated mode, etc. In this manner, the control targets for the concentrated mode may be changed over time.

[0086] In embodiment 1, the control unit 53a controlled the direction of the wind during the concentration improvement operation, but it may also be possible to swing the wind direction up and down or left and right to stimulate the user HM with the airflow.

[0087] In the first embodiment, control is performed in the heating or cooling operation mode during the concentration improvement operation, but in an environment where neither cooling nor heating is required, control may be performed in the air blowing operation mode. In this case, the control unit 53a may control the air volume and air direction, but not the temperature and humidity.

[0088] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may change the execution time of the concentration improvement operation in accordance with changes in the concentration level CR, rather than a predetermined time. For example, if the rate of increase in the concentration level CR has been small since immediately after the start of execution of the concentration improvement operation, but the rate of increase in the concentration level CR becomes large just before the execution time of the concentration improvement operation reaches the predetermined time, the execution time of the concentration improvement operation may be extended.

[0089] In embodiment 1, the control unit 53a stops the concentration improvement operation (step S107) if the concentration improvement operation is performed for a predetermined time or longer (step S104: Yes), but the control unit 53a may continue to perform the concentration improvement operation until the concentration CR becomes equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value Thb.

[0090] In the first embodiment, if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration mode has not stopped (step S108: No) after stopping the concentration improvement driving (step S107), the control unit 53a returns the process to step S101. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The improvement of the concentration level CR tends to be effective depending on the driving state. Therefore, if the control unit 53a determines that the concentration mode has not stopped (step S108: No) after stopping the concentration improvement driving (step S107), the control unit 53a may return the process to step S101 after a predetermined time has elapsed, rather than immediately returning the process to step S101.

[0091] In the first embodiment described above, the determination of whether to perform the concentration-improving operation was performed by comparing the absolute value of the difference with a single determination threshold Tha in the determination process (step S102) of whether the concentration level CR has decreased and the absolute value of the difference is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha. However, multiple determination thresholds may be set. For example, FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which two determination thresholds, Tha1 and Tha2, are used. Note that Tha1 > Tha2. In this example, when the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR has decreased is equal to or greater than the first determination threshold Tha1, all four control targets are controlled for the concentration mode. When the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR has decreased is equal to or greater than the second determination threshold Tha2 but less than the first determination threshold Tha1, the temperature and airflow direction are controlled for the concentration mode. When the absolute value of the difference when the concentration level CR has decreased is less than the second determination threshold Tha2, only the temperature is controlled for the concentration mode.

[0092] 11(A), the date and time when the concentration improvement driving was performed, the driving mode, the change in the concentration level CR, the rate of increase in the concentration level CR, etc. may be recorded in the memory unit 53b or an external storage device to form history information, which may be fed back to the next and subsequent concentration improvement driving. For example, the concentration improvement driving with different driving modes may be performed multiple times, and then, among the recorded driving modes, the controlled driving mode with the highest rate of increase in the concentration level CR may be identified, and control identical to or similar to that driving mode may be performed. Note that the rate of increase in the concentration level CR may be, for example, calculated based on the concentration level CR at the start of the concentration mode. t=0 and the concentration level CR after a certain period of time TE has elapsed t=TE The ratio value CR t=TE / CR t=0 It can be calculated as follows.

[0093] Furthermore, the user HM may be identified, and the history of the concentration-improving driving may be recorded for each user HM, as shown in FIG. 11(B). In this case, when the concentration mode is activated, the user HM in the indoor space 71 is identified, and based on the history information of the user HM, for example, the driving mode of the concentration-improving driving when the concentration level CR was most improved is reproduced, thereby expecting an improvement in the concentration level CR. Note that immediately after the start of the concentration mode, the concentration-improving driving is performed based on the history, and thereafter, the change in the concentration level CR of the user HM (= CR t -CRt-1 ) or rate of change (= (CR t -CR t-1 ) / CR t For example, if the concentration level CR has hardly changed in the previous concentration-improving driving, the amount of change in each control object may be increased from the previous amount of change or the scheduled amount, or if the concentration level CR has increased suddenly, the amount of change in each control object may be decreased from the previous amount of change or the scheduled amount.

[0094] Furthermore, when selecting a suitable operating mode, time factors such as the day of the week, time period, season, etc. may be taken into consideration. For example, if it can be determined from the history that the concentration level CR tends to be improved by reducing the airflow volume on holiday afternoons compared to weekdays, and if the activation point of the concentration mode corresponds to a holiday afternoon, the concentration level improving operation may be started with the airflow volume reduced.

[0095] While the Doppler sensor has directionality and its direction of orientation can be controlled using a gimbal mechanism or the like, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The Doppler sensor may be fixed and its direction of orientation cannot be controlled. To detect the pulse wave of the user HM present in the indoor space 71, not only a single Doppler sensor may be provided, but also multiple Doppler sensors may be provided on the wall, ceiling, etc. Furthermore, in addition to the indoor unit 13 being provided with a Doppler sensor, Doppler sensors may be installed on the wall, ceiling, etc., or, for example, Doppler sensors may be fixed on tripods at the four corners of the room so that the microwave irradiation direction is toward the center of the room.

[0096] In the first embodiment, the infrared sensor 44 and the Doppler sensor are provided. The infrared sensor 44 identifies the position of a person, and the Doppler sensor detects the pulse waves of the human body, and the two work together to fulfill the role of sensors, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The air conditioning device 2 may be provided with only a Doppler sensor, and the Doppler sensor may not only detect the pulse waves of the human body but also identify the position of the person. Furthermore, the detection by the infrared sensor 44 and the detection by the Doppler sensor may be combined to increase reliability.

[0097] In the first embodiment, the pulse wave of the human body is detected using a Doppler sensor, but the pulse wave may be detected using any type of sensor. For example, the pulse wave of the human body may be detected using a 24 GHz to 79 GHz FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar) sensor. Alternatively, the pulse wave may be measured by irradiating a living body with light of infrared, red, or green wavelengths, and measuring the light reflected within the living body or the light transmitted through the living body with a light-receiving element. Furthermore, the sensor is not limited to a non-contact type, and a contact type sensor that detects by contacting the human body may also be used. For example, an electrocardiogram may be used on the human body to measure the pulse wave, and the pulse wave may be extracted from the electrocardiogram.

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

[0099] Furthermore, for example, the control device 50 may be configured as a server device 57 connected to the network NW. In this case, for example, a control program for executing the control processes executed by the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 may be installed in the server device 57, and the outdoor unit control function and the indoor unit control function may be established on the server device 57. Note that the server device 57 may be realized by a personal computer.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the air conditioning apparatus 2 is equipped with the biological information detection device 43, but the biological information detection device 43 may be located outside the air conditioning apparatus 2. For example, the biological information detection device 43 may be placed on the ceiling, wall, floor, etc. that form the indoor space 71. A wearable biological information detection device may also be used. In this case, it is desirable to connect the wearable biological information detection device and the indoor unit control unit 53 via wireless communication or wired communication.

[0101] Furthermore, some recent portable information terminals have the function of measuring and analyzing various types of biometric information. Using this type of portable information terminal as a sensor, for example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 3 , the information device 90 and the indoor unit control unit 53 may be directly connected by wire or wirelessly or via a network NW, and the information device 90 may acquire the biometric information, analyze it to determine the concentration level CR, and notify the indoor unit control unit 53 of the biometric information. Alternatively, the information device 90 may acquire the biometric information and transmit it to the indoor unit control unit 53, which may then analyze the biometric information to determine the concentration level CR. For example, the biometric information detection device 43 may simply receive a Doppler signal, and the indoor unit control unit 53 may analyze the Doppler signal to extract a pulse wave, and then analyze the pulse wave to determine the concentration level CR.

[0102] In the first embodiment, the concentration level improvement control process is started when the user HM selects the concentration mode using the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The start and end of the process can be set in any manner. For example, the concentration level improvement control process may be automatically started when a human presence sensor such as the infrared sensor 44 detects a person in the indoor space 71, and may be ended when the person is no longer detected.

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

[0104] In the above embodiment, the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction are controlled in the intensive mode. However, other parameters may be controlled in place of some of these control objects, or in addition to these control objects. For example, control may be performed to change the temperature control timing from that during normal operation. Here, the temperature control timing refers to the timing at which the temperature control is turned on or off. Here, "temperature control off" means stopping the compressor 21 of the outdoor unit 11 to stop "cooling" or "heating," and "temperature control on" means operating the compressor 21 of the outdoor unit 11 to perform "cooling" or "heating." The "temperature control off" timing is set when the temperature difference ΔTR between the room temperature TR and the set temperature TS set by the user HM reaches ΔToff°C, and the "temperature control on" timing is set when the temperature difference ΔTR between the room temperature TR and the set temperature TS reaches ΔTon°C. For example, assume that in normal cooling mode, the set temperature is 28°C, the temperature control off timing ΔToff is set to -2°C, and the temperature control on timing is set to a temperature difference ΔTon = 0°C. In this case, when the room temperature TR drops to the set temperature of 26°C and the temperature difference ΔTR becomes -2°C, the compressor 21 is stopped and "cooling" is stopped. After that, when the room temperature TR rises to 28°C and the temperature difference ΔTR becomes 0°C, the compressor 21 is operated and "cooling" is resumed.

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

[0106] In the first embodiment, only the air conditioning device 2 was controlled based on the concentration level CR. However, in addition to this, devices used by the user HM may also be controlled. The devices used by the user HM adjust the environment to affect the concentration level CR of the user HM. In addition to the air conditioning device 2, as illustrated in FIG. 13A , external devices connected directly to the outdoor unit 11 or the indoor unit 13 or via the network NW, such as lighting devices 91a, 91b, a fan 92, a water heater, an air purifier, and a ventilation fan, may also be controlled. These external devices may be operated via wired signals or wireless signals such as infrared signals from the air conditioning device 2, or via a cloud server. These external devices are located in the house 3 and are installed and used in a manner that can affect the concentration level CR of the user HM located in the indoor space 71.

[0107] In this case, a control mode table for the concentration mode, such as that shown in Fig. 13(B), is stored in the storage unit 53b of the indoor unit control unit 53. In this table, identification information and control modes of external devices to be controlled when performing concentration-enhancing operation are registered.

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

[0109] Furthermore, during normal operation, the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the air temperature near the intake port of the indoor heat exchanger 25 reaches the set temperature, but in the intensive mode, the air conditioning operation may be performed so that the sensible temperature that a person actually feels approaches the set temperature, which is the target temperature. In this case, for example, in the configuration of Fig. 1, a sensible temperature sensor that detects the sensible temperature of the user HM is located adjacent to the infrared sensor 44, and in step S103 of Fig. 6, the air conditioning operation is performed so that the temperature detected by the sensible temperature sensor approaches the set temperature, instead of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 41.

[0110] Furthermore, when the infrared sensor 44 detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the intensive mode may be performed, and when the infrared sensor 44 no longer detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the intensive mode may be stopped.

[0111] In the first embodiment, the indoor unit control unit 53 receives instructions from the user HM from the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The indoor unit control unit 53 may also receive instructions from the user HM from an information device 90 in which an application for the air conditioning apparatus 2 is installed.

[0112] (Embodiment 2) In the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the concentration improvement control process targets one user HM. The present disclosure is not limited to this example, and as illustrated in FIG. 14, the control unit 53a may perform the concentration improvement control process for multiple users HM. When there are multiple users HM, the biometric information detection device 43 detects the pulse wave of each user HM and determines the concentration level CR of each user HM. The infrared sensor 44 also determines the locations of the multiple users. In FIG. 14, the control unit 53a performs the concentration improvement control process for two users HM1 and HM2, but the number of users is not limited to two, and any number of users may be targeted. Below, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 6. Note that FIG. 14 illustrates an example in which the air conditioning system 1 is installed on a ceiling.

[0113] In the second embodiment, the control unit 53a acquires the concentration levels CR1 and CR2 of the two users HM1 and HM2 in the concentration level improvement control process (step S101). t and CR2 t Average value of AVCR t = (CR1 f +CR2 f ) / 2 and the previous average value AVCR t-1 = (CR1 f-1 +CR2 f-1 ) / 2 and the difference CB t The control unit 53a calculates the current average value AVCR. t is the previous average AVCR t-1 and the difference CB tThe control unit 53a determines whether the absolute value of is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102). The control unit 53a performs the process of step S105 in the same manner as step S101. In addition, in the process of step S106, the control unit 53a determines whether the absolute value of is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102). t and CR2 t Average value of AVCR t = (CR1 f +CR2 f It is determined whether or not ≠(x,y) / 2 is equal to or greater than a determination threshold value Thb (step S106).

[0114] When performing the concentration improvement operation, the control unit 53a controls the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction for both users HM1 and HM2 based on the average concentration AVCR. Meanwhile, the control unit 53a controls the air direction by controlling the vanes 34 to generate two air currents F1 and F2, which are individually controlled for the two users HM1 and HM2. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 14 , air direction control can be performed by changing the air direction F1 and F2 indicated by the solid lines to the air direction F1' and F2' indicated by the dashed lines. This can improve the concentration CR for each user HM.

[0115] (Variation of Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 2, in the determination process (step S102), the absolute value of the difference between the average values ​​AVCR of the concentration levels CR of the two users is compared with the determination threshold Tha to determine whether to perform the concentration-improving drive. Furthermore, in the determination process (step S106), the average value AVCR of the concentration levels CR of the two users is compared with the determination threshold Thb to determine whether to continue the concentration-improving drive. The present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the determination of whether to perform or continue the drive may be made by comparing any representative value, such as the median, minimum, or maximum value of the concentration levels CR of multiple users HM, with the determination threshold, or by comparing the absolute value of the difference between such representative values ​​with the determination threshold.

[0116] In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the control unit 53 a determines whether the concentration level CR of the user HM has decreased and the absolute value of the difference in the concentration levels CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102), and performs the concentration improvement operation only when the concentration level CR of the user HM has decreased and the absolute value of the difference in the concentration levels CR is equal to or greater than the determination threshold Tha (step S102: Yes). However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. When the concentration mode is specified, the control unit 53 a may unconditionally start the concentration improvement operation.

[0117] In the first and second embodiments, the infrared sensor 44 identifies the presence or absence of the user HM and the positions of multiple people, but instead, a Doppler sensor may identify the positions of multiple people. Specifically, the Doppler sensor irradiates light while changing the irradiation angle to identify the positions of people.

[0118] In the first and second embodiments, the indoor space 71 is not limited to a room, but may be a closed space, a semi-closed space with a part open, or a substantially closed space or semi-closed space separated by an air curtain or the like.

[0119] (Embodiment 3) In the first and second embodiments, the concentration level CR is calculated based on a pulse wave. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. To improve the accuracy of the concentration level CR, other biological information may be used in combination. For example, the pulse wave of the user HM and its changes, the heart rate of the user HM and its changes, the brain waves of the user HM and its changes, the body temperature of the user HM and its changes, changes in the movement of the facial muscles of the user HM, the behavior of the user HM, etc. may be measured by a sensor, the concentration level CR may be calculated from each measurement value, and the calculated concentration levels CR may be weighted and averaged to calculate the concentration level CR to be used for control.

[0120] It is also possible to utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) such as a neural network to measure the concentration level CR. In this case, teacher data is created by investigating in advance the relationship between a set of input data, such as the user HM's pulse wave and its changes, the user HM's heart rate and its changes, the user HM's brain waves and its changes, the user HM's body temperature and its changes, changes in the movement of the user HM's facial muscles, and the user HM's behavior, and the output concentration level CR. Next, the AI ​​device is made to learn the teacher data. The AI ​​device inputs biological information such as pulse waves and brain waves measured by a sensor, their change rates, their history, etc., and outputs an index indicating the concentration level CR.

[0121] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, step S102 determines whether or not to perform concentration improvement operation based on the relationship between a preset standard and the concentration level CR. However, concentration improvement operation may be performed without this determination. For example, AI technology may be utilized in the indoor unit control unit 53. For example, the concentration level CR, its change, change rate, or its history may be input to the AI ​​device, and the AI ​​device may output an appropriate control mode. In this case, for example, teacher data may be created by investigating in advance the relationship between the concentration level CR, its change amount or change rate, and their history, as well as the control target, control content, and its effect. Next, the AI ​​device is made to learn the teacher data. In step S102 of FIG. 6, the AI ​​device inputs the concentration level CR, etc., supplied from the bioinformation detection device 43 and outputs the appropriate control target and control content. Subsequently, in step S103, air conditioning control indicated by the output control target and control content is performed.

[0122] The present disclosure allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of equivalent disclosures are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0123] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Air conditioning system, 2 Air conditioning device, 3 House, 11 Outdoor unit, 13 Indoor unit, 21 Compressor, 22 Four-way valve, 23 Outdoor heat exchanger, 24 Expansion valve, 25 Indoor heat exchanger, 31 Outdoor blower, 33 Indoor blower, 34 Vane, 40 Sensor group, 41 Temperature sensor, 42 Humidity sensor, 43 Biometric information detection device, 44 Infrared sensor, 50 Control device, 51 Outdoor unit control unit, 51a Control unit, 51b Memory unit, 51c Timekeeping unit, 51d Communication unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 53a Control unit, 53b Memory unit, 53c Timekeeping unit, 53d Communication unit, 54 Control program for concentrated mode, 54a Acquisition processing unit, 54b Determination processing unit, 54c Control processing unit, 54d Set value group, 55 Remote control, 55a Display unit, 56 Communication device, 57 Server device, 58 Main body display unit, 61 Refrigerant piping, 63 Communication line, 71 Indoor space, 72 Outdoor space, 80 Air conditioning unit, 81 Outdoor unit air conditioning unit, 82 Indoor unit air conditioning unit, 90 Information equipment, 90a Display unit, 91a, 91b Lighting equipment, 92 Fan, 1000, 1010 Bus, 1001, 1011 Processor, 1002, 1012 Memory, 1003, 1013 Secondary storage device, 1004, 1014 I / O interface, 1005, 1015 Communication module, NW Network, HM, HM1, HM2 User

Claims

1. An air conditioning system that controls air conditioning of an air-conditioned space, An air conditioning unit that conditions the air-conditioned space; A control device for controlling the air conditioning unit; Equipped with The control device includes: an index value acquisition means for acquiring a concentration level calculated from a change in a body surface movement of a user present in the air-conditioned space; and a control means for controlling the air conditioning unit so as to increase the degree of concentration of the user based on the acquired degree of concentration, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of control targets of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space, the index value acquisition means periodically acquires the concentration level of the user; When the degree of concentration acquired by the index value acquisition means shows a tendency to decrease, the control means increases the number of control targets as the degree of decrease increases. Air conditioning system.

2. The control means increases the number of the control objects as the acquired concentration level becomes lower than the concentration level acquired a predetermined period before the time of acquisition and as an absolute value of a difference between the acquired concentration level and the concentration level acquired a predetermined period before becomes larger. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

3. When it is determined that the absolute value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust all of the control objects.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2.

4. When it is determined that the absolute value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the air conditioning unit is controlled so as to adjust any two or one of the control objects.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 3.

5. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust a control object including the temperature among the control objects. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

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

7. When the control means controls the air conditioning unit to increase the degree of concentration, if it is determined that an execution time for controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the degree of concentration is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the control means stops controlling the air conditioning unit to increase the degree of concentration. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

8. When there are multiple users in the air-conditioned space, The index value acquisition means acquires the concentration levels of all of the plurality of users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit so as to increase the acquired representative value of the degree of concentration. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

9. When there are multiple users in the air-conditioned space, The index value acquisition means acquires the concentration levels of all of the plurality of users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit so as to increase the minimum concentration degree among the acquired concentration degrees. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

10. The information display device further includes a display unit for displaying information to be notified to the user. the display means displays information indicating a control mode for controlling the air conditioning unit when the air conditioning unit is controlled so as to increase the degree of concentration. The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

11. An air conditioning apparatus that controls air conditioning of an air-conditioned space, An air conditioning unit that conditions the air-conditioned space; A control device for controlling the air conditioning unit; Equipped with The control device includes an index value acquisition means for acquiring a concentration level of users in the air-conditioned space; and a control means for controlling the air conditioning unit so as to increase the degree of concentration of the user based on the acquired degree of concentration, The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of control targets of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space, the index value acquisition means periodically acquires the concentration level of the user; When the degree of concentration acquired by the index value acquisition means shows a tendency to decrease, the control means increases the number of control targets as the degree of decrease increases. Air conditioning units.

12. Control the air conditioning in the space to be air-conditioned, Acquire a concentration level of users in the air-conditioned space; Control is performed to increase the concentration degree, The air conditioning control is performed so as to adjust at least one of the control targets of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space; Periodically acquiring the concentration level of the user; When the acquired concentration level shows a tendency to decrease, the number of control targets is increased as the degree of decrease increases. Control methods.

13. On the computer, A process for controlling air conditioning in a space to be air-conditioned; A process of acquiring a concentration degree of users in the air-conditioned space; A process of performing control so as to increase the degree of concentration; A process of performing the air conditioning control so as to adjust at least one of the control targets of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space; A process of periodically acquiring the concentration level of the user; When the acquired concentration level shows a tendency to decrease, a process of increasing the number of control targets as the degree of decrease increases; A program that executes the following.