Air conditioning apparatus, control method, and program

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus (2) comprises an air conditioning unit (80), an index value acquisition means, and a control means. The air conditioning unit (80) applies air conditioning to an air conditioning target space. The index value acquisition means acquires a stress level of a user in the air conditioning target space. The control means controls, on the basis of the stress level acquired by the index value acquisition means, the air conditioning unit (80) in order to reduce the stress level of the user.

Description

Air conditioning device, control method and program

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

[0002] Air conditioners have been developed that adjust the environment of a space that a user is in. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that adjusts the environment of a space based on thermal images of the occupants and the environment.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-180139

[0004] Simply adjusting the spatial environment based on the temperature of the occupants and the environment does not necessarily ensure a user's comfort. The degree to which a user feels comfortable also depends on the user's own state. For example, even if a user feels comfortable in an ambient environment when they are not stressed, it is often difficult for them to feel comfortable if they are stressed. However, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 makes it difficult for the user to achieve a stress-free state.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an air conditioning apparatus, a control method, and a program that perform air conditioning control that can provide a stress-free environment for users.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an air conditioning unit, an index value acquisition means, and a control means. The air conditioning unit conditions a space to be air-conditioned. The index value acquisition means acquires a stress level of a user in the space to be air-conditioned. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to reduce the stress level of the user based on the stress level acquired by the index value acquisition means.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, an air conditioning apparatus can acquire a stress level indicating a user's stress state and perform air conditioning control to reduce the stress level, thereby alleviating the user's stress state and ultimately increasing the comfort level of the air conditioning.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of an air-conditioned space in which an indoor unit of an air conditioning device according to embodiment 1 is arranged; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the horizontal detectable range of a biological information detection device arranged in an indoor unit of an air conditioning device according to embodiment 1; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the vertical detectable range of a biological information detection device arranged in an indoor unit of an air conditioning device according to embodiment 1; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a stress level reduction control mode table stored in the memory of the indoor unit control unit shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an outdoor unit control unit according to embodiment 1; Flowchart of setting value change processing Figure showing a modified example of the stress level reduction control mode table stored in the memory unit of the indoor unit control unit shown in Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing the layout of the air-conditioned space in which the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 2 is arranged Schematic diagram showing the horizontal detectable range of the biological information detection device arranged in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 2 Schematic diagram showing the vertical detectable range of the biological information detection device arranged in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 2 Figure showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 3 of the present disclosure Figure showing an example of the stress level reduction control mode table stored in the memory unit of the indoor unit control unit included in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device shown in Figure 10A Figure showing an example configuration of history information used in the stress level reduction control processing Figure showing an example configuration of history information of a large number of people used in the stress level reduction control processing Figure showing a modified example of the configuration of the air conditioning system shown in Figure 1

[0009] An air conditioning apparatus, an air conditioning system including the air conditioning apparatus, 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.

[0010] (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 a stress level that indicates the stress state of a user HM present in the indoor space 71. Air conditioning refers to adjusting all or some of the temperature, humidity, cleanliness, air flow, etc. of the air in the air-conditioned space, and specifically has all or some of the functions of heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, humidification, air purification, etc.

[0011] The stress level indicating the stress state of the user HM means the degree to which the user HM is feeling stressed. Normally, a state in which a person is not feeling stressed is a state of low mental tension. In contrast, a state in which a person is feeling stressed is a state of high mental tension. Note that a state in which a person is feeling stressed includes an immersion state in which a person is immersed in something and feels pleasant stress.

[0012] When a person is not feeling stress, they are free from anger, anxiety, and fear. Medically, a state of not feeling stress, i.e., a state of low tension, is a state in which the parasympathetic nervous system is mainly active. On the other hand, a state of feeling stress, i.e., a state of tension, is a state in which the sympathetic nervous system is mainly active. Stress level is an index that indicates the degree to which a person is feeling stress, and in this specification, the lower or smaller the stress level, the less stress a person is feeling and the more hypotonic the person is.

[0013] The configuration of an air conditioning system 1 is shown in Fig. 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 reduce the stress level 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.

[0014] The air conditioning device 2 is installed in a house 3. The house 3 is, for example, a typical detached house. ２It is a heat pump type air conditioning system that uses carbon dioxide or HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) as a refrigerant.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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 and expands 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, and then its air direction is adjusted by the vanes 34. The air whose air direction has been adjusted is blown out into the indoor space 71 as conditioned air. In this way, the indoor space 71 is conditioned. 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.

[0023] 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 identifying the stress level of the user HM.

[0024] 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.

[0025] The infrared sensor 44 is a pyroelectric, thermopile, or other type of sensor, and 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 a depression angle and can rotate left and right around a vertical axis as the axis of rotation. This allows the infrared sensor 44 to sequentially acquire infrared information as it rotates and create a thermal image.

[0026] The biological information detection device 43 detects biological information and determines the stress level S. The biological information detection device 43 includes a Doppler sensor or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), not shown. These sensors have directional characteristics and can control their direction of orientation using a gimbal mechanism or the like. In other words, by rotating a sensor with a narrowed field of view around two axes using a gimbal mechanism or the like, biological information in a room can be freely detected. The Doppler sensor emits sinusoidal radio waves of approximately 24 GHz, known as microwave or quasi-millimeter wave bands, toward the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44. The Doppler sensor receives reflected waves from the human body and detects the human pulse wave. The LiDAR emits laser light toward the human body detected by the infrared sensor 44 and detects the human pulse wave based on the reflected light from the human body. The pulse wave is a waveform that indicates changes in body surface movement due to heartbeat, breathing, etc., and includes waveforms of changes in blood vessel movement and changes in the body surface. The biological information detection device 43 may also include other sensors, such as a sensor that measures pulse rate from changes in luminance on the body surface using a near-infrared camera, an optical sensor that measures pulse rate from the movement of hemoglobin in the blood, or an electrical heart rate sensor that measures cardiac potential.

[0027] In the first embodiment, the biological information detection device 43 analyzes, for example, a pulse wave detected by a Doppler sensor to determine the stress level S. Any known method can be used to derive the stress level S from the pulse wave. For example, time-series data of heart rate fluctuations is obtained from time-series data of the pulse wave, and frequency analysis is performed on the data to extract high-frequency fluctuation components (HF components) caused by parasympathetic nerve activity and low-frequency components (LF components) caused by sympathetic nerve activity. The stress level can be determined by quantifying the ratio (=LF / (HF+LF)) of the HF components to the total power (HF+LF). When the HF component is dominant, stress decreases, and when the LF component is dominant, stress increases. Therefore, when the ratio (=LF / (HF+LF)) of the LF component to the total power (HF+LF) decreases, i.e., when the stress level S decreases, the stress felt by the user HM decreases. Conversely, when the ratio (=LF / (HF+LF)) of the LF component to the total power (HF+LF) increases, that is, when the stress level S increases, the stress felt by the user HM increases.

[0028] 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.

[0029] A user issues operational commands to the air conditioning apparatus 2 by operating the remote control 55, by voice input, or by remote control via various networks. In the first embodiment, a case where a remote control 55 provided in the indoor space 71 is used will be described. The remote control 55 transmits and receives various signals to 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, an LCD 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, commands to switch between operation and stop, and commands 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 commands.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 2A, in the first embodiment, the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location where it can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71, for example, on the upper part of a wall. The indoor space 71 is cooled or heated by the cool air and warm air blown out from the indoor unit 13. The indoor unit 13 detects the stress level of one user HM present in the indoor space 71 using the biological information detection device 43, and performs air conditioning control based on the stress level of the user HM.

[0032] In the following explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set, with the width direction of the interior space 71 shown in Figure 2A as the X-axis direction, the height direction as the Z-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Z-axis directions as the Y-axis direction, and this coordinate system will be referred to as appropriate. Also, the direction of each arrow shown in Figure 2A is referred to as the + direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction is referred to as the - direction.

[0033] The biometric information detection device 43 is capable of detection in both the horizontal and vertical directions with itself as the center. Schematic diagrams of the detectable range SA of the biometric information detection device 43 are shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. First, FIG. 2B shows a horizontal detectable range SAH in the horizontal direction of the biometric information detection device 43. The horizontal detectable range SAH is a semicircle with a radius N centered on the biometric information detection device 43. For example, in FIG. 2B, the dotted line connecting point A in the -X direction to point A' in the +X direction and the dotted arc line form the horizontal detectable range SAH.

[0034] 2C is a diagram showing a vertical detectable range SAV in the vertical direction of the biological information detection device 43. The vertical detectable range SAV is a semicircle with a radius N centered on the biological information detection device 43. For example, in FIG. 2C, the dotted line connecting point B in the -Z direction to point B' in the +Z direction and the dotted arc line form the vertical detectable range SAV. Note that, hereinafter, the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV are collectively referred to as the detectable range SA.

[0035] The biological information detection device 43 can detect the biological information of the user HM present within the detectable range SA. Therefore, it is desirable that the size of the indoor space 71 in which the user HM is present be within the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43. Furthermore, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 may be set in accordance with the size of the indoor space 71 in which the user HM is present.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] The control unit 51a receives control instruction signals from the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63, including power on / off, operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow, timer information, and detection data from various sensors. In response to the control instruction signals, the control unit 51a controls the entire outdoor unit 11, particularly the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, such as controlling the operating frequency of the compressor 21, controlling the switching of the four-way valve 22, controlling the rotation speed of the outdoor blower 31, and controlling the opening 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.

[0039] The timing unit 51c is equipped with an RTC (Real Time Clock) and is a timing device that continues to measure time even when the air conditioning apparatus 2 is powered off. The control unit 51a refers to the time measured by the timing unit 51c to start, stop, etc. the timer. The communication unit 51d is an interface that enables the control unit 51a to communicate with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The control unit 53a receives control information from the remote control 55, including power on / off, operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, set air volume, timer information, detection data from various sensors, etc. The control unit 53a also receives outputs from the sensor group 40. Based on the received information, the control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal to the outdoor unit control unit 51 and controls the vanes 34 and the indoor blower 33 to perform air conditioning processing. The control unit 53a corresponds to an example of the "index value acquisition means" and "control means" of the present disclosure.

[0042] The storage unit 53b is configured with 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 for cooling control, heating control, and dehumidification control, and also stores a control program that causes the control unit 53a to execute air conditioning control that reduces the stress level of the user HM in the indoor space 71, i.e., a stress level reduction control program 54.

[0043] The stress level reduction control program 54 functionally includes an acquisition processing unit 54a that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to acquire the stress level, a judgment processing unit 54b that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to determine whether the acquired stress level is greater than a threshold value, a control processing unit 54c that causes the control unit 53a to execute an air conditioning process to reduce the stress level, and a set value group 54d.

[0044] The timing unit 53c is a part that measures time. The timing unit 53c is equipped with an RTC and is a timing device that continues to measure time even while the air conditioning apparatus 2 is powered off. The communication unit 53d communicates with the outdoor unit control unit 51 and also communicates with the information device 90 via the external network NW.

[0045] The set of setting values ​​54d of the stress level reduction control program 54 described above includes a table that lists various setting values. Fig. 4 shows a table that lists the control modes for stress level reduction used as the set of setting values ​​54d. The stress level reduction control mode table shown in Fig. 4 includes a determination threshold Sh for determining the stress level of the user HM, and a control target and control content for each operation mode.

[0046] The judgment threshold Sh is a reference value for determining whether the stress level is high or low. The judgment processing unit 54b of the stress level reduction control program 54 shown in Fig. 3 judges that the user HM is experiencing high stress when the stress level of the user HM identified by the biological information detection device 43 is greater than the judgment threshold Sh, and judges that the user HM is experiencing low stress when the stress level is less than the judgment threshold Sh.

[0047] The operation mode is the operation mode of the air conditioning device 2. Here, a heating operation mode and a cooling operation mode are set. A control target and control content are set for each of the heating operation mode and the cooling operation mode. The control target and control content for the heating operation mode include parameters for temperature, humidity, air volume, air direction, and temperature correction direction.

[0048] The temperature is a parameter for controlling the temperature in the indoor space 71, i.e., the room temperature. The temperature includes a set value Ths, which is a target value for changing the room temperature, a current value Thc, which is the current room temperature, an upper limit value Thu, which is the upper limit temperature to which the set value Ths can be changed, a lower limit value Thl, which is the lower limit temperature, and an increase / decrease value Thn for changing the set value Ths.

[0049] Humidity is a parameter for controlling the humidity in the indoor space 71. Humidity includes a set value Mhs, which is a target value for changing the humidity, and a current value Mhc, which is the current humidity. Airflow is a parameter for controlling the amount of air blown out from the indoor unit 13. Airflow includes a set value Fhs, which is a target value for changing the airflow, and a current value Fhc, which is the current airflow.

[0050] The airflow direction is the direction of the air being blown out, which is controlled by the vane 34 of the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A. The airflow direction may be set, for example, as a wind deflector that directs the blown air toward the user HM in the indoor space 71, or a wind shield that prevents the air from being blown toward the user HM. The correction direction ADh is a parameter that determines the direction in which the temperature set value Ths is corrected. The direction in which the temperature set value Ths is corrected includes a positive direction that increases the set value Ths, and a negative direction that decreases the set value Ths.

[0051] Furthermore, the control target and control content in the cooling operation mode include the parameters of temperature, humidity, air volume, air direction, and temperature correction direction. The temperature is a parameter for controlling the temperature in the indoor space 71, i.e., the room temperature. The temperature includes a set value Tcs, which is a target value for changing the room temperature, a current value Tcc, which is the current room temperature, an upper limit value Tcu, which is the upper limit temperature to which the set value Tcs can be changed, a lower limit value Tcl, which is the lower limit temperature, and an increase / decrease value Tcn, which is used to change the set value Tcs.

[0052] Humidity is a parameter for controlling the humidity in the indoor space 71. Humidity includes a set value Mcs, which is a target value for changing the humidity, and a current value Mc, which is the current humidity. Airflow is a parameter for controlling the amount of air blown out from the indoor unit 13. Airflow includes a set value Fcs, which is a target value for changing the airflow, and a current value Fcc, which is the current airflow.

[0053] The airflow direction is the direction of the air being blown out, which is controlled by the vane 34 of the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A. The airflow direction may be set, for example, as a wind deflector that directs the blown air toward the user HM in the indoor space 71, or a wind shield that prevents the air from being blown toward the user HM. The correction direction ADh is a parameter that determines the direction in which the temperature set value Tcs is corrected. The direction in which the temperature set value Tcs is corrected includes a positive direction that increases the set value Tcs, and a negative direction that decreases the set value Tcs.

[0054] The values ​​for the heating operation mode and the cooling operation mode are determined in advance by the user HM. Alternatively, they may be determined based on past operation data. In the first embodiment, for example, in the heating operation mode, if the stress level of the user HM is greater than the determination threshold, the temperature setting value Ths is changed in the correction direction ADh by the increase / decrease value Thn, and the humidity setting value Mhs and the airflow setting value Fhs are changed according to the changed temperature setting value Ths, thereby performing operation control. The same applies to the cooling operation mode.

[0055] 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 Figures 5A and 5B. First, the outdoor unit control unit 51 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, and includes, for example, as shown in Figure 5A, a processor 1001 that executes various programs, a memory 1002 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1003 that stores various programs, 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.

[0056] The processor 1001 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and loads various programs stored in a secondary storage device 1003 into a memory 1002 and executes the programs.

[0057] 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 various programs that the processor 1001 reads from the secondary storage device 1003.

[0058] 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 various programs executed by the processor 1001, fixed data, etc.

[0059] 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.

[0060] The communication module 1005 is configured, for example, by a network interface, and realizes communication between the processor 1001 and the indoor unit control unit 53. The control unit 51a and the timer unit 51c are configured, for example, by the processor 1001 and an I / O interface 1004. The storage unit 51b is configured by a memory 1002 and a secondary storage device 1003. The communication unit 51d is configured, for example, by the communication module 1005.

[0061] Next, the indoor unit control unit 53 is composed of a computer such as a microcontroller, etc. As shown in Fig. 5B, the indoor unit control unit 53 includes a processor 1011 that executes various programs, a memory 1012 that functions as a main storage area, a secondary storage device 1013 that stores various programs, an I / O interface 1014 that inputs and outputs signals, and a communication module 1015 that performs communication, all of which are connected via a bus 1010.

[0062] 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. 5A. However, the secondary storage device 1013 stores the stress level reduction control program 54, and the I / O interface 1014 is connected to the sensor group 40, the remote control 55, 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.

[0063] 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. When switching from normal mode to air conditioning operation in stress level reduction mode, a stress level reduction operation control process is executed to reduce the stress level of the user HM. For ease of understanding, the stress level reduction operation control process executed by the air conditioning device 2 in the usage environment illustrated in FIG. 2A will be described below. The stress level reduction operation control process is assumed to be included in the stress level reduction control program 54 as a stress level reduction operation control process program. The stress level reduction operation control process will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

[0064] When the user HM selects the "stress level reduction mode" using the remote controller 55, the selection is recognized by the control unit 53a. The control unit 53a starts executing the stress level reduction control program .

[0065] 6, the control unit 53a sets the stress level S to 0 (step S101). When execution of the stress level reduction control program 54 begins, the stress level S is set to 0. Next, the control unit 53a initializes and starts a timer (step S102). This timer is a parameter for setting the processing timing of the stress level reduction control program 54. The timer receives the measured time from the timer unit 53c of the indoor unit control unit 53 shown in FIG. 3 and calculates the elapsed time.

[0066] The control unit 53a determines whether the elapsed time calculated by the timer has exceeded a specified time (step S103). If the elapsed time has not exceeded the specified time (step S103; NO), step S103 is repeated. If the elapsed time has exceeded the specified time (step S103; YES), the control unit 53a first identifies the presence of the user HM using the infrared sensor 44. Next, the control unit 53a causes the biometric information detection device 43 to identify the stress level of the user HM. The control unit 53a acquires the current value Sc of the stress level S of the user HM from the biometric information detection device 43 (step S104).

[0067] The control unit 53a determines whether the acquired current value Sc of the stress level S is greater than the judgment threshold Sh set in the stress level reduction control mode table shown in FIG. 4 (step S105). If the acquired current value Sc is less than the judgment threshold Sh (step S105; NO), the control unit 53a determines that the user HM is not currently feeling much stress, and returns to step S102. The control unit 53a executes the processes from step S102 onward. If the current value Sc of the stress level S is greater than the judgment threshold Sh (step S105; YES), the control unit 53a executes a setting value change process (step S106). The setting value change process will be described below with reference to FIG. 7.

[0068] The control unit 53a determines whether the value of the stress level S is 0 (step S201). For example, assume that the value of the stress level S was set to 0 in the above-mentioned step S101. In this case, since the value of the stress level S is 0 (step S201; YES), the control unit 53a selects the correction direction ADh (step S202). Here, the correction direction ADh is assumed to be the positive direction in the heating operation mode, i.e., adding the increase / decrease value Thn to the temperature set value Ths. Also, the correction direction ADh is assumed to be the negative direction in the cooling operation mode, i.e., subtracting the increase / decrease value Tcn from the temperature set value Tcs. Note that, for ease of understanding, the following description will be given assuming that the current operation mode is the heating operation mode.

[0069] The control unit 53a corrects the temperature setting value Ths in the heating operation mode (step S203). Specifically, the control unit 53a adds the increase / decrease value Thn to the temperature setting value Ths. The control unit 53a determines whether the temperature setting value Ths after the addition is greater than the upper limit value Thu (step S204). If the temperature setting value Ths after the addition is greater than the upper limit value Thu (step S204; YES), the control unit 53a sets the temperature setting value Ths to the upper limit value Thu (step S205). This prevents the temperature setting value Ths from being set to an abnormally high temperature that the user HM cannot anticipate.

[0070] If the temperature set value Ths after the addition is smaller than the upper limit value Thu (step S204; NO), the control unit 53a determines whether the temperature set value Ths after the addition is larger than the lower limit value Thl (step S206). If the temperature set value Ths after the addition is smaller than the lower limit value Thl (step S206; YES), the control unit 53a sets the temperature set value Ths to the lower limit value Thl (step S207). This prevents the temperature set value Ths from being set to an abnormally low temperature that the user HM cannot anticipate. If the temperature set value Ths after the addition is larger than the lower limit value Thl (step S206; NO), the control unit 53a ends the set value change process and returns to the stress level reduction operation control process of FIG. 6.

[0071] In step S201, for example, it is assumed that the stress level reduction operation control process has already been executed and the previously determined current value Sc of the stress level S is set as the stress level S. In this case, since the value of the stress level S is not 0 (step S201; NO), the control unit 53a determines whether the current value Sc of the stress level S determined in step S104 of the stress level reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6 is greater than the previous value set for the stress level S (step S210).

[0072] If the current value Sc of the stress level S is greater than the previous value (step S210; YES), it is determined that the stress felt by the user HM is increasing, and the control unit 53a reverses the direction of the correction direction ADh (step S211). For example, if the correction direction ADh is the positive direction, the correction direction ADh is reversed to the negative direction, that is, the increase / decrease value Thn is subtracted from the set temperature value Ths.

[0073] Furthermore, if the current value Sc of the stress level S is smaller than the previous value (step S210; NO), the control unit 53a determines that the stress felt by the user HM is decreasing, and maintains the correction direction ADh. The control unit 53a executes steps S203 to S207. The control unit 53a ends the setting value change process and returns to the stress level reduction operation control process of FIG. 6.

[0074] The control unit 53a changes the humidity setting value Mhs and the airflow setting value Fhs to match the temperature setting value Ths changed in the setting value change process of step S106, and performs operation control using the changed setting values ​​(step S107). Specifically, the control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal including the changed settings to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication unit 53d. The control unit 51a of the outdoor unit control unit 51 receives the control instruction signal transmitted from the control unit 53a via the communication unit 51d. The control unit 51a of the outdoor unit control unit 51 autonomously sets the operation details in accordance with the setting values ​​of temperature, humidity, airflow, etc. included in the control instruction signal, and controls the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, i.e., the rotation frequency of the compressor 21, the opening degree of the expansion valve 24, the airflow rate of the outdoor blower 31, etc. Similarly, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 controls the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82, i.e., the air flow rate of the indoor blower 33, the direction of the vanes 34, etc., so that the current values ​​of temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. approach the changed set values ​​of temperature, humidity, air volume, etc.

[0075] The control unit 53a stores the changed setting values ​​and the current value Sc of the stress level S identified in step S104 in the stress level reduction control mode table shown in Fig. 4. The control unit 53a also updates the data in the setting value group 54d of the stress level reduction control program 54 with the changed setting values ​​and the current value Sc of the stress level S identified in step S104 (step S108).

[0076] The control unit 53a determines whether the user HM has used the remote control 55 to issue an instruction to end the "stress level reduction mode" (step S109). If an instruction to end the "stress level reduction mode" has been issued (step S109; YES), the control unit 53a terminates the stress level reduction operation control process. The control unit 53a then returns to the normal operation mode. Alternatively, the control unit 53a may stop the operation of the air conditioning system 1. If an instruction to end the "stress level reduction mode" has not been issued (step S109; NO), the control unit 53a returns to step S102 and executes step S102 and subsequent steps. Note that, when the current temperature value Thc reaches the set value Ths, the control unit 51a of the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 control the temperature to maintain the set value Ths.

[0077] As described above, when the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment determines that the stress level S of the user HM is greater than the predetermined determination threshold Sh, the air conditioning system 1 controls the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. to reduce the stress level S of the user HM. This makes it possible to reduce the stress felt by the user HM.

[0078] (Modifications of the First Embodiment) The first embodiment can be modified in various ways.

[0079] When the user HM selects the "stress level reduction mode" using the remote control 55, the driving control in the "stress level reduction mode" may be repeated at predetermined intervals.

[0080] In the first embodiment described above, in step S203 of the set value changing process shown in Fig. 7, the control unit 53a changes the set temperature value Ths, and the set values ​​of humidity, air volume, etc. change according to the set temperature value Ths. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the control unit 53a may also be configured to set upper and lower limits and increments and decrements for each set value of humidity, air volume, etc., as shown in Fig. 8, for example, and set these values ​​individually.

[0081] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may increase or decrease each set value, such as temperature, humidity, or air volume, by a small amount within a range from an upper limit value to a lower limit value illustrated in FIG. 8 for a predetermined period of time.

[0082] The control unit 53a may change one or more of the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction, rather than changing the temperature in accordance with the stress level S of the user HM. The control unit 53a may determine whether to raise or lower the room temperature in accordance with the current operation mode. The control unit 53a may switch the operation mode of heating and cooling. Furthermore, the control unit 53a may control the operation in accordance with conditions preset by the user HM.

[0083] 6 , the control unit 53a may stop operation or turn off the power of the air conditioning device 2. Furthermore, when the control unit 53a stops operation or turns off the power of the air conditioning device 2, it may identify the stress level S of the user HM after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and if the stress level S is equal to or less than the judgment threshold, it may resume operation of the air conditioning device 2 or turn on the power.

[0084] 6, the temperature may be changed when the change in the stress level S over time reaches or exceeds a predetermined rate. Alternatively, the temperature may be changed when the stress level S is equal to or greater than a threshold Sh or less than the threshold Sh.

[0085] Machine learning technology may also be used. In this case, the control unit 53a is equipped with a machine learning device. The machine learning device learns, for example, the relationship between the stress level S and each set value, such as temperature, humidity, and air volume. In an actual control situation, the machine learning device outputs a combination of each set value, such as temperature, humidity, and air volume, that can reduce the stress level S. The control unit 53a controls the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82 in accordance with the output set values, and further controls the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81 via the control unit 51a.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 53a may notify the user HM of the current stress level S in accordance with the increase or decrease in the stress level S during air conditioning operation in the stress level reduction mode. For example, when the stress level S is greater than the judgment threshold Sh, the control unit 53a notifies the user HM that the stress level is high using the notification means. This allows the user HM to grasp the current stress level S.

[0087] The notification means is, for example, a lamp or buzzer attached to the body of the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A, the display unit 55a of the remote control 55, or the display unit 90a of the information device 90 shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the user HM is notified by lighting up a lamp attached to the body of the indoor unit 13, sounding a buzzer, or displaying a message, icon, or the like via a push notification on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90. When a push notification is sent to the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90, sound, lighting up a display, or the like may be included. The lamp or buzzer attached to the body of the indoor unit 13, the display unit 55a of the remote control 55, and the display unit 90a of the information device 90 correspond to examples of notification means in the present disclosure.

[0088] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, for example, the stress level S is determined by analyzing the pulse wave detected by the biological information detection device 43. However, the stress level S may also be determined based on the breathing rate, heart rate, and the like of the user HM detected by the biological information detection device 43. For example, assume that the user HM is experiencing high stress and is in an excited state. When excited, the breathing rate tends to be higher than normal. Therefore, if the breathing rate of the user HM is higher than the normal breathing rate by a predetermined number or more, the control unit 51a determines that the stress level S of the user HM is high and changes one or more of the temperature, humidity, air volume, and the like of the air conditioning device 2. In this case, in addition to the "stress level reduction mode" described in the first embodiment described above, the user HM may be able to select, using the remote control 55, between a "respiratory rate management mode" in which the stress level S can be determined based on the breathing rate and a "heart rate management mode" in which the stress level S can be determined based on the heart rate.

[0089] (Embodiment 2) In the above-described embodiment 1, a case has been described in which one user HM is present in the indoor space 71. However, there may be cases in which multiple users HM are present in the indoor space 71. For example, as shown in FIG. 9A , it is assumed that a first user HM1 and a second user HM2 are present in the indoor space 71. Then, similar to embodiment 1, the detectable range SA of the biometric information detection device 43 is a semicircular range in the horizontal and vertical directions centered on the biometric information detection device 43, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C .

[0090] In this case, the biological information detection device 43 acquires a pulse wave that is a composite of the pulse waves of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2, both of which are present within the detectable range SA. When the pulse waves of multiple users HM are combined, it is possible to separate the pulse waves of each user HM using known techniques such as Fourier transform, but this processing becomes complicated. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 is narrowed and the device is rotated by the rotating unit 430, thereby enabling the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 present within the indoor space 71 to be individually detected.

[0091] 9A , the indoor unit 13 is installed in a location, for example, on the upper part of a wall, from which it can supply conditioned air to the indoor space 71. The indoor unit 13 is equipped with a biological information detection device 43A and a rotation unit 430 that can rotate the biological information detection device 43A.

[0092] 9B and 9C are schematic diagrams of the detectable range SA of the biometric information detection device 43A in the second embodiment. First, FIG. 9B shows the horizontal detectable range SAH of the biometric information detection device 43A in the horizontal direction. The horizontal detectable range SAH is a sector-shaped range with a radius N and an angle θ centered on the biometric information detection device 43A. The rotation unit 430 moves the horizontal detectable range SAH in both directions of the dotted arrow by rotating the biometric information detection device 43A. This allows the biometric information detection device 43A to detect the user HM within the range of the dotted arrow connecting point A in the -X direction to point A' in the +X direction and the dotted arrow of the arc.

[0093] FIG. 9C shows the vertical detectable range SAV of the biometric information detection device 43A in the vertical direction. The vertical detectable range SAV is a sector-shaped range with a radius N and an angle θ centered on the biometric information detection device 43A. The rotation unit 430 rotates the biometric information detection device 43A to move the vertical detectable range SAV in both directions indicated by the dashed arrow. This allows the biometric information detection device 43A to detect the user HM within the range of the dashed dotted line connecting point B in the -Z direction to point B' in the +Z direction and the dashed dotted line on the arc. Note that, hereinafter, the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV are collectively referred to as the detectable range SA.

[0094] The biometric information detection device 43A can individually detect the biometric information of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 who are present within the detectable range SA. Therefore, it is desirable that the angle θ between the horizontal detectable range SAH and the vertical detectable range SAV be an angle that ensures that the detectable range SA fits within the body width of the user HM.

[0095] When multiple users HM are present in the indoor space 71, the air conditioning device 2, upon switching from a general normal mode to air conditioning operation in a stress level reduction mode, executes a stress level reduction operation control process to reduce the stress level of each user HM. For example, when the first user HM1 or the second user HM2 shown in FIG. 9A selects the "stress level reduction mode" using the remote control 55, the control unit 53a determines the selection. The control unit 53a starts execution of the stress level reduction control program 54. The control unit 53a first executes the stress level reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the first user HM1. Then, the control unit 53a executes the stress level reduction operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the second user HM2. This allows the stress levels S of the first user HM1 and the second user HM2 to be individually determined, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, and the like to be controlled to reduce the stress level S of each user.

[0096] (Variation of Embodiment 2) In the above-described embodiment 2, the stress level S is determined individually for the first user HM1 and the second user HM2, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. are controlled to reduce the stress level S of each user. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. may be controlled to reduce the stress level S of the user HM with the highest stress level S among the users. Furthermore, the set values ​​for the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. may be the average values ​​of the set values ​​for all users.

[0097] (Embodiment 3)

[0098] In the above-described first and second embodiments, the air conditioning of only the air conditioner 2 is controlled based on the stress level S of the user HM, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In addition to the air conditioner 2, as illustrated in FIG. 10A , the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 13, or external devices connected to the network NW, such as lighting equipment 91, an electric fan 92, a water heater, an air purifier, a ventilation fan, a heating device, a video output device, and audio equipment, may also be controlled. These external devices may be operated via a wired signal or a wireless signal such as an infrared signal from the air conditioner 2, or via a cloud server. These external devices are placed in the indoor space 71 and installed and used in a manner that may affect the stress level S of the user HM located in the indoor space 71.

[0099] In this case, a stress level reduction control mode table, as shown in Fig. 10B, is stored in the memory unit 53b of the indoor unit control unit 53. This table registers the identification information and control mode of the external device to be controlled when performing operation control to reduce the stress level.

[0100] In step S107 of Fig. 6, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 sends a command to the lighting device 91 instructing it to lower the dimming level to 60% in accordance with the settings in the stress level reduction control mode table of Fig. 10B at the timing of controlling the operation of the indoor unit 13. The control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 also sends a command to the server device 57 via the network NW to set the wind power of the fan 92 connected to the server device 57 to level "2." Furthermore, for example, if the fan 92 has a rhythm wind mode function that blows a natural breeze, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 switches the operation mode to the rhythm wind mode.

[0101] Furthermore, if the external device is a water heater, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 sets the set temperature higher. If the external device is an air purifier, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 switches to a quiet setting so that the operating noise will not disturb the user HM. Furthermore, if the external device is a ventilation fan, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 operates the ventilation fan to lower the carbon dioxide concentration in the room and reduce the stress level S. If the external device is a video output device or audio equipment, it outputs videos or music that have a relaxing effect. In this way, by controlling the external device in addition to the air conditioning device 2, the stress level S of the user HM can be reduced.

[0102] Furthermore, during normal operation, the control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the air temperature near the intake port of the indoor heat exchanger 25 reaches the set temperature. However, in the stress level reduction mode, the control unit 53a may perform air conditioning operation so that the sensible temperature actually felt by the user HM approaches the set temperature, which is the target temperature. In this case, in the configuration of FIG. 1, for example, a sensible temperature sensor that detects the sensible temperature of the user HM is located adjacent to the infrared sensor 44. In step S107 of FIG. 6, the indoor unit control unit 53 performs air conditioning operation so that the temperature detected by the sensible temperature sensor approaches the set temperature.

[0103] (Variation of Embodiment 3) The control unit 53a of the indoor unit control unit 53 may change the control mode of the external device depending on the time of day. For example, for lighting devices, the dimming rate may be increased in the morning to reduce the stress level S upon waking, and the dimming rate may be decreased in the evening to create a relaxing environment and reduce the stress level S.

[0104] (Modifications) Various modifications are possible to the above first to third embodiments.

[0105] In the above-described first to third embodiments, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 11A , history information including the implementation date and time of operational control to reduce stress level S, operational mode, change in stress level S, etc., is generated and stored in the storage unit 53 b or an external storage device. The history information may be fed back to subsequent operational control to reduce stress level. For example, operations to reduce stress level S using different operational modes may be performed multiple times, and then the operational mode with the highest reduction rate in stress level S may be identified from among the recorded operational modes, and control identical to or similar to that operational mode may be performed. Furthermore, a temperature setting value that can reduce stress level S may be determined from the relationship between the change in stress level S over time recorded in the history information and the changes in temperature and humidity, and used for operational control.

[0106] Furthermore, if multiple users HM exist in the indoor space 71, each user HM may be identified, and history information for each user HM may be created, as shown in Fig. 11B. In this case, when the stress level reduction mode is activated, the user HM in the indoor space 71 is identified, and based on the history information of the identified user HM, for example, the driving behavior when the stress level S was lowest is reproduced. This is expected to reduce the stress level S.

[0107] In the first to third embodiments, the air conditioning apparatus 2 is equipped with the control device 50 inside. However, this is not limited to this, and 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 2A via a network NW, for example, as shown in FIG. 12 . In this case, the air conditioning apparatus 2A is equipped with, for example, a communication device 56 that communicates with an external device. The communication device 56 enables communication between the outdoor unit control unit 51 of the externally arranged control device 50 and the outdoor unit air conditioning unit 81, and enables communication between the indoor unit control unit 53 of the externally arranged control device 50 and the sensor group 40, the remote control 55, and the indoor unit air conditioning unit 82.

[0108] 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, various programs 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.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, 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. Alternatively, a wearable biological information detection device may 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.

[0110] Furthermore, some recent portable information terminals have the function of measuring and analyzing various types of biological 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 portable information terminal may acquire the biological information, analyze it to determine the stress level S, and notify the indoor unit control unit 53. Alternatively, the portable information terminal may acquire the biological information and transmit it to the indoor unit control unit 53, which may then analyze the biological information to determine the stress level S. For example, the biological 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 further analyze the pulse wave to determine the stress level S.

[0111] In the first and second embodiments, the stress level reduction operation control process is initiated by the user HM selecting the stress level reduction mode using the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The start and end can be set in any manner. For example, the stress level reduction operation control process may be automatically initiated when a human presence sensor such as the infrared sensor 44 detects a person in the indoor space 71 and terminated when the person is no longer detected.

[0112] Furthermore, in the stress level reduction operation control process, if the stress level S becomes an exceptional value indicated when the user HM is absent, the stress level reduction operation control process may be terminated or the operation of the air conditioning device 2 may be stopped. For example, if the acquired stress level S is "zero," the control unit 53a may stop the operation of the air conditioning device 2.

[0113] In addition, when the infrared sensor 44 detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the stress level reduction mode may be performed, and when the infrared sensor 44 no longer detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the stress level reduction mode may be stopped.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, an infrared sensor 44 and a 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 act as sensors in cooperation with each other. However, 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.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, the pulse wave of the human body is detected using a Doppler sensor. However, 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 or 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, and the pulse wave may be extracted from the electrocardiogram.

[0116] Furthermore, biological information other than pulse waves may be used as long as it can provide the stress level S. For example, i) blood flow may be measured using a blood flow sensor, and the stress level S may be calculated from the blood flow, ii) brain waves may be measured using an electroencephalogram sensor, and the stress level S may be calculated from the intensity of alpha waves, or the like, iii) cerebral blood flow may be calculated using a technique such as near-infrared spectroscopy, and the stress level S may be calculated from the cerebral blood flow, or iv) a surface electromyogram may be obtained using an electromyogram sensor attached to the skin, and the stress level may be calculated from the surface electromyogram.

[0117] In the first to third 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 to third embodiments, the indoor unit 13 is provided with the vane 34 including the vane and the louver, but may be provided with any wind direction adjusting mechanism as long as it can change the wind direction.

[0119] In the first to third embodiments, 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.

[0120] 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.

[0121] In the first and second embodiments, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 is a semicircular range of radius N centered on the biological information detection device 43 in the horizontal and vertical directions. However, the detectable range SA of the biological information detection device 43 may be a 360-degree range centered on the biological information detection device 43 in the horizontal and vertical directions. This allows the biological information detection device 43 to have a detectable range SA on the side opposite to the direction in which the vanes 34 of the indoor unit 13 are located, i.e., in the direction behind the indoor unit 13.

[0122] Furthermore, a computer capable of realizing each of the above-described functions may be configured by storing and distributing a program for realizing each of the above-described functions on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and installing this program on the computer. If each function is realized by sharing the work between an OS (Operating System) and an application, or by cooperation between an OS and an application, only the application may be stored on the recording medium.

[0123] 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 within the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0124] The present disclosure can be suitably used in air conditioning devices and air conditioning systems including air conditioning devices.

[0125] 1 Air conditioning system, 2, 2A 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, 43A Biometric information detection device, 44 Infrared sensor, 50 Control device, 51 Outdoor unit control unit, 51a, 53a Control unit, 51b, 53b Memory unit, 51c, 53c Timekeeping unit, 51d, 53d Communication unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 54 Stress level reduction control program, 54a Acquisition processing unit, 54b Determination processing unit, 54c Control processing unit, 54d Set value group, 55 Remote controller, Remote control, 55a, 90a Display unit, 56 Communication device, 57 Server device, 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, 91 Lighting equipment, 92 Fan, 430 Rotating unit, 1000, 1010 Bus, 1001, 1011 Processor, 1002, 1012 Memory, 1003, 1013 Secondary storage device, 1004, 1014 I / O interface, 1005, 1015 Communication module.

Claims

1. an air conditioning unit that conditions the space to be air-conditioned; An index value acquisition means for acquiring a stress level of a user in the air-conditioned space; a control means for controlling the air conditioning unit to reduce the stress level of the user based on the acquired stress level; Equipped with When the acquired stress level is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, the control means compares the current value of the stress level with the previous value of the stress level, and controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space based on a comparison result. Air conditioning equipment.

2. When the comparison result indicates that the current stress level is greater than the previous stress level, the control means reverses a correction direction for correcting the set value of the air-conditioned space from the current direction, changes the set value of the temperature of the air-conditioned space by an increase or decrease in the reversed correction direction, and controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one set value of humidity, air direction, and air volume in accordance with the set value of the temperature. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

3. when the current stress level is smaller than the previous stress level as a result of the comparison, the control means maintains the current correction direction for correcting the set value of the temperature of the air-conditioned space, changes the set value of the temperature of the air-conditioned space by an increase or decrease value of the maintained correction direction, and controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one set value of humidity, air direction, and air volume in accordance with the set value of the temperature. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The control means further controls an external device used by the user in order to reduce a stress level of the user in addition to controlling the air conditioning unit. An air-conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When there are multiple users in the air-conditioned space, The index value acquisition means acquires all stress levels of the plurality of users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit in accordance with a stress level of each of the plurality of users. An air-conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A rotation unit that rotates the index value acquisition means in a horizontal or vertical direction, the index value acquisition means acquires a stress level of the user in the air-conditioned space by rotating the rotating unit in a horizontal or vertical direction; An air-conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The device further includes a notification unit for notifying the user. When the acquired stress level of the user is greater than a judgment threshold, the control means controls the notifying means to notify the user that the stress level is high. An air-conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. A control method executed by an air conditioning apparatus, Obtain the stress level of users in the air-conditioned space, If the acquired stress level is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, the current value of the stress level is compared with the previous value of the stress level, and based on the comparison result, at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and wind volume of the air-conditioned space is adjusted to reduce the stress level of the user. Control methods.

9. On the computer, A process of acquiring the stress level of a user in the air-conditioned space; a process of comparing a current value of the stress level with a previous value of the stress level when the acquired stress level is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold value, and performing control to adjust at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and wind volume of the air-conditioned space based on a comparison result in order to reduce the stress level of the user; A program that executes the following.