Air conditioning device, control method, and program

Abstract

This air conditioning device (2) comprises an air-conditioning unit (80), a respiration state acquisition means, and a control means. The air-conditioning unit (80) conditions a space being air-conditioned. The respiration state acquisition means acquires the state of respiration of a user in the space being air-conditioned. The control means assesses whether the state of respiration of the user acquired by the respiration state acquisition means is different from a normal state of respiration and controls the air-conditioning unit (80) in accordance with the result of the assessment.

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 condition. For example, even if a user's breathing is normal, the surrounding environment may be comfortable, but if the user's breathing is irregular, it is often difficult for the user to feel comfortable. However, with the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to guide the user to a comfortable state based on the user's breathing condition.

[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 comfortable environment according to the user's breathing condition.

[0006] To achieve the above object, an air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an air conditioning unit, a respiratory condition acquisition means, and a control means. The air conditioning unit conditions an air-conditioned space. The respiratory condition acquisition means acquires the respiratory condition of a user in the air-conditioned space. The control means determines whether the user's respiratory condition acquired by the respiratory condition acquisition means differs from their normal respiratory condition, and controls the air conditioning unit in accordance with the determination result.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, in an air conditioning apparatus, air conditioning control can be performed in accordance with the breathing state of a user, thereby increasing the comfort level provided by air conditioning.

[0008] A diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. A schematic diagram showing the layout of the air-conditioned space in which the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 1 is arranged. A schematic diagram showing the horizontal detectable range of a biological information detection device arranged in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 1. A schematic diagram showing the vertical detectable range of a biological information detection device arranged in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device according to embodiment 1. A diagram showing the functional configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. A diagram showing an example of a control mode table for respiratory rate management stored in the memory of the indoor unit control unit shown in Figure 3. A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an outdoor unit control unit according to embodiment 1. A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an indoor unit control unit according to embodiment 1. A diagram showing an example of the call processing executed by the air conditioning device according to embodiment 1. Flowchart of operation control process for respiratory rate management 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 Diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 3 of the present disclosure Diagram showing an example of a control mode table for respiratory rate management stored in the memory unit of the indoor unit control unit included in the indoor unit of the air conditioning device shown in Figure 8A Diagram showing an example of the configuration of history information used in operation control process for respiratory rate management Diagram showing an example of the configuration of history information for multiple people used in operation control process for respiratory rate management Diagram 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, and a control method according to an embodiment 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 the breathing state of a user 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] Normally, when a healthy adult is at rest, their breathing rate, depth, and rhythm are regular. However, after exercise, when they have a fever, when they are excited, or when they have an illness, the user's breathing rate, depth, and rhythm change differently from when they are at rest.

[0012] For example, when a healthy adult is resting, i.e., breathing normally, they breathe at a constant depth and rhythm about 16 to 20 times per minute. When they have a fever or are excited, they breathe at a constant rhythm, but they breathe deeper than when they are at rest and more frequently than normal, a phenomenon known as tachypnea. Also, when they are anemic or have hyperthyroidism, they breathe at a constant rhythm and with a higher ventilation rate than when they are at rest, a phenomenon known as hyperventilation.

[0013] In addition, during exercise or high fever, people breathe more frequently and deeply than when they are at rest. In cases of cerebral hyperactivity or tracheal obstruction, people breathe slower, less than nine times per minute, which is extremely less than when they are at rest, although the depth and rhythm of their breathing remains the same as when they are at rest.

[0014] Furthermore, in cases of brain disease, myocardial infarction, and the terminal stage of various diseases, there may be repeated breathing patterns called Cheyne-Stokes pattern, in which the depth and rate of breathing gradually increase, then gradually decrease, and then apnea occurs. In cases of brain tumors, meningitis, etc., there may be repeated breathing patterns called Biot pattern, in which shallow breathing of the same depth is taken four or five times, followed by apnea. In cases of diabetic coma, uremic coma, etc., there may be repeated breathing patterns called Kromaull pattern, in which extremely loud breathing accompanied by high-pitched noise occurs.

[0015] Therefore, by identifying the user's respiratory rate, respiratory depth, and respiratory rhythm, the user's current state can be known. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the user's respiratory rate is identified by the biological information detection device 43, and it is determined whether the identified user's respiratory state differs from a normal respiratory state, and operation of the air conditioning system 1 is controlled according to the determination result. In the first embodiment, operation of the air conditioning system 1 is controlled based on the respiratory rate, which is an example of the user's respiratory state.

[0016] 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 according to the breathing rate Ba 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 objects such as people and objects, and a biometric information detection device 43 for identifying the breathing rate Ba of the user HM.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The biometric information detection device 43 detects the biometric information of the user HM and determines the respiration rate Ba. The biometric 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, biometric information within 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.

[0030] In the first embodiment, the biological information detection device 43 analyzes, for example, a pulse wave detected by a Doppler sensor to identify the respiration rate Ba of the user HM. Any known method can be used to derive the respiration rate Ba of the user HM from the pulse wave. For example, time-series data of body surface fluctuations due to respiration is obtained from time-series data of the pulse wave, and this is subjected to frequency analysis. The respiration rate Ba is determined from the number of waves of the obtained frequency over a predetermined period T, for example, one minute.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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 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 the display unit 55a that displays various information to the user. 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, or 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 commands.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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 respiratory rate 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 respiratory rate of the user HM.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The control unit 53a receives control information from the remote control 55, including power on / off, operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, set airflow rate, 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 "respiratory condition acquisition means" and "control means" of the present disclosure.

[0045] 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 in accordance with the respiratory rate Ba of the user HM in the indoor space 71, i.e., a respiratory rate management control program 54.

[0046] The respiratory rate management control program 54 functionally includes an acquisition processing unit 54a that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to acquire the user's respiratory rate Ba, a judgment processing unit 54b that causes the control unit 53a to execute a process to determine whether the acquired current respiratory rate Bc is higher than the normal respiratory rate Ba, a control processing unit 54c that causes the control unit 53a to execute air conditioning processing according to the current respiratory rate Bc, and a set value group 54d.

[0047] 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.

[0048] The set of settings 54d of the respiratory rate management control program 54 described above includes a table summarizing various set values. Fig. 4 shows a table summarizing the control modes for respiratory rate management used as the set of settings 54d. The respiratory rate management control mode table shown in Fig. 4 includes the respiratory rate Ba and error α of the user HM in normal conditions, as well as the control target and control content for each operating mode. The respiratory rate Ba varies slightly depending on gender and age. Therefore, the difference due to gender and age is included as the error α.

[0049] 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 the parameters of temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction.

[0050] 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, a change value Thm, which is the temperature after the set value Ths is changed, a lower limit value Thl, which is the lowest temperature to which the set value Ths can be changed, and a subtraction value Thn, which is used to reduce the set value Ths.

[0051] 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, a current value Mhc, which is the current humidity, and a changed value Mhm, which is the humidity after the set value Fhs is changed. 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, a current value Fhc, which is the current airflow, and a changed value Fhm, which is the airflow after the set value Fhs is changed.

[0052] 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. For example, the airflow direction can be set to 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. In Fig. 4, the airflow direction is set to a wind deflector.

[0053] 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, a change value Tcm which is the temperature after the set value Tcs is changed, a lower limit value Tcl which is the lower limit temperature to which the set value Tcs can be changed, and a subtraction value Tcn which is used to reduce the set value Tcs.

[0054] 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, a current value Mcc, which is the current humidity, and a changed value Mcm, which is the humidity after the set value Mcs is changed. 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, a current value Fcc, which is the current airflow, and a changed value Fcm, which is the airflow after the set value Fcs is changed. Airflow direction is the direction of the air blown out, controlled by the vane 34 of the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A. In FIG. 4, it is assumed that the airflow direction is set to air direction.

[0055] The values ​​for the heating operation mode and the cooling operation mode are determined in advance by the user HM. They may also be determined based on past operation data. In the first embodiment, for example, in the heating operation mode, if the user HM's current breathing rate Bc is greater than the normal breathing rate Ba and the error α, the temperature setting value Ths is subtracted by the subtraction value Thn, and the humidity setting value Mhs and the airflow setting value Fhs are changed to match the temperature setting value Ths after the subtraction, thereby performing operation control. The same applies to the cooling operation mode.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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 respiratory rate management 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.

[0064] 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 respiratory rate management mode, it executes operation control processing according to the respiratory rate of the user HM. For ease of understanding, the following describes the operation control processing for respiratory rate management executed by the air conditioning device 2 in the usage environment illustrated in FIG. 2A. The operation control processing for respiratory rate management is assumed to be included in the respiratory rate management control program 54 as a respiratory rate management operation control processing program. The operation control processing for respiratory rate management will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

[0065] First, the current operation mode is set to heating operation. During air conditioning operation in a general normal mode, if the user HM selects the "respiratory rate management mode" using the remote control 55, the selection is recognized by the control unit 53a. The control unit 53a starts executing the respiratory rate management control program 54.

[0066] 6, the control unit 53a acquires the normal respiratory rate Ba of the user HM and its error α from the respiratory rate management control mode table of Fig. 4 included in the set value group 54d of the respiratory rate management control program 54 shown in Fig. 3 (step S101). The control unit 53a stores the acquired normal respiratory rate Ba of the user HM and its error α in a buffer.

[0067] The control unit 53a identifies the presence of the user HM using the infrared sensor 44. Next, the control unit 53a causes the biological information detection device 43 to identify the current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM. The control unit 53a acquires the current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM from the biological information detection device 43 (step S102).

[0068] The control unit 53a determines whether the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc is greater than the normal respiratory rate Ba plus the error α (step S103). If the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc is greater than the normal respiratory rate Ba plus the error α (step S103; YES), the control unit 53a sets a temperature change value Thm (step S104). For example, when the user HM's body temperature is high, such as after exercise or when they have a fever, their respiratory rate tends to be higher than normal to dissipate heat from their body. Therefore, the control unit 53a sets the temperature change value Thm to the value obtained by subtracting the subtraction value Thn from the temperature setting value Ths in the heating operation mode column shown in FIG. 4.

[0069] The control unit 53a determines whether the temperature change value Thm is greater than the lower limit Thl (step S105). If the temperature change value Thm is less than the lower limit Thl (step S105; NO), the control unit 53a sets the temperature change value Thm to the lower limit Thl (step S106). This prevents abnormally low temperatures that the user HM cannot anticipate from being set as the temperature change value Thm. If the temperature change value Thm is greater than the lower limit Thl (step S105; YES), the control unit 53a executes step S107.

[0070] The control unit 53a generates a humidity change value Mhm and an airflow change value Fhm in accordance with the temperature change value Thm. The control unit 53a performs operation control using the temperature, humidity, and airflow change values ​​(step S107). Specifically, the control unit 53a transmits a control instruction signal including the temperature, humidity, and airflow change values ​​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 operation details in accordance with the temperature, humidity, and airflow change values ​​included in the control instruction signal, 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 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 respective changed values.

[0071] The control unit 53a determines whether the user HM has used the remote control 55 to issue an instruction to end the "respiratory rate management mode" (step S108). If an instruction to end the "respiratory rate management mode" has been issued (step S108; YES), the control unit 53a terminates the respiratory rate management 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 "respiratory rate management mode" has not been issued (step S108; NO), the control unit 53a returns to step S102 and executes step S102 and subsequent steps.

[0072] Furthermore, in step S103, if the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc is not greater than the normal respiratory rate Ba plus the error α (step S103; NO), the control unit 53a controls the operation using the set values ​​of temperature, humidity, and air volume (step 109). As a result, if the control unit 53a was controlling the operation using the changed values ​​of temperature, humidity, and air volume, the room temperature can be returned to the normal state. Furthermore, if the control unit 53a was controlling the operation using the set values ​​of temperature, humidity, and air volume, the state can be maintained.

[0073] The control unit 53a calculates an average value by adding the normal respiratory rate Ba and the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc and dividing the result by 2. The control unit 53a sets the calculated average value as the normal respiratory rate Ba and updates the value stored in the buffer. The control unit 53a also updates the normal respiratory rate Ba value stored in the respiratory rate management control mode table shown in FIG. 4 with the calculated average value (step S110). Thereafter, the control unit 53a executes step S108.

[0074] As described above, the air conditioning system 1 according to Embodiment 1 controls the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. to lower the room temperature when the breathing rate Bc of the user HM is higher than the normal breathing rate Ba. This helps the user HM dissipate heat, and ultimately makes it possible to bring the breathing rate Bc closer to the normal breathing rate Ba.

[0075] (Modifications of the First Embodiment) The first embodiment can be modified in various ways.

[0076] In the first embodiment, the operation of the air conditioning system 1 is controlled in accordance with the breathing rate Ba of the user HM, but the interval, type, or rhythm of breathing may be used instead of the breathing rate Ba. Also, the breathing rate Ba of the user may be combined with one or more of the interval, type, or rhythm of breathing.

[0077] Furthermore, instead of changing the temperature in accordance with the breathing rate Ba of the user HM, one or more of the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction may be changed. The operation mode of the heating / cooling device may also be switched.

[0078] 6, the operation of the air conditioning unit 80 may be stopped, and the current temperature values ​​Thc and Tcc may be allowed to naturally decrease to values ​​close to the temperature change values ​​Thm and Tcm. Alternatively, when the current temperature values ​​Thc and Tcc decrease to values ​​close to the temperature change values ​​Thm and Tcm, the operation of the air conditioning unit 80 may be resumed.

[0079] If the answer is YES in step S103 of FIG. 6, it is further determined whether the current respiratory rate Bc is less than a predetermined respiratory rate, and if it is less than the predetermined respiratory rate, it may take into consideration the possibility that the user HM has hypothermia and perform processing such as operating control to raise the room temperature or sounding a buzzer.

[0080] When the user HM selects the "respiratory rate management mode" using the remote control 55, the operation control in the "respiratory rate management mode" may be repeated at predetermined intervals.

[0081] In step S103 of Fig. 6, an average respiration rate over a recent predetermined period, e.g., one hour, may be calculated, and the temperature may be changed if the average value changes by a predetermined percentage or more. Alternatively, the temperature may be changed if the normal respiration rate Ba is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. Furthermore, the normal respiration rate Ba may be an average value over a certain period and its fluctuation amount, and the temperature may be changed if the current respiration rate Bc obtained in step S102 of Fig. 6 is three times the fluctuation amount or more.

[0082] Alternatively, the temperature setting value may be increased or decreased by a small amount within a range between a preset upper limit and a preset lower limit for a certain preset period of time.

[0083] 6, the humidity change value Mhm and the airflow change value Fhm are generated in accordance with the temperature change value Thm, but the humidity change value Mhm and the airflow change value Fhm may be set separately. Also, upper and lower limits and increments and decrements may be defined for the humidity change value Mhm and the airflow change value Fhm, allowing them to be set individually.

[0084] 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 respiratory rate Ba, respiratory type and rhythm, and each set value, such as temperature, humidity, and air volume. In actual control situations, the machine learning device outputs a combination of each set value, such as temperature, humidity, and air volume, that can bring the current respiratory rate Bc, respiratory type, and rhythm closer to those in normal conditions. 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.

[0085] If step S103 in FIG. 6 is YES, the control unit 53a may notify the user HM that their current respiratory rate Bc is different from their normal respiratory rate Ba. For example, the control unit 53a may turn on a lamp attached to the indoor unit 13 shown in FIG. 2A , sound a buzzer, or display a message, icon, or the like via push notification on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90 shown in FIG. 1 . Push notifications on the display unit 55a of the remote control 55 or the display unit 90a of the information device 90 may be accompanied by a sound, a buzzer, or a display illumination. This allows not only the user HM but also others inside and outside the indoor space 71 to be notified of an abnormality in the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc. Furthermore, for example, if the user's respiratory frequency during sleep is extremely low or high, or if their breathing rhythm resembles a Cheyne-Stokes type, Biot type, or Chromall type, which are particularly common during serious illnesses, the control unit 53a may notify the user HM. The lamp and buzzer attached to the main 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 the notification means in the present disclosure.

[0086] (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 are present in the indoor space 71. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A , 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 .

[0087] 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 whom are present within the detectable range SA. When the pulse waves of multiple users are combined, it is possible to separate the pulse waves of each user using known techniques such as Fourier transform, but this complicates the processing. 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.

[0088] 7A , 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 an 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.

[0089] 7B and 7C are schematic diagrams of the detectable range SA of the biometric information detection device 43A in the second embodiment. First, FIG. 7B 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 rotates the biometric information detection device 43A to move the horizontal detectable range SAH in both directions of the dotted arrow. 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.

[0090] FIG. 7C 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 arrow point connecting point B in the -Z direction to point B' in the +Z direction and the dashed arrow point 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.

[0091] 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.

[0092] When multiple users HM are present in the indoor space 71, the air conditioning device 2 switches from a general normal mode to air conditioning operation in a respiratory rate management mode, and executes a respiratory rate management operation control process according to each user's respiratory rate. For example, when the first user HM1 or the second user HM2 shown in FIG. 7A selects the "respiratory rate management mode" using the remote control 55, the control unit 53a determines this selection. The control unit 53a then starts executing the respiratory rate management control program 54. The control unit 53a first executes the respiratory rate management operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the first user HM1. Then, the control unit 53a executes the respiratory rate management operation control process shown in FIG. 6 for the second user HM2. This allows the current respiratory rates Bc to be individually determined for the first user HM1 and the second user HM2, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, and the like to be controlled according to the determined current respiratory rates Bc.

[0093] (Variation of Embodiment 2) In the above-described embodiment 2, the current breathing rate Bc is identified individually for the first user HM1 and the second user HM2, and the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. are controlled according to each user's current breathing rate Bc. This is not limiting, but the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. may be controlled for the user HM whose current breathing rate Bc differs most greatly from their normal breathing rate Ba, so that their current breathing rate Bc approaches their normal breathing rate Ba. Furthermore, the change values ​​for the temperature, humidity, air volume, etc. may be the average of the change values ​​for all users.

[0094] The biological information detection device 43A including the rotating unit 430 disclosed in the second embodiment may be used in place of the biological information detection device 43 disclosed in the first embodiment.

[0095] (Embodiment 3)

[0096] In the above-described first and second embodiments, the air conditioning of only the air conditioner 2 is controlled based on the respiration rate Ba of the user HM, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition to the air conditioner 2, as illustrated in FIG. 8A , 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 wired signals or wireless signals such as infrared signals 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 can affect the current respiration rate Bc of the user HM located in the indoor space 71.

[0097] In this case, a control mode table for managing respiratory rate, as shown in Fig. 8B, is stored in the storage 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 the operation control according to the respiratory rate Ba of the user HM is executed.

[0098] In step S107 of Fig. 6, the indoor unit control unit 53 sends a command to the lighting device 91 to lower the dimming level to 60% in accordance with the settings in the control mode table for respiratory rate management of Fig. 8B at the timing of controlling the operation of the indoor unit 13. 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 natural wind, the indoor unit control unit 53 switches the operation mode to the rhythm wind mode.

[0099] Furthermore, if the external device is a water heater, the indoor unit control unit 53 sets the set temperature higher. If the external device is an air purifier, the indoor unit control unit 53 switches to a quiet setting so that the operating noise will not disturb the user HM. Furthermore, if the external device is a ventilation fan, the outdoor unit control unit 51 operates the ventilation fan to reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the room and make it easier for the user HM to breathe. 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 current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM can be brought closer to the normal respiratory rate Ba.

[0100] 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 respiration rate management mode, the air conditioning operation may be performed so that the sensible temperature actually felt by the user HM 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. 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 change value Thm.

[0101] (Modifications) Various modifications are possible to the above first to third embodiments.

[0102] In the above-described first to third embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A , history information including the implementation date and time of operation control to bring the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc closer to the normal respiratory rate Ba, the operation mode, and changes in the respiratory rate are generated and stored in the storage unit 53b or an external storage device. The history information may be fed back during subsequent operation control in the respiratory rate management mode. For example, operation in different respiratory rate management modes may be performed multiple times, and then, from among the recorded operation modes, a mode that brought the user HM's current respiratory rate Bc closer to the normal respiratory rate Ba is identified, and control identical to or similar to that operation mode is performed. Furthermore, a temperature setting value that can reduce the respiratory rate Bc may be determined from the relationship between the temporal changes in the respiratory rate Bc recorded in the history information and changes in temperature and humidity, and used for operation control.

[0103] Furthermore, if multiple users HM are present in the indoor space 71, each user HM may be identified, and history information for each user may be created, as shown in Fig. 9B. In this case, when the respiratory rate management mode is activated, the user HM present in the indoor space 71 is identified, and based on the history information of the identified user, for example, a driving behavior in which the current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM can be brought closer to the normal respiratory rate Ba is reproduced. This is expected to quickly bring the current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM closer to the normal respiratory rate Ba.

[0104] Furthermore, 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. 10 . In this case, the air conditioning apparatus 2 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.

[0105] 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 57. Note that the server device 57 may be realized by a personal computer.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above-described first to third embodiments, the air conditioners 2, 2A are equipped with the biological information detection device 43, but the biological information detection device 43 may be located outside the air conditioners 2, 2A. For example, the biological information detection device 43 may be placed on the ceiling, wall, floor, or the like that forms 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.

[0107] Furthermore, some recent portable information terminals have the function of measuring and analyzing various 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 via a wired or wireless connection or via a network NW, and the portable information terminal may acquire the biological information, analyze it, determine the breathing state of the user HM, 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 current breathing rate Bc of the user HM. 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 current breathing rate Bc of the user HM.

[0108] In the first and second embodiments, the respiratory rate management operation control process is initiated by the user selecting the respiratory rate management mode using the remote control 55. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The start and end of the process can be set in any manner. For example, the respiratory rate management 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.

[0109] Furthermore, in the operation control process for respiratory rate management, if the current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM becomes an exceptional value indicated when the user HM is absent, the operation control process for respiratory rate management may be terminated or the operation of the air conditioning apparatus 2 may be stopped. For example, if the acquired current respiratory rate Bc of the user HM is "zero," the control unit 53a may stop the operation of the air conditioning apparatus 2.

[0110] In addition, when the infrared sensor 44 detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the respiratory rate management mode may be performed, and when the infrared sensor 44 no longer detects the user HM, the air conditioning operation in the respiratory rate management mode may be stopped.

[0111] 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.

[0112] 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 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.

[0113] Furthermore, biological information other than the pulse wave may be used as long as the respiratory rate Ba of the user HM can be obtained. For example, i) a blood flow rate may be measured using a blood flow rate sensor, and the respiratory rate Ba may be calculated from the blood flow rate, or ii) a surface electromyogram may be calculated using an electromyogram sensor attached to the skin, and the respiratory rate Ba may be calculated from the surface electromyogram.

[0114] In the first to third embodiments, the infrared sensor 44 identifies the presence or absence of a user 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.

[0115] 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.

[0116] In the first to third embodiments, the indoor unit control unit 53 receives user instructions from the remote control 55, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The indoor unit control unit 53 may also receive user instructions from an information device 90 in which an application for the air conditioning apparatus 2 is installed.

[0117] 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.

[0118] 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.

[0119] 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.

[0120] 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.

[0121] The present disclosure can be suitably used in air conditioning devices and air conditioning systems including air conditioning devices.

[0122] 1 Air conditioning system, 2, 2A Air conditioning device, 3 House, 43, 43A Biometric information detection device, 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, 44 Infrared sensor, 50 Control device, 51 Outdoor unit control unit, 51a, 53a Control unit, 51b, 53b Memory unit, 51c, 53c Timer unit, 51d, 53d Communication unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 54 Respiratory rate management 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, server, 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; A respiratory condition acquisition means for acquiring a respiratory condition of a user in the air-conditioned space; a rotation unit that rotates the respiratory condition acquisition means in a horizontal or vertical direction; a control means for rotating the respiratory condition acquisition means horizontally or vertically with the rotating unit to cause the respiratory condition acquisition means to detect the user present in the air-conditioned space and acquire the respiratory condition of the user, determining whether the acquired respiratory condition of the user is different from a normal respiratory condition, and controlling the air conditioning unit in accordance with the determination result; An air conditioning device comprising:

2. The control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of a temperature, a humidity, a wind direction, and an air volume of the air conditioned space. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The respiratory condition of the user acquired by the respiratory condition acquisition means is at least one of a respiratory rate, a respiratory depth, and a respiratory rhythm of the user.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the acquired breathing state of the user is different from the normal breathing state, the control means controls the air conditioning unit to adjust at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume of the air conditioned space in order to bring the user's breathing state closer to the normal breathing state.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. When the acquired breathing state of the user is different from the normal breathing state, the control means performs control to stop operation of the air conditioning unit until the breathing state of the user approaches the normal breathing state, and when the breathing state of the user approaches the normal breathing state, the control means performs control to resume operation of the air conditioning unit.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. When the user in the air-conditioned space is a plurality of users, The respiratory condition acquisition means acquires respiratory conditions of all of the plurality of users, The control means controls the air conditioning unit in accordance with a respiratory state of each of the plurality of users.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a detectable range of the respiratory condition acquisition means is a detectable range that falls within a body width of the user, the respiratory condition acquisition means moves the detectable range by rotating the rotating unit in a horizontal or vertical direction, detects the user in the air-conditioned space, and acquires the respiratory condition of the user.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The device further includes a notification unit for notifying the user. When the acquired breathing state of the user is different from the normal breathing state, the control means controls the notification means to notify that the breathing state of the user is different from the normal breathing state.

3. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A control method executed by an air conditioning apparatus, a rotating unit that rotates the device in a horizontal or vertical direction, and a respiratory condition acquiring means that acquires the respiratory condition of a user in the air-conditioned space is rotated in a horizontal or vertical direction, thereby causing the respiratory condition acquiring means to detect the user in the air-conditioned space and acquire the respiratory condition of the user; determining whether the acquired breathing state of the user is different from a normal breathing state, and performing air conditioning control of the air conditioned space according to the determination result; Control methods.

10. On the computer, a process of rotating a respiratory condition acquisition means for acquiring the respiratory condition of a user in an air-conditioned space horizontally or vertically on a rotation unit that rotates the respiratory condition horizontally or vertically, thereby causing the respiratory condition acquisition means to detect the user present in the air-conditioned space and acquire the respiratory condition of the user; A process of determining whether the acquired breathing state of the user is different from a normal breathing state, and performing air conditioning control of the air conditioned space according to a determination result; A program that executes the following.