Building and control system

Abstract

The present invention provides a building with a control system (20) that controls equipment (14) placed in a room. The control system (20) comprises a human presence sensor (21) and a control device (30). The control device (30) includes an indoor state determination unit (31) and an equipment control unit (32). The indoor state determination unit (31) is configured to determine the indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of a person in the room on the basis of detection information detected by the human presence sensor (21). The equipment control unit (32) is configured to switch the operating state of the equipment (14) between a running state and a stopped state on the basis of the indoor activity state. The indoor activity state includes an entry state, an active state, a rest state, an exit state, and an absent state.

Description

Building and Control Systems

[0001] The present disclosure relates to buildings and control systems.

[0002] In a building, a system is known that controls equipment placed in a room depending on whether or not a person is present in the room. Patent Document 1 discloses an equipment control system that stops the operation of load equipment in a room when a human presence sensor detects no person in the room.

[0003] JP 2010-205673 A

[0004] However, there are cases where it is preferable not to stop the operation of a device even when no one is in the room. For example, if a device is stopped when a person temporarily leaves the room, the device will need to be started again when the person returns, which may be annoying to the person.

[0005] (1) A building that solves the above problem is a building that has a control system that controls equipment placed in a room, the control system comprising a human presence sensor configured to detect people in the room and a control device, the control device having an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor, and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operating state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, the indoor activity states including an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an activity state in which the person is active in the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absent state in which the person is outside the room.

[0006] According to this configuration, since the indoor activity state includes a plurality of states related to the presence or absence of a person in the room and the person's activity, the control device can precisely control the device based on the person's activity. (2) In the building described in (1) above, the control system further includes a lock sensor configured to detect lock information of the entrance, the indoor state determination unit is configured to determine the presence or absence of the person in the building based on the lock information, and the device control unit is configured to switch the operation state of the device between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state and the presence or absence of the person in the building.

[0007] With this configuration, the indoor condition determination unit can more accurately determine whether or not a person is present in the room based on the presence or absence of people in the building, allowing the control device to more precisely control the equipment based on people's behavior.

[0008] (3) In the building described in (1) or (2) above, the equipment includes a first equipment and a second equipment whose start-up and stop-up of operation has a greater impact on the people than the first equipment, and the equipment control unit is configured to control the first equipment and the second equipment so that the operating state of the first equipment differs from the operating state of the second equipment in at least one of the indoor behavior states.

[0009] This configuration allows the first and second appliances to be controlled in different ways. For example, the first and second appliances can be controlled so that they start or stop operating at different times. Furthermore, the first and second appliances, which have different functions, can be operated in a precise manner based on the presence and behavior of people in the room.

[0010] (4) In the building described in (3) above, the equipment control unit is configured to set the operating state of the first equipment to a stopped state and the operating state of the second equipment to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state is the resting state.

[0011] According to this configuration, the first device is stopped when a person is resting in the room, thereby reducing power consumption of the first device. (5) In the building described in (3) or (4) above, the device control unit is configured to, based on a determination by the indoor condition determination unit that the indoor activity state is the leave state, set the operation state of the first device to the stop state and set the operation state of the second device to the running state, and, based on a determination by the indoor condition determination unit that the indoor activity state has changed from the leave state to the not-in state, maintain the operation state of the first device to the stop state and set the operation state of the second device to the stop state.

[0012] According to this configuration, the second device remains in operation even when a person moves from inside the room to outside the room, so there is no need to switch the operation state of the second device from a stopped state to an operating state when the person returns to the room from outside. This reduces the impact on people caused by the second device being stopped. Furthermore, when the indoor activity state changes from an absent state to an absent state, such as when a person moves from inside the room to outside the room and then does not return, the second device is stopped, so an increase in power consumption of the second device can be reduced.

[0013] (6) In the building described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the control system further includes an environmental sensor configured to detect environmental information in the room, the indoor condition determination unit is configured to determine the environmental condition of the room from the environmental information, and the equipment control unit is configured to suspend switching of the operating state of the equipment based on the indoor activity state when the environmental condition satisfies a predetermined environmental condition.

[0014] According to this configuration, when the environmental state satisfies a predetermined environmental condition, switching of the operation state of the device is put on hold, thereby suppressing an increase in power consumption of the device. (7) A control system that solves the above problem is a control system for controlling devices arranged in a room of a building, comprising: a human presence sensor configured to detect a person in the room; and a control device, wherein the control device has an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor, and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operation state of the device between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, wherein the indoor activity state includes an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an activity state in which the person is active in the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absence state in which the person is outside the room.

[0015] According to this configuration, the indoor activity state includes a plurality of states relating to the presence or absence of people in the room and their activities, so that the control device can precisely control the devices based on the people's activities.

[0016] The building and control system of the present disclosure can precisely control equipment based on the presence and behavior of people in the room.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a floor plan of a building according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of room information; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of device information; FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control executed by a device control unit; FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing a first example of device control by a device control unit; and FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a second example of device control by a device control unit.

[0018] <Embodiment> A building 10 and a control system 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 .

[0019] <Building> As shown in Fig. 1 , the building 10 of this embodiment is a detached house. While Fig. 1 illustrates a one-story detached house, the detached house may have two or more floors. The building 10 may also be a residential facility such as an apartment building, a lodging facility, a medical facility, or a nursing home. The building 10 may also be a commercial facility such as a shopping mall, an office building, or an indoor amusement park.

[0020] The building 10 includes rooms 11. The rooms 11 include a first room 11a, a second room 11b, a third room 11c, a fourth room 11d, and a fifth room 11e. For example, the first room 11a is a living room, the second room 11b is a kitchen, the third room 11c is a private room, the fourth room 11d is a dressing room, and the fifth room 11e is a bathroom. The building 10 includes an entrance 12. The entrance 12 is connected to each of the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e via a corridor 13.

[0021] The room 11 is provided with devices 14. The devices 14 are devices that change the environment of the room 11, such as brightness, temperature, room temperature, odor, and sound. The devices 14 are configured to be able to communicate with the control system 20 via a communication network such as the Internet. The devices 14 include a first device 14a and a second device 14b. While FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the device 14 is provided in the first room 11a, the devices 14 may be provided in each of the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e.

[0022] The second device 14b has a greater impact on people when it starts or stops operating than the first device 14a. A parameter indicating the impact on people when it starts or stops operating is, for example, the time it takes for the device 14 to change the environment of the room 11. The first device 14a is, for example, a light or an audio speaker. The second device 14b is, for example, an air conditioner, a ventilation device, or a heating device. The air conditioner is, for example, a device that performs cooling or heating. The air conditioner may be a device such as a humidifier, an air purifier, or a diffuser. The ventilation device is, for example, a ventilation fan. The heating device is, for example, an electric heater or a gas fan heater.

[0023] The second device 14b may be an automatic water faucet or a cooking heater. An automatic water faucet is, for example, a device in which the main valve of the faucet is electrically operated. With an automatic water faucet, for example, when a person leaves the house, the main valve is closed, preventing water from being left running. An example of a cooking heater is a gas stove or an electric stove.

[0024] In the following, the first room 11a will be described as an example of the room 11. Both a first device 14a and a second device 14b are provided in the first room 11a. The first device 14a in the first room 11a is a light, and the second device 14b in the first room 11a is an air conditioning device.

[0025] <Control System> As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 , the building 10 has a control system 20. The control system 20 constitutes a Home Energy Management System (HEMS). Devices 14 are connected to the HEMS. The control system 20 controls the devices 14 arranged in rooms 11 of the building 10. The control system 20 controls the devices 14 based on the presence or absence and behavior of a person in the room 11. The person is a person who uses the room 11. The person may be a person who is temporarily staying in the building 10 or a person who is temporarily using the building 10.

[0026] The control system 20 includes a human presence sensor 21 and a control device 30. The control system 20 further includes a lock sensor 22. The control system 20 further includes an environmental sensor 23. The human presence sensor 21, the lock sensor 22, and the environmental sensor 23 are communicatively connected to the control device 30 by wire or wirelessly. The human presence sensor 21, the lock sensor 22, and the environmental sensor 23 may be connected to the control device 30 via a communication network such as a wireless LAN or the Internet.

[0027] The control system 20 may include a plurality of human presence sensors 21. Each of the plurality of human presence sensors 21 may be provided in the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e. The control system 20 may include a plurality of environmental sensors 23. Each of the plurality of environmental sensors 23 may be provided in the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e.

[0028] <Sensor> The human presence sensor 21 is configured to detect a person in the room 11. The human presence sensor 21 is, for example, a pyroelectric sensor. The pyroelectric sensor detects a person in the room 11 by detecting the movement of the person in the room 11. The human presence sensor 21 is attached to the ceiling or wall surface of the room 11. When the human presence sensor 21 detects a person in the room 11, it outputs detection information indicating that a person has been detected in the room 11 to the control device 30.

[0029] The locking sensor 22 is configured to detect locking information of the front door 12. The locking information is, for example, information regarding the locking of the key at the front door 12. The locking information includes, for example, information indicating that the front door 12 has been locked from outside the building 10. The locking information may further include at least one of information indicating that the front door 12 has been locked from inside the building 10, information indicating that the front door 12 has been unlocked from outside the building 10, and information indicating that the front door 12 has been unlocked from inside the building 10. When the locking sensor 22 detects locking information of the front door 12, it transmits the locking information to the control device 30. In this embodiment, the locking sensor 22 outputs locking information to the control device 30 when the front door 12 is locked from outside the building 10.

[0030] The environmental sensor 23 is configured to detect environmental information in the room 11. The environmental sensor 23 transmits the environmental information detected in the room 11 to the control device 30. The environmental state in this embodiment includes the temperature of the room 11. The environmental sensor 23 in this embodiment includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the room 11. In this embodiment, when the environmental sensor 23 detects the temperature of the room 11, it outputs a signal related to the temperature of the room 11 to the control device 30.

[0031] <Control Device> The control device 30 is a computer including, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, a display, a communication circuit, and an input device. The control device 30 is configured as, for example, a home server. The control device 30 in this embodiment is placed in the second room 11b. The control device 30 may also be placed in another room 11. In this embodiment, the control device 30 is placed in the building 10, but the control device 30 may also be configured as an external server such as a cloud server. The control device 30 may also be mounted on one of the devices 14. The control device 30 may also be configured to be able to communicate data with a terminal device outside the building 10 via a communication network such as the Internet. The control device 30 controls the devices 14 by executing a control program.

[0032] The control device 30 includes an indoor condition determination unit 31 and an appliance control unit 32. The indoor condition determination unit 31 and the appliance control unit 32 include one or more CPUs or one or more MPUs (micro processing units) that operate according to a program. The indoor condition determination unit 31 and the appliance control unit 32 may be configured as a circuit including a CPU or MPU, a circuit including an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination of these circuits. The indoor condition determination unit 31 and the appliance control unit 32 may include memory such as RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read only memory). The memory stores a program configured to cause the CPU to execute processing.

[0033] The control device 30 may further include a room information storage unit 33 and an equipment information storage unit 34. The room information storage unit 33 and the equipment information storage unit 34 are configured by semiconductor memory such as RAM and ROM, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, or an optical disk.

[0034] 2 , the indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to determine an indoor activity state based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor 21. The detection information is output from the human presence sensor 21 to the control device 30. The indoor state determination unit 31 determines the presence or absence and activity of a person in the room 11 based on the detection information. The human presence sensor 21 may be arranged at an entrance to the room 11, so that the indoor state determination unit 31 determines whether a person has entered or left the room 11 based on the detection information.

[0035] The indoor activity state is a state indicating the presence or absence and activity of a person in the room 11. The indoor activity state includes an entry state, an active state, a resting state, an exit state, and an absent state. The entry state is a state in which a person moves from outside the room 11 into the room 11. The active state is a state in which a person is active in the room 11. The resting state is a state in which a person is resting in the room 11. The exit state is a state in which a person moves from inside the room 11 to outside the room. The absent state is a state in which a person is outside the room 11.

[0036] The indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to be able to determine, for example, whether a person is inside or outside the room 11. The indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a person is inside the room 11 when detection information is output from the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11 to the control device 30. The indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a person is outside the room 11 when detection information is output from a human presence sensor 21 provided in a location other than the room 11 when no detection information is output from the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11. For example, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that a person has moved from inside the room 11 to outside the room 11 when the human presence sensor 21 arranged at the entrance to the room 11 detects a person after determining that a person is outside the room 11. For example, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that a person has moved from outside the room 11 to inside the room 11 when the human presence sensor 21 arranged at the entrance to the room 11 detects a person after determining that a person is outside the room 11.

[0037] The following describes the determination of the indoor activity state by the indoor state determination unit 31. The indoor state determination unit 31 determines the indoor activity state based on the detection or non-detection of a person in the room 11. When a person is detected in the room 11, the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11 is in a state where it outputs detection information. When a person is not detected in the room 11, the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11 is in a state where it does not output detection information.

[0038] When the indoor activity state is an unoccupied state, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state has changed from an unoccupied state to an entered state when a person is detected in the room 11. When the indoor activity state is an unoccupied state, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is an active state if a person is detected when a first period T1 has elapsed since the human presence sensor 21 detected a person in the room 11. When a person is detected in the room 11, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is an active state.

[0039] The indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is a resting state when the period of non-detection of a person in the room 11 continues for a second period T2 and when it determines that a person is present in the room 11. Note that the determination that a person is present in the room 11 when determining that the indoor activity state is a resting state is made based on the fact that it is not determined that a person is present outside the room 11.

[0040] The indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is the leaving state when a period of no person detection in the room 11 continues for a second period T2 and the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a person is outside the room 11. After determining that the indoor activity state is the leaving state, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a period of no person detection in the room 11 continues for a third period T3 and the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a person is outside the room 11, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is the not-in state.

[0041] When the indoor activity state is the resting state, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that the indoor activity state is the active state if a person is detected in the room 11. When the indoor activity state is the leaving state, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that the indoor activity state is the active state if a person is detected in the room 11.

[0042] The indoor state determination unit 31 may determine the indoor activity state not only in the predetermined room 11 but also in each of the first room 11 a, the second room 11 b, the third room 11 c, the fourth room 11 d, and the fifth room 11 e. The indoor state determination unit 31 stores the indoor activity state of each room in the room information storage unit 33.

[0043] The indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to determine whether or not a person is present in the building 10 based on the locking information. The locking information is output from the locking sensor 22 to the control device 30. For example, when locking information indicating that the entrance 12 has been locked from outside the building 10 is output from the locking sensor 22 to the control device 30, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no person is present in the building 10. Preferably, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no person is present in the building 10 when, for example, a period in which the human presence sensor 21 does not detect a person in the building 10 continues for a fourth period T4 after the entrance 12 is locked from outside the building 10. For example, when only one person is using the building 10, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that no person is present in the building 10 when the entrance 12 is locked from outside the building 10. When the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no person is present in the building 10, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that the indoor activity state of the room 11 is an absent state.

[0044] The indoor condition determination unit 31 is configured to determine the environmental condition of the room 11 from the environmental information. The environmental information is output from the environmental sensor 23 to the control device 30. In this embodiment, the indoor condition determination unit 31 determines the temperature of the room 11 from the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The indoor condition determination unit 31 may determine the environmental condition not only in the predetermined room 11, but also in each of the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e. The indoor condition determination unit 31 stores the environmental condition of each room in the room information storage unit 33.

[0045] <Room Information Storage Unit> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the room information storage unit 33 is configured to store room information related to the room 11. The room information storage unit 33 may be configured to store room information related to each of the first room 11a, the second room 11b, the third room 11c, the fourth room 11d, and the fifth room 11e. FIG. 3 shows an example of room information stored in the room information storage unit 33. The room information includes a room type, an indoor activity state, and an environmental state for each room's identification information. The room type indicates the use of each room, such as a living room, kitchen, private room, dressing room, or bathroom. The indoor activity state is a state determined by the indoor state determination unit 31. The environmental state is a state determined by the indoor state determination unit 31 for each room. In this embodiment, the temperature of each room is stored as the environmental state.

[0046] <Device Information Storage Unit> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the device information storage unit 34 is configured to store device information related to the devices 14. The device information storage unit 34 may be configured to store device information related to all devices 14 installed in the building 10. FIG. 4 shows an example of device information stored in the device information storage unit 34. The device information includes, for each device identification number, a device type, an identification number of the room in which the device is installed, an operating state, and predetermined environmental conditions. The device type is the type of each device. The identification number of the room in which the device is installed is the identification number of the room 11 in which the device is installed. The operating state is the current operating state of the device 14, which is switched by the device control unit 32. The predetermined environmental conditions are conditions set for each device in order for the device control unit 32 to control the device 14.

[0047] 2, the appliance control unit 32 is configured to control the appliance 14. The appliance control unit 32 is configured to switch the operation state of the appliance 14 between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state. The operating state is a state in which the appliance 14 operates. The stopped state is a state in which the appliance 14 stops operating.

[0048] The device control unit 32 is configured to control the first device 14a and the second device 14b so that the operating state of the first device 14a and the operating state of the second device 14b are the same in at least one of the indoor activity states. The device control unit 32 is configured to control the first device 14a and the second device 14b so that the operating state of the first device 14a and the operating state of the second device 14b are different in at least one of the indoor activity states. For example, when the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is an entry state, a rest state, or an exit state, the device control unit 32 is configured to make the operating state of the first device 14a and the operating state of the second device 14b different.

[0049] The equipment control unit 32 is configured to set the operating state of the first equipment 14a to an operating state and the operating state of the second equipment 14b to a stopped state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state is an entry state.

[0050] The equipment control unit 32 is configured to set the operating state of the first equipment 14a to an operating state and the operating state of the second equipment 14b to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state is an active state.

[0051] The equipment control unit 32 is configured to set the operating state of the first equipment 14a to a stopped state and the operating state of the second equipment 14b to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state is a resting state.

[0052] The equipment control unit 32 is configured to set the operating state of the first equipment 14a to a stopped state and the operating state of the second equipment 14b to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state is an exit state.

[0053] The equipment control unit 32 is configured to stop the operation of the first equipment 14a and stop the operation of the second equipment 14b based on the indoor condition determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state is an absent state.

[0054] The following describes how the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the devices 14 based on the indoor activity state. When the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is an unoccupied state, the device control unit 32 stops the operation state of the first device 14a and stops the operation state of the second device 14b. When the indoor activity state is an unoccupied state and detection information is output from the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11 to the control device 30, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is an entered state. When the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state has changed from an unoccupied state to an entered state, the device control unit 32 changes the operation state of the first device 14a to an active state and maintains the operation state of the second device 14b in a stopped state.

[0055] The equipment control unit 32 maintains the operating state of the first equipment 14a in an operating state and sets the operating state of the second equipment 14b in an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state has changed from an entered state to an active state.

[0056] The device control unit 32 sets the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state and maintains the operation state of the second device 14b in an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from a resting state to an active state. The device control unit 32 may set the operation state of the first device 14a to an operating state and maintain the operation state of the second device 14b in an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from a resting state to an active state.

[0057] The device control unit 32 sets the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state and maintains the operation state of the second device 14b in an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from an active state to an absent state. The device control unit 32 may set the operation state of the first device 14a to an operating state and maintain the operation state of the second device 14b in an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from an absent state to an active state.

[0058] The device control unit 32 is configured to maintain the operation state of the first device 14a in a stopped state and stop the operation state of the second device 14b based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from the left state to the absent state. After the operation state of the first device 14a is stopped and the operation state of the second device 14b is stopped, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state is the enter state when detection information is output from the human presence sensor 21 in the room 11 to the control device 30.

[0059] The device control unit 32 may control the devices 14 as follows, based on the presence or absence of people in the building 10. The device control unit 32 is configured to switch the operation state of the devices 14 between an operating state and a stopped state, based on the indoor activity state and the presence or absence of people in the building 10. The device control unit 32 is configured to set the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state and the operation state of the second device 14b to a stopped state, regardless of the indoor activity state, based on the indoor activity state determination unit 31 determining that no people are present in the building 10.

[0060] The device control unit 32 may control the devices 14 as follows, based on the environmental state of the room 11. The device control unit 32 is configured to suspend switching of the operation state of the devices 14 based on the indoor activity state when the environmental state satisfies predetermined environmental conditions. The predetermined environmental conditions in this embodiment include conditions related to the temperature of the room 11. When switching the operation state of the air conditioning device, which is the device 14, from a stopped state to an operating state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 suspends switching of the operation state of the heating device if the temperature of the room 11 is appropriate. When switching the operation state of the air conditioning device, which is the device 14, from a stopped state to an operating state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the second device 14b if the temperature of the room 11 is not appropriate.

[0061] The device control unit 32 determines that the temperature of the room 11 is appropriate when the difference between the temperature of the room 11 and the predetermined temperature is within a predetermined threshold. The predetermined temperature is set to, for example, 28 degrees in summer and 20 degrees in winter. The predetermined threshold is set to, for example, 3 degrees. The predetermined temperature and the predetermined threshold can be changed as appropriate depending on the room type, season, etc.

[0062] 5 shows a process related to the control of the device 14 by the device control unit 32. The process shown in FIG. 5 is executed at predetermined time intervals. In step S11, the device control unit 32 acquires the indoor activity state of the room 11, and proceeds to step S12. The device control unit 32 acquires the indoor activity state of the room 11 from, for example, the room information storage unit 33.

[0063] In step S12, the device control unit 32 determines whether to switch the operation state of the device 14. For example, the device control unit 32 determines to switch the operation state of the device 14 when the operation state of the device 14 does not correspond to the operation state of the device 14 based on the indoor activity state of the room 11. If the device control unit 32 determines to switch the operation state of the device 14, the device control unit 32 proceeds to step S13.

[0064] In step S13, the device control unit 32 determines whether the environmental state of the room 11 satisfies predetermined environmental conditions. The device control unit 32 acquires the environmental state of the room 11 from, for example, the room information storage unit 33. The device control unit 32 acquires the predetermined environmental conditions of the device 14 from, for example, the device information storage unit 34. If the environmental state of the room 11 satisfies the predetermined environmental conditions, the device control unit 32 ends the processing of FIG. 5 without switching the operation state of the device 14. If the environmental state of the room 11 does not satisfy the predetermined environmental conditions, the device control unit 32 proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the device 14 based on the indoor activity state.

[0065] The operation of the device 14 in the room 11 by the control system 20 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. In Figures 6 and 7, (a) motion sensor detection indicates a state in which the motion sensor 21 detects human movement in the room 11. (a) motion sensor non-detection indicates a state in which the motion sensor 21 does not detect human movement in the room 11. (b) lock sensor detection indicates a state in which the lock sensor 22 detects locking from outside the front door 12. (b) lock sensor non-detection indicates a state in which the lock sensor 22 does not detect locking from outside the front door 12. (c) The operating state and stopped state of the first device indicate the operating state of the first device 14a. (d) The operating state and stopped state of the second device indicate the operating state of the second device 14b.

[0066] 6 shows a first example of the operation of the device 14 by the control system 20 in the room 11. At time t10, the indoor state determiner 31 determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 is an unoccupied state.

[0067] Time t11 is the time when the human presence sensor 21 detects a person in the room 11. At time t11, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 has changed from an unoccupied state to an entered state. At time t11, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the first device 14a from a stopped state to an operating state.

[0068] Time t12 is the time when the first period T1 has elapsed since time t11. At time t12, the indoor state determiner 31 determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 has changed from the entry state to the activity state. At time t12, the device controller 32 switches the operation state of the second device 14b to the operating state.

[0069] Time t13 is the time when the human presence sensor 21 stops detecting a person in the room 11. In other words, time t13 is the time when the human presence sensor 21 stops detecting human movement in the room 11.

[0070] Time t14 is the time when the second period T2 has elapsed since time t13 without the human presence sensor 21 detecting any human presence. At time t14, if the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no human is present in the room 11, it determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 has changed from the active state to the left state. Note that at time t14, if the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that a human is present in the room 11, it determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 has changed from the active state to the resting state. At time t14, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the first device 14a to the stopped state.

[0071] Time t15 is the time when the third period T3 has elapsed since time t14 while the human presence sensor 21 remains non-detecting. At time t15, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no one is present in the room 11 and determines that the indoor activity state of the room 11 has changed to an absent state. At time t15, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the second device 14b to a stopped state. Because the human presence sensor 21 has not detected any person in the room 11 at time t15, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine that no one is present in the room 11.

[0072] Fig. 7 shows a second example of the operation of the device 14 by the control system 20 in the room 11. The states of the human sensor 21, the first device 14a, and the second device 14b in Fig. 7 are the same as those in Fig. 7. The period from time t20 to time t23 corresponds to the period from time t10 to time t13 in Fig. 7, and therefore a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0073] Time t24 is the time when the locking sensor 22 detects that the front door 12 has been locked from outside. Time t25 is the time when a fourth period T4 has elapsed since time t24 while the human presence sensor 21 of the building 10 remains non-detecting. At time t25, the indoor condition determination unit 31 determines that no one is present in the building 10. At time t25, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state. At time t25, the device control unit 32 switches the operation state of the second device 14b to a stopped state. The indoor condition determination unit 31 may determine that no one is present in the building 10 at time t24 without waiting for the fourth period T4 to elapse.

[0074] The first period T1, the second period T2, the third period T3, and the fourth period T4 are configured to be changeable. For example, by setting the first period T1 to a short period, the period until the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state has changed from the entry state to the activity state is shortened. For example, by setting the second period T2 to a short period, the period until the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state has changed from the activity state to the resting state or the exit state is shortened. For example, by setting the third period T3 to a long period, the period until the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that the indoor activity state has changed from the exit state to the absence state is lengthened. For example, by setting the fourth period T4 to a short period, the indoor state determination unit 31 determines that no one is present in the building 10 more quickly.

[0075] <Operation of the embodiment> A first operation of the present embodiment will be described. If the device 14 continues to operate when no one is present in the room 11, there is a risk of unnecessary power consumption. Such forgetting to turn off the device 14 occurs when a person leaves the room 11, for example. In the building 10, the control system 20 switches the operation state of the device 14 to a stopped state when the indoor activity state is an unoccupied state. Therefore, the control system 20 suppresses an increase in unnecessary power consumption even if the device 14 is forgotten to be turned off.

[0076] A second action of this embodiment will be described. On the other hand, when a person leaves the room 11 and then immediately returns to the room 11, the device 14 may be intentionally left on. In such a case, if the operation state of the device 14 is switched to a stopped state, the person may feel annoyed when the device 14 is restarted. When the control system 20 determines that the indoor activity state is the left state, it switches the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state and maintains the operation state of the second device 14b in an operating state. When the person returns to the room 11, it is determined that the indoor activity state has changed from the left state to the active state, and therefore only the first device 14a is restarted. Since there is no need to restart the second device 14b, the person is less likely to feel annoyed.

[0077] A third effect of this embodiment will be described. The control system 20 is configured to perform different controls between the first device 14a and the second device 14b. In the control system 20, the second device 14b is controlled so that it is less likely to start or stop operation than the first device 14a. Because the start or stop of operation of the second device 14b has a greater impact on people than the first device 14a, the impact on people can be reduced compared to when the first device 14a and the second device 14b are controlled in the same way.

[0078] A fourth action of this embodiment will be described. By setting the first period T1, the responsiveness of the second device 14b in starting operation when a person enters the room 11 can be changed. By setting the second period T2, the responsiveness of the first device 14a in stopping operation when a person leaves the room 11 or when a person is taking a break in the room 11 can be changed. By setting the third period T3, the responsiveness of the second device 14b in stopping operation when a person leaves the room 11 can be changed. By setting the fourth period T4, the responsiveness of the device 14 in stopping operation when a person leaves the building 10 can be changed. By setting the first period T1, the second period T2, the third period T3, and the fourth period T4, it is possible to achieve a balance between the responsiveness of the device 14 in starting and stopping operation and an increase in unnecessary power consumption by the device 14, in accordance with people's lifestyles.

[0079] The fifth action of this embodiment will be described. The indoor condition determination unit 31 determines whether or not there is a person in the building 10 based on the lock information. After the person leaves the building, it is possible to alert the person via an external terminal such as a smartphone to, for example, warn them about leaving the device 14 on. By appropriately setting the fourth period T4, it is possible to alert the person early so that they can easily return to the building 10 after leaving the building.

[0080] The sixth function of this embodiment will be described. The control system 20 is configured not to switch the operation state of the device 14 when the environmental state of the room 11 satisfies a predetermined environmental condition. For example, if the device 14 is an air conditioning device, and the temperature of the room 11 is comfortable for people, the start of operation of the device 14 can be postponed, thereby suppressing an increase in power consumption.

[0081] <Effects of the embodiment> The effects of the present embodiment will be described. (1) The building 10 has a control system 20. The control system 20 includes a human presence sensor 21 and a control device 30. The control device 30 includes an indoor state determination unit 31 and an equipment control unit 32. The indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to determine an indoor activity state based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor 21. The indoor activity state includes an entry state, an active state, a resting state, an exit state, and an unoccupied state. The equipment control unit 32 is configured to switch the operation state of the equipment 14 between an active state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state.

[0082] With this configuration, the indoor activity state includes multiple states related to the presence or absence of a person and their behavior in the room 11, allowing the control device 30 to precisely control the device 14 based on the person's behavior. (2) The control system 20 further includes a lock sensor 22. The indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to determine the presence or absence of a person in the building 10 based on lock information detected by the lock sensor 22. The device control unit 32 is configured to switch the operation state of the device 14 between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state and the presence or absence of a person in the building 10.

[0083] According to this configuration, the indoor condition determination unit 31 can more accurately determine whether or not there is a person in the room 11 based on the presence or absence of a person in the building 10. This allows the control device 30 to more precisely control the device 14 based on the behavior of the person. For example, when there is no person in the building 10, the indoor condition determination unit 31 can more accurately determine that there is no person in the room 11.

[0084] (3) The devices 14 include a first device 14a and a second device 14b. The second device 14b has a greater impact on people when it starts or stops operating than the first device 14a. The device control unit 32 is configured to control the first device 14a and the second device 14b so that the operating state of the first device 14a and the operating state of the second device 14b differ from each other in at least one of the indoor activity states.

[0085] With this configuration, the first device 14a and the second device 14b can be controlled in different modes. For example, the devices 14 can be controlled so that the first device 14a and the second device 14b start or stop operating at different times. The first device 14a and the second device 14b, which have different functions, can be operated in a precise manner based on the presence and behavior of people in the room 11.

[0086] (4) The device control unit 32 is configured to set the operation state of the first device 14a to a stopped state and the operation state of the second device 14b to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor behavior state is a resting state.

[0087] According to this configuration, the first device 14a is stopped when a person is resting in the room 11, thereby reducing the power consumption of the first device 14a. (5) The device control unit 32 is configured to stop the operation of the first device 14a and stop the operation of the second device 14b based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state is an unattended state. The device control unit 32 is configured to maintain the operation of the first device 14a in the stopped state and stop the operation of the second device 14b based on the indoor state determination unit 31 determining that the indoor activity state has changed from the unattended state to an unattended state.

[0088] According to this configuration, the operating state of the second device 14b is maintained even when a person moves from inside the room 11 to outside the room 11. Therefore, when a person returns to the room 11 from outside the room 11, it is not necessary to switch the operation state of the second device 14b from a stopped state to an operating state. This makes it possible to suppress the impact on the person when the operation of the second device 14b is stopped. Furthermore, when the indoor activity state changes from an absent state to an absent state, such as when a person moves from inside the room 11 to outside the room 11 and then does not return to the room 11, the second device 14b is stopped, so it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption of the second device 14b.

[0089] (6) The control system 20 further includes an environmental sensor 23. The indoor condition determination unit 31 is further configured to determine the environmental condition of the room 11 from the environmental information detected by the environmental sensor 23. The device control unit 32 is configured to suspend switching of the operation state of the device 14 based on the indoor activity state when the environmental condition satisfies a predetermined environmental condition.

[0090] According to this configuration, when the environmental state satisfies a predetermined environmental condition, switching of the operation state of the device 14 is put on hold, thereby suppressing an increase in power consumption of the device 14. (7) The control system 20 controls the device 14 arranged in the room 11 of the building 10. The control system 20 includes a human presence sensor 21 and a control device 30. The control device 30 has an indoor state determination unit 31 and an device control unit 32. The indoor state determination unit 31 is configured to determine an indoor activity state based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor 21. The device control unit 32 is configured to switch the operation state of the device 14 between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state.

[0091] According to this configuration, the indoor activity state includes multiple states related to the presence or absence of people in the room 11 and their behavior, allowing the control device 30 to precisely control the devices 14 based on the people's behavior. <Modifications> The above-described embodiments are examples of forms that the building 10 and the control system 20 can take, and are not intended to limit these forms. The building 10 and the control system 20 can take forms different from those exemplified in the above-described embodiments. Examples include forms in which part of the configuration of the embodiments is replaced, modified, or omitted, or forms in which new configurations are added to the embodiments. Modifications of the embodiments are shown below.

[0092] <First Modification> The environmental information may include, for example, information regarding at least one of the temperature, brightness, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and odor of the room 11. The environmental sensor 23 of this modification includes at least one of a temperature sensor, an illuminance meter, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, and an odor sensor. The predetermined environmental condition of this modification includes a condition regarding at least one of the temperature, brightness, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and odor of the room 11.

[0093] If the device 14 is a light, the predetermined environmental condition includes a condition regarding the brightness of the room 11. When switching the operation state of the light from a stopped state to an operating state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 suspends switching the operation state of the light if the room 11 is bright.

[0094] If the device 14 is an air conditioner with a dehumidifying function, the predetermined environmental conditions may include a condition related to the humidity of the room 11. When switching the operation state of the dehumidifying function of the air conditioner from a stopped state to an operating state based on the indoor activity state, if the humidity in the room 11 is low, the device control unit 32 suspends switching the operation state of the dehumidifying function of the air conditioner.

[0095] If the device 14 is a ventilation device, the predetermined environmental conditions may include conditions related to at least one of the humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and odor in the room 11. When switching the operation state of the ventilation device from a stopped state to an operating state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 suspends switching the operation state of the ventilation device if the humidity in the room 11 is low. When switching the operation state of the ventilation device from an operating state to a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 suspends switching the operation state of the ventilation device if the carbon dioxide concentration in the room 11 is high until the carbon dioxide concentration in the room 11 becomes sufficiently low. When switching the operation state of the ventilation device from an operating state to a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, the device control unit 32 suspends switching the operation state of the ventilation device if the odor in the room 11 is strong until the odor in the room 11 becomes sufficiently weak.

[0096] When the temperature of the room 11 is sufficiently high, the device control unit 32 suspends the switching of the operating state of the heating device from the stopped state to the operating state.

[0097] <Other Modifications> One of the air conditioning equipment, ventilation equipment, heating equipment, automatic water faucet, and cooking heater may be the first equipment 14a, and another one other than the first equipment 14a may be the second equipment 14b.

[0098] The human presence sensor 21 may be a carbon dioxide sensor. When a person is present in the room 11, the carbon dioxide concentration is higher than when no person is present. The indoor condition determination unit 31 of this modified example determines that a person is present in the room 11 when the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the carbon dioxide sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold. The indoor condition determination unit 31 of this modified example may determine whether a person is present in the room 11 based on the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the carbon dioxide sensor.

[0099] The human presence sensor 21 may include, for example, a camera. The indoor state determination unit 31 may be configured to be able to determine, from the video captured by the camera, whether a person is inside or outside the room 11. When multiple people use the building 10, the indoor state determination unit 31 may determine, from the video captured by the camera, where each of the multiple people is located within the building 10.

[0100] The control device 30 may be configured to receive user operations via an external terminal. The user may be a person using the room 11 or a person located outside the building 10. The external terminal is a terminal device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a PC. The device control unit 32 may be configured to control the device 14 based on a user operation. The device control unit 32 may switch the operation state of the device 14 between an operating state and a stopped state based on a user operation. The device control unit 32 may be configured to notify the user of the operation state of the device 14 when controlling the device 14 based on the indoor activity state.

[0101] The lock sensor 22 may be omitted from the control system 20. In this modification, the indoor state determination unit 31 may not determine whether or not a person is present in the building 10. The environment sensor 23 may be omitted from the control system 20. In this modification, step S14 may be omitted from the processing in FIG. 5 .

[0102] The devices 14 may include only one of the first device 14 a and the second device 14 b. The first period T1, the second period T2, the third period T3, and the fourth period T4 may be different periods for each of the multiple devices 14.

[0103] The following technology is disclosed in this specification. [Supplementary Note 1] A building having a control system that controls equipment placed in a room, the control system including a human presence sensor configured to detect a person in the room and a control device, the control device including an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor, and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, the indoor activity states including an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an activity state in which the person is active in the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absence state in which the person is outside the room.

[0104] [Appendix 2] The building described in Appendix 1, wherein the control system further includes a lock sensor configured to detect lock information of an entrance, the indoor state determination unit is configured to determine the presence or absence of a person in the building based on the lock information, and the equipment control unit is configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state and the presence or absence of a person in the building.

[0105] [Supplementary Note 3] The building described in Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the equipment includes a first equipment and a second equipment whose start-up and stop-up of operation has a greater impact on the people than the first equipment, and the equipment control unit is configured to control the first equipment and the second equipment so that an operating state of the first equipment differs from an operating state of the second equipment in at least one of the indoor behavior states.

[0106] [Appendix 4] The building described in Appendix 3, wherein the equipment control unit is configured to set the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and the operation state of the second equipment to an operating state based on the indoor state determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state is the resting state.

[0107] [Appendix 5] The building described in Appendix 3, wherein the equipment control unit is configured to, based on the indoor condition determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state is the left-out state, set the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and set the operation state of the second equipment to an operating state, and, based on the indoor condition determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state has changed from the left-out state to the not-in state, maintain the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and set the operation state of the second equipment to a stopped state.

[0108] [Supplementary Note 6] The building described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the control system further includes an environmental sensor configured to detect environmental information in the room, the indoor condition determination unit is configured to determine the environmental condition of the room from the environmental information, and the equipment control unit is configured to suspend switching of the operation state of the equipment based on the indoor activity state when the environmental condition satisfies a predetermined environmental condition.

[0109] [Supplementary Note 7] A control system for controlling equipment placed in a room of a building, comprising: a human presence sensor configured to detect a person in the room; and a control device, wherein the control device has an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor; and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, wherein the indoor activity states include an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an activity state in which the person is active in the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absence state in which the person is outside the room.

[0110] 10...building, 11...room, 12...entrance, 14...equipment, 14a...first equipment, 14b...second equipment, 20...control system, 21...human presence sensor, 22...lock sensor, 23...environment sensor, 30...control device, 31...indoor condition determination unit, 32...equipment control unit.

Claims

1. A building having a control system that controls equipment placed in a room, the control system comprising: a human presence sensor configured to detect a person in the room; and a control device, the control device having: an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor; and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, the indoor activity states including an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an active state in which the person is active within the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absent state in which the person is outside the room.

2. The building described in claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises a lock sensor configured to detect lock information of the front door, the indoor condition determination unit is configured to determine the presence or absence of a person in the building based on the lock information, and the equipment control unit is configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor behavior state and the presence or absence of a person in the building.

3. The building described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the equipment includes a first equipment and a second equipment whose starting and stopping of operation has a greater impact on the people than the first equipment, and the equipment control unit is configured to control the first equipment and the second equipment so that an operating state of the first equipment differs from an operating state of the second equipment in at least one of the indoor behavior states.

4. The building described in claim 3, wherein the equipment control unit is configured to set the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and the operation state of the second equipment to an operating state based on the indoor condition determination unit determining that the indoor activity state is the resting state.

5. The building described in claim 3 or 4, wherein the equipment control unit is configured to: set the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and set the operation state of the second equipment to an operating state based on the indoor condition determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state is the left-behind state; and to maintain the operation state of the first equipment to a stopped state and set the operation state of the second equipment to a stopped state based on the indoor condition determination unit determining that the indoor behavior state has changed from the left-behind state to the unattended state.

6. A building as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control system further comprises an environmental sensor configured to detect environmental information in the room, the indoor condition determination unit is configured to determine the environmental condition of the room from the environmental information, and the equipment control unit is configured to suspend switching of the operation state of the equipment based on the indoor activity state when the environmental state satisfies a predetermined environmental condition.

7. A control system for controlling equipment placed in a room of a building, comprising: a human presence sensor configured to detect a person in the room; and a control device, wherein the control device has an indoor state determination unit configured to determine an indoor activity state indicating the presence or absence and activity of the person in the room based on detection information detected by the human presence sensor; and an equipment control unit configured to switch the operation state of the equipment between an operating state and a stopped state based on the indoor activity state, wherein the indoor activity states include an entry state in which the person moves into the room from outside the room, an active state in which the person is active within the room, a resting state in which the person is resting in the room, an exit state in which the person moves from inside the room to outside the room, and an absent state in which the person is outside the room.

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