Deodorization system, deodorization control method, and program

Abstract

This deodorization system comprises an acquisition processing unit (31) and an estimation processing unit (36). The acquisition processing unit (31) acquires odor information relating to the type of odor detected in a target space. The estimation processing unit (36) estimates a cause of the odor on the basis of at least the odor information.

Description

Deodorization system, deodorization control method and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a deodorizing system, a deodorizing control method, and a program.

[0002] As a related art, an air purifier having a deodorizing function within a case that draws in air through an air intake port and blows it out through an air outlet is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the air purifier according to the related art, an intake fan is provided near the air intake port, and an adsorption filter is arranged in such a manner that it crosses the passage through which the air drawn into the case by the intake fan passes within the case. Malodorous components contained in the air are adsorbed by the adsorption filter as they pass through the adsorption filter.

[0003] This air purifier further includes an ion / ozone generator, which operates in ion generation mode when the odor (smell) detection value detected by an odor (smell) sensor installed outside the case is below a predetermined value, and operates in ozone generation mode when the odor detection value exceeds the predetermined value. As a result, when the odor is weak, ozone generation is suppressed, and when the odor is strong, ozone is generated to deodorize the air drawn into the air purifier.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-006956

[0005] In the configuration of the related technology described above, the deodorizing function (ion / ozone generator) is uniformly controlled according to the strength of the odor detected by the odor sensor, so for example, even if you only smell food while cooking or eating, the deodorizing function may be activated and deodorization may occur.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a deodorizing system, a deodorizing control method, and a program that enable a deodorizing operation that is more preferable for the user.

[0007] A deodorizing system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an acquisition processor and an estimation processor. The acquisition processor acquires odor information relating to types of odors detected in a target space. The estimation processor estimates a cause of the odor based on at least the odor information.

[0008] A deodorization control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an acquisition process and an estimation process. The acquisition process acquires odor information related to the type of odor detected in a target space. The estimation process estimates the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information.

[0009] A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the deodorization control method.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a deodorizing system, a deodorizing control method, and a program that enable a deodorizing operation that is more preferable for the user.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an air purifier according to Embodiment 1, as seen from the right front. FIG. 2 is a schematic right side view of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a list used in the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a filter of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a filter of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a filter of the air purifier according to Embodiment 1.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are examples that embody the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] (Embodiment 1) [1] Overall Configuration First, the overall configuration of an air purifier 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0014] In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the vertical direction when the air purifier 10 is in a usable state is defined as the up-down direction D1. Furthermore, the left-right direction D2 is defined based on the direction when the air purifier 10 is viewed from the front, and the front side of the air purifier 10 is defined as the front and the back side is defined as the rear, and the front-rear direction D3 is defined as the front and rear side, respectively. However, these directions are not intended to limit the use direction of the air purifier 10 (the direction during use).

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1 , the air purifier 10 is used while placed on an installation surface X1, which may be, for example, the floor of a room in a house. When placed on the installation surface X1, the air purifier 10 stands on its own on the installation surface X1. In other words, the air purifier 10 according to this embodiment is a freestanding and portable device, and the user can freely carry the air purifier 10 and install it at any position on the installation surface X1.

[0016] The air purifier 10 has a function of deodorizing a target space and is an example of a "deodorizing system." In this embodiment, the air purifier 10 has a dust collection function that captures dust, pollen, smoke, and fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5) in the target space in addition to the deodorizing function. Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the dust collection function, the air purifier 10 may have various functions that act on the target space, such as emitting discharge products such as ions, humidifying, dehumidifying, heating, and cooling.

[0017] "Deodorization" in this disclosure refers to a general process for reducing "odors" in a target space such as a room. That is, "deodorization" in this disclosure includes a process for reducing "odors" in a target space by removing and reducing odorous substances in the target space, for example, by using an adsorbent such as activated carbon or a photocatalyst to draw in air from the target space and filter the "odors."

[0018] Furthermore, "deodorization" as referred to in this disclosure also includes, for example, a "deodorizing" process in which highly reactive ionic substances or ozone are released into the target space, which acts directly on odorous substances in the target space to reduce the "odor" in the target space. Also, "deodorization" as referred to in this disclosure is sufficient as long as it is a process that can be expected to reduce the "odor" in the target space, and it can be said that the "deodorizing" function is operating even if the "odor" is not actually reduced (almost).

[0019] The air purifier 10 according to this embodiment includes a deodorizing unit 2 (see FIG. 3) for deodorizing a target space. The deodorizing unit 2 includes, as an example, a deodorizing filter 21 (see FIG. 3) that uses activated carbon or the like. The air purifier 10 includes a filter 20 (see FIG. 1) including the deodorizing filter 21 inside a case 100.

[0020] When installed in a target space such as a room, air purifier 10 removes odorous substances from the air by passing the air taken into case 100 through air intake 101 of case 100 through filter 20. Air purifier 10 then discharges the deodorized air from which odorous substances have been removed out of case 100 through air outlet 102 of case 100, thereby deodorizing the target space.

[0021] The air purifier 10 is an electrical device that operates by receiving power from, for example, a power grid (AC power supply). That is, the air purifier 10 operates to purify the air (including at least deodorizing) in a target space by receiving power supply.

[0022] 1 and 2, air purifier 10 includes a case 100, a filter 20 (including a deodorizing filter 21), and an airflow generating unit 22. As shown in FIG. 3, air purifier 10 further includes, in addition to a deodorizing unit 2 including filter 20 and airflow generating unit 22, an odor detecting unit 11, a display unit 12, a sound output unit 13, an operation unit 14, a communication unit 15, a control unit 3, etc.

[0023] In this embodiment, as an example, the case 100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (quadrature) having a length in the up-down direction D1. The case 100 forms the outer shell of the air purifier 10. The case 100 can have various shapes, and may be, in addition to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a polygonal prism shape, a cylindrical shape, or the like. In this embodiment, the components of the case 100 are made of resin.

[0024] Case 100 has air intake 101 and air outlet 102. Air intake 101 is a hole for taking air into case 100 from outside case 100, and connects the inside and outside of case 100. Air outlet 102 is a hole for blowing air from inside case 100 to the outside of case 100, and connects the inside and outside of case 100.

[0025] In this embodiment, as an example, air intake 101 is formed in a back panel that constitutes the rear-facing surface (back surface) of case 100. Air intake 101 is formed over substantially the entire back surface of case 100. Air intake 101 is a hole that penetrates the back panel in the front-to-rear direction D3. Air intake 101 is provided with a lattice, and the opening area of ​​air intake 101 is set to a size that prevents a user's fingers from entering.

[0026] The air outlet 102 is formed in a top panel that constitutes the upward-facing surface (top surface) of the case 100. The air outlet 102 is a hole that penetrates the top panel in the up-down direction D1. In this embodiment, as an example, the air outlet 102 is formed in the center of the top surface of the case 100 in the front-to-back direction D3. The air outlet 102 is provided with a plurality of louvers that control the airflow blowing direction diagonally rearward.

[0027] The filter 20 is disposed within the case 100 at a position facing the air intake 101 of the back panel. In addition to the deodorizing filter 21, the filter 20 also includes a pre-filter and a dust collection filter 24 (see FIG. 7 ). The pre-filter is, for example, a mesh filter. The mesh filter is capable of capturing relatively large particles of dust in the air. The pre-filter is disposed on the outer side (rear side) of the deodorizing filter 21 and the dust collection filter 24. The dust collection filter is capable of capturing dust, pollen, smoke, and fine particulate matter. The filter 20 will be described in detail in the section "[3] Filter Details."

[0028] Here, the back panel of case 100 is configured to be detachable from the other portions of case 100, and is attached to the rear of filter 20 by a connecting means such as a snap fit. As a result, filter 20 is housed in case 100 with the back panel attached (to the other portions of case 100).

[0029] Therefore, it is necessary to remove the back panel when performing maintenance (including replacement and cleaning) of the filter 20. The back panel is attached to a portion of the case 100 other than the back panel in a state that allows it to be removed relatively easily without using any tools (jigs).

[0030] The airflow generating unit 22 is a device that generates an airflow, and is, for example, a fan device. In this embodiment, as an example, the airflow generating unit 22 is a centrifugal fan. The airflow generating unit 22 generates an airflow (wind) so that air taken into the case 100 through the air intake 101 is blown out of the case 100 through the air outlet 102. In other words, an air passage 103 (see FIG. 2 ) that passes the airflow is formed inside the case 100 from the air intake 101 to the air outlet 102, and the airflow generating unit 22 is disposed midway along this air passage 103.

[0031] 2 , in this embodiment, the airflow generating unit 22 is disposed in front of the filter 20, and the intake port 101, the filter 20, and the airflow generating unit 22 are arranged in this order in the front-to-rear direction D3. As a result, the airflow generating unit 22 operates to take in air through the filter 20 from the end (upstream end) of the air passage 103 on the intake port 101 side, and to blow the air that has passed through the filter 20 out of the air passage 103 and out of the air outlet 102.

[0032] With this configuration, air purifier 10 receives a power supply and operates airflow generating unit 22, thereby drawing air into case 100 from the target space in which air purifier 10 is installed and purifying the air with filter 20. Air purifier 10 then blows the purified air into the target space, thereby purifying the air in the target space. Here, filter 20 includes deodorizing filter 21, which adsorbs and removes at least odorous substances in the air, making it possible to at least deodorize the target space as part of air purification.

[0033] The odor detection unit 11 has an odor sensor that detects "odor" in the target space. The odor sensor is an electrical element that outputs a physical quantity (such as amount or concentration) related to odorous substances (odor molecules) in the target space as an electrical signal. The odor detection unit 11 is disposed inside the case 100 and is configured to be able to introduce air (outside air) from the target space outside the case 100 through, for example, an air intake 101 or other hole formed in the case 100.

[0034] Here, the odor detection unit 11 has a multi-array sensor consisting of an array of multiple odor sensors (sensor elements). Each of the multiple odor sensors has an adsorption layer (adsorption film) on its surface that adsorbs odorous substances (odor molecules). Here, the adsorption properties of the adsorption layers of the multiple odor sensors are different, and each adsorbs a different odorous substance. This allows the odor detection unit 11, which has multiple odor sensors, to output detection results with unique response patterns for each type of "odor" as a complex of an unspecified number of chemical substances.

[0035] As described above, in this embodiment, the odor detection unit 11 outputs a response pattern as a detection result, which is a combination of odor intensity (numerical values) for each odorant according to the "type of odor." This allows the odor detection unit 11 to detect "odors" in a target space, including the type of odor, with a sense similar to that of a human or animal's sense of smell. The "type of odor" referred to in this disclosure refers to the various types of odors that humans perceive, including, for example, burnt odors, coffee odors, tea odors, tobacco odors, perfume odors, air freshener odors, detergent odors, fabric softener odors, plant odors, and cooking odors. Of course, even when perfume, air freshener, detergent, fabric softener, plant odors, and cooking odors are all generally referred to, the "type of odor" varies depending on the type (content), for example. The odor detection unit 11 detects the type of odor based on the type, concentration, and combination of odorants (odor molecules) that constitute the odor.

[0036] More specifically, the odor detection unit 11 uses, for example, a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transducer as a sensor element (odor sensor) that detects the adsorption of odorants to the adsorption layer. The odor detection unit 11 can be used repeatedly by repeatedly adsorbing and desorbing odorants onto the surface (adsorption film).

[0037] The display unit 12 is a user interface for presenting information to the user, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 3. As an example, the display unit 12 is disposed on the top surface of the case 100. The display unit 12 presents various information to the user by displaying a screen containing various information. In this disclosure, the term "screen" refers to an image (picture) displayed on the display unit 12 or the like, and includes icons, figures, photographs, text, videos, etc. The screen displayed on the display unit 12 includes not only still images but also images (videos) that change every moment.

[0038] The sound output unit 13 is a user interface for presenting information to the user by outputting various types of information as sounds (including voice) in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 3 .

[0039] The operation unit 14 is a user interface that accepts user operations and includes, for example, a mechanical switch, a touch panel, a voice operation unit, or an encoder. In the present embodiment, as an example, the operation unit 14 includes a plurality of buttons that can be pressed by the user. The operation unit 14 is configured to be able to accept operations such as starting and stopping the air purifier 10, switching the airflow volume of the air purifier 10 between "low," "medium," "high," and "automatic," and setting a timer.

[0040] The communication unit 15 is a communication interface for connecting the air purifier 10 to an external device via a wired or wireless connection and for executing data communication with the external device in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. In this disclosure, "capable of communication" means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via a communication network NT1 or a repeater, etc., using an appropriate communication method, such as wired communication or wireless communication (communication using radio waves or light). The air purifier 10, the server device 4, the terminal device 5, and the at least one electrical device 6 can communicate with each other via a communication network NT1, such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a public telephone line, a mobile phone network, a packet network, or a wireless LAN.

[0041] The control unit 3 mainly comprises a computer system having one or more processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and one or more memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and executes various processes (information processing). In this embodiment, the control unit 3 mainly comprises a computer system having one or more processors, and the control unit 3 is realized by the one or more processors executing a deodorization control program. In this embodiment, the control unit 3 is an integrated controller that controls the entire air purifier 10. However, the control unit 3 may be provided separately from the integrated controller.

[0042] The control unit 3 is configured to be able to communicate with devices provided in each part of the air purifier 10. In other words, the control unit 3 is electrically connected to the deodorizing unit 2, odor detection unit 11, display unit 12, sound output unit 13, operation unit 14, communication unit 15, etc. This allows the control unit 3 to control the deodorizing unit 2, display unit 12, sound output unit 13, communication unit 15, etc., and to obtain the detection results (or operation results) of the odor detection unit 11 and operation unit 14. Here, the control unit 3 may exchange various information (data) with each device directly or indirectly via a repeater or the like.

[0043] Because the air purifier 10 is capable of communicating with the server device 4, the terminal device 5, and (at least one) electrical appliance 6, it may constitute a deodorizing system in cooperation with at least one of the server device 4, the terminal device 5, and the electrical appliance 6. In other words, the components of the deodorizing system may be distributed among the air purifier 10, the server device 4, the terminal device 5, and the electrical appliance 6. However, in this embodiment, the components of the deodorizing system are collectively provided in the air purifier 10 (particularly the control unit 3), and therefore the deodorizing system is realized only by the air purifier 10. As another example, the functions of the deodorizing system may be provided only in the server device 4 and / or the terminal device 5. In this case, the deodorizing system is realized only by the server device 4 and / or the terminal device 5.

[0044] The server device 4 is mainly composed of a computer system having one or more processors and one or more memories. A plurality (a large number) of air purifiers 10 are connected to the server device 4 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0045] The terminal device 5 is a user terminal used by a user of the air purifier 10. The terminal device 5 is configured as a general-purpose terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a laptop computer. The terminal device 5 includes an information processing unit, a storage unit, an operation display unit, and a communication unit. The electrical appliances 6 are various electrical appliances that are placed in or near the target space and used by the user of the air purifier 10. The electrical appliances 6 include, for example, stationary equipment such as a ventilation fan, a cooking appliance, or a lighting fixture, as well as home appliances such as a washing machine, a refrigerator, or an air conditioner.

[0046] 3 , the control unit 3 includes an acquisition processing unit 31, an analysis processing unit 32, a control processing unit 33, a change processing unit 34, a presentation processing unit 35, an estimation processing unit 36, a collaboration processing unit 37, a notification processing unit 38, and a storage unit 39. As an example, in the present embodiment, the control unit 3 is mainly configured as a computer system having one or more processors, and these multiple processing units (such as the acquisition processing unit 31) are realized by the one or more processors executing a deodorization control program. These multiple processing units included in the control unit 3 may be provided in multiple housings, or may be provided in a single housing.

[0047] The acquisition processing unit 31 executes an acquisition process to acquire odor information related to the types of odors detected in the target space. In this embodiment, the acquisition processing unit 31 acquires the detection results of the odor detection unit 11 as odor information. The acquisition processing unit 31 acquires the odor information periodically or irregularly and stores the acquired odor information in the storage unit 39.

[0048] The analysis processing unit 32 performs an analysis process to analyze the information (odor information) acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31. For example, the analysis processing unit 32 analyzes which attribute information corresponds to the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11. "Attribute information" as used in the present disclosure refers to information indicating the attributes of odor information, and includes at least one of "good odor" and "bad odor." In other words, the analysis processing unit 32 analyzes whether the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is classified into attribute information, for example, "good odor" or "bad odor."

[0049] The control processing unit 33 executes control processing to control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information (or the analysis results thereof). Furthermore, the control processing unit 33 can also control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the "cause" of the odor estimated by the estimation processing unit 36. Control of the deodorizing unit 2 includes, for example, starting and stopping the operation of the airflow generating unit 22, and switching the airflow volume between "weak," "medium," "strong," and "automatic."

[0050] The change processing unit 34 executes a change process to change the correspondence between odor information and attribute information. In other words, the correspondence between odor information and attribute information used for analysis by the analysis processing unit 32 is not fixed but can be changed by the change processing unit 34.

[0051] The presentation processing unit 35 executes a presentation process to present presentation information based on the odor information to the user. The form of "presentation" in the present disclosure includes display on the display unit 12, sound (including voice) output on the sound output unit 13, display on a device other than the display unit 12 (including display by the lit state of a lamp), transmission to another device (such as the server device 4 or the terminal device 5), printing (printing out) or writing to a non-temporary recording medium, or a combination thereof.

[0052] The estimation processing unit 36 ​​performs estimation processing to estimate the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information. In the present disclosure, the "cause of the odor" refers to the source (event) that causes the odor. For example, a burnt odor may be caused by burning ingredients during cooking.

[0053] That is, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates the cause of the "smell" detected in the target space from the information (smell information) acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31. "Estimation" in this disclosure means making an inference based on certain facts (e.g., "smell information"), and includes identification by the control unit 3 using a rule base or AI (Artificial Intelligence), etc.

[0054] The cooperative processing unit 37 executes cooperative processing to control an external device according to the "cause" of the odor. That is, the cooperative processing unit 37 controls a device other than the air purifier 10 (for example, a specific electrical appliance 6) according to the estimation result (cause of the odor) of the estimation processing unit 36.

[0055] The notification processing unit 38 executes notification processing to issue a notification in accordance with the estimation result (cause of odor) of the estimation processing unit 36. The manner of "notification" as used in the present disclosure includes display on the display unit 12, sound (including voice) output from the sound output unit 13, display other than on the display unit 12 (including display by the lit state of a lamp), transmission to another device (such as the server device 4 or the terminal device 5), printing (printing out) or writing to a non-temporary recording medium, or a combination of these.

[0056] The storage unit 39 includes one or more memories such as a ROM and a RAM.

[0057] The operation of each processing unit of the control unit 3 will be explained in detail in the section "[2] Deodorization control method."

[0058] In addition to the above configuration, the air purifier 10 also includes, for example, a power supply unit and a discharge unit as appropriate. The discharge unit generates ions and other discharge products by generating discharge at the discharge electrode. The discharge products generated by the discharge unit are released into the target space from the air outlet 102, riding on the airflow generated by the airflow generating unit 22.

[0059] [2] Deodorization Control Method Hereinafter, an example of a control method (deodorization control method) for the air purifier 10 (deodorization system) that is executed mainly by the control unit 3 will be described.

[0060] The deodorization control method according to this embodiment is executed by the control unit 3, which is primarily a computer system, and is therefore embodied in a deodorization control program. In other words, the deodorization control program according to this embodiment is a (computer) program for causing one or more processors to execute the deodorization control method (each process related to the method). For example, such a program may be executed by the control unit 3 and the server device 4 in cooperation with each other.

[0061] Here, when a specific preset start operation is performed to execute the control program, the control unit 3 executes the various processes described below related to the deodorization control method. The start operation is, for example, a startup operation (power-on) of the air purifier 10. On the other hand, when a specific preset end operation is performed, the control unit 3 ends the various processes described below related to the control method. The end operation is, for example, a shutdown operation (power-off) of the air purifier 10.

[0062] [2.1] Operation According to the Type of Odor First, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the process related to the operation according to the type of odor in the deodorization control method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0063] In the deodorization control method according to this embodiment, it is possible to activate the deodorizing unit 2 according to the "type of odor" in the target space in which the air purifier 10 is installed. That is, rather than activating the deodorizing unit 2 according to only the intensity of the "odor" in the target space, it is possible to activate the deodorizing unit 2 according to the type of odor. As an example, when the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (i.e., when the odor is strong), the deodorizing unit 2 is not activated uniformly, but the operating status of the deodorizing unit 2 is changed depending on the type of odor detected.

[0064] Basically, in the deodorization control method according to this embodiment, for example, for odors that people find unpleasant (bad odors), such as the odor of ammonia, the deodorizing unit 2 is actively activated to perform deodorizing treatment. On the other hand, for odors that people tend to like (good odors), such as the odor of perfume or air freshener, the deodorizing unit 2 is not activated, and no deodorizing treatment is performed.

[0065] In short, in the deodorizing system according to this embodiment, the acquisition processing unit 31 executes an acquisition process to acquire odor information regarding the types of odors detected in the target space. The control processing unit 33 executes a control process to control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information. The air purifier 10 according to this embodiment is an example of a deodorizing system.

[0066] As a result, if the odor detected in the target space is a "good odor" such as perfume or air freshener, the deodorizing unit 2 is not activated, thereby preventing the "good odor" from being deodorized. On the other hand, if the odor detected in the target space is a "bad odor" such as ammonia, the deodorizing unit 2 is activated to deodorize the "bad odor." As a result, it is possible to provide a deodorizing system (air purifier 10), a deodorization control method, and a program that are capable of deodorizing operations that are more preferable to the user.

[0067] Specifically, when the intensity of the odor (concentration of odorous substances) detected by odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, and the type of odor represented by the odor information is, for example, a "specific odor" such as an ammonia odor, control processing unit 33 will activate deodorizing unit 2 to perform deodorizing processing. At this time, control processing unit 33 controls deodorizing unit 2, for example, to start operation of airflow generation unit 22 of deodorizing unit 2 or to increase the airflow volume (switch to "medium" or "strong").

[0068] Alternatively, when the intensity of the odor detected by odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, and the type of odor represented by the odor information is, for example, a "specific odor" such as perfume or air freshener, control processing unit 33 limits the operation of deodorizing unit 2. In this case, control processing unit 33 limits the operation of deodorizing unit 2 by, for example, stopping the operation of airflow generation unit 22 of deodorizing unit 2 or controlling deodorizing unit 2 to weaken the airflow volume (switching to "weak" or "medium").

[0069] Here, the odor information is associated with attribute information including at least one of a good odor and a bad odor. The control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2 according to the attribute information. In this embodiment, the odor types are associated with the attribute information using a list L1, as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, various odor types are pre-classified according to the attribute information to form the list L1. The list L1 is stored, for example, in the storage unit 39.

[0070] The control processing unit 33 changes the control of the deodorizing unit 2 depending on whether the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is associated with the attribute information of "good odor" or "bad odor" in reference to this list L1. Specifically, when the intensity of the odor (concentration of odorous substances) detected by the odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, if the odor information is associated with the attribute information of "bad odor," the control processing unit 33 activates the deodorizing unit 2 to perform deodorizing processing. On the other hand, when the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, if the odor information is associated with the attribute information of "good odor," the control processing unit 33 restricts the operation of the deodorizing unit 2.

[0071] Furthermore, the control processing unit 33 may control the deodorizing unit 2 not only according to the type of odor but also according to the intensity of the odor (concentration of odorous substances). For example, if the odor information is associated with attribute information indicating a "bad odor," the control processing unit 33 may change the airflow rate of the airflow generation unit 22 of the deodorizing unit 2 according to the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11. In other words, the greater the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 (i.e., the stronger the odor), the more the control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2 to increase the airflow rate of the airflow generation unit 22.

[0072] In particular, in this embodiment, the analysis processing unit 32 analyzes which attribute information the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is associated with. At this time, the analysis processing unit 32 compares the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 with the list L1 and identifies the corresponding attribute information based on the degree of similarity. Therefore, even if the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 does not exist on the list L1, the analysis processing unit 32 can identify the attribute information corresponding to the odor information by searching for odor information on the list L1 that is (most) similar to the odor information.

[0073] Furthermore, in the example list L1 shown in Figure 4, the odor information is classified into two attribute information types, "good odor" and "bad odor," but this example is not limiting, and the odor information may be associated with only one of the attribute information types, "good odor" and "bad odor."

[0074] For example, if only odor information associated with attribute information of "good odor" is listed as a "good odor list," and the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is included in the list, the control processing unit 33 will restrict the operation of the deodorizing unit 2. On the other hand, if the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is not included in the list (good odor list), the control processing unit 33 will operate the deodorizing unit 2 to perform deodorizing processing.

[0075] Conversely, if only odor information associated with attribute information for "bad odor" is listed in the "bad odor list," and the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is included in the list, the control processing unit 33 will activate the deodorizing unit 2 to perform deodorizing processing. On the other hand, if the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 is not included in the list (bad odor list), the control processing unit 33 will restrict the operation of the deodorizing unit 2.

[0076] In this way, the control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the attribute information, thereby simplifying the operation of the control processing unit 33.

[0077] In this embodiment, the correspondence between attribute information and odor information is not fixed but changeable. That is, the change processing unit 34 changes the correspondence between odor information and attribute information. As an example, the change processing unit 34 changes the list L1 in response to a user operation on the operation unit 14 or a user operation on the terminal device 5. The "change" here includes various operations such as registering (adding) odor information, switching attribute information corresponding to odor information (e.g., switching from "good odor" to "bad odor"), or deleting odor information.

[0078] Therefore, it is possible to flexibly set the correspondence between the odor information and the attribute information depending on, for example, the user's preferences or lifestyle, etc. This makes it possible to perform a deodorizing operation that is more preferable for the user.

[0079] Here, the change processing unit 34 can automatically change the correspondence relationship based on the operation history of the deodorizing unit 2. In short, in this embodiment, the change processing unit 34 can not only manually change the correspondence relationship between odor information and attribute information in response to a user operation, but also automatically change the correspondence relationship.

[0080] As an example, suppose the user feels uncomfortable with one of the "smells" associated with "good smells" on list L1, and when that "smell" occurs, operates operation unit 14 to manually activate deodorizing unit 2 or increase the airflow. In this case, because the user perceives the "smell" as a "bad smell" rather than a "good smell," change processing unit 34 changes the attribute information corresponding to the smell information of that "smell" to "bad smell" based on the operation history of deodorizing unit 2 at that time.

[0081] Conversely, suppose that the user does not find any of the "smells" associated with "bad smells" on list L1 unpleasant, and when the "smell" occurs, manually stops the deodorizing unit 2 or reduces the airflow rate by operating operation unit 14. In this case, the user perceives the "smell" as a "good smell" rather than a "bad smell," and therefore, based on the operation history of deodorizing unit 2 at that time, change processing unit 34 changes the attribute information corresponding to the smell information of the "smell" to "good smell."

[0082] In this way, if the user's perception of a smell does not match the classification (attribute information) on list L1, the correspondence between the smell information and the attribute information is automatically changed based on the operation history (accompanied by user operations) of deodorizing unit 2. This allows the user to change list L1 to their preferred content without having to intentionally perform an operation to change list L1.

[0083] Incidentally, in list L1, the odor information can be accompanied by the date and time when the odor information was registered (i.e., when the "odor" was detected), the name of the odor (which can be set by the user), etc. Furthermore, the air purifier 10 can upload list L1 to the server device 4 and can download list L1 from the server device 4. On the server device 4, list L1 is linked to user information (e.g., region, age, gender, family composition, presence or absence of pets, lifestyle, etc.) of the air purifier 10 from which list L1 was uploaded.

[0084] As a result, for example, when the air purifier 10 is replaced or an additional air purifier is installed, the list L1 customized by the user can be transferred to the new air purifier 10 by downloading it from the server device 4. Alternatively, a user using the list L1 for the first time can download the list L1 linked to their own user information from the server device 4 and use the list L1 that is suited to their region, age, sex, family composition, whether or not they have pets, lifestyle, and the like.

[0085] Furthermore, the list L1 on the server device 4 may be updated at any time using machine learning. For example, if many users have registered the same type of odor information as a "good odor," that odor information is registered as the default value for "good odor." Conversely, if many users have registered the same type of odor information as a "bad odor," that odor information is registered as the default value for "bad odor."

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information only when a specific condition is satisfied. In other words, the control processing unit 33 does not always control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information (corresponding attribute information), but does not control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information when the specific condition is not satisfied. Specifically, a list L1 is prepared for each specific condition, and the list L1 to be used is switched depending on whether the specific condition is satisfied. The specific condition is set, for example, with respect to the operating state of the electrical appliance 6, such as a cooking appliance.

[0087] For example, assume that there is a list L1 that associates the smell of cooking with "good smell," with the specific condition being either cooking or eating. In this case, if cooking or eating is taking place, the specific condition is met, so even if the odor detection unit 11 detects the smell of cooking, list L1 is applied, and the control processing unit 33 restricts the operation of the deodorizing unit 2. "Cooking or eating" can be identified, for example, from the operation of the cooking appliance serving as the electrical appliance 6. On the other hand, if eating is taking place after eating, the specific condition is not met, so when the odor detection unit 11 detects the smell of cooking, the control processing unit 33 activates the deodorizing unit 2. "After eating" can be identified, for example, from the operation of the dishwasher serving as the electrical appliance 6. Furthermore, list L1 may be dynamically selected, such as by including the smell of a specific dish in list L1, depending on the cooking menu executed by the cooking appliance serving as the electrical appliance 6.

[0088] This makes it possible to more appropriately control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information.

[0089] In this embodiment, the specific condition also includes a time-related condition. As an example, if the time is between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, which is dinner time for a certain user, the specific condition is met, and even if the odor detection unit 11 detects the odor of cooking, the list L1 is applied and the control processing unit 33 restricts the operation of the deodorization unit 2. On the other hand, if the time is after 8:00 PM, the specific condition is not met, and therefore, when the odor detection unit 11 detects the odor of cooking, the control processing unit 33 activates the deodorization unit 2.

[0090] This makes it possible to more appropriately control the deodorizing unit 2 in accordance with the odor information.

[0091] In this embodiment, the presentation processor 35 presents presentation information based on the odor information to the user. As an example, the presentation processor 35 presents the analysis results of the analysis processor 32, i.e., attribute information corresponding to the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11, to the user as presentation information.

[0092] For example, the presentation processing unit 35 presents to the user whether an odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is classified as a "good odor" or a "bad odor" in list L1 by displaying on the display unit 12 or the terminal device 5. The display format on the display unit 12 or the terminal device 5 may be any format that allows for the distinction between "good odors" and "bad odors," and may be text, numerical values, icons (images), graphs, animations, background colors, lighting colors or blinking patterns, or combinations of these. At this time, the names of each odor assigned to list L1 may also be displayed.

[0093] Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the display as described above, the presentation processing unit 35 may cause the sound output unit 13 to output a sound corresponding to the odor information as presentation information, and present the presentation information to the user by sound.

[0094] In this way, the "smell" is made visible or audible. Therefore, the user can determine, for example, whether the deodorizing unit 2 is not operating because the smell is classified as a "good smell" or whether the deodorizing unit 2 is not operating due to a malfunction of the air purifier 10.

[0095] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation according to the type of odor.

[0096] 5, the acquisition processing unit 31 of the control unit 3 acquires odor information regarding the type of odor detected in the target space from the odor detection unit 11 (S1). The analysis processing unit 32 of the control unit 3 identifies attribute information associated with the odor information by comparing the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 with the list L1 (S2).

[0097] The control processing unit 33 of the control unit 3 determines whether or not the specific condition is satisfied (S3). If the specific condition is not satisfied (S3: No), the control unit 3 returns the process to step S1. If the specific condition is satisfied (S3: Yes), the control unit 3 transitions the process to step S4.

[0098] In step S4, the control processing unit 33 of the control unit 3 determines whether the attribute information associated with the odor information is a "good odor" based on the analysis results of the analysis processing unit 32. If the attribute information is a "good odor" (S4: Yes), the control processing unit 33 restricts the operation of the deodorizing unit 2 (S5). If the attribute information is a "bad odor" (S4: No), the control processing unit 33 activates the deodorizing unit 2 (S6).

[0099] However, the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example, and processes may be added or omitted as appropriate, and the order of processes may be changed as appropriate.

[0100] [2.2] Operation for Estimating Cause of Odor Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a process related to the operation for estimating the cause of odor in the deodorization control method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0101] The deodorizing control method according to this embodiment makes it possible to estimate the "cause of odor" in the target space in which the air purifier 10 is installed. That is, rather than activating the deodorizing unit 2 based solely on the intensity of the "odor" in the target space, the deodorizing unit 2 can be activated depending on the cause of the "odor." As an example, when the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (i.e., when the odor is strong), the deodorizing unit 2 is not activated uniformly, but the operating status of the deodorizing unit 2 is changed depending on the cause of the odor.

[0102] In short, in the deodorizing system according to this embodiment, the acquisition processing unit 31 executes an acquisition process to acquire odor information regarding the type of odor detected in the target space. The estimation processing unit 36 ​​executes an estimation process to estimate the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information. The air purifier 10 according to this embodiment is an example of a deodorizing system.

[0103] As a result, for example, if the (cooking) odor detected in the target space is "caused" by cooking or eating, the deodorizing unit 2 is not activated, thereby avoiding unnecessary deodorization. On the other hand, if the (cooking) odor detected in the target space is "caused" by yesterday's leftovers, the deodorizing unit 2 can be activated to deodorize. As a result, it is possible to provide a deodorizing system (air purifier 10), deodorization control method, and program that enable deodorizing operations that are more preferable for the user.

[0104] Here, the control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2 according to the cause. In short, in this embodiment, the control processing unit 33 can operate the deodorizing unit 2 not only according to the odor information but also according to the "cause" of the odor detected in the target space.

[0105] As an example, a burnt smell may be generated due to burnt ingredients during cooking. In this case, the user can quickly detect that the ingredients are burnt due to the burnt smell, and by taking appropriate measures, it is possible to prevent smoke or fire from occurring. Therefore, for example, if the (burnt) smell detected in the target space is due to burnt ingredients during cooking, it may be desirable for the control processing unit 33 to notify the user without activating the deodorizing unit 2.

[0106] Specifically, when the intensity of the odor (concentration of odorous substances) detected by odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, and the cause of the odor is, for example, burnt ingredients during cooking, control processing unit 33 limits the operation of deodorizing unit 2. In this case, control processing unit 33 limits the operation of deodorizing unit 2 by, for example, stopping the operation of airflow generation unit 22 of deodorizing unit 2 or controlling deodorizing unit 2 to weaken the airflow volume (switching to "weak" or "medium").

[0107] Alternatively, when the intensity of the odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, and the cause of the odor is, for example, the user's sweating, the control processing unit 33 performs deodorization processing by activating the deodorizing unit 2. At this time, the control processing unit 33 controls the deodorizing unit 2, for example, to start operation of the airflow generation unit 22 of the deodorizing unit 2 or to increase the airflow volume (switch to "medium" or "strong").

[0108] The "cause of the odor" estimated by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​can be used not only to control the deodorizing unit 2, but also to control an external device and / or to notify others. In this embodiment, as an example, the estimation result (cause of the odor) by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​is used to control the deodorizing unit 2, control the external device, and notify others.

[0109] That is, the coordination processing unit 37 executes coordination processing to control an external device depending on the cause. Here, the specific electrical device 6 is an example of an external device. In short, the air purifier 10 can be coordinated with the external device (electrical device 6). This allows the estimation result of the estimation processing unit 36 ​​to be effectively utilized.

[0110] As an example, if the cause of the odor estimated by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​is that ingredients have been burned during cooking, the cooperation processing unit 37 controls a cooking appliance serving as an external device (electrical appliance 6) to restrict its operation. The restriction on the operation of the cooking appliance here includes stopping the cooking appliance and reducing its output (heating power). Furthermore, in this case, the cooperation processing unit 37 may, for example, control a range hood serving as an external device (electrical appliance 6) to forcibly ventilate the room.

[0111] As another example, if the cause of the odor estimated by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​is a gas leak or incomplete combustion, the cooperation processing unit 37 controls a cooking appliance serving as an external device (electrical appliance 6) and restricts its operation. The restriction on the operation of the cooking appliance here includes stopping the cooking appliance and reducing its output (heating power). Furthermore, in this case, the cooperation processing unit 37 may, for example, control a ventilation fan serving as an external device (electrical appliance 6) to forcibly ventilate the room.

[0112] The notification processing unit 38 also executes notification processing to issue a notification in accordance with the estimation result (cause of the odor) of the estimation processing unit 36. Here, the notification processing unit 38 issues a notification by presenting the estimation result of the estimation processing unit 36, i.e., the cause of the odor, as notification information to the user by displaying it on the display unit 12, displaying it on the terminal device 5, and / or outputting a sound from the sound output unit 13, etc. This allows the estimation result of the estimation processing unit 36 ​​to be used effectively.

[0113] As an example, if the cause of the odor estimated by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​is that ingredients have been burned during cooking, the notification processing unit 38 will notify the user that the ingredients are burnt by displaying a message on the terminal device 5. This allows the user to take appropriate action when, for example, a burnt smell caused by abnormal heat generation prior to smoke or fire occurs, making it easier to prevent smoke or fire from occurring.

[0114] As another example, if the cause of the odor estimated by the estimation processing unit 36 ​​is a gas leak or incomplete combustion, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the occurrence of the gas leak or incomplete combustion by displaying a message on the terminal device 5. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as opening a window to ventilate the room, at the time a gas leak or incomplete combustion occurs.

[0115] As another example, if an odor (geosmin) is detected on the ground after rainfall, the odor is estimated to be caused by a large amount of moisture on the ground. Therefore, if the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates that the odor is caused by a large amount of moisture on the ground, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the possibility of a landslide by displaying a message on the terminal device 5, etc. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as evacuation. Furthermore, if a similar odor (geosmin) is detected nearby, the notification processing unit 38 may issue a notification indicating an increased possibility of a landslide.

[0116] Here, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates the cause (of the odor) based on odor information as well as environmental information affecting the target space. The "environmental information" referred to in this disclosure may include various information, such as information about people and animals present in the target space, the presence or absence of food waste in the target space, the presence or absence of human activity, the season, temperature, humidity, or weather. This improves the accuracy of estimating the cause of the odor.

[0117] For example, if the odor of excrement is detected in a space where a monitored subject, such as an infant, a person requiring care, or a pet, lives, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates that the odor is caused by excrement by the monitored subject. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the excrement by displaying it on the terminal device 5. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as disposing of the excrement.

[0118] As another example, if a putrid odor is detected in a target space where food waste is stored, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates that the odor is caused by putrid food waste. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the putrid food waste by displaying a message on the terminal device 5, etc. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as disposing of the food waste.

[0119] As another example, if a person has a specific odor that is emitted when they are unwell, such as when they have a cold, and this specific odor is detected in the target space where the person lives, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates that the odor is caused by the person's poor health. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the person's poor health by displaying a message on the terminal device 5, etc. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as providing care.

[0120] As another example, if an odor associated with daily life is detected in the target space where the care recipient lives, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates that the odor is caused by the life of the care recipient. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user that the care recipient is alive by displaying an image on the terminal device 5. This allows the user to monitor the care recipient from a remote location, for example.

[0121] The environmental information also includes information about the operating status of the monitored device. Here, the specific electrical device 6 is an example of an external device. In short, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​estimates the cause (of the odor) by taking into account not only the odor information but also the operating status of the monitored device (electrical device 6). This improves the accuracy of estimating the cause of the odor.

[0122] As an example, if the monitored device is an electrical device 6 such as a humidifier, dehumidifier, or air conditioner, it is possible to infer that the odor is caused by the growth of bacteria or mold inside the monitored device. That is, if a bacterial or mold odor is detected when the monitored device is started, the inference processor 36 infers that the odor is caused by the growth of bacteria or mold inside the monitored device. In this case, the notification processor 38 notifies the user of the growth of bacteria or mold inside the monitored device by displaying the information on the terminal device 5, for example. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as maintenance (including cleaning) of the monitored device.

[0123] Furthermore, by taking into account the season as environmental information in addition to or instead of the operating status of the air conditioning equipment, for example, if a bacterial or moldy odor is detected in early summer, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​can estimate that the odor is caused by the growth of bacterial or mold inside the air conditioning equipment.

[0124] Furthermore, if the monitored device, such as the air purifier 10, humidifier, dehumidifier, or air conditioner, is equipped with a test run function that operates with the internal circulation or air outlet closed, the odor detected during the test run can be inferred to be caused by the growth of bacteria or mold inside the monitored device. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user of the growth of bacteria or mold inside the monitored device by displaying a message on the terminal device 5, making it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as maintenance (including cleaning) of the monitored device.

[0125] As another example, if the monitored electrical appliance 6 is a washing machine, it can be inferred that the odor is caused by laundry that has been hung to dry indoors and is not yet dry. That is, if the estimation processing unit 36 ​​detects a bacterial odor based on the laundry load and the laundry completion time of the monitored washing machine, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​infers that the odor is caused by laundry that has been hung to dry indoors and is not yet dry. The fact that laundry is being hung to dry indoors can be detected from the odor of detergent and / or fabric softener. In this case, the notification processing unit 38 notifies the user that laundry has been hung to dry indoors by displaying a message on the terminal device 5, for example. This makes it easier for the user to take appropriate measures, such as turning on a dehumidifier.

[0126] Furthermore, by taking into account environmental information such as temperature, humidity, season, and weather in addition to or instead of the operating status of the washing machine, for example, if a bacterial odor is detected during rainy weather in the rainy season, the estimation processing unit 36 ​​can estimate that the odor is caused by laundry that has been dried indoors and is not completely dry. Furthermore, the possibility of laundry that has been dried indoors being partially dry may be determined before the bacterial odor is detected, and the operating status of the air purifier 10 may be changed depending on the possibility of partially dry laundry. For example, if there is a high possibility of partially dry laundry, the air purifier 10 is operated to prevent the laundry from being partially dry, and if there is a low possibility of partially dry laundry, the operation of the air purifier 10 is limited to leave the fabric softener odor.

[0127] The estimation processor 36 also estimates the cause of the odor based on specific conditions in addition to the odor information. The specific conditions mentioned here include, for example, time-related conditions, in addition to the above. For example, if a burnt odor is detected between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, which is dinnertime for a certain user, the estimation processor 36 estimates that the odor is caused by burning ingredients during cooking. This improves the accuracy of estimating the cause of the odor.

[0128] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation related to estimating the cause of an odor.

[0129] 6, the acquisition processing unit 31 of the control unit 3 acquires odor information regarding the type of odor detected in the target space from the odor detection unit 11 (S11). The estimation processing unit 36 ​​of the control unit 3 estimates the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 31 (S12).

[0130] The control processing unit 33 of the control unit 3 determines whether deodorization is necessary based on the estimation result (cause of odor) of the estimation processing unit 36 ​​(S13). If deodorization is necessary (S13: Yes), the control processing unit 33 activates the deodorization unit 2 (S14). If deodorization is not necessary (S13: No), the control unit 3 skips step S14 and proceeds to step S15.

[0131] The cooperation processing unit 37 of the control unit 3 determines whether cooperation with an external device is necessary based on the estimation result (cause of odor) of the estimation processing unit 36 ​​(S15). If cooperation is necessary (S15: Yes), the cooperation processing unit 37 activates the external device (S16). If cooperation is not necessary (S15: No), the control unit 3 skips step S16 and proceeds to step S17.

[0132] The notification processing unit 38 of the control unit 3 determines whether or not a notification is necessary based on the estimation result (cause of odor) of the estimation processing unit 36 ​​(S17). If a notification is necessary (S17: Yes), the notification processing unit 38 issues a notification (S18). If a notification is not necessary (S17: No), the control unit 3 skips step S18 and ends the series of processes.

[0133] However, the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is merely an example, and processes may be added or omitted as appropriate, and the order of processes may be changed as appropriate.

[0134] [3] Details of the Filter Next, details of the filter 20 of the air purifier 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0135] As shown in Fig. 7, the filter 20 has a deodorizing filter 21 and a dust collecting filter 24. In Fig. 7, the left side shows an exploded perspective view, and the right side shows a perspective view. In this embodiment, the deodorizing filter 21 has a first filter piece 211 and a second filter piece 212. The dust collecting filter 24 has a first dust collecting filter 241 and a second dust collecting filter 242. Furthermore, the filter 20 has a first shielding member 231 and a second shielding member 232 as the switching unit 23 (see Fig. 3).

[0136] The first dust collecting filter 241 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thick in the front-rear direction D3 and long in the left-right direction D2. The second dust collecting filter 242 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thick in the front-rear direction D3 and long in the up-down direction D1. The first dust collecting filter 241 has a dimension in the up-down direction D1 that is approximately half that of the second dust collecting filter 242, and is disposed so as to overlap the lower part of the second dust collecting filter 242 from the outside (rear side). Both the first dust collecting filter 241 and the second dust collecting filter 242 are HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters.

[0137] The first filter pieces 211 and the second filter pieces 212 each have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a thickness in the front-to-rear direction D3 and a length in the up-down direction D1. The dimension of each of the first filter pieces 211 and the second filter pieces 212 in the left-to-right direction D2 is approximately half that of the first dust collecting filter 241, and they are arranged so as to overlap the upper part of the second dust collecting filter 242 from the outside (rear side). The first filter pieces 211 and the second filter pieces 212 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction D2. As a result, the first dust collecting filter 241, the first filter pieces 211, and the second filter pieces 212 are arranged side by side with almost no gaps on the intake port 101 side (rear side) of the second dust collecting filter 242.

[0138] The first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212 each have different adsorption characteristics and adsorb different odorous substances. As an example, the first filter piece 211 deodorizes everyday odors by adsorbing odorous substances of everyday odors when the airflow passes through the air passage 103. The second filter piece 212 deodorizes ammonia odors by adsorbing odorous substances of ammonia odor when the airflow passes through the air passage 103.

[0139] The first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 of the switching unit 23 are members for shielding the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212, respectively. The first shielding member 231 is disposed on the outer side (rear side) of the first filter piece 211, and the second shielding member 232 is disposed on the outer side (rear side) of the second filter piece 212. The first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 are each a sheet member made of vinyl or the like that does not allow airflow to pass through.

[0140] The switching unit 23 can switch the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 between a state in which they cover the air intake port 101 side (rear side) of the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212, respectively, and a state in which they are open. Specifically, each of the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 has a structure similar to a roll screen that can be rolled up upward.

[0141] 8 , the switching unit 23 can individually wind up the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 using a motor. When the first shielding member 231 is fully closed and covers the air intake 101 side (rear side) of the first filter piece 211, airflow no longer passes through the first filter piece 211, thereby rendering the first filter piece 211 in an ineffective state. Similarly, when the second shielding member 232 is fully closed and covers the air intake 101 side (rear side) of the second filter piece 212, airflow no longer passes through the second filter piece 212, thereby rendering the second filter piece 212 in an ineffective state.

[0142] On the other hand, when the first shielding member 231 is fully open to expose the intake port 101 side (rear side) of the first filter piece 211, airflow passes through the first filter piece 211, thereby enabling the first filter piece 211. Similarly, when the second shielding member 232 is fully open to expose the intake port 101 side (rear side) of the second filter piece 212, airflow passes through the second filter piece 212, thereby enabling the second filter piece 212 to be enabled.

[0143] That is, the switching unit 23 can switch between at least four states shown in Fig. 9. In the state shown in the upper left of Fig. 9, the first filter piece 211 is in an enabled state and the second filter piece 212 is in an disabled state, while in the state shown in the upper right of Fig. 9, the first filter piece 211 is in an disabled state and the second filter piece 212 is in an enabled state. In the state shown in the lower left of Fig. 9, the first filter piece 211 is in an disabled state and the second filter piece 212 is in an disabled state, while in the state shown in the lower right of Fig. 9, the first filter piece 211 is in an enabled state and the second filter piece 212 is in an enabled state.

[0144] Here, in addition to or instead of controlling the airflow generation unit 22 as described above, the control processing unit 33 may control the deodorizing unit 2 by controlling the switching unit 23. For example, if the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is a "bad odor," the control processing unit 33 activates both the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212, as shown in the lower right of Fig. 9. This activates the deodorizing unit 2 to deodorize the target space.

[0145] On the other hand, if the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is a "pleasant odor," the control processing unit 33 disables both the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212, as shown in the lower left of Figure 9. This limits the operation of the deodorizing unit 2, preventing deodorization of the target space, and allowing only dust collection by the dust collection filter 24.

[0146] Furthermore, if the type of odor detected by the odor detection unit 11 is a specific odor such as an ammonia odor, the control processing unit 33 disables the first filter piece 211 and enables the second filter piece 212, as shown in the upper right of Fig. 9. This activates the deodorizing unit 2, allowing it to deodorize only the specific odor (here, the ammonia odor) in the target space.

[0147] As described above, the air purifier 10 according to this embodiment includes the air passage 103 through which the airflow passes, the filter 20, and the switching unit 23. The switching unit 23 switches between an active state in which the airflow passes through the filter 20 and an inactive state in which the airflow does not pass through the filter 20.

[0148] As a result, for example, in the filter 20 including the deodorizing filter 21 and the dust collecting filter 24, the airflow passing through the air passage 103 does not always pass through, but the switching unit 23 can be used to disable the filter 20 (at least a portion of the filter 20) so that the airflow does not pass through. Therefore, even when the air purifier 10 is operating, for example, in a situation where dust is floating in the target space, the filter 20 can be disabled so that the filter 20 does not pass through, thereby preventing deterioration of the filter 20. As a result, it is possible to provide an air purifier 10 that can operate more favorably for the user.

[0149] Here, the filter 20 includes a deodorizing filter 21. This makes it possible to prevent "pleasant smells" such as perfumes or air fresheners from being deodorized by disabling the deodorizing filter 21 and thereby preventing the "pleasant smells" from passing through the filter.

[0150] Furthermore, the switching unit 23 switches between an enabled state and an disabled state depending on the presence or absence of a shielding member (first shielding member 231 and second shielding member 232) located on at least one of the upstream side and downstream side of the airflow relative to the filter 20 in the air passage 103. In this embodiment, the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 are located on the upstream side of the airflow relative to the filter 20 (on the air intake port 101 side).

[0151] According to this configuration, it is possible to switch between the effective state and the ineffective state simply by moving the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 without moving the deodorizing filter 21 or the like.

[0152] The filter 20 also includes a plurality of filter pieces (first filter pieces 211 and second filter pieces 212) having different functions. The switching unit 23 is capable of switching at least some of the plurality of filter pieces (first filter pieces 211 and second filter pieces 212) between an enabled state and an disabled state.

[0153] In other words, in this embodiment, the first shielding member 231 and the second shielding member 232 are provided corresponding to the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212, respectively, so that, for example, the first shielding member 231 can switch between an effective state and an ineffective state for only the first filter piece 211.

[0154] Furthermore, the plurality of filter pieces (the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212) are arranged side by side along a plane perpendicular to the airflow, and the switching unit 23 can switch each of the plurality of filter pieces (the first filter piece 211 and the second filter piece 212) between an enabled state and an disabled state individually.

[0155] This allows the switching unit 23 to switch between, for example, four states shown in FIG. 9, and enables the filter 20 to realize various functions.

[0156] Furthermore, the switching unit 23 is not limited to a configuration in which it switches between the active state and the inactive state depending on the presence or absence of the shielding members (first shielding member 231 and second shielding member 232). For example, the switching unit 23 may switch between the active state and the inactive state by moving the filter 20 forward or backward relative to the space within the air passage 103. Specifically, when the first filter piece 211 is placed within the air passage 103, the first filter piece 211 is in the active state, and when the first filter piece 211 is retracted from the air passage 103, the first filter piece 211 is in the inactive state. Similarly, when the second filter piece 212 is placed within the air passage 103, the second filter piece 212 is in the active state, and when the second filter piece 212 is retracted from the air passage 103, the second filter piece 212 is in the inactive state.

[0157] According to this configuration, at least a portion of air passage 103 is not blocked by the shielding member, so that a decrease in efficiency due to the shielding member can be avoided.

[0158] Incidentally, the air purifier 10 according to the present embodiment includes a sensor disposed downstream of the airflow (air outlet 102 side) from the filter 20 in the air passage 103. The sensor here is, for example, the odor sensor of the odor detection unit 11.

[0159] According to this configuration, by performing detection by the odor detection unit 11 with the filter 20 (deodorizing filter 21) in an enabled state, clean air after deodorization is introduced into the odor detection unit 11, making it possible to obtain a reference output of the odor detection unit 11. On the other hand, by performing detection by the odor detection unit 11 with the filter 20 (deodorizing filter 21) in an disabled state, air that has not been deodorized is introduced into the odor detection unit 11, making it possible to perform detection by the odor detection unit 11. Therefore, the reference output of the odor detection unit 11 can be obtained regardless of the conditions of the target space, making calibration possible.

[0160] A filter that can be switched between an effective state and an ineffective state by the switching unit 23 as described above may be arranged separately from the main filter 20 on the air path for introducing air to the odor detection unit 11 .

[0161] As another example of a configuration for sensor calibration, a pair of odor detection units 11 may be prepared, and air that has passed through a filter 20 may be introduced into one of the odor detection units 11, while air may be introduced into the other odor detection unit 11 without passing through the filter 20.

[0162] As yet another configuration example, the area of ​​the detection surface (adsorption layer) of the odor detection unit 11 may be doubled, and air that has passed through the filter 20 may be introduced into half of the detection surface of the odor detection unit 11, while air may be introduced into the remaining half without passing through the filter 20.

[0163] [4] Modifications The following are modifications of the first embodiment. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

[0164] The air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) of the present disclosure includes a computer system. The computer system is primarily composed of one or more processors and one or more memories as hardware. The processor executes a program stored in the memory of the computer system to realize the functions of the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) of the present disclosure. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided via a telecommunications line, or provided by being recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, optical disk, or hard disk drive that is readable by the computer system. In addition, some or all of the functional units included in the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) may be configured with electronic circuits.

[0165] Furthermore, it is not essential for the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) that at least some of the functions of the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) be concentrated in a single housing; the components of the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) may be distributed across multiple housings. Conversely, in embodiment 1, functions distributed across multiple devices (e.g., the air purifier 10 and the server device 4) may be concentrated in a single housing. Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the air purifier 10 (deodorizing system) may be realized by the cloud (cloud computing), etc.

[0166] Furthermore, the deodorization process by the deodorizing unit 2 is not limited to a method using the deodorizing filter 21, and ions or the like as discharge products generated by the discharge unit may be used in addition to or instead of the deodorizing filter 21. In this case, the control processing unit 33 controls the on / off of the discharge unit and / or the amount of discharge products generated.

[0167] Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the server device 4 may be realized by cloud computing or the like.

[0168] The air purifier 10 may be used not only in homes but also in non-residential facilities such as stores, schools, offices, factories, etc. Furthermore, the air purifier 10 may be used in the cabin (vehicle compartment, etc.) of a moving object such as an automobile, bus, train, airplane, or ship.

[0169] The odor detection unit 11 may also identify the type of odor in the target space (i.e., what kind of odor it is) and output this to the control unit 3. Furthermore, the odor detection unit 11 may also identify attribute information corresponding to the odor in the target space and output this to the control unit 3.

[0170] Furthermore, the air purifier 10 does not necessarily have to include a discharge unit.

[0171] [Supplementary Notes on the Invention] The following is a summary of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0172] <Supplementary Note 1> A deodorizing system comprising: an acquisition processing unit that acquires odor information relating to types of odors detected in a target space; and an estimation processing unit that estimates a cause of the odor based on at least the odor information.

[0173] <Supplementary Note 2> The deodorizing system according to Supplementary Note 1, further comprising a control processing unit that controls the deodorizing unit in accordance with the cause.

[0174] <Supplementary Note 3> The deodorizing system according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, further comprising a cooperation processing unit that controls an external device depending on the cause.

[0175] <Supplementary Note 4> The deodorizing system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, wherein the estimation processing unit estimates the cause based on environmental information that affects the target space in addition to the odor information.

[0176] <Supplementary Note 5> The deodorizing system according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the environmental information includes information relating to an operating status of a monitored device.

[0177] <Supplementary Note 6> The deodorizing system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, further comprising a notification processing unit that performs notification in accordance with the estimation result of the estimation processing unit.

[0178] <Supplementary Note 7> The deodorizing system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, wherein the estimation processing unit estimates the cause based on specific conditions in addition to the odor information.

Claims

1. A deodorizing system comprising: an acquisition processing unit that acquires odor information regarding the type of odor detected in a target space; and an estimation processing unit that estimates the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information.

2. The deodorizing system according to claim 1, further comprising a control processing unit that controls the deodorizing unit in accordance with the cause.

3. The deodorizing system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a cooperation processing unit that controls an external device depending on the cause.

4. The deodorizing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the estimation processing unit estimates the cause based on environmental information that affects the target space in addition to the odor information.

5. The deodorizing system according to claim 4, wherein the environmental information includes information relating to the operating status of the monitored equipment.

6. The deodorizing system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a notification processing unit that issues a notification in accordance with the estimation result of the estimation processing unit.

7. The deodorizing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the estimation processing unit estimates the cause based on specific conditions in addition to the odor information.

8. A deodorization control method comprising: an acquisition process for acquiring odor information relating to the type of odor detected in a target space; and an estimation process for estimating the cause of the odor based on at least the odor information.

9. A program for causing one or more processors to execute the deodorization control method according to claim 8.

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