Data-linked control device, control system, control method, and program

Abstract

An environmental sensor data management unit (101) acquires environmental data relating to air quality in a building from an environmental sensor installed in the building. A data management unit (110) manages control scenario data (115) which is scenario data for controlling a plurality of types of facility equipment installed in the building, and which includes execution timing information, input data information, determination condition information, and facility equipment control information. A control scenario execution unit (104), when the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives, controls specified facility equipment according to specified control content, in accordance with the facility equipment control information, in a case where the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the determination condition information.

Description

Data-linked control device, control system, control method, and program

[0001] This disclosure relates to a data-linked control device, a control system, a control method, and a program.

[0002] Buildings, such as office buildings, are equipped with various facilities including air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, and elevators. Users within the building use remote controllers to operate these facilities, setting the temperature of air conditioning units and turning lighting on and off. Large buildings (such as office buildings) often have building management systems in place, allowing for scheduled operation of each piece of equipment. However, because each office has different occupancy rates, seating layouts, and placement of heat sources (such as photocopiers and PCs), even with a building management system, it has been difficult to precisely control air conditioning and lighting equipment according to the specific environment of each individual office. Therefore, in most offices, users manually operate the air conditioning and lighting equipment. When users manually operate these systems, it is difficult to precisely adjust the temperature, airflow direction, wind speed, and ventilation volume according to the changing environmental conditions throughout the day. As a result, problems arose such as hot or cold areas occurring due to the effects of sunlight, the number of people in the area, and the presence or absence of heat sources such as office equipment, as well as uncomfortable areas where the air conditioning or heating vents directly hit users.

[0003] In recent years, some air conditioning manufacturers have begun selling air conditioning systems that use a dedicated temperature sensor placed on the desk to control the target temperature, treating the desk temperature as the room temperature. In this case, it is possible to prevent hot or cold areas by bringing the desk temperature closer to the target temperature. However, this product merely replaces the room temperature determined by the air conditioning system with an external sensor and performs temperature control by bringing the temperature at a specific location closer to the target temperature; it does not capture and control various environmental information within the office space.

[0004] Also, even after installing air-conditioning equipment in a building, a technology that allows customization of control according to the configuration of the air-conditioning system for each building is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this technology, control software can be constructed to meet the needs of each user by automatically generating control software by selecting a control pattern from a plurality of control pattern candidates according to the air-conditioning system configuration information and control specifications.

[0005] International Publication No. 2023 / 176173

[0006] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above can reduce the man-hours for developing control software because it automatically generates control software that meets the needs of each user.

[0007] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 is a closed technology within the air-conditioning system that performs control of the selected control pattern based on the sensor information of the devices within the air-conditioning system. Although the air-conditioning equipment can be operated efficiently, it was not possible to operate other equipment such as lighting equipment and ventilation equipment in联动 using such sensor information.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a data-linked control device, a control system, a control method, and a program capable of performing linked control of various equipment in a building according to data.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the data-linked control device according to the present disclosure includes: data acquisition means for acquiring environmental data regarding the air quality in the building from environmental sensors installed in the building; data management means for managing control scenario data, which is scenario data for controlling a plurality of types of equipment installed in the building and includes execution timing information, input data information, determination condition information, and equipment control information; and control execution means for controlling the designated equipment along the designated control content according to the equipment control information when the execution timing designated by the execution timing information arrives and the value of the environmental data designated by the input data information is within the range designated by the determination condition information.

[0010] According to this disclosure, the data acquisition means acquires environmental data regarding the air quality inside the building from environmental sensors installed inside the building. The data management means manages control scenario data for controlling multiple types of equipment installed inside the building, including execution timing information, input data information, judgment condition information, and equipment control information. When the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives, the control execution means controls the specified equipment according to the equipment control information, provided that the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the judgment condition information. As a result, various pieces of equipment inside the building can be controlled in conjunction with the data.

[0011] A block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a control system according to the embodiment of this disclosure. A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data-linked control device. A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of control scenario data. A block diagram showing an example of a control scenario setting screen. A diagram showing an example of a floor map referenced from the control scenario setting screen. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control scenario setting terminal. A flowchart for explaining an example of control scenario setting processing. A flowchart for explaining an example of control scenario execution processing.

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art may adopt embodiments in which each or all of these elements are replaced with equivalents, and these embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0013] Hereinafter, the control system according to the embodiment of this disclosure, and each component included in the control system, will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] (Embodiment) Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the control system 1 comprises a data linkage control device 2, a control scenario setting terminal 3, an environmental sensor 4, a sensor gateway 5, an environmental sensor cloud 6, equipment 7, equipment gateway 8, equipment cloud 9, a human position calculation device 10, and a human position cloud 11. The control system 1 in Figure 1 shows a case where multiple environmental sensors 4, equipment 7, and human position calculation devices 10 are connected. Furthermore, the control system 1 in Figure 1 shows multiple equipment gateways 8 and multiple equipment clouds 9, which indicates a method in which separate equipment gateways 8 and separate equipment clouds 9 manage equipment 7 according to the type of equipment 7 (for example, air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, etc.). Alternatively, instead of these separate equipment gateways 8 and equipment clouds 9, a method may be adopted in which a single equipment gateway 8 and a single equipment cloud 9 manage multiple equipment 7 together.

[0015] The environmental sensor 4 and the sensor gateway 5 are connected via a communication line 12, and the equipment 7 and the equipment gateway 8 are connected via a communication line 13. The communication line 12 is envisioned to be a wireless communication such as BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi®, or Zigbee®, but a wired communication such as a wired LAN may also be used. The communication line 13 is envisioned to be a dedicated communication line corresponding to the equipment 7, but a general-purpose communication line such as a wired LAN may also be used.

[0016] The control scenario setting terminal 3 and the data linkage control device 2 are connected via a communication line 14, and the sensor gateway 5 and the environmental sensor cloud 6 are connected via a communication line 15. The equipment gateway 8 and the equipment cloud 9 are connected via a communication line 16, and the human position calculation device 10 and the human position cloud 11 are connected via a communication line 17. These communication lines 14 to 17 are internet-connectable communication lines, and are connected, for example, via a wireless LAN or wired LAN connection through a broadband router and proxy server. Alternatively, they may be connected via wireless communication such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), which is used for mobile communication.

[0017] The data linkage control device 2, the environmental sensor cloud 6, the equipment cloud 9, and the human location cloud 11 are connected via a communication line 18 (Internet connection) so that they can communicate with each other.

[0018] Environmental sensor 4 can include various sensor devices that perform environmental measurement and condition management within a building (for example, an office building). For example, environmental sensor 4 may include sensor devices that measure or detect any of the following: indoor temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, PM2.5, wind speed, thermal radiation, PMV (Predicted Mean Vote), illuminance, or door opening / closing.

[0019] Multiple environmental sensors 4 are installed in designated locations within the building. For example, environmental sensors 4 such as a temperature sensor for detecting indoor temperature, a relative humidity sensor for detecting relative humidity, and a CO2 sensor for detecting CO2 are installed, for example, on desks in offices (offices, conference rooms), while environmental sensors 4 such as an open / close sensor for detecting door opening and closing are installed, for example, on doors in offices. Each environmental sensor 4 periodically emits an advertisement notification of its sensor status (sensor value) via BLE wireless communication. The sensor gateway 5, having acquired the sensor status, then notifies the environmental sensor cloud 6 of the sensor status via the communication line 15 at regular intervals or when the sensor status changes.

[0020] Equipment 7 can include various devices installed within the building. For example, Equipment 7 may include air conditioning equipment, ventilation equipment, lighting equipment, blowers, elevators, security gates, transport robots, and cleaning robots.

[0021] Multiple pieces of equipment 7 are installed in designated locations within the building. Each piece of equipment 7 operates under the management of the equipment gateway 8. Equipment data from the equipment 7 (for example, operating status) is notified to the equipment gateway 8 via the communication line 13 when the status changes, for example. The equipment gateway 8, having acquired the equipment data, then notifies the equipment cloud 9 of the equipment status via the communication line 16 at regular intervals, or when the equipment data of the equipment 7 changes.

[0022] In this embodiment, the equipment 7, equipment gateway 8, and equipment cloud 9 are often constructed as separate systems for each type of equipment 7, such as air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, and elevators. In this embodiment, even with such a system configuration, data collection and operation are possible using web-based APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) published by each equipment cloud 9 in the cloud space (Internet space). Alternatively, one equipment gateway 8 may be configured to comprehensively manage multiple types of equipment 7, and one equipment cloud 9 may be configured to collect and operate the data.

[0023] As the human location calculation device 10, various types of devices that detect the location of people within a building are envisioned. For example, the human location calculation device 10 is a device that calculates the location of a terminal that receives radio waves (a terminal carried by a user) on a floor, based on the installation coordinates of multiple environmental sensors 4 and the radio wave strength of BLE wireless communication transmitted periodically by the environmental sensors 4 or a predetermined transmitter (for example, a beacon). Specifically, a PC, smartphone, etc., with location calculation application software installed can be the human location calculation device 10. In addition, the method by which the human location calculation device 10 detects the location of people may also be an image-based human location detection method, a human location detection method using other wireless technologies, or a method in which a short-range wireless card is touched to a receiving terminal on a desk.

[0024] Multiple person location calculation devices 10 are to be carried by each user within the office. Therefore, even when a person (user) moves, the person location calculation device 10 notifies the person location cloud 11 via the communication line 17 of the person location information at regular intervals or when the location changes.

[0025] The data-linked control device 2 acquires and manages current data (environmental data, equipment data, and human location data) from the environmental sensor cloud 6, the equipment cloud 9, and the human location cloud 11. Each data may be acquired by periodic polling, or a system may be in place where notifications are sent from each cloud when the status data changes.

[0026] The data linkage control device 2 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the data linkage control device 2. As shown in Figure 2, the data linkage control device 2 comprises a control unit 100, a data management unit 110, and a communication management unit 130.

[0027] The control unit 100 is, for example, a cloud-type computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, etc. The functions of the control unit 100 are realized when the CPU executes a program stored in memory.

[0028] The control unit 100 includes an environmental sensor data management unit 101, an equipment data management unit 102, a human location data management unit 103, a control scenario execution unit 104, a Web server unit 105, and a Web API response processing unit 106. The environmental sensor data management unit 101, the equipment data management unit 102, and the human location data management unit 103 are examples of data acquisition means. The control scenario execution unit 104 is an example of control execution means. The Web server unit 105 is an example of screen provision means.

[0029] The environmental sensor data management unit 101 periodically accesses the environmental sensor cloud 6 via the communication management unit 130 and collects sensor values ​​from environmental sensors 4 managed for each property (office building). The environmental sensor data management unit 101 then associates the collected sensor values ​​with the collection date and time and stores them in the environmental sensor data 112 in the data management unit 110. The environmental sensor data 112 is in database format and historical data is periodically stored, allowing for high-speed data retrieval using, for example, the ID of the environmental sensor 4 and the collection date and time as keys.

[0030] The equipment data management unit 102 periodically accesses the equipment cloud 9 via the communication management unit 130 and collects operating status values ​​for the equipment 7 managed for each property. The equipment data management unit 102 then associates the collected operating status values ​​with the collection date and time and stores them in the equipment data 113 within the data management unit 110. The equipment data 113 is in database format and historical data is periodically stored, allowing for high-speed data retrieval using, for example, the ID of the equipment 7 and the collection date and time as keys.

[0031] The human location data management unit 103 periodically accesses the human location cloud 11 via the communication management unit 130 and collects human location coordinates from the human location calculation device 10 managed for each property. The human location data management unit 103 then associates the collected human location coordinates with the collection date and time and stores them in the human location data 114 in the data management unit 110. The human location data 114 is in database format and historical data is periodically stored, allowing for high-speed data retrieval using, for example, the human ID and collection date and time as keys.

[0032] In this explanation, the environmental sensor data management unit 101, the equipment data management unit 102, and the human location data management unit 103 have been described in a case where data is collected periodically from each cloud. However, a mechanism may also be in place to receive notifications from each cloud when the status changes. Furthermore, a mechanism may be used to distribute each data using a distribution-type communication protocol such as the MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol.

[0033] The control scenario execution unit 104 periodically checks the control scenario data 115 in the data management unit 110, and if the control scenario execution date and time specified in the control scenario data 115 is met and the determination conditions are satisfied, it executes the control of the specified equipment 7 by transmitting the control content of the equipment 7 to the equipment cloud 9 via the communication management unit 130.

[0034] When the Web server unit 105 receives a request for Web content 116 distribution from the control scenario setting terminal 3, it distributes the requested Web content 116 to the control scenario setting terminal 3. Furthermore, when the Web server unit 105 receives monitor commands and setting commands transmitted via HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) from the control scenario setting terminal 3, it executes processing according to the commands.

[0035] The WebAPI response processing unit 106 analyzes commands such as monitor commands and setting commands received by the Web server unit 105. When the WebAPI response processing unit 106 receives a monitor command, it retrieves the specified data content from the data management unit 110 and responds. When it receives a setting command, it adds or overwrites the corresponding data in the data management unit 110. Furthermore, when the WebAPI response processing unit 106 receives a command to directly collect and set data (environmental data, equipment data, and human location data) held by the environmental sensor cloud 6, equipment cloud 9, and human location cloud 11, it processes the command content to transfer it to each cloud via the communication management unit 130.

[0036] The data management unit 110 manages various data necessary for the control scenario execution unit 104 of the control unit 100 to execute the control scenario. The data management unit 110 is an example of a data management means.

[0037] The data management unit 110 manages property information data 111, environmental sensor data 112, equipment data 113, human location data 114, control scenario data 115, and web content 116.

[0038] Property information data 111 is data necessary to identify the environmental sensors 4, equipment 7, and human location calculation device 10 installed within the property (building office). Property information data 111 includes, for example, a property ID to identify each property, a sensor system ID to identify the environmental sensor system associated with the property, an equipment ID to identify the equipment system associated with the property, and a human location system ID to identify the human location system associated with the property.

[0039] The environmental sensor data 112 is data showing sensor values ​​(for example, indoor temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, PM2.5, wind speed, thermal radiation, PMV, illuminance, door open / closed status, etc.) collected from the environmental sensor cloud 6. The environmental sensor data 112 is stored in a database format along with date and time information indicating the date and time of collection.

[0040] The equipment data 113 is data collected from the equipment cloud 9 that shows the operating status (for example, if the equipment 7 is an air conditioner, it shows the operating / stopped status, operating mode such as cooling or heating, set temperature, room temperature, etc.). The equipment data 113 is stored in a database format along with date and time information indicating the date and time of collection.

[0041] The human location data 114 is data that shows human location information (for example, the user's coordinates on the floor, the user's name, the user's affiliation, etc.) collected from the human location cloud 11. The human location data 114 is stored in a database format along with date and time information indicating the date and time of collection.

[0042] The control scenario data 115, as shown in Figure 3 for example, includes a control scenario ID 141, a control scenario execution state 142, execution timing information 143, input data information 144, judgment condition information 145, and equipment control information 146 for each control scenario data, and is saved in a general-purpose format such as JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format or XML (Extensible Markup Language) format. Of these, the execution timing information 143, input data information 144, judgment condition information 145, and equipment control information 146 each have a block structure, and the description area of ​​each block structure holds its own block ID and the next block ID indicating the next block to be executed, and defines the corresponding judgment or execution order. In Figure 3, for the sake of ease of explanation, one of the execution timing information 143 to the equipment control information 146 is shown each, but since the structure is connected by block ID and next block ID, any of the information may be shown multiple times. For example, it is possible to connect multiple input data information 144 to one execution timing information 143, and it is also possible to connect multiple judgment condition information 145 to one input data information 144, and furthermore, it is possible to connect multiple equipment control information 146 to one judgment condition information 145.

[0043] The control scenario ID 141 is an ID assigned to uniquely identify a control scenario and is generated when a new control scenario is created.

[0044] The control scenario execution state 142 is a flag indicating whether to execute a control scenario. Only the control scenario data 115 in which this control scenario execution state 142 is in the execution state is periodically activated. When the execution conditions (execution period, date range, time range, and execution day of the week) of the execution timing information 143 and the determination conditions (determination condition and data change condition) of the determination condition information 145 match, the control (control target, control type, and control content) described in the facility control information 146 is executed.

[0045] The execution timing information 143 can specify the execution period, date range, time range, and execution day of the week of the control scenario. For example, it is possible to specify execution at a 1-minute cycle from 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) from July 1st to July 31st, 2024. Note that the execution period is not limited to 1 minute, and specifications such as a 5-minute cycle or a 60-minute cycle are also possible. Also, not only periodic execution but also execution once a day can be specified by specifying the date range, execution time, and execution day of the week. For example, it is possible to specify execution at 9:00 on weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) from July 1st to July 31st, 2024.

[0046] The input data information 144 can specify a data source such as an equipment ID (e.g., environmental sensor ID, equipment ID, person location information), and the type of data held by the specified data source (e.g., indoor temperature from environmental sensor 4, operating / stopped status of equipment 7, number of people in a specified area). The data source and data type specified here are used for the determination in the determination condition information 145. By specifying the temperature of a temperature sensor (indoor temperature) as the input data information 144, it becomes possible to control the air conditioning equipment based on the value measured by a temperature sensor installed on a desk, for example. Furthermore, by specifying the number of people in a specified area calculated from the person location calculation device 10 in the input data information 144, it becomes possible to control the system so that, for example, the air conditioning and ventilation equipment are activated when the number of people in the conference room becomes one or more. Subsequently, it also becomes possible to control the system so that the air conditioning and ventilation equipment are stopped when the number of people in the conference room becomes zero.

[0047] The judgment condition information 145 specifies judgment conditions for sensor values, equipment status, number of people, etc., in the input data information 144. If the data in the input data information 144 is a numerical value such as room temperature or number of people, then a threshold judgment (greater than or equal to, within, less than, greater than) or a range judgment (upper and lower limits) can be specified as the judgment condition. If the data in the input data information 144 is a selection value, then a selection value judgment (a value that can be selected according to the data type of the input data information 144) can be selected as the judgment condition. For example, if the selection value judgment is an operation / stop state, then operation or stop can be selected, and if the selection value judgment is an operation mode, then cooling, heating, ventilation, etc. can be selected (in the case of air conditioning equipment). Furthermore, if the data in the input data information 144 is a person's location, then a judgment condition such as whether a specified user is within a specified area can be specified.

[0048] Also, for each determination condition information 145, it is possible to select "input value is within the condition", "input value changes within the condition", or "input value changes outside the condition". For example, when "input value is within the condition" is selected, if the current value of the input data information 144 matches the condition, it is determined as true. Also, when "input value changes within the condition" is selected, if the execution cycle of the execution timing information 143 is 1 minute, it is determined as true when the value of the past data one minute ago does not match the condition and the current value matches the condition. The past data for comparison determination changes according to the execution cycle of the execution timing information 143. If the cycle is 1 minute, the value of the input data one minute ago is compared as the past data, and if the cycle is 5 minutes, the value of the input data five minutes ago is compared as the past data. Also, when "input value changes outside the condition" is selected, if the execution cycle of the execution timing information 143 is 1 minute, it is determined as true when the value of the input data one minute ago matches the condition and the current value does not match the condition.

[0049] By being able to determine the change (change timing) of data in this way, for example, in a control scenario, when the number of people in a meeting room changes to 1 or more (that is, when "input value changes within the condition" is used as the determination condition and the air conditioner is specified to operate in cooling at 26°C), when a certain user enters the meeting room, the control system controls the air conditioner to operate in cooling at 26°C. After that, it may also happen that the user feels hot and changes it to 25°C from the remote controller. In this case, in a system that determines the condition only based on the current value without using past data, at the next determination, since it matches the determination condition of 1 or more people, the system will return to 26°C, and the air conditioning environment operated by the user will not be maintained. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the command to control the air conditioner is transmitted only at the change timing when the number of people becomes 1 or more, the air conditioning environment of 25°C operated by the user can be maintained.

[0050] The equipment control information 146 can specify the control target, control type, and control content. For example, if the equipment 7 is an air conditioner, the control target can be specified as the air conditioner's operation group number, the control type as operation / stop, set temperature, etc., and the control content as operation, 26°C, etc. It is also possible to specify all air conditioners, etc., located within a specified area as the control target, and one piece of equipment control information 146 can control multiple pieces of equipment 7. In addition to equipment 7 installed in fixed locations such as air conditioners, ventilation equipment, lighting equipment, blowers, and elevators, the equipment control information 146 can also control moving equipment 7 such as transport robots and cleaning robots.

[0051] Returning to Figure 2, the Web content 116 includes a screen configuration file 117 and a Web program 118. The screen configuration file 117 is a file that describes the layout configuration of the screen to be displayed on the Web browser screen of the control scenario setting terminal 3 connected to the data linkage control device 2. The Web program 118 is a program that runs on the Web browser and performs various communication processing and screen display processing.

[0052] The Web program 118 includes a data communication management unit 119 and a screen control unit 120. The data communication management unit 119 performs communication processing with the Web server unit 105. The screen control unit 120 provides a user interface environment that allows control scenario data to be transmitted to the data linkage control device 2 to be created without using a programming language (no-code).

[0053] The screen configuration file 117 and the web program 118 will be described in detail below.

[0054] The screen configuration file 117 is a layout configuration file and various image files for the screen to be displayed on the control scenario setting terminal 3. The screen configuration file 117 includes an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) file that describes the frame configuration and a CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) file that defines the appearance of the display. The screen configuration file 117 also includes various image files written in formats such as GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), and BMP (Bitmap).

[0055] The Web program 118 is executed in a Web browser on the control scenario setting terminal 3 and is a program that performs various communication processing and screen display processing. For example, its source code is written in a known programming language. The Web program 118 is sent to the control scenario setting terminal 3 via the Web server unit 105 and executed.

[0056] The web program 118 includes, as an example, a control scenario setting screen 150, as shown in Figure 4.

[0057] The control scenario setting screen 150 shown in Figure 4 includes a function block selection unit 151, a scenario setting canvas 152, function blocks 153, block connection lines 154, a save button 155, a close button 156, a scenario execution button 157, and a scenario stop button 158. In the function block selection unit 151, time blocks, input blocks, judgment blocks, and output blocks are iconized for each function and can be placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 by dragging and dropping with the mouse. When a function block 153 placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 is double-clicked, a detailed settings screen pops up, allowing the user to configure its contents. For example, when the environmental sensor function block 153 is double-clicked, a floor map as shown in Figure 5 pops up, and the user can select an environmental sensor by clicking on any of the sensor icon ICs. It is also possible to specify an arbitrary area AR and select multiple sensor icon ICs contained within it all at once. Returning to Figure 4, the function block 153 placed by drag and drop includes a connection part. When this connection part is dragged to extend to another function block 153 (connection part), both function blocks 153 are connected by a block connection line 154. When the save button 155 is clicked, the control scenario data represented by the function blocks 153 and block connection lines 154 placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 is transmitted to the data linkage control device 2 and then saved to the data management unit 110 as control scenario data 115. The time block and its detailed contents placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 are saved as the execution timing information 143 in Figure 3. The input block and its detailed contents placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 are saved as the input data information 144 in Figure 3. The condition block and its detailed contents placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 are saved as the judgment condition information 145 in Figure 3. The output block and its detailed contents placed on the scenario setting canvas 152 are saved as the equipment control information 146 in Figure 3. When the close button 156 is clicked, the user is redirected to a scenario list screen (not shown in the diagram).When the scenario execution button 157 is clicked, a scenario execution command (for example, a command to set the control scenario execution state 142 in Figure 3 to "executing") is sent to the data linkage control device 2, and the corresponding control scenario is set to the execution state. When the scenario stop button 158 is clicked, a scenario stop command (for example, a command to set the control scenario execution state 142 in Figure 3 to "stopped") is sent to the data linkage control device 2, and the corresponding control scenario is set to the stopped state.

[0058] Returning to Figure 2, the communication management unit 130 is the interface for the communication line 18. Data is transmitted and received between the environmental sensor cloud 6, the equipment cloud 9, and the human location cloud 11 via this communication management unit 130. As mentioned above, the communication line 18 is an internet connection.

[0059] The control scenario setting terminal 3 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control scenario setting terminal 3. As shown in Figure 6, the control scenario setting terminal 3 includes a communication management unit 161 and a screen control unit 162 within the web browser execution unit 160.

[0060] The Web browser execution unit 160 is, for example, a general-purpose Web browser that runs on a PC. By entering the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) published by the data linkage control device 2 as the access destination of the Web browser, the Web content 116 within the data linkage control device 2 is downloaded, the screen layout is displayed according to the screen configuration file 117, and the data communication management unit 119 and the screen control unit 120 within the Web program 118 are executed as the communication management unit 161 and the screen control unit 162, respectively.

[0061] The communication management unit 161 is the interface for the communication line 14. Data is transmitted and received between the data linkage control device 2 and the communication management unit 161. As described above, the communication line 14 can be a wired LAN or a wireless LAN, and is connected to the internet via a broadband router and a proxy server.

[0062] The screen control unit 162 includes a login control unit 163, a scenario list screen control unit 164, a scenario setting screen control unit 165, a log data collection control unit 166, and an operating status monitoring control unit 167.

[0063] The login control unit 163 performs authentication using the user ID and password entered by the user on the login screen that is initially displayed when the user enters the URL published by the data linkage control device 2. If authentication is successful, the user is moved to the control scenario list screen for properties managed by that user.

[0064] The scenario list screen control unit 164 displays a list of control scenarios for properties managed by the user on the control scenario list screen and controls the creation of new control scenarios, as well as the editing, deletion, execution, and stopping of existing control scenarios. For example, the displayed scenario list screen includes buttons for creating a new control scenario and editing an existing control scenario. When these buttons are clicked, the user is redirected to the control scenario setting screen 150 as shown in Figure 4 above.

[0065] The scenario setting screen control unit 165 displays a control scenario setting screen 150 as shown in Figure 4, controls the creation of control scenarios, and controls the execution and stopping of the created control scenarios. When the save button 155 is clicked on the control scenario setting screen 150, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 transmits the data of the created control scenario to the data linkage control device 2.

[0066] The log data collection control unit 166 displays a log output screen that allows the download of log data (environmental sensor data 112, equipment data 113, and human location data 114) from the data linkage control device 2, and performs the download process for the specified log data. For example, log data can be downloaded as a single file for one day by specifying the date.

[0067] The operating status monitoring control unit 167 displays an operating status monitoring screen capable of displaying the current values ​​of sensor values, operating status values, and human location information held by the environmental sensor 4, equipment 7, and human location calculation device 10. On this operating status monitoring screen, for example, sensor icons and equipment icons are placed on a floor map, and the current value is displayed when the mouse cursor is moved over a sensor icon or equipment icon. In addition, on the operating status monitoring screen, human location information is displayed as a human location icon at the current location on the floor map, and user information (name, affiliation, etc.) is displayed when the mouse cursor is moved over a human location icon.

[0068] Next, the operation of the control system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the control scenario setting process according to this embodiment. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the control scenario execution process according to this embodiment.

[0069] First, the control scenario setting process will be explained with reference to Figure 7. This control scenario setting process operates on the control scenario setting terminal 3. More specifically, the control scenario setting process is executed by the scenario setting screen control unit 165, which is included in the screen control unit 162 of the control scenario setting terminal 3. The control scenario setting process in Figure 7 will be explained below with reference to the control scenario setting screen 150 in Figure 4.

[0070] The control scenario setting process begins when the control scenario setting terminal 3 accesses the data linkage control device 2 from its web browser, downloads the web content 116, and transitions to the control scenario setting screen 150 shown in Figure 4.

[0071] First, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 drags and drops the time block from the function block selection unit 151 in the control scenario setting screen 150 onto the scenario setting canvas 152 (step S11). Next, when the placed time block is double-clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 performs detailed content settings (step S12). When the time block is double-clicked, the execution cycle, date range, time range, and execution days can be specified. For example, it is possible to specify that the program will run at one-minute intervals from 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) from July 1st to July 31st, 2024.

[0072] Next, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 places the input blocks dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151 in the control scenario setting screen 150 onto the scenario setting canvas 152 (step S13). The input blocks include sensor values ​​from the environmental sensor 4, operating status values ​​from the equipment 7, human location information from the human location calculation device 10, and values ​​that have undergone calculation processing, such as the number of people in a specified area. Next, when the connection part of the placed time block is dragged and extended to the placed input block, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 connects the time block and the input block with a block connection line 154 (step S14). Next, when the placed input block is double-clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 performs detailed content settings (step S15). In the input block, it is possible to specify a data source such as an equipment ID (e.g., environmental sensor ID, equipment ID, or human location information), and the type of data held by the specified data source (e.g., indoor temperature from environmental sensor 4, operating / stopped status of equipment 7, or number of people in a specified area). When selecting a data source, in addition to selecting an equipment ID, it is also possible to select one by clicking on a sensor icon AR, etc., from the floor map as shown in Figure 5 above.

[0073] Next, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 places the judgment block dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151 in the control scenario setting screen 150 onto the scenario setting canvas 152 (step S16). If the data source of the input block is a numerical value such as room temperature or the number of people, the judgment block can be set to a threshold judgment (greater than or equal to, within, less than, greater than) or a range judgment (upper and lower limits). If the data source of the input block is a selected value, the judgment block can be set to a selected value judgment (a value that can be selected depending on the data type of the input block). For example, if the selected value judgment is the operation / stop state, operation or stop can be selected, and if the selected value judgment is the operation mode, cooling, heating, ventilation, etc. can be selected (in the case of air conditioning equipment). Furthermore, if the data source of the input block is a person's location, the judgment block can be set to whether a specified user is within a specified area, etc.

[0074] Next, when the connection part of the placed input block is dragged and extended to the placed judgment block, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 connects the input block and the judgment block with a block connection line 154 (step S17). Subsequently, when the placed judgment block is double-clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 performs detailed content settings (step S18). In the judgment block, in addition to judgment conditions such as threshold and selected value, it is possible to select "input value is within the condition", "input value changes within the condition", or "input value changes outside the condition". If "input value changes within the condition" or "input value changes outside the condition" is selected, the change in data (timing of change) can be determined.

[0075] The scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether the judgment branch has finished (step S19). In other words, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether a new judgment block has been dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151. For example, if you want to connect multiple judgment blocks to one input block, a new judgment block will be dragged and dropped, so the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines that the judgment branch has not finished (step S19; No), and returns to step S16 described above.

[0076] On the other hand, if it is determined that the judgment branch has ended (step S19; Yes), the scenario setting screen control unit 165 places the output block dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151 in the control scenario setting screen 150 onto the scenario setting canvas 152 (step S20). The output block can control not only fixed equipment 7 such as air conditioners, ventilation equipment, lighting equipment, blowers, and elevators, but also moving equipment 7 such as transport robots and cleaning robots. Next, when the connection part of the placed judgment block is dragged and extended to the placed output block, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 connects the judgment block and the output block with a block connection line 154 (step S21). Subsequently, when the placed output block is double-clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 performs detailed content settings (step S22). The control target, control type, and control content can be specified in the output block. For example, if equipment 7 is an air conditioning unit, the control target can be specified as the air conditioning unit's operation group number, the control type can be specified as operation / stop, set temperature, etc., and the control content can be specified as operation, 26°C, etc. When selecting a control target, in addition to selecting by selecting the equipment ID, etc., it is also possible to specify by clicking on sensor icons, air conditioning icons, etc. on the floor map, or by specifying an area range on the floor map and selecting multiple pieces of equipment 7 contained within that area all at once.

[0077] The scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether or not the output branching has finished (step S23). In other words, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether or not a new output block has been dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151. For example, if you want to connect multiple output blocks to one judgment block, a new output block will be dragged and dropped, so the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines that the output branching has not finished (step S23; No), and returns to step S20 described above.

[0078] On the other hand, if it is determined that the output branching has finished (step S23; Yes), the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether or not the input branching has finished (step S24). In other words, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines whether or not a new input block has been dragged and dropped from the function block selection unit 151. For example, if it is also desired to control equipment using other input blocks, a new input block will be dragged and dropped, so the scenario setting screen control unit 165 determines that the input branching has not finished (step S24; No), and returns to step S13 described above.

[0079] On the other hand, if it is determined that the input branching has ended (step S24; Yes), the scenario setting screen control unit 165 saves the control scenario contents (step S25). For example, when the save button 155 in the control scenario setting screen 150 is clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 transmits the control scenario data, represented by the function blocks 153 and block connection lines 154 etc., located on the scenario setting canvas 152, to the data linkage control device 2. In response to this transmission, the WebAPI response processing unit 106 of the data linkage control device 2 saves the received data to the control scenario data 115 in the data management unit 110.

[0080] Finally, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 executes the control scenario (step S26). For example, when the scenario execution button 157 in the control scenario setting screen 150 is clicked, the scenario setting screen control unit 165 sends a scenario execution command to the data linkage control device 2. In response to this transmission, the WebAPI response processing unit 106 of the data linkage control device 2 sets the control scenario data 115 to the execution state by updating the control scenario execution state 142 of the target control scenario data 115 in the data management unit 110 to "execution in progress".

[0081] In the control scenario setting process shown in Figure 7, the input block is shown as being connected to the time block. However, it is also possible to connect the output block directly to the time block, creating a control scenario where the output block is always controlled at the timing specified in the time block.

[0082] Furthermore, although the control scenario setting process in Figure 7 is described as determining whether or not the output block can be executed by a single judgment block, it is also possible to have a control scenario in which an AND block is placed to determine the AND conditions of multiple judgment blocks, and the output block is controlled only when all of the judgment conditions specified in the multiple judgment blocks are met.

[0083] Furthermore, although the control scenario setting process in Figure 7 is described as determining the room temperature or the number of people using current values, it is also possible to include a calculation block that calculates the average or median value over a specified time (for example, 5 minutes), and then use the calculated value to determine the control scenario.

[0084] Next, the control scenario execution process will be explained with reference to Figure 8. This control scenario execution process is operated by the data linkage control device 2. More specifically, the control scenario execution process is executed by the control scenario execution unit 104 included in the control unit 100 of the data linkage control device 2.

[0085] The control scenario execution process is performed repeatedly at periodic intervals, for example, once every minute. Furthermore, the control scenario execution unit 104 targets only the control scenario data 115 in the data management unit 110 that is held as "in progress" in the control scenario execution state 142 shown in Figure 3.

[0086] First, the control scenario execution unit 104 checks the execution conditions described in the execution timing information 143 within the control scenario data 115 (step S31). Step S31 is an example of a data management step. The control scenario execution unit 104 then determines whether or not the execution conditions are met (step S32). The control scenario execution unit 104 refers to the execution conditions (execution cycle, date range, time range, and execution day of the week) described in the execution timing information 143 and determines that the execution conditions are met if the current time is within the specified execution cycle, within the specified date range, within the specified time range, and on the specified execution day of the week.

[0087] If the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the execution conditions are not met (step S32; No), it proceeds to step S43, which will be described later. On the other hand, if it determines that the conditions are met (step S32; Yes), the control scenario execution unit 104 reads the current values ​​of the data source and data type specified in the input data information 144 in the control scenario data 115 from the data management unit 110 (step S33). Such step S33 is an example of a data acquisition step.

[0088] Next, the control scenario execution unit 104 checks the judgment condition described in the judgment condition information 145 within the control scenario data 115 (step S34). The control scenario execution unit 104 determines whether the judgment condition is "the input value changes within the condition" or "the input value changes outside the condition" (step S35).

[0089] If the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the judgment condition is neither "the input value has changed within the conditions" nor "the input value has changed outside the conditions" (step S35; No), it proceeds to step S37, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the judgment condition is either "the input value has changed within the conditions" or "the input value has changed outside the conditions" (step S35; Yes), it reads the data source and the value of the data type specified in the input data information 144 from the data management unit 110 from the previous execution (step S36). In other words, if the judgment condition is either "the input value has changed within the conditions" or "the input value has changed outside the conditions," a comparison with past data is necessary, so the control scenario execution unit 104 obtains past data from the previous execution (for example, data from one minute ago if the execution cycle is at one-minute intervals, or data from five minutes ago if the execution cycle is at five-minute intervals) from the data management unit 110.

[0090] Next, the control scenario execution unit 104 checks whether the judgment conditions described in the judgment condition information 145 are met (step S37). The control scenario execution unit 104 determines whether or not the judgment conditions are met (step S38). In the judgment conditions, if the data source is a numerical value such as room temperature or the number of people, a threshold judgment (greater than or equal to, within, less than, greater than) or a range judgment (upper and lower limits) is specified. If the data source is a selected value, a selected value judgment (a value that can be selected by the data type of the input block) is specified. Furthermore, if the data source is a person's location, it is specified whether the specified user is within the specified area, etc. Therefore, the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the judgment conditions are met if the value of the data source matches those judgments. In step S35 above, if it is determined that "the input value has changed within the conditions", the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the judgment conditions are met if the past data from the previous execution obtained in step S36 above does not match the judgment conditions, and the current value obtained in step S33 above matches the judgment conditions. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S35 that "the input value has changed outside the conditions," then it is determined that the conditions are met if the past data from the previous execution obtained in step S36 matches the conditions, and the current value obtained in step S33 does not match the conditions.

[0091] If the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the judgment condition is not met (step S38; No), it proceeds to step S41, which will be described later. On the other hand, if it determines that the judgment condition is met (step S38; Yes), the control scenario execution unit 104 checks the equipment control information 146 in the control scenario data 115 (step S39). The control scenario execution unit 104 controls the equipment 7 according to the control target, control type, and control content described in the equipment control information 146 (step S40). When controlling the equipment 7, the control scenario execution unit 104 accesses the equipment cloud 9 via the communication management unit 130 using the URL and web API disclosed by the equipment cloud 9, and controls the target equipment 7 by instructing the equipment 7 and the control content. This step S40 is an example of a control execution step.

[0092] Next, the control scenario execution unit 104 determines whether all branching processes have been executed (step S41). In other words, within the control scenario data 115, it is possible to connect multiple input data information 144 to one execution timing information 143, and it is also possible to connect multiple judgment condition information 145 to one input data information 144, and furthermore, it is possible to connect multiple equipment control information 146 to one judgment condition information 145. Therefore, the control scenario execution unit 104 checks whether judgment processing and output processing have been executed for all of these branches.

[0093] If the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that not all branching processes have been performed (step S41; No), it starts determining the remaining branches (step S42) and returns to step S33 described above. On the other hand, if it determines that all branching processes have been performed (step S41; Yes), the control scenario execution unit 104 determines whether the execution of all scenarios has been completed (step S43). In other words, the control scenario execution unit 104 determines whether the execution of all control scenario data 115 in the data management unit 110 that is held as "executing" in control scenario execution status 142 has been completed.

[0094] If the control scenario execution unit 104 determines that the execution of all scenarios has not been completed (step S43; No), it returns to step S31 described above. On the other hand, if it determines that the execution of all scenarios has been completed (step S43; Yes), the control scenario execution unit 104 terminates the control scenario execution process.

[0095] In the control scenario execution process shown in Figure 8, the execution of the control scenario data 115 is described as a sequence in which one data item is executed sequentially. However, it is not necessary to execute them in order. If the data linkage control device 2 is capable of parallel execution, multiple control scenario data 115 may be executed simultaneously.

[0096] (Other Embodiments) Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, various forms of modification and application are possible when implementing the present disclosure.

[0097] In the embodiments described above, the data linkage control device 2, the environmental sensor cloud 6, the equipment cloud 9, and the human location cloud 11 were each described as separate clouds, but multiple of these clouds may be implemented in a single cloud. For example, the data linkage control device 2 and the environmental sensor cloud 6 may be configured within the same cloud, and the environmental sensor data collected by the functions of the environmental sensor cloud 6 may be accessed by the data linkage control device 2 in the same way as the environmental sensor data 112 in the data management unit 110.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the data linkage control device 2 is configured to collect data from the environmental sensor cloud 6, the equipment cloud 9, and the human location cloud 11. However, it is not necessarily required that the data linkage control device 2 access each cloud to collect data. Alternatively, a separate device using a distribution protocol such as the MQTT protocol may be provided, and the data from each cloud may be distributed to the data linkage control device 2 from that device.

[0099] As explained in detail above, the data-linked control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way make it possible to control the equipment 7 in response to changes in environmental data such as temperature, humidity, and CO2 concentration, as well as the number of people data. It also makes it possible to operate the air conditioning equipment when the indoor temperature exceeds a certain temperature, or to operate the air conditioning and ventilation equipment when people enter the conference room and stop them when people leave. Furthermore, it becomes possible to perform various energy-saving and comfort controls that capture changes in data, such as performing energy-saving operation of the air conditioning equipment when there are few people in the area.

[0100] Furthermore, with the data linkage control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way, it is possible not only to control the equipment 7 by making conditional judgments based only on the current data value, but also, for example, if the execution timing is in a 1-minute cycle, to check two data points: the data from 1 minute ago and the current data, and to execute control of the equipment 7 only when the condition changes from outside the judgment condition to inside the condition, or when it changes from inside the judgment condition to outside the condition. For example, if the air conditioning equipment is operated at 25°C when there is one or more users in the conference room, and then the user in the conference room changes the set temperature to 26°C, it is possible to prevent the system from overwriting the setting to 25°C again in the next 1-minute cycle.

[0101] Furthermore, with the data-linked control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way, conventionally, when considering energy-saving control or comfort control in an office environment, even if a control idea is conceived, it is necessary to develop control software for air conditioning, etc., in order to demonstrate and verify the control content, which is costly and time-consuming, thus limiting the number of ideas that can be tested. In contrast, as disclosed here, control scenario creation is realized without coding, allowing even people who cannot write programs to easily demonstrate and verify the content of their ideas in a short time. This makes it possible to accelerate the development of solutions such as energy-saving control and comfort control. In addition, since scenario settings can also be made by office occupants, for example, tenants who rent office space can use the technology disclosed here to perform energy-saving control in order to reduce their electricity bills, or to use it for comfort control to improve the office environment. Furthermore, the environmental sensors 4 and equipment 7 to be controlled can be specified by clicking on sensor icons and equipment icons on the floor map, or by dragging on the floor map to specify equipment 7 included in an area, resulting in an intuitive user interface.

[0102] Furthermore, with the data-linked control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way, by creating a control scenario data configuration that allows for one-to-many connection of functional blocks, it becomes possible to set up multiple input data and conditional judgments in a single scenario. For example, it is possible to create a control scenario that is executed only when all of multiple conditions are met, such as "operate the air conditioning equipment when there is one or more people in the area and the indoor temperature is 27°C or higher," enabling more detailed conditional judgments and equipment control.

[0103] Furthermore, with the data-linked control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way, it becomes possible to remotely monitor the office environment, set various control scenarios such as energy saving and comfort control, and conduct consulting businesses that propose improvements to the office environment. In addition, because it can be used from a general web browser, tenant users of rental office buildings can also control the scenarios, so tenant users can independently perform energy-saving control and reduce their own electricity costs, which can be used to increase the added value of rental offices.

[0104] Furthermore, with the data-linked control device 2 and control system 1 configured in this way, it is possible to specify scenario judgment cycles such as every minute or every five minutes for execution timing, as well as the range of dates, days of the week, and times for execution. For example, it becomes possible to execute control scenarios such as "determine the control scenario every minute from 8:00 to 17:00 on weekdays from July 1st to July 31st, and control the equipment 7 if the conditions are met." This makes it possible to control equipment 7 only on days when the office is in operation, preventing unnecessary operation of equipment 7. In addition, by using the number of people as an input source, it becomes possible to create conditions such as "if there are five or more people in the specified area, or if there is no one," and by setting equipment 7 near people as the output, it becomes possible to create control scenarios such as "in a free-address office, automatically change the set temperature of the air conditioning around the seats where people who are sensitive to heat or cold are sitting, so that they are comfortable."

[0105] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, we have explained the case in which the data linkage control device 2 is realized by the CPU using RAM as work memory and executing a program stored in ROM or an auxiliary storage device. However, each of these functions may be realized by dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware includes, for example, a single circuit, a complex circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0106] Furthermore, by applying the program that defines the operation of the data linkage control device 2 according to the above embodiment to an existing personal computer or information terminal device, it is also possible to make the personal computer or information terminal device function as the data linkage control device 2 according to the embodiment.

[0107] Furthermore, the method of distributing such programs is optional. For example, they may be distributed by storing them on computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), or memory cards, or they may be distributed via communication networks such as the Internet.

[0108] This disclosure allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. In other words, the scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0109] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-162066, filed on 19 September 2024. The entire specification, claims, and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-162066 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0110] This disclosure provides a data-linked control device, control system, control method, and program that can control various equipment within a building in a linked manner according to data.

[0111] 1 Control system, 2 Data linkage control device, 100 Control unit, 101 Environmental sensor data management unit, 102 Equipment data management unit, 103 Person location data management unit, 104 Control scenario execution unit, 105 Web server unit, 106 Web API response processing unit, 110 Data management unit, 111 Property information data, 112 Environmental sensor data, 113 Equipment data, 114 Person location data, 115 Control scenario data, 116 Web content, 117 Screen configuration file, 118 Web program, 119 Data communication management unit, 120 Screen control unit, 130 Communication management unit, 3 Control scenario setting terminal, 160 Web browser execution unit, 161 Communication management unit, 162 Screen control unit, 163 Login control unit, 164 Scenario list screen control unit, 165 Scenario setting screen control unit, 166 Log data collection control unit, 167 4. Operating status monitoring control unit, 5. Environmental sensor, 6. Sensor gateway, 7. Environmental sensor cloud, 8. Equipment, 9. Equipment gateway, 10. Equipment cloud, 11. Person location calculation device, 12. Person location cloud, 12-18. Signal lines

Claims

1. A data linkage control device comprising: data acquisition means for acquiring environmental data relating to the air quality inside a building from environmental sensors installed inside the building; data management means for managing control scenario data for controlling multiple types of equipment installed inside the building, which includes execution timing information, input data information, judgment condition information, and equipment control information; and control execution means for controlling the specified equipment according to the equipment control information, in accordance with the specified control content, when the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives and the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the judgment condition information.

2. The data acquisition means further acquires equipment data of the equipment installed in the building, and the control execution means controls the specified equipment in accordance with the specified control content when the execution timing arrives and the value of the equipment data specified in the input data information is within the range specified in the determination condition information.

3. The data acquisition means further acquires person location data indicating the location of persons present in the building, and the control execution means, when the execution timing arrives, controls the designated equipment in accordance with the designated control content if the number of persons present in the area specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the determination condition information.

4. The data linkage control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control execution means controls the specified equipment in accordance with the specified control content only when the value specified in the input data information changes from outside the range specified in the determination condition information to within the specified range, or changes from within the specified range to outside the specified range.

5. The data acquisition means acquires data using an API from at least one cloud server that collects data including the environmental data from the equipment or sensors installed in the building, the data linkage control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A data linkage control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a screen providing means for providing a control scenario setting screen to the terminal in response to access from the terminal, wherein the screen providing means creates a control scenario according to a drag-and-drop operation from the terminal in which functional blocks including time blocks, input blocks, judgment blocks, and output blocks are placed on the control scenario setting screen, and a connection operation from the terminal in which the placed functional blocks are connected to each other, and the data management means manages the control scenario data described in a predetermined format based on the created control scenario.

7. The data linkage control device according to claim 6, wherein the screen providing means is capable of connecting at least one input block to one time block, at least one determination block to one input block, and at least one output block to one determination block, according to the connection operation.

8. The data linkage control device according to claim 6, wherein the screen providing means provides log data including the environmental data to the terminal through a log data output screen corresponding to access from the terminal.

9. The time block allows for the specification of any of the execution cycle, execution date range, execution day of the week, and execution time range; the input block allows for the specification of any of the environmental data including any of the room temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, PM2.5, wind speed, radiant heat, and PMV; any of the equipment data including any of the operation stop status, operation mode, set temperature, wind direction, and wind speed; or any of the human location data including any of the human location and the number of people; the determination block allows for the specification of any of the value range determination, value threshold determination, selection value determination, count determination, number of people determination, and human location determination; and the output block allows for the specification of any of the equipment in the area, a specified equipment, or equipment close to the human location, along with the control content of the equipment, as described in claim 6.

10. A control system in which a data linkage control device and a terminal are connected to each other via a network so as to be able to communicate, wherein the data linkage control device comprises: data acquisition means for acquiring environmental data relating to the air quality inside a building from environmental sensors installed inside the building; data management means for managing control scenario data which is scenario data for controlling multiple types of equipment installed inside the building and includes execution timing information, input data information, judgment condition information, and equipment control information; and control execution means which, when the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives, controls the specified equipment according to the equipment control information in accordance with the specified control content if the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the judgment condition information.

11. A control method executed by a data linkage control device, comprising: a data acquisition step of acquiring environmental data relating to the air quality inside a building from environmental sensors installed inside the building; a data management step of managing control scenario data which is scenario data for controlling multiple types of equipment installed inside the building and includes execution timing information, input data information, judgment condition information, and equipment control information; and a control execution step of controlling the specified equipment according to the equipment control information, in accordance with the specified control content, when the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives and the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the judgment condition information.

12. A program for causing a computer to execute: a data acquisition step of acquiring environmental data relating to the air quality inside a building from environmental sensors installed inside the building; a data management step of managing control scenario data which is scenario data for controlling multiple types of equipment installed inside the building and includes execution timing information, input data information, judgment condition information, and equipment control information; and a control execution step in which, when the execution timing specified by the execution timing information arrives, and the value of the environmental data specified by the input data information is within the range specified by the judgment condition information, the specified equipment is controlled according to the equipment control information in accordance with the specified control content.

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