Air conditioning system, air conditioning control device, and air conditioning control method

Abstract

This air conditioning system comprises an indoor unit (2), an outdoor unit (3), and a sound sensor (5) that detects ambient sound. A sound data analysis unit (401) acquires a pure ambient sound, which is a sound obtained by excluding an operation sound of the indoor unit (2) from a sound detected by the sound sensor (5), and determines whether or not the acquired pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound. When it is determined that the pure ambient sound is not an unpleasant sound, an operation command generation unit (402) generates an operation command for operating the indoor unit (2) so that the operation sound of the indoor unit (2) does not become louder than the pure ambient sound. When it is determined that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, the operation command generation unit (402) generates an operation command for operating the indoor unit (2) so that the operation sound of the indoor unit (2) becomes louder than the pure ambient sound. An operation command transmission unit (403) transmits the generated operation command to the indoor unit (2).

Description

Air conditioning system, air conditioning control device, and air conditioning control method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning system, an air conditioning control device, and an air conditioning control method.

[0002] Conventionally, in an air conditioning system that performs air conditioning indoors, there is a problem that the operating noise impairs the comfort of the user. For example, there is a desire to reduce the operating noise of the indoor unit in order to maintain a quiet indoor environment. In response to such a problem, for example, Patent Document 1 describes an air conditioner configured to include a noise sensor and control the rotational speed of a blower fan based on the level of noise detected by the noise sensor.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-118747

[0004] When the indoor sound is loud (for example, 60 dB or more), generally the user feels discomfort. However, even when the indoor sound is not so loud, depending on its frequency, duration, interval, etc., there are cases where the user is given discomfort. Therefore, in a configuration that performs air conditioning control simply based on the loudness of the indoor sound, there is a problem that consideration for the indoor sound with respect to the user is insufficient.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioning system, an air conditioning control device, and an air conditioning control method capable of realizing air conditioning control that takes into account the comfort of the user with respect to the sound environment.

[0006] To achieve the above object, an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure is an air conditioning system including an air conditioner and sound detection means for detecting ambient sound, and includes pure ambient sound acquisition means for acquiring pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by removing the operating sound of the air conditioner from the detected sound, discomfort sound determination means for determining whether the pure ambient sound is an uncomfortable sound, and air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound when the discomfort sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is not an uncomfortable sound, and controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound when the discomfort sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is an uncomfortable sound.

[0007] According to this disclosure, it becomes possible to realize air conditioning control that takes into consideration the user's comfort in terms of the sound environment.

[0008] A diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system in Embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the indoor unit in Embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the outdoor unit in Embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the remote control in Embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the sound sensor in Embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the remote control in Embodiment 1. A flowchart showing the procedure for air conditioning control processing in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system in Embodiment 2. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the sound sensor in Embodiment 2. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server in Embodiment 2. A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the sound sensor and server in Embodiment 2. A diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system in Embodiment 3. A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the motion sensor in Embodiment 3. A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the remote control in Embodiment 3.

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system 1 in Embodiment 1. The air conditioning system 1 is an example of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, and is a system that provides air conditioning for buildings such as office buildings and stores. The air conditioning system 1 comprises an indoor unit 2, an outdoor unit 3, a remote control 4, and a sound sensor 5. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 constitute an air conditioner. This air conditioner is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected communicatively via an air conditioning communication line 6 and are also connected via refrigerant piping (not shown) for circulating the refrigerant. The indoor unit 2 and the remote control 4 are connected communicatively via a remote control communication line 7. Although Figure 1 illustrates a configuration in which the air conditioning system 1 has one indoor unit 2, there is no limit to the number of indoor units 2 that the air conditioning system 1 has, and there may be two or more.

[0011] <Hardware Configuration of Indoor Unit 2> Indoor unit 2 is an example of an indoor unit according to this disclosure, for example, a ceiling-mounted indoor unit. As shown in Figure 2, the indoor unit 2 has a hardware configuration comprising a control circuit 20, a first communication unit 21, a second communication unit 22, a main component unit 23, and an auxiliary storage device 24. The control circuit 20 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random-Access Memory), etc., and comprehensively controls the indoor unit 2. The first communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with the outdoor unit 3 via the air conditioning communication line 6 according to instructions from the control circuit 20.

[0012] The second communication unit 22 is a communication interface for communicating with the remote control 4 via the remote control communication line 7 in accordance with the instructions of the control circuit 20. The main component 23 is a component for realizing the original functions of a typical indoor unit, and includes, for example, actuators such as an indoor fan and an indoor solenoid valve, and sensors such as a pipe temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant pipes and an indoor temperature sensor for measuring the indoor temperature. The auxiliary storage device 24 is composed of, for example, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), flash memory, or other read-write non-volatile semiconductor memory. The auxiliary storage device 24 stores the indoor unit program, which is a program for controlling the indoor unit 2, and data used when the indoor unit program is executed.

[0013] <Hardware Configuration of Outdoor Unit 3> As shown in Figure 3, the outdoor unit 3 comprises a control circuit 30, a communication unit 31, a main component 32, and an auxiliary storage device 33 as its hardware configuration. The control circuit 30 is composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls the outdoor unit 3. The communication unit 31 is a communication interface for communicating with the indoor unit 2 via the air conditioning communication line 6 according to the instructions of the control circuit 30. The main component 32 is a component for realizing the original functions of a typical outdoor unit, and includes actuators such as a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor fan, an electronic expansion valve, and an outdoor solenoid valve, as well as sensors such as a pipe temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant pipes and an outdoor air temperature sensor for measuring the outside air temperature.

[0014] The auxiliary storage device 33 is composed of, for example, a read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 33 stores the outdoor unit program, which is a program for controlling the outdoor unit 3, and data used when the outdoor unit program is executed.

[0015] <Hardware Configuration of Remote Control 4> Remote control 4 is an example of an air conditioning control device according to this disclosure. Remote control 4 is a remote controller for receiving air conditioning operations from users who use the building on a daily basis, and is a device that controls the air conditioner (indoor unit 2 and outdoor unit 3) based on sound detected by the sound sensor 5. Remote control 4 is installed, for example, near the entrance to the floor that is the area to be air-conditioned in the building. As shown in Figure 4, the hardware configuration of remote control 4 includes a control circuit 40, an operation reception unit 41, a display unit 42, a first communication unit 43, a second communication unit 44, and an auxiliary storage device 45. The control circuit 40 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls remote control 4. Details of the functions of remote control 4 realized by the control circuit 40 will be described later.

[0016] The operation reception unit 41 is configured to include one or more input devices such as a push button, touch panel, touch pad, slide switch, rotary switch, or toggle switch, and receives operations from the user and outputs signals related to the received operations to the control circuit 40. The display unit 42 is configured to include a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The display unit 42 displays various screens under the control of the control circuit 40. For example, the display unit 42 displays an air conditioning operation screen for receiving air conditioning operations from the user. Air conditioning operations include, for example, switching between starting / stopping operation, switching between operating modes such as cooling, heating, dehumidifying, and fan, and changing the set temperature, airflow, and fan direction.

[0017] The first communication unit 43 is a communication interface for communicating with the indoor unit 2 via the remote control communication line 7, according to instructions from the control circuit 40. The second communication unit 44 is a communication interface for wireless communication with terminals such as the sound sensor 5, according to instructions from the control circuit 40. For example, the second communication unit 44 performs short-range wireless communication such as BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) or NFC (Near Field Communication). The auxiliary storage device 45 is composed of, for example, a read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory such as EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 45 stores the remote control program, which is a program for controlling the remote control 4, and data used when the remote control program is executed.

[0018] The remote control 4 can wirelessly communicate with a terminal (not shown) to obtain the remote control program or an update program for updating the remote control program from that terminal and save it to the auxiliary storage device 45. The remote control program or update program can also be distributed on computer-readable storage media such as CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), magneto-optical disk, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid-State Drive), or memory card. When such a storage media is directly or indirectly attached to the remote control 4, it can also read the remote control program or update program from the storage media and save it to the auxiliary storage device 45.

[0019] <Hardware Configuration of Sound Sensor 5> The sound sensor 5 is an example of a sound detection means according to this disclosure and is a device that detects sounds in its surroundings. The sound sensor 5 is installed in an appropriate location within the air-conditioned area of ​​the air conditioning system 1. That is, the sound sensor 5 detects sounds within the air-conditioned area. As shown in Figure 5, the sound sensor 5 has a hardware configuration comprising a control circuit 50, a sensor circuit 51, a communication unit 52, and an auxiliary storage device 53. The control circuit 50 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls the sound sensor 5. The sensor circuit 51 is a circuit that can mainly detect sounds in the audible range and is composed of, for example, a condenser microphone. The sensor circuit 51 outputs sound data indicating the detected sound to the control circuit 50.

[0020] The communication unit 52 is a communication interface for transmitting sound data by wirelessly communicating with the remote control 4 according to the instructions of the control circuit 50. For example, the communication unit 52 communicates with the remote control 4 using short-range wireless communication such as BLE or NFC. The auxiliary storage device 53 is composed of, for example, a read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory such as EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 53 stores a sound sensor program, which is a program for controlling the sound sensor 5, and data used when the sound sensor program is executed.

[0021] The sound sensor 5 can wirelessly communicate with a terminal (not shown) to obtain the sound sensor program or an update program for updating the sound sensor program from that terminal and store it in the auxiliary storage device 53. The sound sensor program or update program can also be distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD, magneto-optical disk, USB memory, HDD, SSD, or memory card. When such a recording medium is directly or indirectly attached to the sound sensor 5, it can also read the sound sensor program or update program from the recording medium and store it in the auxiliary storage device 53.

[0022] <Functional Configuration of Remote Control 4> Next, the functions of the remote control 4 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 6, the remote control 4 includes, as a characteristic function of this disclosure, a sound data receiving unit 400, a sound data analysis unit 401, an operation command generation unit 402, and an operation command transmission unit 403. These functions are realized when the control circuit 40 of the remote control 4 executes the remote control program described above, which is stored in the auxiliary storage device 45. In addition, the remote control 4 also has functions such as receiving operations related to air conditioning from the user and sending operation commands corresponding to the received operations to the remote control communication line 7 to control the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, similar to a general remote control, but such general functions will not be explained.

[0023] The sound data receiving unit 400 receives sound data transmitted from the sound sensor 5. Upon receiving sound data, the sound data receiving unit 400 notifies the sound data analysis unit 401 of this fact. The sound data analysis unit 401 is an example of a means for acquiring pure ambient sound according to the present disclosure, and is an example of a means for determining unpleasant sound according to the present disclosure. The sound data analysis unit 401 analyzes the sound data received by the sound data receiving unit 400. First, the sound data analysis unit 401 removes sound data indicating the operating sound in the area to be air-conditioned by the air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as "operating sound data") from the sound data received by the sound data receiving unit 400, thereby obtaining pure ambient sound, which is the ambient sound excluding the current operating sound of the air conditioner. In this embodiment, the operating sound of the air conditioner means the operating sound of all indoor units 2 provided in the air conditioning system 1.

[0024] The operating sound data may be generated by inputting predetermined fixed data into the remote control 4 before shipment and storing it in the control circuit 40 or auxiliary storage device 45, or by deriving it after the air conditioning system 1 is installed by operating it in a quiet environment and storing it in the auxiliary storage device 45. Preferably, the operating sound data is generated according to the operating conditions. Operating conditions include, for example, combinations of operating mode (cooling, heating, dehumidification, etc.), airflow volume (small, medium, large, etc.), and airflow direction (up, down, left, right, swing, etc.).

[0025] Next, the sound data analysis unit 401 determines whether the pure ambient sound acquired as described above is an unpleasant sound. In this embodiment, the sound data analysis unit 401 determines whether the pure ambient sound is unpleasant based on the level (i.e., sound pressure), frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound. Specifically, the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound if any of the following conditions a to d are met.

[0026] Condition a: The sound level is above a predetermined first threshold (e.g., 60 dB) Condition b: The sound frequency is within a predetermined range (e.g., 2 kHz to 4 kHz) Condition c: The duration of the sound is irregular Condition d: The intervals between sounds are irregular

[0027] The sound data analysis unit 401 determines whether or not the pure ambient noise is unpleasant, and then notifies the operation command generation unit 402 of the determination result and the level of the pure ambient noise. Based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of the pure ambient noise, the operation command generation unit 402 generates operation commands for operating the air conditioner. Specifically, based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of ambient noise, the operation command generation unit 402 generates operation commands to control at least one of the airflow volume (small, medium, large, etc.) and airflow direction (up, down, left, right, swing, etc.) of the indoor unit 2 (or each indoor unit 2 if there are multiple indoor units 2).

[0028] For example, if the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient noise is unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner is louder than the pure ambient noise. In this case, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command that satisfies the condition of being higher than the level of the pure ambient noise while producing the quietest possible operating noise. If it is not possible to make the operating noise louder than the pure ambient noise by adjusting the airflow rate and direction, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command that produces the maximum possible operating noise.

[0029] On the other hand, if the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient sound is not unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner does not exceed the pure ambient sound. In this case, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command such that, if possible, the level of the operating noise is 10 dB or less below the level of the pure ambient sound. If the operating noise is 10 dB or more lower than the pure ambient sound, the level of these synthesized sounds will not exceed the level of the pure ambient sound, thus avoiding the risk of causing discomfort to the user due to the operating noise of the air conditioner. If the pure ambient sound is below the minimum operating noise of the air conditioner, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command to achieve that operating noise in order to avoid stopping the air conditioner.

[0030] The operation command transmission unit 403 transmits the operation command generated by the operation command generation unit 402 to the indoor unit 2. Upon receiving the operation command, the indoor unit 2 performs an action according to the content of the operation command. Furthermore, if the indoor unit 2's state changes as a result of the action performed according to the operation command, it notifies the outdoor unit 3 of this change as necessary. The operation command generation unit 402 and the operation command transmission unit 403 are examples of air conditioning control means according to this disclosure.

[0031] <Air Conditioning Control Processing Based on Sound Data> Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure for air conditioning control processing based on sound data performed by the remote control 4. The remote control 4 periodically (for example, every minute) performs the following air conditioning control processing while the air conditioning system 1 is performing air conditioning operation.

[0032] (Step S101) The remote control 4 receives sound data from the sound sensor 5. After that, the processing of the remote control 4 proceeds to step S102.

[0033] (Step S102) The remote control 4 analyzes the received sound data. Specifically, the remote control 4 obtains pure ambient sound from the sound data, excluding the operating noise of the air conditioner, and obtains the level, frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound. After that, the processing of the remote control 4 proceeds to step S103.

[0034] (Step S103) The remote control 4 determines whether the ambient sound is unpleasant to the user. If the ambient sound is unpleasant (Step S103; YES), the remote control 4 proceeds to step S104. If the ambient sound is not unpleasant (Step S103; NO), the remote control 4 proceeds to step S105.

[0035] (Step S104) The remote control 4 controls the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner is louder than the pure ambient noise. Specifically, the remote control 4 generates an operation command to operate at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of the indoor unit 2 so that the operating noise of the indoor unit 2 is louder than the pure ambient noise, and transmits the generated operation command to the indoor unit 2. After that, the remote control 4 terminates the air conditioning control processing for this cycle.

[0036] (Step S105) The remote control 4 controls the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner does not exceed the pure ambient noise. Specifically, the remote control 4 generates an operation command to control at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of the indoor unit 2 so that the operating noise of the indoor unit 2 does not exceed the pure ambient noise, and transmits the generated operation command to the indoor unit 2. After that, the remote control 4 terminates the air conditioning control processing for this cycle.

[0037] As described above, in the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, the remote control 4 acquires the pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by subtracting the operating sound of the air conditioner from the sound detected by the sound sensor 5, and determines whether the acquired pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound. If the remote control 4 determines that the pure ambient sound is not an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound. If the remote control 4 determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound.

[0038] This makes it possible to avoid the risk of causing discomfort to users due to the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is not unpleasant, and to mitigate the discomfort caused by the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is unpleasant. Therefore, it becomes possible to realize air conditioning control that takes into consideration the user's comfort in terms of the sound environment.

[0039] (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the sound data analysis unit 401 of the remote control 4 determined whether or not the pure ambient sound is unpleasant based on the level (i.e., sound pressure), frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound. However, the determination of whether or not the pure ambient sound is unpleasant may be made based on the level, frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound.

[0040] (Modification 2) The air conditioner (indoor unit 2 and outdoor unit 3) may store operating sound data, and the remote control 4 may acquire operating sound data from the air conditioner.

[0041] (Modification 3) In the above embodiment, the operation command generation unit 402 of the remote control 4 was configured to generate operation commands to control at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of the indoor unit 2 based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of pure ambient sound. However, the operation commands generated by the operation command generation unit 402 are not limited to these operations. In the operation command generation unit 402, any operation related to the operating sound of the indoor unit 2 is subject to the generation of operation commands.

[0042] (Modification 4) Instead of the remote control 4, the sound sensor 5 may acquire the pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by removing the operating sound of the air conditioner from the detected sound, and determine whether the acquired pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound. If it is determined that the pure ambient sound is not an unpleasant sound, the air conditioner may be controlled so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound. If it is determined that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, the air conditioner may be controlled so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound. In this case, the sound sensor 5 is an example of the air conditioning control device according to the present disclosure.

[0043] (Modification 5) In the air conditioning system 1, if there are operating modes related to the operating noise of the air conditioner (for example, normal mode and silent mode), the operation command generation unit 402 may generate an operation command to operate the air conditioner in normal mode or silent mode based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of pure ambient noise. For example, if the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient noise is unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in normal mode. On the other hand, if the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient noise is not unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in silent mode.

[0044] Also, when there are multiple levels in the silent mode (for example, there are levels 1 to 3, and the higher the level, the higher the silence), the operation command generation unit 402 may determine the level of the silent mode based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of the pure ambient sound, and generate an operation command for operating in the determined level of the silent mode. In this case, for example, when the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient sound is unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command for operating the air conditioner in level 1 of the silent mode. On the other hand, when the sound data analysis unit 401 determines that the pure ambient sound is not unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 402 generates an operation command for operating the air conditioner in level 3 of the silent mode.

[0045] (Modification Example 6) The air conditioning system 1 may be a system for air conditioning a house. In this case, it is assumed that the operating sound of the outdoor unit 3 affects the indoor sound environment. Therefore, the operation command generation unit 402 of the remote controller 4 may be configured to generate an operation command for further controlling the frequency of the compressor of the outdoor unit 3 according to the magnitude of the operating sound of the outdoor unit 3. In this case, the operation sound data used when the sound data analysis unit 401 of the remote controller 4 acquires the pure ambient sound shall also include the operation sound (operation sound transmitted indoors) data of the outdoor unit 3.

[0046] (Modification Example 7) The remote controller 4 may receive the user's feelings about the sound environment, learn the sound environment based on the received feelings, and use the learning result for analysis of sound data, air conditioning control, etc.

[0047] (Modification Example 8) All or part of the functional units (see FIG. 6) of the remote controller 4 may be realized by dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0048] The technical ideas according to the above modification examples may be realized independently or in appropriate combination.

[0049] (Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, components common to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system 1a in Embodiment 2. The air conditioning system 1a is an example of the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, and is a system for air conditioning buildings such as office buildings and stores, for example. The air conditioning system 1a includes an indoor unit 2, an outdoor unit 3, a remote controller 4a, a sound sensor 5a, and a server 8. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 constitute an air conditioner. The air conditioner is an example of the air conditioner according to the present disclosure. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are communicably connected via an air conditioning communication line 6 and are connected via a refrigerant pipe (not shown) for circulating refrigerant. The indoor unit 2 and the remote controller 4a are communicably connected via a remote control communication line 7. In FIG. 8, a configuration in which the air conditioning system 1a includes one indoor unit 2 is illustrated, but the number of indoor units 2 included in the air conditioning system 1a is not limited, and two or more may be provided.

[0051] The configuration of the air conditioning system 1a is different from the air conditioning system 1 (see FIG. 1) in Embodiment 1 in that it includes a remote controller 4a, a sound sensor 5a, and a server 8 instead of the remote controller 4 and the sound sensor 5, and the configurations of the two are the same in other respects.

[0052] <Hardware Configuration of Remote Controller 4a> The remote controller 4a is a remote controller for receiving operations related to air conditioning from users who routinely use the building, and is a device for transferring operation commands received from the sound sensor 5a to the air conditioner. The remote controller 4a is installed, for example, near the entrance and exit of the floor that is the air conditioning target area in the building. The hardware configuration of the remote controller 4a is the same as that of the remote controller 4 (see FIG. 4) in Embodiment 1.

[0053] <Hardware Configuration of Sound Sensor 5a> The sound sensor 5a is an example of a sound detection means according to the present disclosure and is a device that detects sounds in its surroundings. The sound sensor 5a is installed in an appropriate location within the air-conditioned area of ​​the air conditioning system 1a. That is, the sound sensor 5a detects sounds within the air-conditioned area. As shown in Figure 9, the hardware configuration of the sound sensor 5a includes a control circuit 50, a sensor circuit 51, a first communication unit 54, a second communication unit 55, and an auxiliary storage device 53. The hardware configuration of the sound sensor 5a differs from that of the sound sensor 5 in Embodiment 1 (see Figure 5) in that it includes a first communication unit 54 and a second communication unit 55 instead of a communication unit 52, but the hardware configurations of both are the same in other respects. Details of the functions of the sound sensor 5a realized by the control circuit 50 will be described later.

[0054] The first communication unit 54 is a communication interface similar to the communication unit 52 in the sound sensor 5 of Embodiment 1, and communicates wirelessly with the remote control 4a according to the instructions of the control circuit 50. For example, the first communication unit 54 communicates with the remote control 4a using short-range wireless communication such as BLE or NFC. The second communication unit 55 is a communication interface for communicating with the server 8 using a predetermined long-range wireless communication method. For example, the second communication unit 55 communicates using LTE (Long Term Evolution), LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), etc. The second communication unit 55 may be configured to communicate with the server 8 via a broadband router (not shown) using a wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

[0055] <Hardware Configuration of Server 8> Server 8 is an example of an air conditioning control device according to this disclosure. Server 8 is a so-called cloud server operated by the manufacturer, sales company, etc., of the air conditioning system 1a, and is connected to network N, which is a wide-area network such as the Internet. Server 8 provides a service for remotely controlling the air conditioning system 1a. As shown in Figure 10, the hardware configuration of Server 8 includes a control circuit 80, a communication unit 81, and an auxiliary storage device 82. The control circuit 80 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls Server 8. Details of the functions of Server 8 realized by the control circuit 80 will be described later.

[0056] The communication unit 81 is a communication interface connected to the network N for communicating with the sound sensor 5a. The auxiliary storage device 82 is composed of a read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory, HDD, etc. Examples of read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory include EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, etc. The auxiliary storage device 82 stores a remote control program, which is a program for realizing remote control of the air conditioning system 1a, and data used when the remote control program is executed. The server 8 can obtain the remote control program or an update program for updating the remote control program from a server (not shown) via communication with the network N and save it to the auxiliary storage device 82.

[0057] Furthermore, remote control programs or update programs can also be distributed by storing them on computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magneto-optical disks, USB memory sticks, HDDs, SSDs, and memory cards. When such recording media are directly or indirectly attached to the server 8, the server 8 can also read the remote control program or update program from the recording media and save it to the auxiliary storage device 82.

[0058] <Functional Configuration of Sound Sensor 5a and Server 8> Next, the functions of the sound sensor 5a and server 8 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 11, the sound sensor 5a includes a sound data transmission unit 500 and an operation command relay unit 501. These functions are realized when the control circuit 50 of the sound sensor 5a executes the sound sensor program, which is a program for controlling the sound sensor 5a and is stored in the auxiliary storage device 53.

[0059] Server 8 comprises a sound data receiving unit 800, a sound data analysis unit 801, an operation command generation unit 802, and an operation command transmission unit 803. These functions are realized when the control circuit 80 of Server 8 executes the aforementioned remote control program stored in the auxiliary storage device 82.

[0060] In the sound sensor 5a, the sound data transmission unit 500 transmits sound data indicating the detected ambient sound to the server 8. In the server 8, the sound data receiving unit 800 receives the sound data transmitted from the sound sensor 5a. When the sound data receiving unit 800 receives the sound data, it notifies the sound data analysis unit 801 of this fact. The sound data analysis unit 801 is an example of a means for acquiring pure ambient sound according to the present disclosure, and is an example of a means for determining unpleasant sound according to the present disclosure. The sound data analysis unit 801 analyzes the sound data received by the sound data receiving unit 800. First, the sound data analysis unit 801 obtains pure ambient sound, which is the ambient sound excluding the current operating sound of the air conditioner, by removing the operating sound data indicating the operating sound in the air-conditioned area of ​​the air conditioner from the sound data received by the sound data receiving unit 800. In this embodiment, the operating sound of the air conditioner means the operating sound of all indoor units 2 provided in the air conditioning system 1a.

[0061] The operating sound data may be generated by inputting predetermined fixed data into the server 8 before shipment and saving it to the control circuit 80 or auxiliary storage device 82, or by deriving it after the air conditioning system 1a is installed by operating it in a quiet environment and saving it to the auxiliary storage device 82. Preferably, the operating sound data is generated according to the operating conditions. Operating conditions include, for example, combinations of operating mode (cooling, heating, dehumidification, etc.), airflow volume (small, medium, large, etc.), and airflow direction (up, down, left, right, swing, etc.).

[0062] Next, the sound data analysis unit 801 determines whether the pure ambient sound acquired as described above is an unpleasant sound. The sound data analysis unit 801 makes this determination using the same method as the sound data analysis unit 401 in Embodiment 1. Once the sound data analysis unit 801 has determined whether the pure ambient sound is unpleasant, it notifies the operation command generation unit 802 of the determination result and the level of the pure ambient sound. The operation command generation unit 802 generates an operation command for operating the air conditioner based on the determination result and the level of the pure ambient sound from the sound data analysis unit 801. The operation command generation unit 802 generates the operation command using the same method as the operation command generation unit 402 in Embodiment 1.

[0063] The operation command transmission unit 803 transmits the operation command generated by the operation command generation unit 802 to the sound sensor 5a. The operation command relay unit 501 of the sound sensor 5a receives the operation command transmitted from the server 8 and transmits the received operation command to the remote control 4a. The remote control 4a transmits the operation command received from the sound sensor 5a to the indoor unit 2. The indoor unit 2, upon receiving the operation command, performs an operation according to the content of the operation command. Furthermore, if the indoor unit 2's state changes as a result of the operation according to the operation command, it notifies the outdoor unit 3 of this change as necessary. In the server 8, the operation command generation unit 802 and the operation command transmission unit 803 are examples of the air conditioning control means according to this disclosure.

[0064] As described above, in the air conditioning system 1a of this embodiment, the server 8 acquires the pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by subtracting the operating sound of the air conditioner from the sound detected by the sound sensor 5a, and determines whether the acquired pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound or not. If the server 8 determines that the pure ambient sound is not an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound. If the server 8 determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound.

[0065] This makes it possible to avoid the risk of causing discomfort to users due to the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is not unpleasant, and to mitigate the discomfort caused by the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is unpleasant. Therefore, it becomes possible to realize air conditioning control that takes into consideration the user's comfort in terms of the sound environment.

[0066] Furthermore, since server 8 performs the analysis of sound data, more advanced analysis becomes possible, improving the accuracy of air conditioning control.

[0067] (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the sound data analysis unit 801 of the server 8 determined whether or not the pure ambient sound was unpleasant based on the level (i.e., sound pressure), frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound, similar to the first embodiment. However, the determination of whether or not the pure ambient sound was unpleasant could also be made based on the level, frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound.

[0068] (Modification 2) The air conditioner (indoor unit 2 and outdoor unit 3) may store operating sound data, and the server 8 may acquire the operating sound data from the air conditioner.

[0069] (Modification 3) In the above embodiment, the operation command generation unit 802 of the server 8 was configured to generate operation commands to control at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of the indoor unit 2, based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 801 and the level of pure ambient sound, similar to the first embodiment. However, the operation commands generated by the operation command generation unit 802 are not limited to these operations. In the operation command generation unit 802, any operation related to the operating sound of the indoor unit 2 is subject to the generation of operation commands.

[0070] (Modification 4) In the air conditioning system 1a, if there are operating modes related to the operating noise of the air conditioner (for example, normal mode and silent mode), the operation command generation unit 802 may generate an operation command to operate the air conditioner in normal mode or silent mode based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 801 and the level of pure ambient noise. For example, if the sound data analysis unit 801 determines that the pure ambient noise is unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 802 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in normal mode. On the other hand, if the sound data analysis unit 801 determines that the pure ambient noise is not unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 802 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in silent mode.

[0071] Furthermore, if there are multiple stages in the silent mode (for example, stages 1 to 3, with the level of silence increasing as the stage increases), the operation command generation unit 802 may determine the stage of the silent mode based on the judgment result of the sound data analysis unit 801 and the level of pure ambient noise, and generate an operation command to operate in the determined silent mode stage. In this case, for example, if the sound data analysis unit 801 determines that the pure ambient noise is unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 802 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in silent mode stage 1. On the other hand, if the sound data analysis unit 801 determines that the pure ambient noise is not unpleasant, the operation command generation unit 802 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner in silent mode stage 3.

[0072] (Modification 5) The air conditioning system 1a may be a system for air conditioning a house. In this case, it is assumed that the operating noise of the outdoor unit 3 will affect the indoor sound environment. Therefore, the operation command generation unit 802 of the server 8 may be configured to generate an operation command that further controls the frequency of the compressor of the outdoor unit 3 according to the magnitude of the operating noise of the outdoor unit 3. In this case, the operating noise data used by the sound data analysis unit 801 of the server 8 when acquiring pure ambient noise will also include the operating noise data of the outdoor unit 3 (operating noise transmitted into the room).

[0073] (Modification 6) Server 8 may receive feedback from the user regarding the sound environment, learn the sound environment based on the feedback received, and use the learning results for sound data analysis, air conditioning control, etc.

[0074] (Modification 7) All or part of the functional unit of the sound sensor 5a (see Figure 11) may be implemented with dedicated hardware. Also, all or part of the functional unit of the server 8 (see Figure 11) may be implemented with dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof.

[0075] The technical concepts related to each of the above-described modifications may be implemented individually or in combination as appropriate.

[0076] (Embodiment 3) Next, Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, components and the like that are common to Embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0077] Figure 12 shows the overall configuration of the air conditioning system 1b in Embodiment 3. The air conditioning system 1b is an example of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, and is a system for air conditioning buildings such as office buildings and stores. The air conditioning system 1b comprises an indoor unit 2, an outdoor unit 3, a remote control 4b, a sound sensor 5, and a motion sensor 9. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 constitute an air conditioner. This air conditioner is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected communicatively via an air conditioning communication line 6 and are also connected via refrigerant piping (not shown) for circulating the refrigerant. The indoor unit 2 and the remote control 4b are connected communicatively via a remote control communication line 7. Although Figure 12 illustrates a configuration in which the air conditioning system 1b has one indoor unit 2, there is no limit to the number of indoor units 2 that the air conditioning system 1b has, and there may be two or more.

[0078] The configuration of the air conditioning system 1b differs from that of the air conditioning system 1 in Embodiment 1 (see Figure 1) in that it is equipped with a remote control 4b and a motion sensor 9 instead of the remote control 4, but the configurations of both systems are the same in all other respects.

[0079] <Hardware Configuration of Remote Control 4b> Remote control 4b is a remote controller for receiving air conditioning operations from users who use the building on a daily basis, and is a device that controls the air conditioner (indoor unit 2 and outdoor unit 3) based on sound detected by sound sensor 5 and presence or absence of people detected by motion sensor 9. Remote control 4b is installed, for example, near the entrance to the floor that is the area to be air-conditioned in the building. The hardware configuration of remote control 4b is the same as that of remote control 4 in Embodiment 1 (see Figure 4).

[0080] <Hardware Configuration of Human Presence Sensor 9> The human presence sensor 9 is an example of a human presence detection means according to this disclosure, and is a device that detects the presence or absence of a person in its surroundings. The human presence sensor 9 is installed in an appropriate location (for example, on the ceiling) within the area to be air-conditioned in the air conditioning system 1b. That is, the human presence sensor 9 detects the presence or absence of a person within the area to be air-conditioned. As shown in Figure 13, the human presence sensor 9 comprises a control circuit 90, a sensor circuit 91, a communication unit 92, and an auxiliary storage device 93 as its hardware configuration. The control circuit 90 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls the human presence sensor 9. The sensor circuit 91 is configured, for example, as a thermal image sensor, and detects the presence or absence of a person. The sensor circuit 91 outputs presence or absence data indicating the detected presence or absence of a person to the control circuit 90.

[0081] The communication unit 92 is a communication interface for wirelessly communicating with the remote control 4b according to instructions from the control circuit 90 and transmitting presence / absence data. For example, the communication unit 92 communicates with the remote control 4b using short-range wireless communication such as BLE or NFC. The auxiliary storage device 93 is composed of, for example, a read / write non-volatile semiconductor memory such as EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 93 stores a human presence sensor program, which is a program for controlling the human presence sensor 9, and data used when the human presence sensor program is executed.

[0082] The motion sensor 9 can wirelessly communicate with a terminal (not shown) to obtain the motion sensor program or an update program for updating the motion sensor program from the terminal and store it in the auxiliary storage device 93. The motion sensor program or update program can also be distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD, magneto-optical disk, USB memory, HDD, SSD, or memory card. When such a recording medium is directly or indirectly attached to the motion sensor 9, it can read the motion sensor program or update program from the recording medium and store it in the auxiliary storage device 93.

[0083] <Functional Configuration of Remote Control 4b> As shown in Figure 14, the remote control 4b includes, as a characteristic function of this disclosure, a sound data receiving unit 400, a sound data analysis unit 401, a presence / absence data receiving unit 404, an operation command generation unit 405, and an operation command transmission unit 403. These functions are realized when the control circuit 40 of the remote control 4b executes a remote control program, which is a program for controlling the remote control 4b, stored in the auxiliary storage device 45. In addition, the remote control 4b also has functions such as receiving operations related to air conditioning from the user and sending operation commands corresponding to the received operations to the remote control communication line 7 to control the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, similar to a general remote control, but such general functions will not be explained.

[0084] The functional configuration of remote control 4b differs from that of remote control 4 in Embodiment 1 (see Figure 6) in that it includes a presence / absence data receiving unit 404 and an operation command generation unit 405 instead of an operation command generation unit 402, but the functional configurations of both are the same in all other respects.

[0085] The presence / absence data receiving unit 404 receives presence / absence data transmitted from the human presence sensor 9. Upon receiving presence / absence data, the presence / absence data receiving unit 404 notifies the operation command generation unit 405 of this fact. If the presence / absence data indicates the presence of a person (i.e., there is an occupant), the operation command generation unit 405 generates an operation command to operate the air conditioner based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of pure ambient sound, similar to the operation command generation unit 402 in Embodiment 1. On the other hand, if there is no occupant, the operation command generation unit 405 does not generate an operation command based on the determination result of the sound data analysis unit 401 and the level of pure ambient sound. The operation command transmission unit 403 transmits the operation command generated by the operation command generation unit 405 to the indoor unit 2. The operation command generation unit 405 and the operation command transmission unit 403 are examples of air conditioning control means according to this disclosure.

[0086] As described above, in the air conditioning system 1b of this embodiment, the remote control 4b acquires the pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by subtracting the operating sound of the air conditioner from the sound detected by the sound sensor 5, and determines whether the acquired pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound. If the remote control 4b determines that the pure ambient sound is not an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound. If the remote control 4b determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, it controls the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound.

[0087] This makes it possible to avoid the risk of causing discomfort to users due to the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is not unpleasant, and to mitigate the discomfort caused by the operating noise of the air conditioner if the current ambient noise is unpleasant. Therefore, it becomes possible to realize air conditioning control that takes into consideration the user's comfort in terms of the sound environment.

[0088] Furthermore, the remote control 4b receives presence / absence data transmitted from the motion sensor 9 and controls the air conditioner while also considering the presence or absence of people. This enables more appropriate air conditioning control.

[0089] (Modification 1) If the indoor unit 2 is equipped with a motion sensor such as a thermal image sensor, the remote control 4b may determine whether or not a person is present based on the detection result of the motion sensor.

[0090] (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, the sound data analysis unit 401 of the remote control 4b was configured to analyze sound data regardless of whether there was a person in the room or not. However, it may be configured not to analyze sound data when there is no person in the room.

[0091] (Modification 3) The configurations of Modifications 1 to 7 of Embodiment 1 can also be applied to the air conditioning system 1b in this embodiment.

[0092] (Modification 4) The configuration of the air conditioning system 1a of Embodiment 2 and the configurations of Modifications 1 to 6 of Embodiment 2 can also be applied to the air conditioning system 1b in this embodiment.

[0093] (Modification 5) All or part of the functional unit of the remote control 4b (see Figure 14) may be implemented using dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware may include, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof.

[0094] The technical concepts related to each of the above-described modifications may be implemented individually or in combination as appropriate.

[0095] This disclosure can be implemented in various forms and variations without departing from its broad spirit and scope. 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 variations implemented within the scope of the claims and the equivalent significance of the disclosure are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0096] Various aspects of this disclosure are described below. (Appendix 1) An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner and sound detection means for detecting ambient noise, comprising: pure ambient noise acquisition means for acquiring pure ambient noise, which is the sound obtained by removing the operating noise of the air conditioner from the detected sound; unpleasant noise determination means for determining whether the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise; and air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise, and for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise. (Appendix 2) The air conditioning system according to Appendix 1, wherein the unpleasant noise determination means determines whether the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise based on the level of the pure ambient noise and at least one of the frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient noise. (Note 3) The air conditioning system according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning control means controls at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of each indoor unit included in the air conditioner. (Note 4) The air conditioning system according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioning control means controls the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner is 10 dB or more lower than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is not an unpleasant noise. (Note 5) The air conditioning system according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, further comprising a person presence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a person, wherein the air conditioning control means controls the air conditioner taking into account the detected presence or absence of a person. (Note 6) An air conditioning control device comprising: a pure ambient sound acquisition means for acquiring pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by excluding the operating sound of the air conditioner from the sound detected by a sound detection means for detecting ambient sound; an unpleasant sound determination means for determining whether the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound; and an air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound when the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, and controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound when the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound.(Note 7) An air conditioning control method comprising: a sound detection means that detects ambient sounds; a pure ambient sound acquisition means that acquires pure ambient sounds, which are the sounds obtained by removing the operating sounds of the air conditioner from the detected sounds; an unpleasant sound determination means that determines whether or not the pure ambient sounds are unpleasant sounds; and an air conditioning control means that, if the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sounds are not unpleasant sounds, controls the air conditioner so that the operating sounds of the air conditioner do not become louder than the pure ambient sounds; and if the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sounds are unpleasant sounds, controls the air conditioner so that the operating sounds of the air conditioner become louder than the pure ambient sounds.

[0097] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-008455, filed on 21 January 2025. The entire specification, claims, and drawings of the same are incorporated herein by reference.

[0098] This disclosure can be suitably adopted in a building air conditioning system.

[0099] 1, 1a, 1c Air conditioning system, 2 Indoor unit, 3 Outdoor unit, 4, 4a, 4b Remote control, 5, 5a Sound sensor, 6 Air conditioning communication line, 7 Remote control communication line, 8 Server, 9 Human presence sensor, 20, 30, 40, 50, 80, 90 Control circuit, 21, 43, 54 First communication unit, 22, 44, 55 Second communication unit, 23, 32 Main component unit, 24, 33, 45, 53, 82, 93 Auxiliary storage device, 31, 52, 81, 92 Communication unit, 41 Operation reception unit, 42 Display unit, 51, 91 Sensor circuit, 400, 800 Sound data reception unit, 401, 801 Sound data analysis unit, 402, 405, 802 Operation command generation unit, 403, 803 Operation command transmission unit, 404 Presence / absence data reception unit, 500 Audio data transmission unit, 501 Operation command relay unit

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner and sound detection means for detecting ambient noise, the system comprising: pure ambient noise acquisition means for acquiring pure ambient noise, which is the sound obtained by removing the operating noise of the air conditioner from the detected sound; unpleasant noise determination means for determining whether the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise; and air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise, and for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is an unpleasant noise.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the unpleasant sound determination means determines whether the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound based on the level of the pure ambient sound and at least one of the frequency, duration, and interval of the pure ambient sound.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning control means controls at least one of the airflow rate and airflow direction of each indoor unit included in the air conditioner.

4. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioning control means controls the air conditioner so that the operating noise of the air conditioner is 10 dB or less lower than the pure ambient noise when the unpleasant noise determination means determines that the pure ambient noise is not an unpleasant noise.

5. An air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a person presence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a person, wherein the air conditioning control means controls the air conditioner taking into account the detected presence or absence of a person.

6. An air conditioning control device comprising: a pure ambient sound acquisition means for acquiring pure ambient sound, which is the sound obtained by excluding the operating sound of the air conditioner from the sound detected by a sound detection means for detecting ambient sounds; an unpleasant sound determination means for determining whether the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound; and an air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner does not become louder than the pure ambient sound when the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound, and controlling the air conditioner so that the operating sound of the air conditioner becomes louder than the pure ambient sound when the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sound is an unpleasant sound.

7. An air conditioning control method comprising: a sound detection means that detects ambient sounds; a pure ambient sound acquisition means that acquires pure ambient sounds, which are the sounds obtained by removing the operating sounds of the air conditioner from the detected sounds; an unpleasant sound determination means that determines whether or not the pure ambient sounds are unpleasant sounds; and an air conditioning control means that, if the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sounds are not unpleasant sounds, controls the air conditioner so that the operating sounds of the air conditioner do not become louder than the pure ambient sounds; and if the unpleasant sound determination means determines that the pure ambient sounds are unpleasant sounds, controls the air conditioner so that the operating sounds of the air conditioner become louder than the pure ambient sounds.

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