Sensor control method executed by air-conditioning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air-conditioning systems using infrared sensors face challenges in achieving high-resolution thermal imaging of specific areas due to the low number of infrared light-receiving elements, leading to inefficient energy consumption and delayed control processing, especially when performing super-resolution reconstruction on entire areas rather than areas of interest.
Innovation Solution
A sensor control method that involves acquiring a first thermal image, extracting a subject thermal image by background subtraction, determining a second scanning scheme based on the subject's size, and re-scanning only the relevant area with the infrared sensor to enhance resolution and reduce computational load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of infrared light-receiving elements is increased to improve image resolution, then the resolution of the thermal image is improved, but the cost of the infrared sensor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the scanning process into two stages: a first scanning scheme that covers a wide area to locate subjects, and a second scanning scheme that focuses on specific areas of interest with higher resolution. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high-resolution imaging of relevant areas without requiring a large number of infrared light-receiving elements across the entire sensor array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances image resolution not by increasing the number of elements in the sensor array, but by utilizing temporal dimension through multiple scanning passes. By performing sequential scans with different schemes and combining the data, the system achieves super-resolution reconstruction without adding more physical sensors.
2Measurement precision
If super-resolution reconstruction is performed on the entire area to improve image resolution, then the resolution is enhanced, but the processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies subject thermal images from the overall thermal image using background subtraction. By isolating only the areas containing subjects (people, objects of interest) from the background, the system performs super-resolution reconstruction only on these extracted subject regions rather than processing the entire scanned area, thereby reducing processing time and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different scanning schemes to different regions: a first scanning scheme for general area coverage and a second scanning scheme with higher resolution for specific subject areas. This local differentiation ensures that computational resources are concentrated on enhancing the quality of relevant regions while maintaining efficiency in less critical areas.
3Area of stationary object
If a first scanning scheme is used to acquire the entire area, then the coverage is complete, but the resolution of specific subjects is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic scanning approach where the scanning scheme is adjusted based on the detected subjects. After the first scanning scheme identifies subject locations, the system dynamically switches to a second scanning scheme that targets these specific subjects with higher resolution, allowing the system to adapt its scanning strategy to the actual scene requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs a preliminary first scanning scheme to identify the locations and boundaries of subjects before conducting the second high-resolution scanning. This preliminary action allows the system to plan and execute the subsequent detailed scanning efficiently, ensuring that both comprehensive coverage and high subject resolution are achieved.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient acquisition of high-resolution thermal images with reduced energy consumption and processing delays, enabling flexible and accurate control of air-conditioning systems by focusing on specific areas of interest.
Implementation Method 1
infrared sensor constituted by a plurality of infrared light-receiving elements
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor control method that is executed by an air-conditioning apparatus includes: acquiring a first thermal image by scanning an air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with a first scanning scheme, the air-conditioning apparatus being placed in the air-conditioned space; extracting a subject thermal image from the first thermal image, based on a difference between a background thermal image of the air-conditioned space when no subject is present therein and the first thermal image; determining a second scanning scheme different from the first scanning scheme, when the subject thermal image has a size smaller than a threshold size; and acquiring a second thermal image by scanning an area corresponding to the subject thermal image of the air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with the determined second scanning scheme.