Operation planning method, operation control device, and operation planning system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioning control systems often experience delays in responding to user presence, leading to compromised comfort due to inefficient control mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

An operation planning method that generates and transmits specific control parameters to air conditioners based on schedule data and operation results, determining the optimal energy-saving or normal operation state for zones where meetings are held, thereby ensuring suitable comfort levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If air conditioning control is performed based on sensor detection of person movement, then energy saving can be achieved, but control delay occurs and user comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcontrol delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by determining air conditioner operation states in advance based on meeting schedule data before users actually arrive at meeting zones. The control device identifies scheduled meetings, determines required zones, and pre-configures operation states (energy-saving or normal mode) based on participant numbers, so that when users arrive, the air conditioners are already in the correct state without detection delay

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces meeting schedule data as an intermediary information source between user presence and air conditioner control. Instead of directly sensing user presence with sensors that cause delays, the system uses schedule data (meeting titles, participant numbers, time zones) as a mediator to indirectly determine user presence and pre-determine appropriate air conditioner operation states

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If air conditioner operates in energy saving state, then power consumption is reduced, but user comfort deteriorates when meeting is held

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts air conditioner operation states based on meeting participant numbers. When participant numbers are small, the air conditioner operates in energy-saving state; when participant numbers are large, it switches to normal operation state to ensure comfort. This dynamic adjustment is determined in advance using schedule data, allowing flexible adaptation to different meeting scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes operational parameters (operation state: energy-saving vs. normal mode) of air conditioners based on meeting participant numbers obtained from schedule data. The control device determines appropriate parameter settings in advance and transmits them to air conditioners, ensuring that parameters are optimized for both energy efficiency and user comfort based on actual meeting requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3696472B1Operation planning method, operation control device, and operation planning system
Publication Date: 2024.04.03 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3696472B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3696472B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3696472B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to suitably control an air conditioner and suppress deterioration in comfort. Operation result data indicating operation results of a plurality of air conditioners 10 and schedule data in which a schedule of a meeting is registered are acquired. An air conditioning zone 25 where the scheduled meeting registered in the schedule data is held is determined based on the acquired schedule data and the acquired operation result data, it is determined, based on the number of participants in the meeting held in the determined air conditioning zone 25, whether an operation state of the air conditioner 10 associated with the determined air conditioning zone 25 is set to an energy saving operation state in which power consumption of the air conditioner 10 is reduced or a normal operation state in which the power consumption is not reduced, parameters for controlling the air conditioner 10 are determined, the air conditioning control parameters corresponding to the determined operation state, and the generated air conditioning control parameters are transmitted to the air conditioner 10 associated with the determined air conditioning zone 25.