JP7219848B1 - REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE, REMOTE CONTROL PROGRAM, AND REMOTE CONTROL METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to estimate the current operating state of an air conditioner even when bi-directional data communication cannot be performed with the air conditioner. SOLUTION: A smart remote controller 1 performs unidirectional infrared communication that only transmits an instruction received from a user to an air conditioner 2 using infrared rays, and obtains seasonal information, which is information related to the season, and the indoor temperature at home 7. The current season is estimated using the acquired seasonal information, and the recommended set temperature of the air conditioner 2 corresponding to each estimated season is compared with the acquired room temperature, and the room temperature is set to the recommended set temperature by the air conditioner 2. set the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner 2 is not operated such that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, control the air conditioner 2 to avoid [Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a remote control device, a remote control program, and a remote control method for controlling an air conditioner by an infrared method.

A method of remotely controlling an air conditioner in a house using a smart remote controller connected to a communication line has been conventionally known. discloses an air conditioning system that controls an air conditioner by transmitting control data according to an instruction received by the air conditioner.

JP 2017-207254 A

The conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 performs data communication using ECHONETLite (registered trademark) as a communication method between an air conditioner and a smart remote controller. ECHONET Lite allows two-way data communication between the air conditioner and the smart remote controller. Therefore, smart remote controllers compatible with the ECHONETLite system can control the power supply status of the air conditioner, the operation mode such as which type of operation the air conditioner is performing among cooling, heating, dehumidification, etc., air volume and temperature, etc. condition setting can be obtained from the air conditioner in advance, and a relative operation instruction can be given based on the current operating state of the air conditioner.

However, the smart remote controller of the air conditioner used by the user does not necessarily support the ECHONETLite system. For example, if the smart remote control for an air conditioner uses an infrared method, the data transmission direction is limited to one direction from the smart remote control to the air conditioner in the infrared method, so the smart remote control cannot obtain the current operating status of the air conditioner. can't In other words, even a remote user cannot know the current operating status of the air conditioner.

As described above, when an infrared smart remote controller is used to control an air conditioner, the smart remote controller controls the air conditioner according to an instruction from a user who does not know the current operating state of the air conditioner. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where demand response (DR) control for the purpose of power saving must be performed, if the control data corresponding to the user's instruction is sent to the air conditioner as it is, the air conditioner stops, for example. There arises a problem that the air conditioner may be caused to operate contrary to power saving, such as turning on the power of the air conditioner or setting the set temperature in the direction of increasing power consumption.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above facts. An object of the present invention is to provide a control device, a remote control program, and a remote control method.

To achieve the above object, a remote control device according to a first aspect transmits an instruction to an air conditioner to the air conditioner using infrared rays, while receiving a response from the air conditioner to the instruction. a communication unit that performs unidirectional infrared communication that cannot be performed, an acquisition unit that acquires seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed, and the seasonal information acquired by the acquisition unit. an estimating unit for estimating the current season, and a recommended setting temperature predetermined as a recommended setting temperature of the air conditioner for each season estimated by the estimating unit and the indoor temperature acquired by the acquiring unit, When the air conditioner is operated such that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and the room temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature. a control unit that does not control the air conditioner when the operation exceeding the temperature is not performed.

A remote control device according to a second aspect is the remote control device according to the first aspect, wherein the estimation unit estimates whether the current season is summer or winter using the season information, and the control unit when the current season estimated by the estimation unit is summer, and the indoor temperature is less than a first recommended temperature setting predetermined as a recommended temperature setting for the air conditioner in summer, setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature, and not controlling the air conditioner when the indoor temperature is equal to or higher than the first recommended set temperature; When the current season estimated in is winter, if the indoor temperature exceeds a second recommended set temperature predetermined as the recommended set temperature of the air conditioner in winter, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the second recommended set temperature, and the air conditioner is not controlled when the room temperature is equal to or lower than the second recommended set temperature.

A remote control device according to a third aspect is the remote control device according to the second aspect, wherein when the current season is summer and the indoor temperature is equal to or higher than the first recommended set temperature, and, when the current season is winter and the indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the second recommended set temperature, instead of not controlling the air conditioner, the power supply of the air conditioner is turned on. Control to turn off.

A remote control device according to a fourth aspect is the remote control device according to the third aspect, wherein the control unit changes at least one of the first recommended set temperature and the second recommended set temperature according to a user's instruction. control.

A remote control device according to a fifth aspect is the remote control device according to the second aspect, wherein the acquisition unit includes location information of a user who has registered a house in which the air conditioner is installed as his or her home, and At least one of the illuminance in the room of the installed house is further acquired, and the control unit determines whether the indoor temperature is less than the first recommended set temperature when the current season is summer, or when the current season is When the indoor temperature exceeds the second recommended set temperature in winter, at least one of the user's location information and the illuminance is used to identify the user's home status in the house where the air conditioner is installed. However, when it is specified that the user is absent, the air conditioner is not controlled.

A remote control device according to a sixth aspect is the remote control device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the acquisition unit acquires user location information obtained from a portable device carried by the user, and the control unit acquires the acquired location information. If the user's position represented by the information is away from the user's home by a specified distance or more, the user is identified as absent from the user's home, and if the user's position is less than the specified distance from the user's home, Alternatively, if the user's home is not registered, it is specified that the user is at the user's home, and the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the first recommended set temperature or the first recommended set temperature according to the current season. 2 Control to set the recommended set temperature.

A remote control device according to a seventh aspect is the remote control device according to the sixth aspect, wherein the control unit does not control the air conditioner when it is specified that the user is absent from the user's home. Instead, control is performed to turn off the air conditioner.

A remote control device according to an eighth aspect is the remote control device according to the seventh aspect, wherein at least one of the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the prescribed distance is changed according to a user's instruction. control.

A remote control device according to a ninth aspect is the remote control device according to the sixth aspect, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the illuminance in the room from an illuminance sensor provided in the room of the house in which the air conditioner is installed, Before setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature, the control unit adjusts the acquired illuminance to the inside of the room by closing the window curtains in the room. If the illuminance is less than a specified illuminance representing the illuminance in the room when the lights are turned off, it is determined that the user is absent from the user's home, and the air conditioner is not controlled.

A remote control device according to a tenth aspect is the remote control device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the illuminance in the room from an illuminance sensor provided in the room of the house in which the air conditioner is installed, When the obtained illuminance is less than a specified illuminance in the room when the curtains of the windows in the room are closed and the lights in the room are turned off, the control unit controls the user to enter the user's home. Identify as absent.

A remote control device according to an eleventh aspect is the remote control device according to the tenth aspect, wherein even if the acquired illuminance is equal to or higher than the specified illuminance, the acquired illuminance is less than the average illuminance in the house. If there is, it is specified that the user is absent from the user's home, and if the acquired illuminance is equal to or higher than the average illuminance, it is specified that the user is at home at the user's home, and according to the current season, Control is performed to set the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature.

A remote control device according to a twelfth aspect is the remote control device according to the eleventh aspect, wherein the control unit does not control the air conditioner when it is specified that the user is absent from the user's home. Instead, control is performed to turn off the air conditioner.

A remote control device according to a thirteenth aspect is the remote control device according to the twelfth aspect, wherein at least one of the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, the specified illumination intensity, and the average illumination intensity is adjusted in accordance with a user's instruction. control to change one.

A remote control device according to a fourteenth aspect is the remote control device according to any one of the second aspect to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the control unit sets the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature, or Before setting the second recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is operated in cooling operation or heating operation according to the current season estimated by the estimation unit, and when the air conditioner is operated in cooling operation sets the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature, sets the set temperature of the air conditioner to the second recommended set temperature when the air conditioner is operated for heating, and sets the set temperature of the air conditioner to the second recommended set temperature. A second indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit before the operation of the air conditioner, with respect to a first indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit after operating for a predetermined period of time When the sign of the temperature difference is a specified sign that is a sign predetermined according to the season estimated by the estimation unit, control is performed to turn off the power of the air conditioner.

A remote control device according to a fifteenth aspect is the remote control device according to the fourteenth aspect, wherein the specified sign is set to be negative when the current season is summer, and the specified sign is set to be positive when the current season is winter. is set to

A remote control device according to a sixteenth aspect performs one-way infrared communication in which a command to an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the command cannot be received. a communication unit, an acquisition unit that acquires seasonal information, which is information about a season, and an indoor temperature in a house in which the air conditioner is installed, and an estimation that estimates the current season using the season information acquired by the acquisition unit. and operating the air conditioner in a predetermined operating mode and at a set temperature according to the current season estimated by the estimating unit, and operating the air conditioner for a predetermined operating time. The sign of the temperature difference between the second indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit before the operation of the air conditioner, with respect to the first indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit after If it is a specified code that is a code predetermined according to the season estimated by the estimation unit, control is performed to turn off the power of the air conditioner, and the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified code. and a control unit that controls the air conditioner to continue to operate.

A remote control device according to a seventeenth aspect is the remote control device according to the sixteenth aspect, wherein when the current season estimated by the estimation unit is summer, the controller operates the air conditioner in cooling operation and setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to a first recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner in summer, and when the current season estimated by the estimation unit is winter, the air conditioner is operated in heating operation, and control is performed to set the set temperature of the air conditioner to a second recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner in winter.

A remote control device according to an eighteenth aspect is the remote control device according to the seventeenth aspect, wherein the controller operates the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the air conditioner in accordance with user instructions. Control to change at least one of the times.

A remote control program according to a nineteenth aspect, in which a computer transmits an instruction to an air conditioner to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but cannot receive a response from the air conditioner to the instruction. Communicate to obtain seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed, estimate the current season using the acquired seasonal information, and perform the air conditioning for each estimated season. A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner is compared with the obtained indoor temperature, and if the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner is not operated such that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is not controlled. It is a program to run.

A remote control program according to a twentieth aspect provides a computer with a unidirectional infrared ray that transmits an instruction to an air conditioner to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but cannot receive a response from the air conditioner to the instruction. Communicate, acquire seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed, estimate the current season using the acquired seasonal information, and adjust the estimated current season Accordingly, the air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature, and the first room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period, When the sign of the temperature difference of the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, is a specified code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season, the air conditioner is turned off, and when the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign, the control is executed to keep the air conditioner operating as it is.

A remote control method according to a twenty-first aspect performs one-way infrared communication in which an instruction to an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received. , acquiring seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed, estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information, and recommending the air conditioner for each estimated season A recommended set temperature predetermined as a set temperature is compared with the acquired indoor temperature, and if the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the setting of the air conditioner A computer executes a process of setting the temperature to the recommended set temperature and not controlling the air conditioner when the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. It is a way to

A remote control method according to a twenty-second aspect performs one-way infrared communication in which an instruction to an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received. , acquiring seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed, estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information, and preliminarily according to the estimated current season The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature, and the first room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period, is the air conditioner. When the sign of the temperature difference of the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, is a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season, the power supply of the air conditioner In this method, the computer performs control to turn off the air conditioner, and if the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign, the computer executes processing to control the air conditioner to continue to operate.

According to the 1st, 16th, 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd aspects, even if bidirectional data communication cannot be performed with the air conditioner, It has the effect of being able to estimate the current operating state of the air conditioner.

According to the second aspect, there is an effect that control leading to power saving of the air conditioner can be executed in summer and winter.

According to the third aspect, there is an effect that the power consumption of the air conditioner can sometimes be reduced compared to the case where no control is performed on the air conditioner.

According to the fourth aspect, there is an effect that the first recommended set temperature and the second recommended set temperature can be set to the user's preference.

According to the fifth aspect, there is an effect that the operating state of the air conditioner can be accurately estimated as compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner only from the room temperature.

According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner by combining the room temperature and the user's location information.

According to the seventh aspect, there is an effect that the power consumption of the air conditioner can sometimes be reduced compared to the case where no control is performed on the air conditioner.

According to the eighth aspect, there is an effect that the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the prescribed distance can be set to the user's preference.

According to the ninth aspect, it is possible to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner by combining the room temperature, the user's location information, and the illuminance of the user's home.

According to the tenth aspect, there is an effect that the user's at-home status can be identified by comparing the illuminance of the user's home with the specified illuminance.

According to the eleventh aspect, the user's at-home situation obtained from the illuminance of the user's home is specified with higher accuracy than when the user's at-home situation is specified only by comparing the illuminance of the user's home with the specified illuminance. It has the effect of being able to

According to the twelfth aspect, there is an effect that the power consumption of the air conditioner can sometimes be reduced compared to the case where no control is performed on the air conditioner when the user is absent.

According to the thirteenth aspect, there is an effect that the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, the prescribed illuminance, and the average illuminance can be set to the user's preference.

According to the fourteenth aspect, compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner without actually operating the air conditioner whose set temperature is set to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature according to the season. As a result, it is possible to accurately estimate the operating state of the air conditioner.

According to the fifteenth aspect, in the summer, when the indoor temperature after the operation of the air conditioner is lower than the indoor temperature before the operation, it is specified that the air conditioner was powered off before the operation, and in the winter, the air conditioner When the room temperature after the operation of is higher than the room temperature before the operation, it can be determined that the air conditioner was turned off before the operation.

According to the seventeenth aspect, it is possible to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner by operating the air conditioner at the recommended set temperature according to the season.

According to the eighteenth aspect, it is possible to set the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the operation time of the air conditioner to the user's preference.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration example of a remote control system. It is a figure which shows the functional structural example of a smart remote control. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an electric system in a smart remote control; 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using room temperature; 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using indoor temperature and user position information; 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of GPS determination processing; 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using room temperature and home illuminance. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of illuminance determination processing; 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of illumination addition determination processing; 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using indoor temperature, user position information, and home illuminance. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow of air conditioner control processing using a temperature difference between indoor temperatures; 6 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using the room temperature and the temperature difference between the room temperatures. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using indoor temperature, user position information, and temperature difference between indoor temperatures. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using indoor temperature, home illuminance, and temperature difference between indoor temperatures. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing using indoor temperature, user position information, home illuminance, and temperature difference between indoor temperatures.

Embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same constituent elements and the same processing are given the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of a remote control system 100. As shown in FIG. The remote control system 100 includes a smart remote controller 1 , an air conditioner 2 , a sensor 3 , a user terminal 4 and a server 5 , and the smart remote controller 1 , the user terminal 4 and the server 5 are interconnected through the Internet 6 .

The smart remote controller 1 is an example of a remote control device that controls the air conditioner 2 according to instructions received from the user through the user terminal 4, for example. The smart remote controller 1 is an infrared remote control device that controls the air conditioner 2 using infrared rays. Therefore, the smart remote controller 1 can transmit a control code corresponding to the user's instruction to the air conditioner 2, but cannot receive a response from the air conditioner 2 that has received the control code. In other words, the smart remote controller 1 is a remote control device that supports unidirectional infrared communication by simply transmitting control codes from the smart remote controller 1 to the air conditioner 2 .

The control of the air conditioner 2 by the smart remote controller 1 includes, for example, on/off control of the power of the air conditioner 2, switching of operation modes, and control of the set temperature in each operation mode. The operation modes of the air conditioner 2 include, for example, cooling operation and heating operation.

The air conditioner 2 is an example of an air conditioner that receives a control code from the smart remote controller 1 through infrared communication and changes the operating state of the air conditioner 2 according to the received control code.

The air conditioner 2 is attached to the user's house as an example. In addition, "housing" assumes residential buildings such as detached houses and collective housing, but structures such as companies, factories, warehouses, stores, and vehicles where people exist or may enter It can be the whole thing. In the examples of this disclosure, the residence will be described as the user's home 7 .

The sensor 3 is an example of a measuring device installed inside the house where the air conditioner 2 is installed, and at least one sensor 3 is installed in the house 7 . The type of the sensor 3 attached to the home 7 is not limited as long as it measures physical quantities used for estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 and the state of people's homes. The type of sensor 3 will be explained later.

The user terminal 4 is an example of an information device operated by a user, and for example, a smart phone, a tablet computer, or a wearable computer is used. For convenience of explanation, a smart phone is used. By operating the user terminal 4 , the user transmits instructions for the air conditioner 2 to the smart remote controller 1 via the Internet 6 .

Server 5 is an example of a data server that stores various data used in remote control system 100 . Therefore, the server 5 stores the user's operation history, such as when and what instructions were given by the user, and the measured values of the sensor 3 in chronological order.

When the sensor 3 has an interface connected to the Internet 6, for example, the measured values measured by the sensor 3 are recorded in the server 5 in chronological order. On the other hand, if the sensor 3 does not have an interface that connects to the Internet 6, the sensor 3 transmits the measured value to the Internet 6 via an information device that has an interface that connects to the Internet 6, such as the smart remote controller 1. It is recorded in the server 5 along the series. In this case, the sensor 3 and the smart remote controller 1 may be connected by short-range wireless communication means such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), and zigbee (registered trademark), or by wire. Hereinafter, as an example, it is assumed that the sensor 3 has an interface for connecting to the Internet 6 .

In addition to the form in which the smart remote controller 1 acquires the measured value from the sensor 3 by short-range wireless communication means, the form in which the smart remote controller 1 acquires the measured value from the sensor 3 via the server 5 is also possible. is an example of a form of acquiring

The sensors 3 measure the objects to be measured at predetermined intervals instructed by the user terminal 4 for each sensor 3 and transmit the measured values to the server 5 without delay, that is, in real time. However, the measurement timing of the sensor 3 is not limited to this. For example, the sensor 3 may measure the measurement target when receiving a measurement request from the smart remote controller 1 . Further, the sensor 3 may measure the object to be measured at predetermined intervals, and may also measure the object to be measured when a measurement request is received from the smart remote controller 1 .

The connection between the smart remote controller 1 and the Internet 6 may be wired or wireless.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration example of the smart remote controller 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the smart remote controller 1 has functional units including a communication unit 1A, an acquisition unit 1B, an estimation unit 1C, and a control unit 1D.

Under the control of the control unit 1D, the communication unit 1A performs unidirectional infrared communication for transmitting a control code corresponding to an instruction received from the user to the air conditioner 2 using infrared rays. Also, the communication unit 1A can perform data communication bi-directionally with the sensor 3 and the server 5 .

The acquisition unit 1B acquires measured values from each sensor 3 via the communication unit 1A.

The estimation unit 1C estimates the current season from the measurement values of the sensor 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 1B. Since the air conditioner 2 is often used mainly in summer or winter, as an example, the estimation unit 1C estimates whether the current season is summer or winter. The "current season" is the season at the time when the estimation unit 1C is trying to estimate the season. Naturally, the seasons estimated by the estimation unit 1C are not limited to summer and winter, and may be other seasons such as spring and autumn.

The control unit 1D identifies the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in cooperation with the communication unit 1A, the acquiring unit 1B, and the estimating unit 1C, and determines control for the air conditioner 2 according to the operating state of the air conditioner 2.

Specifically, the control unit 1D obtains an example of the recommended setting temperature of the air conditioner 2 preset according to the current season estimated by the estimation unit 1C and the measurement value of the sensor 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 1B. A certain indoor temperature of the room in which the air conditioner 2 is installed (hereinafter simply referred to as "indoor temperature") is compared. After that, when the air conditioner 2 is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the control unit 1D transmits to the air conditioner 2 a control code for setting the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended set temperature. It controls the communication unit 1A. On the other hand, when the air conditioner 2 is not operated such that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the control unit 1D does not control the air conditioner 2 .

If the current season estimated by the estimation unit 1C is summer, it is highly likely that the air conditioner 2 is performing the cooling operation rather than the heating operation. By comparison, when the cooling operation is continued, the indoor temperature changes to become lower than the outdoor temperature. In this case, "the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature" refers to a state in which the room temperature drops below the recommended set temperature. On the other hand, if the current season estimated by the estimation unit 1C is winter, there is a high possibility that the air conditioner 2 is performing heating operation rather than cooling operation. However, if the heating operation is continued, the indoor temperature changes to become higher than the outdoor temperature. In this case, "the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature" refers to a state in which the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. That is, depending on the season estimated by the estimation unit 1C, the meaning of the indoor temperature exceeding the recommended set temperature differs.

The smart remote controller 1 having the functional configuration shown in FIG. 2 is configured using a computer 10, for example. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an electric system in the smart remote controller 1. As shown in FIG.

The computer 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, which is an example of a processor responsible for processing each functional unit of the smart remote controller 1 shown in FIG. , a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13 used as a temporary work area for the CPU 11, a nonvolatile memory 14, and an input/output interface (I/O) 15. CPU 11 , ROM 12 , RAM 13 , nonvolatile memory 14 and I/O 15 are each connected via bus 16 .

The nonvolatile memory 14 is an example of a storage device that maintains stored information even when the power supplied to the nonvolatile memory 14 is interrupted. For example, a semiconductor memory is used, but a hard disk may be used. Therefore, the nonvolatile memory 14 stores, for example, a remote control program that causes the computer 10 to function as the smart remote controller 1 . Note that the nonvolatile memory 14 does not necessarily have to be built in the computer 10, and may be a storage device that is removable from the computer 10, such as a memory card.

A communication unit 17, an input unit 18, and a display unit 19 are connected to the I/O 15, for example.

The communication unit 17 is connected to the Internet 6 and has a communication protocol for communicating with the sensors 3 , the user terminal 4 and the server 5 . The communication unit 17 also has a communication protocol for one-way infrared communication with the air conditioner 2 .

The input unit 18 is a device that receives user instructions and notifies the CPU 11 of them, and includes, for example, various buttons. When receiving a user's instruction from the user terminal 4, the input unit 18 does not necessarily have to be connected to the I/O 15. FIG.

The display unit 19 is a device that outputs various information processed by the CPU 11, and includes display devices such as a liquid crystal display and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. When displaying various information processed by the CPU 11 on the user terminal 4 , the display unit 19 may not necessarily be connected to the I/O 15 .

Next, the action of the smart remote controller 1 will be described in detail.

[Mode A1: Air conditioner control process using room temperature]
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a demand response (DR) control instruction for power saving is received. In addition to being received from the user terminal 4 by user operation, the DR control instruction is received, for example, from an external server (not shown) installed on the Internet 6 by an electric power supply company, a local government, or the like, along with the issuance of a power shortage warning. Sometimes.

A remote control program that defines the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 4 is pre-stored in the non-volatile memory 14, for example. The CPU 11 reads the remote control program stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 and executes the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

It is assumed that a temperature sensor 3A (see FIG. 1) for measuring the indoor temperature of the room in which the air conditioner 2 is installed is installed as the sensor 3 in the user's home 7 .

First, in step S10, the CPU 11 acquires season information, which is information about the season, and executes season determination processing for estimating the current season.

The CPU 11 acquires the outdoor temperature around the user's home 7 as seasonal information, for example, from an outdoor temperature sensor (not shown) installed outside the user's home 7 . The CPU 11 determines that the current season is summer if the acquired outdoor temperature is α° C. (α is a real number) or higher, and if the acquired outdoor temperature is less than β° C. (β is a real number, α>β), the current season is The season is determined as winter. For example, values such as temperature α=25° C. and temperature β=10° C. are stored in advance in the non-volatile memory 14, and the CPU 11 obtains the temperature α and the temperature β from the non-volatile memory 14 and compares them with the outdoor temperature. good. Note that the values of the temperature α=25° C. and the temperature β=10° C. are examples, and the temperature α and the temperature β can be changed according to the user's instruction.

The CPU 11 may also acquire the outdoor temperature of the area where the user's home 7 is located from an external server (not shown) that provides weather information and is connected to the Internet 6 .

Also, the seasonal information acquired by the CPU 11 is not limited to the outdoor temperature. For example, the CPU 11 may acquire the date at which the season determination process is being executed as season information from an external server (not shown) connected to the Internet 6 . For example, if the acquired date is between July 1st and the end of September, the CPU 11 estimates that the current season is summer. may be assumed to be winter.

In step S20, the CPU 11 acquires the recommended set temperature according to the current season estimated in step S10.

Specifically, the recommended set temperature for summer and the recommended set temperature for winter are stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory 14, respectively. 14. For convenience of explanation, the recommended set temperature in summer is referred to as "recommended set temperature in summer", and the recommended set temperature in winter is referred to as "recommended set temperature in winter". The summer recommended set temperature is an example of a first recommended set temperature, and the winter recommended set temperature is an example of a second recommended set temperature. In addition, the recommended set temperature for summer and the recommended set temperature for winter are collectively referred to as "recommended set temperature according to the season".

For example, the recommended set temperature in summer is set to 28°C and the recommended set temperature in winter is set to 20°C, but the values are not fixed to 28°C and 20°C, respectively. The CPU 11 can change at least one of the recommended set temperature for summer and the recommended set temperature for winter in accordance with user instructions. For example, the recommended summer set temperature may be set to the temperature α, and the winter recommended set temperature may be set to the temperature β.

In step S30, the CPU 11 acquires the latest room temperature from the temperature sensor 3A.

In step S40, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season. That is, when the current season is summer, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the indoor temperature is less than the recommended summer set temperature. Determine whether the temperature is exceeded. If the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the process proceeds to step S50.

In this case, it is considered that the air conditioner 2 is in operation and the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is set to a temperature that exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season. Therefore, in step S50, the CPU 11 sets the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended set temperature according to the season, and ends the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

That is, the CPU 11 sets the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended summer set temperature when the current season is summer, and sets the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended winter set temperature when the current season is winter. set to temperature. When the current season is summer, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is raised, and when the current season is winter, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is lowered, so the power consumption of the air conditioner 2 executes air conditioner control processing. will be reduced from before.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S40 that the room temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature for the season, that is, if the current season is summer, the room temperature is equal to or higher than the recommended summer set temperature. Also, if the current season is winter, and the indoor temperature is below the recommended set temperature for winter, the indoor temperature is not at a comfortable temperature for the user. It is thought that there was not. Therefore, the CPU 11 terminates the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. By not operating the air conditioner 2, the CPU 11 prevents the power consumption of the air conditioner 2 from increasing compared to before executing the air conditioner control process.

In the above example, if it is determined in the determination processing in step S40 that the indoor temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature according to the season, it is assumed that the air conditioner 2 is not operating. The air conditioner control process was terminated without performing However, in reality, it is conceivable that the air conditioner 2 is operated in a state where the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 is set within a range not exceeding the recommended set temperature according to the season. In such a case, even if the air conditioner 2 is in operation, the indoor temperature does not reach a comfortable temperature for the user. The effect on the comfort of the user is smaller than when the air conditioner 2 is turned off while the air conditioner 2 is on. Therefore, when the room temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature according to the season, the CPU 11 gives priority to power saving over user comfort, and instead of not controlling the air conditioner 2, the power supply of the air conditioner 2 is turned off. You may perform control which turns off and stops the air-conditioner 2. FIG. Even if the control to stop the air conditioner 2 is performed in a state where the air conditioner 2 is not in operation, the operating state of the air conditioner 2 is not affected. No problem. If the air conditioner 2 is in operation, turning off the power of the air conditioner 2 reduces the power consumption of the air conditioner 2 compared to before executing the air conditioner control process.

[Mode A2: Air Conditioner Control Processing Using Indoor Temperature and User Location Information]
The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 4 estimates the operating state of the air conditioner using the room temperature acquired from the temperature sensor 3A, but the estimated operating state of the air conditioner 2 may differ from the actual operating state of the air conditioner 2. . For example, if there is a day in the summer when the outdoor temperature of the user's home 7 is less than the recommended set temperature for summer, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 will be less than the recommended set temperature for summer even if the air conditioner 2 is not actually operating. It may be estimated that the air conditioner 2 is operating while the temperature is set to exceed the temperature.

Therefore, here, the location information of the user who has registered the address of the home 7 where the air conditioner 2 is installed in the server 5 is acquired, and if the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the location information of the user is used to identify the home status of the user in the home 7, and the air conditioner control process for not controlling the air conditioner 2 when the user is absent will be described. Note that the position information is represented by, for example, a combination of latitude and longitude.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received. A remote control program that defines the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 5 is pre-stored in the non-volatile memory 14, for example. The CPU 11 reads the remote control program stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 and executes the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

The address of the user's home 7 is registered in advance in the server 5, and the user terminal 4 has a function of outputting the position information of the user carrying the user terminal 4 using, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System). shall be provided.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 5 differs from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 4 in that the processes of steps S42 and S44 are added. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

When it is determined in the determination process of step S40 in FIG. 5 that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the process proceeds to step S42.

In this case, it is once estimated that the air conditioner 2 is operating, but in step S42, the CPU 11 further executes GPS determination processing. The GPS determination process is a process of acquiring the user's location information obtained from the user terminal 4, identifying the user's at-home situation, and estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 from the user's at-home situation. A detailed operation of the GPS determination process will be described later.

In step S44, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the operation flag indicating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 is set to "stopped" by the GPS determination process.

When the operation flag is set to "stopped" by the GPS determination process, the CPU 11 terminates the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the operation flag is set to "operating" by the GPS determination process, the process proceeds to step S50, and as already described, the CPU 11 sets the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended temperature setting according to the season. Then, the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 5 ends.

That is, in the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 5, the operating state of the air conditioner 2 is estimated using the room temperature. re-estimate the operating state of

Next, the operation of GPS determination processing will be described. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of GPS determination processing executed by the CPU 11 in step S42 of FIG.

First, in step S<b>100 , the CPU 11 acquires position information corresponding to the address of the user's home 7 from the server 5 .

In step S110, the CPU 11 acquires user position information from the user terminal 4 carried by the user.

In step S120, the CPU 11 calculates the distance from the home 7 to the user (referred to as "user distance") using the location information of the user's home 7 acquired in step S100 and the user's location information acquired in step S110. do. Note that the user distance may be a straight line distance or a distance along a road. When calculating the user distance by the distance along the road, the CPU 11 acquires map data representing the road conditions around the home 7 from the server 5 together with the positional information of the home 7, for example, and refers to the acquired map data. The user distance should be calculated.

At step S130, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the user distance calculated at step S120 is less than a prescribed distance. The specified distance is a distance representing a threshold value for determining whether or not the user is at home. If the user is away from home by the specified distance or more, it means that the user is not at home. The specified distance is pre-stored, for example, in the non-volatile memory 14 and can be changed according to a user's instruction. When the user distance is less than the specified distance, the process proceeds to step S140.

In this case, the user is likely to be in the vicinity of the home 7, and the user's location information includes an error. It is estimated that the air conditioner 2 is operating by comparing the indoor temperature and the recommended set temperature according to the season. , again presume that the air conditioner 2 is in operation. Therefore, in step S140, the CPU 11 sets the operating flag indicating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 to "operating", and ends the GPS determination process shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if the user distance is greater than or equal to the specified distance, the process proceeds to step S150. In this case, since the user is away from the home 7 by the specified distance or more, the CPU 11 specifies that the user is not at the home 7 and is absent from the home 7 . By comparing the room temperature and the recommended set temperature according to the season, it was once estimated that the air conditioner 2 was in operation. , re-estimate that the air conditioner 2 is not in operation. Therefore, in step S150, the CPU 11 sets the operation flag to "stopped" and ends the GPS determination process shown in FIG.

In the determination processing in step S44 of FIG. 5, the operation flag is used to determine whether the air conditioner 2 is estimated to be stopped or in operation by the GPS determination processing, and the subsequent processing is distributed.

It should be noted that some users may not have their home address 7 registered in the server 5 in advance. In this case, since the location information of the user's home 7 cannot be acquired in step S100 of FIG. 6, the user distance cannot be calculated. As described above, for a user whose home 7 address is not registered, the CPU 11 determines that the user distance is less than the specified distance in the determination processing of step S130 in FIG. It should be specified that

When the indoor temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature according to the season, and when it is determined that the user is away from home 7, the CPU 11 does not control the air conditioner 2 and performs the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. , the power supply of the air conditioner 2 may be turned off to stop the air conditioner 2 instead.

[Mode A3: Air Conditioner Control Processing Using Indoor Temperature and Illuminance at Home 7]
In the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 5, an example of identifying the user's home status at home 7 using the user's location information has been described. Not limited to information.

Here, the illuminance of the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed in the user's home 7 is acquired, and if the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the acquired illuminance is used to determine the home status of the user in the home 7. Air conditioner control processing for identifying and not controlling the air conditioner 2 when the user is absent will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received. A remote control program that defines the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 7 is pre-stored in the non-volatile memory 14, for example. The CPU 11 reads the remote control program stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 and executes the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

In the user's home 7, an illuminance sensor 3B (see FIG. 1), which is a sensor 3 provided in the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed and measures the illuminance in the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed, is installed. It is assumed that there is

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 7 differs from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 4 in that the processes of steps S46 and S48 are added. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

When it is determined in the determination process of step S40 in FIG. 7 that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the process proceeds to step S46.

In this case, it is once estimated that the air conditioner 2 is operating, but in step S46, the CPU 11 further executes illuminance determination processing. The illuminance determination process is a process of acquiring the indoor illuminance from the illuminance sensor 3B, identifying the user's home status, and estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 from the user's home status. A detailed operation of the illuminance determination process will be described later.

In step S48, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the operating flag indicating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 is set to "stopped" by the illuminance determination process.

When the operation flag is set to "stopped" by the illuminance determination process, the CPU 11 terminates the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the operation flag is set to be in operation by the illuminance determination process, the process proceeds to step S50, and the CPU 11 sets the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended temperature setting according to the season, as shown in FIG. End the air conditioner control process.

That is, in the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 7, the operating state of the air conditioner 2 is estimated using the indoor temperature. is used to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 again.

Next, the operation of the illuminance determination process will be described. FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an example of the illuminance determination process executed by the CPU 11 in step S46 of FIG.

First, in step S200, the CPU 11 acquires the prescribed illuminance. The prescribed illuminance is the indoor illuminance measured by the illuminance sensor 3B in a state in which the indoor lighting is turned off by closing the curtains of the windows in the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed to suppress sunlight entering through the windows. The specified illuminance is an illuminance that is pre-measured for each user's home 7 and is stored in the non-volatile memory 14, for example, but may be stored in the storage device of the server 5 as well. It should be noted that it is not always necessary to use the illuminance measured for each user's home 7 as the specified illuminance, and for example, a predetermined specified illuminance common to each user may be used. The specified illuminance can be changed according to the user's instructions.

In step S<b>210 , the CPU 11 acquires the current illuminance in the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed from the illuminance sensor 3</b>B provided in the room of the home 7 .

In step S220, the CPU 11 determines whether the illuminance in the room acquired in step S210 is less than the specified illuminance acquired in step S200. If the illuminance in the room is less than the specified illuminance, the process proceeds to step S230.

In this case, it is presumed that the window curtains of the room in which the air conditioner 2 is installed in the user's home 7 are closed and the lights in the room are turned off. Identify 7 as absent. By comparing the room temperature and the recommended set temperature according to the season, it was once estimated that the air conditioner 2 was operating, but it was determined that the user was away from home 7 based on the indoor illuminance, so the CPU 11 It is re-estimated that the air conditioner 2 is not in operation. Therefore, in step S230, the CPU 11 sets the operation flag to "stopped" and terminates the illuminance determination process shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination process of step S220 that the illuminance in the room is equal to or higher than the specified illuminance, the process proceeds to step S240.

In this case, there is a possibility that the user is at home 7 because the curtains on the window of the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed in the user's home 7 are closed and the lights in the room are not turned off. However, for example, in a situation where the user goes out without closing the curtains on the windows of the room where the air conditioner 2 is installed, even though the user is absent, the illuminance in the room is the specified illuminance. Therefore, when the illuminance in the room is equal to or higher than the specified illuminance, it is difficult to identify the user's at-home status only by comparing the illuminance in the room and the specified illuminance. Therefore, in step S240, the CPU 11 further executes additional illuminance determination processing to identify the user's home status from another viewpoint using the illuminance in the room.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the illuminance addition determination process executed by the CPU 11 in step S240 of FIG.

First, in step S300, the CPU 11 acquires the average illuminance of the user's home 7. FIG. The average illuminance is an average value of illuminance measured by the illuminance sensor 3B during a predetermined period such as the last one year. The average illuminance is the illuminance calculated for each user's home 7 by the CPU 11 of each smart remote controller 1, and is stored in the nonvolatile memory 14, for example. However, the server 5 uses the illuminance measured by the illuminance sensor 3B installed in each user's home 7 to calculate the average illuminance for each user's home 7, stores it in the storage device of the server 5, and CPU 11 may obtain the average illuminance in the user's home 7 from the server 5 . The average illuminance can be changed by user's instruction.

In step S310, the CPU 11 determines whether the illuminance in the room acquired in step S210 of FIG. 8 is less than the average illuminance acquired in step S300. If the illuminance in the room is not less than the average illuminance, that is, if the illuminance in the room is equal to or higher than the average illuminance, the process proceeds to step S320.

In this case, since the illuminance in the room is equal to or higher than the average illuminance, the possibility that the user is at home 7 is higher than the possibility that the user is away from home 7. Therefore, the CPU 11 It is specified that the user is at home 7. Therefore, in step S320, the CPU 11 sets the operating flag to "operating" and terminates the illuminance addition determination process shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when it is determined in the determination process of step S310 that the indoor illumination is less than the average illumination, the process proceeds to step S330.

In this case, since the illuminance in the room is less than the average illuminance, the possibility that the user is away from home 7 is higher than the possibility that the user is at home 7. Therefore, the CPU 11 Identify that the user is away from home 7. Therefore, in step S330, the CPU 11 sets the operation flag to "stopped" and terminates the illuminance addition determination process shown in FIG.

In the determination process of step S48 in FIG. 7, the operation flag set by the illumination determination process is used to determine whether the air conditioner 2 is estimated to be stopped or in operation by the illumination determination process. Allocate the processing of

Note that when the indoor temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature according to the season, and when it is specified that the user is away from home 7, the CPU 11 does not control the air conditioner 2, and the air conditioner shown in FIG. Instead of terminating the control process, the power supply of the air conditioner 2 may be turned off to stop the air conditioner 2 .

[Mode A4: Air Conditioner Control Processing Using Indoor Temperature, User Location Information, and Illuminance of Home 7]
FIG. 5 shows air conditioner control processing for controlling the air conditioner 2 according to the operating state of the air conditioner 2 estimated using the room temperature and the user's location information. Further, FIG. 7 shows air conditioner control processing for controlling the air conditioner 2 according to the operating state of the air conditioner 2 estimated using the room temperature and the illuminance of the user's home 7 .

The GPS determination process in FIG. 5 and the illuminance determination process in FIG. 7 are processes for specifying the home status of the user at home 7 from different viewpoints. Therefore, by combining each process, it may be possible to identify the user's at-home status with higher accuracy than when either one of the GPS determination process and the illuminance determination process is executed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received. A remote control program that defines the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 10 is stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory 14, for example. The CPU 11 reads the remote control program stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 and executes the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 10 differs from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 4 in that steps S42, S44, S46, and S48 are added. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

When it is determined in the determination process of step S40 in FIG. 10 that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the process proceeds to step S42. In step S42, the GPS determination process shown in FIG. 6 is executed. As a result of the GPS determination process, when it is specified that the user is away from home 7 and the operation flag is set to "stopped", the air conditioner 2 is not controlled by the determination process of step S44. 2 ends the air conditioner control processing shown in FIG.

On the other hand, as a result of the GPS determination processing, even if the user is identified as being at home 7 and the operating flag is set to "operating", the user may actually be absent from home 7. . For example, when the GPS determination process is executed in a situation where the user is about to go out and is about to leave the front door of the home 7, it may be determined that the user is at home even though the user is not at the home 7. FIG.

Therefore, in the determination process of step S44 of FIG. 10, when it is determined by the GPS determination process executed in step S42 that the operating flag is set to "operating", the process proceeds to step S46. After that, in step S46, the CPU 11 executes the illuminance determination process described with reference to FIG. 8, and specifies the user's at-home status from a viewpoint different from the user's position information.

As a result of the illuminance determination process, if it is specified that the user is away from home 7 and the operation flag is set to "stopped", the determination process of step S48 is performed without controlling the air conditioner 2. 2 ends the air conditioner control processing shown in FIG. On the other hand, if the operation flag is set to "operating" by the illuminance determination process, the process proceeds to step S50, and as already described, the CPU 11 sets the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended temperature setting according to the season. Then, the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 10 ends.

When the indoor temperature does not exceed the recommended set temperature according to the season, and when the GPS determination process or the illuminance determination process determines that the user is away from home 7, the CPU 11 controls the air conditioner 2. Instead of ending the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

In this way, when receiving a DR control instruction, the smart remote controller 1 compares the indoor temperature of the room in which the air conditioner 2 is installed with the recommended set temperature according to the season, and estimates the operating state of the air conditioner 2 . When the air conditioner 2 is estimated to be operating, the smart remote controller 1 may perform at least one of GPS determination processing and certification determination processing to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in more detail.

<Second embodiment>
The smart remote controller 1 of the remote control system 100 according to the first embodiment operates the air conditioner 2 while the air conditioner 2 is in the operating state before executing each air conditioner control process shown in FIGS. Estimated the operating state of Specifically, if the air conditioner 2 is in operation, the smart remote controller 1 estimates the operating state of the air conditioner 2 while the air conditioner 2 is in operation. 2 operating conditions were estimated.

In the second embodiment, air conditioner control processing of the smart remote controller 1 that turns on the power of the air conditioner 2, temporarily operates the air conditioner 2, and estimates the operating state of the air conditioner 2 before turning on the power of the air conditioner 2 will be described.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received. A remote control program that defines the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 11 is stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory 14, for example. The CPU 11 reads the remote control program stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 and executes the air conditioner control process shown in FIG.

The functional configuration of the smart remote controller 1 in the second embodiment is the same as the functional configuration example of the smart remote controller 1 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. The configuration is the same as the main configuration example of the electrical system of the smart remote controller 1 in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

Further, it is assumed that a temperature sensor 3A (see FIG. 1) for measuring the indoor temperature of the room in which the air conditioner 2 is installed is installed as the sensor 3 in the user's home 7 .

First, in step S400, the CPU 11 executes the same season determination process as in step S10 of FIG. 4 to estimate the current season.

In step S410, the CPU 11 performs the same processing as in step S20 of FIG. 4 to obtain the recommended temperature setting corresponding to the current season estimated in step S400. As already explained, the recommended set temperature according to the current season can be changed according to the user's instructions.

In step S420, the CPU 11 acquires the latest indoor temperature from the temperature sensor 3A.

In step S430, the CPU 11 sets the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended temperature setting obtained in step S410, and then controls the power supply of the air conditioner 2 to turn it on. In this case, the CPU 11 operates the air conditioner 2 in the operation mode according to the current season estimated in step S400. Specifically, if the current season is summer, the CPU 11 performs cooling operation, and if the current season is winter, the CPU 11 performs heating operation.

When the air conditioner 2 has been operating before the power of the air conditioner 2 is turned on, the air conditioner 2 continues to operate with the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 set to the recommended set temperature by the processing of step S430. It will be. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 2 was not in operation before the power of the air conditioner 2 was turned on, the process of step S430 sets the temperature setting of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended temperature setting. It will start working.

In accordance with the operation control of the air conditioner 2 in step S430, the CPU 11 starts a timer that measures the elapsed time (referred to as "operating time") after the air conditioner 2 is operated in step S430. A timer built into the CPU 11, for example, may be used to measure the operating time.

In step S440, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the operating time since the air conditioner 2 was operated in step S430 has passed the specified operating time.

The specified operating time is the operating time of the air conditioner 2 required to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 before the power of the air conditioner 2 is turned on in step S430. It is the time required for the indoor temperature to change toward the recommended set temperature, and is set to, for example, 15 minutes. Thus, the specified operating time is an example of a predetermined operating time that defines the operating time of the air conditioner 2 . The specified operating time is pre-stored, for example, in the non-volatile memory 14, and can be changed by a user's instruction.

If the operating time of the air conditioner 2 has not reached the specified operating time, the change in the room temperature caused by setting the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended set temperature in step S430 is still reflected in the measurement result of the temperature sensor 3A. It is possible that there is no Therefore, the determination process of step S440 is repeatedly executed, and the process waits until the room temperature changes.

On the other hand, when the operating time of the air conditioner 2 has passed the specified operating time, the process proceeds to step S450.

In this case, since the air conditioner 2 has been operating for the specified operating time, the room temperature has changed due to the setting of the air conditioner 2 temperature to the recommended temperature setting in step S430.

Therefore, in step S450, the CPU 11 acquires the room temperature after the lapse of the specified operating time from the temperature sensor 3A. For convenience of explanation, the indoor temperature before the operation of the air conditioner 2 acquired in step S420 is referred to as "pre-operation indoor temperature", and the indoor temperature after the operation of the air conditioner 2 acquired in step S450 is referred to as "post-operation indoor temperature". show. The indoor temperature after operation is an example of a first indoor temperature, and the indoor temperature before operation is an example of a second indoor temperature.

In step S460, the CPU 11 calculates the temperature difference between the room temperature before operation and the room temperature after operation, that is, the temperature difference obtained by subtracting the room temperature before operation from the room temperature after operation.

When the current season is summer, if the air conditioner 2 is not in operation before executing the air conditioner control process of FIG. Therefore, the sign of the temperature difference in this case is negative. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 2 is in operation before executing the air conditioner control process of FIG. There is a tendency that the rear room temperature rises more than the pre-operation room temperature. Therefore, the sign of the temperature difference in this case is positive.

Further, when the current season is winter, if the air conditioner 2 is not in operation before executing the air conditioner control process of FIG. be done. Therefore, the sign of the temperature difference in this case is positive. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 2 has been operating before the air conditioner control process of FIG. There is a tendency that the rear room temperature is lower than the pre-operation room temperature. Therefore, the sign of the temperature difference in this case is negative.

In the non-volatile memory 14, the code of the temperature difference when it is estimated that the air conditioner 2 is not operating before executing the air conditioner control process of FIG. there is Specifically, when the current season is summer, a negative sign is stored as the prescribed sign, and when the current season is winter, a positive prescribed sign is stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 .

Therefore, in step S470, the CPU 11 acquires from the nonvolatile memory 14 the prescribed code corresponding to the current season estimated in step S400. Note that it is not always necessary to store the prescribed code in the non-volatile memory 14, and it may be stored in the storage device of the server 5 in advance.

In step S480, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the sign of the temperature difference calculated in step S460 is the same as the prescribed sign obtained in step S470. If the sign of the temperature difference is the same as the prescribed sign, the process proceeds to step S490.

In this case, it is presumed that the air conditioner 2 was not in operation before the air conditioner control process of FIG. 11 was executed. Therefore, in step S490, the CPU 11 turns off the air conditioner 2 operated in step S430, and ends the air conditioner control process of FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination processing of step S480 that the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign, it is presumed that the air conditioner 2 has been operating before the air conditioner control processing of FIG. 11 is executed. Therefore, in order to keep the air conditioner 2 in operation, the air conditioner control process of FIG. 11 ends without executing the process of step S490.

As described above, according to the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment, in order to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2, the air conditioner 2 is turned on and operated for the specified operating time. In addition, the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment estimates the operating state of the air conditioner 2 before execution of the air conditioner control process from changes in the room temperature before and after the air conditioner 2 operates.

If the air conditioner 2 is not in operation before executing the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment, the smart remote controller 1 operates the air conditioner 2 only for the specified operating time. Since the power is set to be off, control is performed in line with the purpose of power saving.

Further, if the air conditioner 2 has been in operation before executing the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment, the smart remote controller 1 continues to operate the air conditioner 2, but changes the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 to the recommended set temperature. , the control will be performed in line with the purpose of power saving.

[Mode B1: Application of Air Conditioner Control Process According to Second Embodiment to Air Conditioner Control Process of A1]
The air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 may be combined with the air conditioner control process of form A1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 .

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 12 differs from the air conditioner control process of form A1 shown in FIG. 4 in that the process of step S50 is replaced with the operation control process of step S49. The operation control process is a process corresponding to the process after step S430 in the air conditioner control process shown in FIG. That is, since the operation of the operation control process in step S49 has already been explained, the explanation thereof will be omitted.

When the CPU 11 determines in the determination process of step S40 in FIG. 12 that the room temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature according to the season, the process proceeds to step S49.

In this case, the air conditioner 2 is once estimated to be in operation, but in step S49, the CPU 11 further executes operation control processing.

11, in step S430 of the operation control process, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is set to the recommended set temperature obtained in step S20 of FIG. The air conditioner 2 is operated in the operation mode according to the current season estimated in step S10 of 12. In this case, the room temperature obtained in step S30 of FIG. 12 is used as the pre-operation room temperature.

In addition to the air conditioner control process shown in form A1 of FIG. 4, the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is also executed, so only the air conditioner control process shown in form A1 of FIG. The operating state of the air conditioner 2 can be estimated with high accuracy, compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in .

[Mode B2: Application of Air Conditioner Control Process According to Second Embodiment to Air Conditioner Control Process of A2]
The air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 may be combined with the air conditioner control process of form A2 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 .

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 13 differs from the air conditioner control process of form A2 shown in FIG. 5 in that the process of step S50 is replaced with the operation control process of step S49.

When the CPU 11 determines in the determination process of step S44 in FIG. 13 that the operation flag is set to "operating" by the GPS determination process executed in step S42, the process proceeds to step S49.

In this case, the air conditioner 2 is once estimated to be in operation, but in step S49, the CPU 11 further executes operation control processing.

11, in step S430 of the operation control process, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is set to the recommended set temperature obtained in step S20 of FIG. The air conditioner 2 is operated in the operation mode according to the current season estimated in step S10 of 13. In this case, the room temperature obtained in step S30 of FIG. 13 is used as the pre-operation room temperature.

In addition to the air conditioner control process shown in form A2 of FIG. 5, the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is also executed, so only the air conditioner control process shown in form A2 of FIG. The operating state of the air conditioner 2 can be estimated with high accuracy, compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in .

[Mode B3: Application of Air Conditioner Control Process According to Second Embodiment to Air Conditioner Control Process of A3]
The air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 may be combined with the air conditioner control process of form A3 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 .

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 14 differs from the air conditioner control process of form A3 shown in FIG. 7 in that the process of step S50 is replaced with the operation control process of step S49.

When the CPU 11 determines in the determination process of step S48 in FIG. 14 that the operation flag is set to "operating" by the illuminance determination process executed in step S46, the process proceeds to step S49.

In this case, the air conditioner 2 is once estimated to be in operation, but in step S49, the CPU 11 further executes operation control processing.

11, in step S430 of the operation control process, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is set to the recommended set temperature obtained in step S20 of FIG. The air conditioner 2 is operated in the operation mode according to the current season estimated in step S10 of 14. In this case, the room temperature acquired in step S30 of FIG. 14 is used as the pre-operation room temperature.

In addition to the air conditioner control process shown in form A3 of FIG. 7, the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is also executed, so only the air conditioner control process shown in form A3 of FIG. The operating state of the air conditioner 2 can be estimated with high accuracy, compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in .

[Mode B4: Application of Air Conditioner Control Process According to Second Embodiment to Air Conditioner Control Process of A4]
The air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 may be combined with the air conditioner control process of form A4 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 10 to estimate the operating state of the air conditioner 2 .

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of air conditioner control processing executed by the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 when a DR control instruction is received.

The air conditioner control process shown in FIG. 15 differs from the air conditioner control process of form A4 shown in FIG. 10 in that the process of step S50 is replaced with the operation control process of step S49.

When the CPU 11 determines in the determination process of step S48 in FIG. 15 that the operation flag is set to "operating" by the illuminance determination process executed in step S46, the process proceeds to step S49.

In this case, the air conditioner 2 is once estimated to be in operation, but in step S49, the CPU 11 further executes operation control processing.

11, in step S430 of the operation control process, the set temperature of the air conditioner 2 is set to the recommended set temperature obtained in step S20 of FIG. The air conditioner 2 is operated in the operation mode according to the current season estimated in step S10 of 15. In this case, the room temperature acquired in step S30 of FIG. 15 is used as the pre-operation room temperature.

In addition to the air conditioner control process shown in form A4 of FIG. 10, the air conditioner control process according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is also executed, so only the air conditioner control process shown in form A4 of FIG. The operating state of the air conditioner 2 can be estimated with high accuracy, compared with the case of estimating the operating state of the air conditioner 2 in .

As described above, one aspect of the remote control system 100 has been described using the embodiment, but the disclosed form of the remote control system 100 is an example, and the form of the remote control system 100 is not limited to the scope described in the embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be made to the embodiments without departing from the gist of the present disclosure, and forms with such changes or improvements are also included in the technical scope of the disclosure. For example, the internal order in each air conditioner control process may be changed without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

In addition, in the present disclosure, as an example, a form in which the air conditioner control processing in the smart remote controller 1 is implemented by software has been described. However, processing equivalent to each flowchart shown in FIGS. 4 to 15 is implemented in, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and processed by hardware. You can let it run. In this case, the speed of the processing can be increased as compared with the case where the air conditioner control processing is realized by software.

In this way, the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 may be replaced with a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing such as an ASIC, FPGA, PLD, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and FPU (Floating Point Unit).

Further, the smart remote controller 1 may be realized by one CPU 11, or may be executed by a combination of two or more processors of the same type or different types, such as a plurality of CPUs 11 or a combination of the CPU 11 and an FPGA. . Furthermore, the air conditioner control process may be realized by cooperation with a processor located outside the housing of the smart remote controller 1 and existing in a physically remote location.

Although an example in which the remote control program is stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 of the smart remote controller 1 has been described in the embodiment, the storage destination of the remote control program is not limited to the nonvolatile memory 14 . The remote control program of the present disclosure can also be provided in a form recorded on a computer 10 readable storage medium. For example, the remote control program may be provided in the form recorded on optical discs such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) and DVD-ROMs (Digital Versatile Disk-Read Only Memory). Also, the remote control program may be provided in a form recorded in a portable semiconductor memory such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and a memory card. ROM 12, non-volatile memory 14, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, USB, and memory cards are examples of non-transitory storage media.

Furthermore, the smart remote controller 1 may download a remote control program from an external server (not shown) connected to the Internet 6 and store the downloaded remote control program in the nonvolatile memory 14, for example. In this case, the CPU 11 of the smart remote controller 1 reads the remote control program downloaded from the external device and executes the air conditioner control process.

The following notes are further disclosed with respect to the above-described embodiments.

(Appendix 1)
with a processor
The processor
performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner for each estimated season is compared with the obtained indoor temperature, and the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. is set, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is controlled. Remote control device to control not to do.

(Appendix 2)
with a processor
The processor
performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature according to the estimated current season, and the room temperature obtained after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period. The sign of the temperature difference between the first room temperature and the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, becomes a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season. a remote control device that performs control to turn off the power supply of the air conditioner when the temperature difference is different from the specified code, and performs control to continue to operate the air conditioner as it is when the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign.

(Appendix 3)
A non-temporary storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute air conditioner control processing,
The air conditioner control process is
a communication step of performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
an acquisition step of acquiring seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature of the house in which the air conditioner is installed;
an estimation step of estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner for each estimated season is compared with the obtained indoor temperature, and the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. is set, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is controlled. a control step for controlling not to perform
non-transitory storage media, including

(Appendix 4)
A non-temporary storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute air conditioner control processing,
The air conditioner control process is
a communication step of performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
an acquisition step of acquiring seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature of the house in which the air conditioner is installed;
an estimation step of estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature according to the estimated current season, and the room temperature obtained after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period. The sign of the temperature difference between the first room temperature and the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, becomes a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season. a control step of performing control to turn off the power supply of the air conditioner when the temperature difference is different from the specified code, and performing control to continue to operate the air conditioner as it is when the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign;
non-transitory storage media, including

1 smart remote controller 1A communication unit 1B acquisition unit 1C estimation unit 1D control unit 2 air conditioner 3 sensor 3A temperature sensor 3B illuminance sensor 4 user terminal 5 server 6 Internet 7 home 10 computer 11 CPU
12 ROMs
13 RAM
14 non-volatile memory 15 I/O
16 bus 17 communication unit 18 input unit 19 display unit 100 remote control system

Claims (22)

a communication unit that performs unidirectional infrared communication that transmits an instruction to an air conditioner to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but cannot receive a response from the air conditioner to the instruction;
an acquisition unit that acquires seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature of the house in which the air conditioner is installed;
an estimation unit that estimates the current season using the season information acquired by the acquisition unit;
A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner for each season estimated by the estimation unit is compared with the room temperature acquired by the acquisition unit, and the room temperature is set to the recommended setting in the air conditioner. If the temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. case, a control unit that does not control the air conditioner;
A remote control device with The estimation unit estimates whether the current season is summer or winter using the season information,
When the current season estimated by the estimation unit is summer, the control unit determines if the indoor temperature is less than a first recommended setting temperature predetermined as a recommended setting temperature for the air conditioner in summer. setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature, and not controlling the air conditioner when the room temperature is equal to or higher than the first recommended set temperature; When the current season estimated by the estimation unit is winter, and the indoor temperature exceeds a second recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner in winter, the air conditioner is set to the second recommended set temperature, and when the indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the second recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is not controlled. Device. When the current season is summer and the room temperature is equal to or higher than the first recommended set temperature, and when the current season is winter and the room temperature is the 3. The remote control device according to claim 2, wherein when the temperature is equal to or lower than 2 recommended set temperatures, control is performed to turn off the power of the air conditioner instead of not controlling the air conditioner. The remote control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs control to change at least one of the first recommended set temperature and the second recommended set temperature according to a user's instruction. The acquisition unit further acquires at least one of location information of a user who has registered the house in which the air conditioner is installed as his/her home, and the illuminance in the room of the house in which the air conditioner is installed,
When the current season is summer and the indoor temperature is less than the first recommended set temperature, or when the current season is winter and the indoor temperature exceeds the second recommended set temperature In this case, at least one of the user's location information and the illuminance is used to specify the home status of the user in the house where the air conditioner is installed, and if it is specified that the user is absent, the air conditioner 3. The remote control device according to claim 2, wherein no control is performed on the . The acquisition unit acquires user location information obtained from a mobile device carried by the user,
The control unit specifies that the user is absent from the user's home when the user's position represented by the acquired position information is away from the user's home by a prescribed distance or more,
If the user's position is less than the specified distance from the user's home, or if the user's home is not registered, the user is identified as staying at the user's home, and the air conditioning is adjusted according to the current season. 6. The remote control device according to claim 5, wherein control is performed to set the set temperature of the machine to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature. 7. The control unit according to claim 6, wherein when it is determined that the user is absent from the user's home, the control unit turns off the air conditioner instead of not controlling the air conditioner. remote control device. 8. The remote control device according to claim 7, wherein control is performed to change at least one of the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the specified distance according to a user's instruction. The acquisition unit acquires the illuminance in the room from an illuminance sensor provided in the room of the house in which the air conditioner is installed,
Before setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature, the control unit adjusts the acquired illuminance to the inside of the room by closing the window curtains in the room. If the illuminance is less than a specified illuminance representing the illuminance in the room when the lights are off, it is determined that the user is absent from the user's home, and the air conditioner is not controlled. Remote control device as described. The acquisition unit acquires the illuminance in the room from an illuminance sensor provided in the room of the house in which the air conditioner is installed,
When the obtained illuminance is less than a specified illuminance in the room when the curtains of the windows in the room are closed and the lights in the room are turned off, the control unit controls the user to enter the user's home. 6. A remote control device according to claim 5, which identifies absence. If the acquired illuminance is less than the average illuminance in the house even if the acquired illuminance is equal to or higher than the specified illuminance, the control unit specifies that the user is absent from the user's home, and determines the acquired illuminance. is equal to or higher than the average illuminance, it is determined that the user is at home, and the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the first recommended set temperature or the second recommended set temperature, depending on the current season. 11. The remote control device according to claim 10, which controls setting to a set temperature. 12. The control unit according to claim 11, wherein when it is specified that the user is absent from the user's home, the control unit turns off the air conditioner instead of not controlling the air conditioner. remote control device. 13. The remote control device according to claim 12, wherein control is performed to change at least one of the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, the prescribed illuminance, and the average illuminance according to a user's instruction. The control unit controls the air conditioner according to the current season estimated by the estimation unit before setting the temperature setting of the air conditioner to the first recommended temperature setting or the second recommended temperature setting. When operating the air conditioner in the cooling operation or the heating operation, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the first recommended set temperature when the air conditioner is in the cooling operation, and when the air conditioner is in the heating operation, the After setting the set temperature of the air conditioner to the second recommended set temperature and operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period, the first room temperature, which is the room temperature obtained by the acquisition unit, The sign of the temperature difference of the second room temperature, which is the room temperature obtained by the acquisition unit before the operation of the air conditioner, is a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the season estimated by the estimation unit. 14. The remote control device according to any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein control is performed to turn off the power of the air conditioner when the air conditioner is on. 15. The remote control device according to claim 14, wherein the defined sign is set negative if the current season is summer, and the defined sign is set positive if the current season is winter. a communication unit that performs unidirectional infrared communication that transmits an instruction to an air conditioner to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but cannot receive a response from the air conditioner to the instruction;
an acquisition unit that acquires seasonal information, which is information about the season, and the indoor temperature of the house in which the air conditioner is installed;
an estimation unit that estimates the current season using the season information acquired by the acquisition unit;
The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature according to the current season estimated by the estimation unit, and after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined operating time, The sign of the temperature difference between the first indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit, and the second indoor temperature, which is the indoor temperature obtained by the obtaining unit before the operation of the air conditioner, is the estimating unit. If it is a specified code that is a code predetermined according to the season estimated in , control is performed to turn off the power of the air conditioner, and if the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified code , a control unit that controls the air conditioner to continue to operate;
A remote control device with When the current season estimated by the estimation unit is summer, the control unit operates the air conditioner in cooling operation, and sets the set temperature of the air conditioner in advance as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner in summer. When the first recommended set temperature is set and the current season estimated by the estimation unit is winter, the air conditioner is operated in heating operation, and the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the air conditioning in winter. 17. The remote control device according to claim 16, wherein control is performed to set a second recommended set temperature predetermined as the recommended set temperature of the machine. 18. The remote control device according to claim 17, wherein the control unit performs control to change at least one of the first recommended set temperature, the second recommended set temperature, and the operation time of the air conditioner according to a user's instruction. to the computer,
performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner for each estimated season is compared with the obtained indoor temperature, and the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. is set, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is controlled. A remote control program for executing processing that should not be performed. to the computer,
performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature according to the estimated current season, and the room temperature obtained after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period. The sign of the temperature difference between the first room temperature and the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, becomes a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season. control to turn off the power supply of the air conditioner if the temperature difference is different from the specified code, control to continue to operate the air conditioner as it is. control program. performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
A recommended set temperature predetermined as a recommended set temperature of the air conditioner for each estimated season is compared with the obtained indoor temperature, and the air conditioner is operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature. is set, the set temperature of the air conditioner is set to the recommended set temperature, and if the air conditioner is not operated such that the indoor temperature exceeds the recommended set temperature, the air conditioner is controlled. A remote control method in which a computer executes a process to prevent it from occurring. performing unidirectional infrared communication in which an instruction for an air conditioner is transmitted to the air conditioner using infrared rays, but a response from the air conditioner to the instruction cannot be received;
Obtaining seasonal information, which is information about the season, and indoor temperature in the house where the air conditioner is installed,
estimating the current season using the acquired seasonal information;
The air conditioner is operated in a predetermined operation mode and at a set temperature according to the estimated current season, and the room temperature obtained after operating the air conditioner for a predetermined period. The sign of the temperature difference between the first room temperature and the second room temperature, which is the room temperature acquired before the operation of the air conditioner, becomes a prescribed code that is a code predetermined according to the estimated season. If so, the computer executes a process of controlling to turn off the power supply of the air conditioner, and if the sign of the temperature difference is different from the specified sign, the computer executes a process of controlling to continue to operate the air conditioner. control method.

Images