JP2012229852A - Remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote controller which can transmit a detected temperature to an air conditioner body by eliminating a factor of a temperature change resulting from a factor except for surrounding air.SOLUTION: The remote controller includes: an operation part 201 which accepts operation of operation setting from a user; a sensor part 207 which detects an ambient temperature; a transmission part 205 which transmits information on the operation setting and the ambient temperature to an air conditioner side; and a control part 203 which makes the sensor part 207 detect the ambient temperature at a transmission timing of the information on the operation setting or in a predetermined cycle and determines the ambient temperature to be transmitted to the air conditioner side depending on an operation state of the user. The control part 203 stops detection of the ambient temperature by the sensor part 207 in a period when the operation is accepted by the operation part 201. An ambient temperature detected when the operation is started by the operation part 201 is the ambient temperature transmitted to the air conditioner side.

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote controller that detects ambient temperature and transmits it to an air conditioner body.

  Conventionally, there are some remote controllers for air conditioners (hereinafter referred to as remote controllers) that measure the ambient temperature and transmit the temperature to the air conditioner body. In the air conditioner, comfortable control is realized by performing air conditioning control based on the temperature in the vicinity of the user measured by the remote controller. Such a remote control includes a temperature sensor inside, but since an electrical component that generates heat is also included inside, the temperature sensor may be affected by heat generation. In addition, since the remote control is held by the user during the user's operation, it is also affected by the user's body temperature. Therefore, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which temperature sensor output data correction means provided in a remote controller corrects output data of a temperature sensor, specifically, lowers the temperature by a predetermined temperature.

JP 2001-153437 A

  However, according to the conventional technique, it is necessary for the user to set whether or not to perform correction. For this reason, there is a problem that temperature correction does not function when the user makes an operation error. Further, it is necessary for the user to arbitrarily set the correction temperature. Therefore, for example, when the correction temperature is set too high, there is a problem that the measured temperature becomes higher than the actual room temperature, and the room temperature becomes lower than the setting.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and a remote controller that can transmit a detected temperature to an air conditioner body by excluding a factor of temperature change other than ambient air without a user performing correction setting. The purpose is to obtain.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides an operation means for accepting an operation setting operation from a user, a temperature sensor means for detecting an ambient temperature, an operation setting and an ambient temperature of the air conditioner side. Transmitting means for transmitting information and the temperature sensor means to detect the ambient temperature at the transmission timing of the operation setting information or at a predetermined cycle, and the ambient temperature to be transmitted to the air conditioner side is determined according to the operation state of the user Control means, and the control means stops the detection of the ambient temperature by the temperature sensor means during a period when the operation means is being operated, and the ambient detected when the operation is started by the operation means The temperature is an ambient temperature transmitted to the air conditioner side.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the detected temperature can be transmitted to the main body of the air conditioner by excluding the factor of temperature change other than the surrounding air without the user performing correction setting.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an air conditioner system. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wireless remote controller. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in the detected temperature. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a wired remote controller. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a wired remote controller is installed on a wall.

  Embodiments of a remote controller according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an air conditioner system including a remote controller according to the present embodiment. The air conditioner system includes a wireless remote controller 101, a counter machine 102, an air conditioner body 103, and a wired remote controller 104.

  The wireless remote controller 101 and the opposite device 102 each have a wireless transmission / reception function, and wirelessly communicate setting information of the air conditioner main body 103, detection values of various sensors, and the like. The air conditioner main body 103 is connected to the opposite device 102 by wire, receives setting information from the wireless remote controller 101 from the opposite device 102, adjusts the temperature of the refrigerant by a heat pump, and realizes an air conditioning function and a hot water supply function. The wired remote controller 104 is connected to the air conditioner main body 103 with a wire, sets temperature information set by a user operation in the air conditioner main body 103, and automatically sets the operation settings of the air conditioner main body 103 according to a pre-programmed operation schedule. To do.

  Next, the configuration of the wireless remote controller 101 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wireless remote controller 101. The wireless remote controller 101 includes an operation unit 201, a display unit 202, a control unit 203, a power supply unit 204, a transmission unit 205, a reception unit 206, and a sensor unit 207.

  The operation unit 201 includes a switch such as a button and a touch panel. The operation unit 201 receives an operation / setting input desired by the user, and transmits the information to the control unit 203 described later. The display unit 202 includes an LCD panel, an organic EL panel, an LED, and the like, and device information such as a set temperature and an operation mode, wireless communication sensitivity, a communication state, etc. are displayed by numerical values, icons, etc., and the lighting state of the LED. Notify the user. The control unit 203 includes a CPU and a memory, and mainly controls and processes peripheral devices and communication data, controls information displayed on the display unit 202, processes and stores input signals from the operation unit 201, and the like. Detection information processing in the sensor unit 207 is performed. The power supply unit 204 includes primary and secondary batteries such as a dry battery and a lithium ion battery, and a transformer circuit such as a regulator and a DC / DC converter, and supplies power to the circuits and components of the entire system. The transmission unit 205 includes an antenna, an infrared light emitting element, and the like. The transmission unit 205 converts information transmitted from the control unit 203 into radio waves and infrared rays and transmits the information to the reception unit on the opposite device 102 side. The receiving unit 206 includes an antenna, a photodiode, and the like, receives a radio signal transmitted from the opposite device 102, and transmits it to the control unit 203. The sensor unit 207 includes a temperature sensor such as a thermistor, an acceleration sensor, an illuminance sensor, a touch sensor, a fingerprint authentication module, and the like. The sensor unit 207 performs sensing of peripheral information and personal authentication, and transmits the information to the control unit 203. .

  The main operation of the wireless remote controller 101 is to transmit acquisition information such as ambient temperature detected by a thermistor or the like and user operation information to the opposite device 102, and response information transmitted from the opposite device 102 and the air conditioner body 103. Receiving operation information. Here, the wireless remote controller 101 does not always perform temperature detection or communication, but activates the control unit 203 at the timing of transmitting operation setting information by a user operation or at the timing of regular communication at a constant interval. Controls temperature detection in the thermistor or the like of the sensor unit 207, and transmits the detected ambient temperature / operation setting information by user operation to the opposite device 102.

  Next, an operation for detecting the ambient temperature in the wireless remote controller 101 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller 101. First, when the control unit 203 does not detect that the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S1: No), the control unit 203 waits until a user operation is detected (step S1: Yes).

  As a detection method of the user operation, there is a method of detecting from a timing when the operation unit 201 is operated and an output of an acceleration sensor of the sensor unit 207, but the method is not limited to this. As long as the user's movement can be detected, the same effect can be obtained. For example, even if the user does not operate the wireless remote controller 101 but holds it, the temperature of the wireless remote controller 101 is considered to change, but such a case can be dealt with by providing an acceleration sensor.

  Next, when a user operation is detected (step S1: Yes), the control unit 203 detects the ambient temperature at that timing (step S2) and stores the detected temperature (the temperature at this time is A ° C). To do). And temperature detection is stopped (step S3). In the wireless remote controller 101, the control unit 203 transmits the detected temperature as A ° C. during a user operation, and transmits it as the detected temperature A ° C. at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102 (step S4).

  When the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S5: No), the control unit 203 sets the detected temperature to be transmitted to A ° C. (step S4), and when the user detects the end of the wireless remote controller 101 operation (step S4). S5: Yes), ambient temperature detection is started (step S6). Then, at the subsequent transmission timing to the opposite device 102, the ambient temperature detected at any time is transmitted.

  As a method for detecting the end of the operation by the user, there are a method for detecting that the operation unit 201 has not been operated for a certain period of time, a method for detecting that the output of the acceleration sensor or the like is stable for a certain period of time, However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the wireless remote controller 101 stores the ambient temperature at the start of the user operation, and does not detect the temperature while the user is operating, but detects the stored ambient temperature. It was decided to send as temperature. As a result, the user does not perform correction settings, does not detect the temperature that has become different from the ambient temperature due to the heat of the operating user, excludes the influence, and transmits the detected temperature to the opposite device 102. be able to.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, the influence of the user's heat is excluded by not detecting the temperature while the user operates the wireless remote controller 101. In the present embodiment, when the user's heat is transmitted to the remote control itself while the user is operating, and the detected temperature is different from the ambient temperature due to the influence, the ambient temperature is accurately detected by removing the influence. A method will be described. A different part from Embodiment 1 is demonstrated.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller 101. First, when the control unit 203 does not detect that the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S11: No), the control unit 203 waits until a user operation is detected (step S11: Yes).

  Next, when a user operation is detected (step S11: Yes), the control unit 203 detects the ambient temperature at that timing (step S12), and stores the detected temperature (the temperature at this time is A ° C.). To do). And temperature detection is stopped (step S13). In the wireless remote controller 101, the control unit 203 transmits the detected temperature as A ° C. during the user operation, and transmits it as the detected temperature A ° C. at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102 (step S14).

  Furthermore, the control unit 203 starts a timer at the timing when the user operation is detected (step S15). When the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S16: No), the control unit 203 sets the detected temperature to be transmitted to A ° C. (step S14), and when the user detects the end of the wireless remote controller 101 operation (step S14). (S16: Yes), the timer is stopped (step S17).

  The control unit 203 stores the timer time (T seconds) at this time (step S18), and then counts the stored timer time (T seconds) (step S19). Also during this time, at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102, the detected temperature A ° C. is transmitted (step S14). And the control part 203 starts ambient temperature detection after the memorize | stored timer time (T second) count (step S20). Then, at the subsequent transmission timing to the opposite device 102, the ambient temperature detected at any time is transmitted.

  In addition, although the method of using the value which detected ambient temperature as it is for the temperature transmitted to the other apparatus 102 was demonstrated, it is not limited to this. For example, a value obtained by averaging the results detected several times may be transmitted. The influence of the temperature change caused by a sudden factor can be excluded.

  Moreover, although the method of starting temperature detection after operation time T second progress was demonstrated, it is not limited to this. For example, the temperature detection may be started after detecting that the temperature is stable for a certain period of time. These two conditions may be combined. It is possible to exclude the influence of a temperature change due to a sudden factor generated during T seconds after the operation is completed.

  In addition, although the temperature detection is started after the operation time T seconds elapses, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, during a period obtained by multiplying T seconds by a predetermined coefficient, the temperature detection may be stopped and transmitted as the detected temperature A ° C. at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102. It is possible to deal with the case where the heat from the remote control is moderate.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the wireless remote controller 101 stores the ambient temperature at the start of the user operation, and for the time that the user has been operating while the user is operating and from the end of the user operation. The temperature detection is not performed, and the stored ambient temperature is transmitted as the detected temperature. As a result, the temperature of the wireless remote controller 101 whose temperature has changed is returned without detecting the temperature that has become different from the ambient temperature due to the heat of the user who is operating, without performing correction settings by the user. Until that, the detected temperature can be transmitted to the opposite device 102 without the influence.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the second embodiment, when a difference occurs between the temperature of the wireless remote controller 101 and the ambient temperature due to the user's body temperature during the operation, the temperature detection is not performed until the temperature becomes equal to the ambient temperature, thereby affecting the influence of heat by the user. Was excluded. In the present embodiment, a method for correcting the temperature detected by the wireless remote controller 101 will be described. A different part from Embodiment 2 is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the ambient temperature detection operation of the wireless remote controller 101. First, when the control unit 203 does not detect that the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S21: No), the control unit 203 waits until a user operation is detected (step S11: Yes).

  Next, when a user operation is detected (step S21: Yes), the control unit 203 detects the ambient temperature at that timing (step S22), and stores the detected temperature (the temperature at this time is B ° C). To do). Then, temperature detection is stopped (step S23). In the wireless remote controller 101, the control unit 203 transmits the detected temperature as B ° C. during the user operation, and transmits it as the detected temperature B ° C. at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102 (step S24).

  Furthermore, the control unit 203 starts a timer at the timing when the user operation is detected (step S25). When the user operates the wireless remote controller 101 (step S26: No), the control unit 203 sets the detected temperature to be transmitted to B ° C. (step S24), and detects the end of the wireless remote controller 101 operation by the user (step S26). S26: Yes), the timer is stopped (step S27), and the timer time (U seconds) at this time is stored (step S28).

  The control unit 203 starts the stored timer for U seconds (step S29). And the control part 203 starts temperature detection (step S30), and memorize | stores the detected temperature (the temperature at this time is set to C degreeC) (step S31). At this time, the control unit 203 uses the corrected temperature as the detected temperature (step S32), and transmits it at the transmission timing to the opposite device 102. The control unit 203 uses the correction temperature as the detected temperature (step S32) until U seconds elapse (timer = 0) (step S33: No), and after U seconds elapse (timer = 0) (step S33: Yes). The correction process is terminated, and the ambient temperature detected at any time is transmitted at the subsequent transmission timing to the opposite device 102 (step S34).

  Here, a method for calculating the correction temperature will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in the detected temperature. A solid line indicates a case where the operation is completed after the user operates, and the ambient temperature is 20 ° C. until the operation time elapses. A broken line indicates a change in detected temperature when the ambient temperature changes to 21 ° C. after the user finishes the operation.

  First, in the wireless remote controller 101, the control unit 203 stores the detected temperature B = 20 ° C. (detection start temperature) at the start of user operation. Next, the timer is moved until the user operation is completed, and the detected temperature C = 23 ° C. (operation completion temperature) and the user operation time U = 10 seconds (operation time) at the time of completion are stored. Here, the control unit 203 calculates the gradient of the temperature change from the detected temperature (corrected calculated temperature) when 5 seconds have elapsed from the end of the user operation.

  For example, a solid line temperature change has a slope of −0.3 ° C./second, and a broken line temperature change has a slope of −0.2 ° C./second. The control unit 203 predicts that the inclination is −0.3 ° C./second in advance from the detection start temperature, the operation completion temperature, and the operation time. Therefore, the correction temperature of 20 ° C. is transmitted as the detected temperature to the opposite device 102 until 5 seconds have elapsed since the operation was completed. However, the control unit 203 detects that the ambient temperature has changed from the corrected calculated temperature (C = 22 ° C.) and the operation completion temperature after 5 seconds have elapsed since the operation was completed. Therefore, a correction temperature of 21 ° C. is newly transmitted to the opposite device 102 as the detected temperature according to the inclination shown by the broken line until 5 seconds after the operation is completed and 10 seconds elapses.

  Although the time from the completion of the operation to the correction value calculation is 5 seconds, it is not limited to this. The time may be longer than 5 seconds or shorter. Further, here, the temperature is detected only once in U = 10 seconds from the end of the operation, but may be performed a plurality of times. At this time, the correction temperature may be different each time. Thereby, it is possible to cope with the case where the ambient temperature continues to change.

  In addition, the method of calculating the slope of the temperature change from the detection start temperature, the operation completion temperature, and the operation time, and calculating the correction temperature from the temperature gradient after a lapse of a certain time from the completion of the operation has been explained, but the method is limited to this. is not. For example, the wireless remote controller 101 may be provided with a table that is determined in advance from the inclination of the temperature change and the operation completion temperature, and the control unit 203 may determine the correction temperature by referring to this table. Accordingly, for example, it is possible to cope with a case where the characteristics change depending on the temperature, for example, the heat radiation is slow at a high temperature and the heat radiation is fast at a low temperature.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the wireless remote controller 101 stores the ambient temperature at the start of user operation, and detects the ambient temperature at the start of operation without performing temperature detection while the user is operating. The correction temperature is transmitted as the detected temperature from the end of the user operation until the user operation time elapses. As a result, the temperature of the wireless remote controller 101 whose temperature has changed is returned without detecting the temperature that has become different from the ambient temperature due to the heat of the user who is operating, without performing correction settings by the user. Until that, the detected temperature can be transmitted to the opposite device 102 without the influence. Further, even when the ambient temperature changes after the start of the user operation, it is possible to cope with the correction.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
In the first to third embodiments, the case has been described where the user detects a temperature different from the ambient temperature by operating the remote controller. In the present embodiment, a remote controller capable of detecting an accurate ambient temperature by excluding the influence of a housing at a remote control installation location will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wired remote controller 104. The wired remote controller 104 includes an operation unit 301, a display unit 302, a control unit 303, a power supply unit 304, a communication unit 305, and a sensor unit 306.

The operation unit 301 includes a switch such as a button and a touch panel. The operation unit 301 receives an input of an operation / setting desired by the user, and transmits the information to a control unit 303 described later. The display unit 302 is composed of an LCD panel, an organic EL panel, an LED, etc., and displays device information such as a set temperature and an operation mode, a schedule, CO ₂ emission amount, error information, etc., numerical values, icons, etc. The user is notified by the lighting state. The control unit 303 includes a CPU and a memory, and mainly controls and processes peripheral devices and communication data, controls information displayed on the display unit 302, processes and stores input signals from the operation unit 301, Detection information processing in the sensor unit 306 is performed. The power supply unit 304 includes a primary power supply such as an AC 100/200 V or DC power supply and a transformer circuit such as a regulator / DC / DC converter, and supplies power to the circuits and components of the entire system. The communication unit 305 includes a communication cable, a modulation / demodulation circuit, and the like. The communication unit 305 modulates the information transmitted from the control unit 303 and transmits the modulated information to the air conditioner main body 103 side. Desired data is demodulated and transmitted to the control unit 303. The sensor unit 306 includes a temperature sensor such as a thermistor, an acceleration sensor, an illuminance sensor, a touch sensor, a fingerprint authentication module, and the like. The sensor unit 306 performs sensing of peripheral information, personal authentication, and the like, and transmits the information to the control unit 303. .

  The wired remote controller 104 does not always perform temperature detection or communication, but activates the control unit 303 at the timing of transmitting operation setting information by a user operation or at the timing of regular communication at regular intervals. The temperature detection in the thermistor 306 or the like is controlled, and the detected ambient temperature / operation setting information by user operation is transmitted to the air conditioner body 103.

  Next, an operation for detecting the ambient temperature in the wired remote controller 104 will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the wired remote controller 104 is installed on a wall. The installed wired remote control 104 is seen from the side.

  The wired remote controller 104 is equipped with two thermistors (A, B) as the sensor unit 306, and each is mounted at a different distance from the wall. The thermistor A has a distance of αmm from the wall, thermistor B has the distance of βmm from the wall, and α> β. For example, if the air temperature is higher than the wall temperature, each thermistor detects a temperature lower than the actual air temperature due to the influence of the wall temperature. However, because of the difference in the detected temperature between the thermistor A and the thermistor B caused by the difference in the distance from the wall, the control unit 303 makes a difference from the actual temperature generated in the detected temperature due to the influence of the wall temperature (for example, in the thermistor A The difference from the actual temperature that occurs is taken as the correction value Z ° C.). Therefore, by adding a correction value Z ° C. that is a difference to the temperature detected by the thermistor A, the wired remote controller 104 can measure an accurate ambient temperature without being affected by the wall temperature.

  In addition, since the influence of the temperature of a wall changes with materials or a material, you may enable it for a user to set a material etc. at the time of installation. Alternatively, a general value may be stored in advance by the wired remote controller 104 and the value may be used. Since the place where the wired remote controller 104 is installed is generally a concrete material, for example, the relationship between the temperature difference between the thermistor A and the thermistor B and the temperature difference Z ° C. at the thermistor A is held in advance as a table. Is also possible.

  Further, the installation location is not limited to the concrete wall, but a table corresponding to several types of wall materials may be held so that the user can select the wall material where the wired remote controller 104 is installed. It can also be used when wall materials are installed in different locations.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the wired remote controller 104 calculates a correction value as the influence of the wall temperature from two thermistors having different distances from the wall, and corrects the temperature detected by the thermistor. . Accordingly, the detected temperature can be transmitted to the air conditioner main body 103 without the influence of the installed environmental factor on the temperature detection without performing correction setting by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Wireless remote control 102 Opposite machine 103 Air-conditioner main body 104 Wired remote control 201 Operation part 202 Display part 203 Control part 204 Power supply part 205 Transmission part 206 Reception part 207 Sensor part 301 Operation part 302 Display part 303 Control part 304 Power supply part 305 Communication part 306 Sensor part

Claims (7)

An operation means for receiving an operation setting operation from a user;
Temperature sensor means for detecting the ambient temperature;
A transmission means for transmitting operation setting and ambient temperature information to the air conditioner side;
Control means for causing the temperature sensor means to detect an ambient temperature at a transmission timing of the operation setting information or at a predetermined cycle, and determining an ambient temperature to be transmitted to the air conditioner side according to a user operation state;
With
The control means stops the detection of the ambient temperature by the temperature sensor means during a period when the operation means is operated, and sends the ambient temperature detected when the operation means is started to the air conditioner side. Ambient temperature to send,
A remote controller characterized by that. The control means further stops the detection of the ambient temperature by the temperature sensor means for a period from the end of the operation of the operation means to the elapse of the period during which the operation means has been operated. The ambient temperature detected when started is the ambient temperature that is transmitted to the air conditioner side,
The remote controller according to claim 1. The control means further includes a period from the end of the operation in the operation means until a period during which the operation means has been operated, an ambient temperature detected when the operation is started in the operation means, and an end of the operation. The ambient temperature corrected based on the detected ambient temperature and the currently detected ambient temperature is the ambient temperature to be transmitted to the air conditioner side.
The remote controller according to claim 1. The control means starts operation when the operation means accepts an operation, and ends operation when the operation means does not accept an operation for a predetermined period.
The remote controller according to claim 1, 2, or 3. Furthermore, an acceleration sensor means for detecting its own movement is provided,
The control means starts operation when the acceleration sensor means detects movement or when the operation means accepts operation, and when the acceleration sensor means does not detect movement for a predetermined period, or the operation When the means does not accept the operation for a predetermined period, the operation ends.
The remote controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: An operation means for receiving an operation setting operation from a user;
Temperature sensor means for detecting the ambient temperature;
A transmission means for transmitting operation setting and ambient temperature information to the air conditioner side;
Control means for causing the temperature sensor means to detect an ambient temperature at a transmission timing of the operation setting information or at a predetermined cycle, and determining an ambient temperature to be transmitted to the air conditioner side according to a user operation state;
A remote controller comprising: An operation means for receiving an operation setting operation from a user;
A plurality of temperature sensor means for detecting the ambient temperature;
A communication means for transmitting operation setting and ambient temperature information to the air conditioner side;
The ambient temperature is detected by the plurality of temperature sensor units at a transmission timing of the operation setting information or at a predetermined cycle, and a correction value is calculated based on a difference between the detected temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensor units. Control means for correcting the ambient temperature transmitted to the air conditioner side using the correction value;
A remote controller comprising:

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