JP2016173198A - Air conditioner and control method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a comfortable air conditioning taking into consideration a human sensible temperature.SOLUTION: An air conditioner A comprises: an imaging section 121 which images a room interior at a wavelength in a visible light band range; an image recognition section 131 which recognizes distal portions of a human body such as a head, hands and feet on the basis of image information taken by the imaging section 121; a thermopile 122 which performs noncontact acquisition of a temperature distribution in the room interior as a thermal image; an object temperature detection section 132 which performs noncontact detection of temperatures at respective portions of the human body recognized by the image recognition section 131 on the basis of the thermal image acquired by the thermopile 122; and an air-conditioning control section 136 which increases a set temperature when a detection result of the object temperature detection section 132 shows that the temperature of the head becomes higher than the temperatures of the other distal portions of the human by two degrees or more during cooling operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that provides a comfortable environment for a user and a method for controlling the air conditioner.

  As a means for evaluating a feeling of comfort by air conditioning, an index for estimating a human thermal feeling from an environmental factor related to thermal temperature such as a room temperature or humidity has been used. In general, in order to estimate the thermal sensation of a person, the comfortable feeling is estimated by a measuring device that imitates the shape and body temperature of the person.

  For example, the means for solving the abstract of Patent Document 1 includes: “The comfort evaluation device is connected to a thermal environment detection means 10 for detecting a thermal environment element around a human body installed in an automobile interior or the like, and a thermal environment detection means 10. The human body heat model 11 for estimating the skin temperature of the human body face based on the signal output from the thermal environment detecting means, the face skin temperature estimated by the human body heat model 11 and the rate of change thereof are hot, The warmth estimation means 12 for estimating the whole body warm feeling such as cold, and the comfort feeling for quantitatively estimating the level of comfort such as uncomfortable or comfortable based on the relationship between the whole body warm feeling and the comfort. The estimation means 13 is provided. "

  Paragraph 0018 of Patent Document 1 states that “the human body thermal model is a system in which the human body is divided into parts such as the head, arms, torso and legs, and the amount of clothing, the level of activity, sweating, blood Estimate the thermal sensation based on the thermal environment element detected by the thermal environment detection means by calculating the thermal balance between the human body and the environment, taking into account the characteristics of human body temperature regulation reaction such as flow It is a mathematical model for calculating skin temperature, which is physiological information, for each part of the human body. "

JP 2002-22238 A

According to the technique described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, from the thermal environment element around the human body detected by the thermal environment detection means, it is possible to estimate the skin temperature of a specific part of the human body by the human body thermal model, and to estimate the thermal distribution, It is possible to quantitatively estimate how a human feels as a warm or cool sensation by the warmth sensation distribution estimation means, and quantitatively estimate whether or not the environment is comfortable.
Even in home air conditioners, air conditioning control that reflects the human sensory temperature is strongly demanded. However, when considering a home air conditioner installed in a residential room, it is not realistic to install a sensor for detecting the thermal environment around the human body separately from the air conditioner body.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the control method of the air conditioner and air conditioner which implement | achieve comfortable air-conditioning reflecting the human body temperature.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the first invention, a thermal image acquisition unit that acquires a temperature distribution in a room as a thermal image in a non-contact manner, a human head acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit, and / or An air conditioner comprising: an air conditioning control unit that adjusts a set temperature and / or a wind direction when a temperature of a terminal portion that is a human hand or a human foot satisfies a predetermined condition.

In the second invention, the thermal image acquisition unit acquires the indoor temperature distribution as a thermal image in a non-contact manner, and the air conditioning control unit from the thermal image acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit during the air conditioning operation, Adjusting the set temperature and / or wind direction if it is detected that the temperature of the head of the person and / or the end of the person's hand or foot meets a predetermined condition; An air conditioner control method characterized by the above.
Other means will be described in the embodiment for carrying out the invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the control method of an air conditioner and an air conditioner which implement | achieves comfortable air-conditioning reflecting a human body temperature can be provided.

It is a front view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner in each embodiment, an outdoor unit, and a remote control. It is a sectional side view of an indoor unit. It is a block diagram of the air conditioner in each embodiment. It is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of comfortable operation control of 1st Embodiment. It is a graph of the time course experiment result of the skin surface temperature at the time of air_conditionaing | cooling operation of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the heating operation process of comfortable operation control of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of comfortable operation control of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the heating operation process of comfortable operation control of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of comfortable operation control of 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the heating operation process of comfortable operation control of 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the indoor unit 100, the outdoor unit 200, and the remote controller Re of the air conditioner A in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner A includes an indoor unit 100, an outdoor unit 200, and a remote controller Re. The outdoor unit 200 includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor blower, a four-way valve, and an expansion valve. The indoor unit 100 includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor blower. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 300, and air conditioning of the room in which the indoor unit 100 is installed can be performed by a known refrigerant cycle. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 transmit and receive information to and from each other via a communication cable (not shown).

The remote controller Re is operated by the user and transmits an infrared signal to the remote controller transmission / reception unit Q of the indoor unit 100. The contents of the infrared signal are commands such as an operation request, a change in set temperature, a timer, an operation mode change, and a stop request. The air conditioner A performs air conditioning operations such as a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a dehumidifying mode based on these infrared signal commands. Moreover, the indoor unit 100 transmits data such as room temperature information, humidity information, and electricity bill information from the remote control transmission / reception unit Q to the remote control Re.
In addition, an imaging unit 121 and a thermopile 122 (non-contact heat sensor) are installed close to each other at the center lower portion of the indoor unit 100.

The imaging unit 121 can image a room in a band including a visible light band and a partial band of infrared light. The thermopile 122 is a non-contact type thermal sensor, and acquires the detected temperature distribution as a thermal image. Thereby, since the imaging unit 121 and the thermopile 122 are close to each other, the captured image by the imaging unit 121 and the thermal image by the thermopile 122 can be associated with each other. The imaging unit 121 is arranged to capture an image of the air-conditioned room.
The arrangement of the thermopile 122 and the imaging unit 121 may be set according to the image detection method and the detection target, the specifications of the imaging unit 121, and the like.
Details of the imaging unit 121 and the thermopile 122 will be described later.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the indoor unit 100.
As shown in FIG. 2, the housing base 101 of the indoor unit 100 houses internal structures such as the indoor heat exchanger 102, the blower fan 103, and the filter 108.

  The indoor heat exchanger 102 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes 102a. The indoor heat exchanger 102 is configured to heat or cool the air that has been taken into the indoor unit 100 by the blower fan 103 with the refrigerant that flows through the heat transfer tube 102a. The heat transfer tube 102a communicates with the refrigerant pipe 300 (see FIG. 1) and constitutes a part of a known refrigerant cycle (not shown).

  The left and right wind direction plates 104 are rotated by a left and right wind direction plate motor (not shown) with a pivot shaft (not shown) provided at the bottom as a fulcrum according to an instruction from a main microcomputer (not shown) of the indoor unit 100. Moved.

  In accordance with an instruction from the main microcomputer of the indoor unit 100, the vertical wind direction plate 105 is rotated by a vertical wind direction plate motor (not shown) with pivot shafts (not shown) provided at both ends as fulcrums.

  The front panel 106 is installed so as to cover the front surface of the indoor unit 100, and is configured to be rotatable by a front panel motor (not shown) with the lower end as an axis. The front panel 106 is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to be fixed to the lower end.

  As the blower fan 103 rotates, the room air is taken in through the air suction port 107 and the filter 108, and the air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 102 is guided to the blowout air passage 109a. The air guided to the blowout air passage 109a is adjusted in air direction by the left and right airflow direction plates 104 and the vertical airflow direction plate 105, and is sent to the outside from the air blowout port 109b. The air sent to the outside from the air outlet 109b air-conditions the room.

The imaging unit 121 is attached in the vicinity of the air outlet 109b. The imaging unit 121 is installed so as to face downward by a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction from its own attachment position. Thereby, it is possible to appropriately capture the room in which the indoor unit 100 is installed. However, the mounting position of the imaging unit 121 and the installation angle thereof may be set in accordance with the specification and application of the air conditioner A, and the configuration thereof is not limited.
The structure of the air conditioner A of this embodiment is an example to the last, and this invention is applicable also about the form of any air conditioner.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating an outline including the control unit 130 of the air conditioner A.

  The control unit 130 of the air conditioner A includes an image recognition unit 131, an object temperature detection unit 132, a storage unit 133, and an air conditioning control unit 136. The control unit 130 drives the load 150 based on each sensor information.

The control unit 130 is connected to the imaging unit 121, the thermopile 122, the room temperature sensor 123, and the like.
The imaging unit 121 continuously images the air-conditioned room, converts it into image information, and outputs it to the control unit 130.

  The thermopile 122 captures the temperature distribution of each part in the air-conditioned room in a non-contact manner, acquires it as a thermal image, and outputs it to the control unit 130. The room temperature sensor 123 measures the room temperature in the air-conditioned room.

The control unit 130 receives image information input from the imaging unit 121, a thermal image input from the thermopile 122, a room temperature input from the room temperature sensor 123, a command signal input from the remote controller Re, and input from various sensors. The operation of the air conditioner A is comprehensively controlled according to the sensor output.
The image recognition unit 131 of the control unit 130 recognizes the indoor environment based on the image information captured by the imaging unit 121, recognizes each part of the person, and notifies the object temperature detection unit 132. Note that the image recognition unit 131 may recognize the indoor environment based on the information of the thermal image input from the thermopile 122, recognize each part of a person, and notify the object temperature detection unit 132 of the recognition. Thereby, the imaging unit 121 can be omitted.

  The object temperature detection unit 132 specifies the human head and limbs (terminal portion) from the position of each part of the person recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. The temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner. Thereby, the air conditioner A can adjust an air-conditioning driving | operation based on the temperature of each part of a person. Note that when the image recognition unit 131 recognizes each part of a person based on the information of the thermal image input from the thermopile 122 and notifies the object temperature detection unit 132 of the image information and the thermal image captured by the imaging unit 121. There is an effect that it is not necessary to consider the deviation.

The image recognition unit 131 of this embodiment includes a head recognition unit 1311 and a terminal part recognition unit 1312.
The head recognizing unit 1311 recognizes a human head from the image information. Here, the head recognizing unit 1311 recognizes an exposed portion of the skin in the head, not a mere head. Thereby, the influence of temperature detection by a hat or a mask can be eliminated.
The terminal part recognition unit 1312 detects a human foot or hand part (terminal part) from the image information. The end portion recognition unit 1312 first tries to recognize the exposed portion of the skin of the human foot, and if the recognition fails, tries to recognize the exposed portion of the skin of the hand portion. This is because the foot that is farthest from the heart is more suitable for estimating the human body temperature. Further, by recognizing the exposed part of the skin, it is possible to eliminate the influence on temperature detection by socks and gloves.
The image recognition unit 131 detects whether the image captured by the imaging unit 121 includes the head or / and the end of the human body that is the detection target, and also detects the image area of the detection target.

  The storage unit 133 includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. And the program memorize | stored in ROM is read by the control microcomputer, expand | deployed to RAM, and is performed.

  The air conditioning control unit 136 sets the set temperature or the wind direction when the temperature of the human head obtained from the thermopile 122 and / or the end of the human hand or foot obtained during the air conditioning operation satisfies a predetermined condition. adjust. Detailed control contents of the air conditioning control unit 136 will be described later.

  For example, the load 150 is installed in the compressor motor 151 included in the outdoor unit 200, the blower fan motor 152 included in the indoor unit 100, the left / right wind direction motor 153 installed in the left / right wind direction plate 104, and the up / down wind direction plate 105. And a vertical wind direction plate motor 154. The left and right wind direction plates 104 and the left and right wind direction plate motors 153, and the upper and lower wind direction plates 105 and the upper and lower wind direction plate motors 154 are air direction control units that control the air direction of the air conditioning.

(First embodiment)
The comfortable operation control during the cooling operation of the air conditioner A according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 as appropriate using FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the first embodiment.
The operation in the cooling comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.
In step S10, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs the cooling operation for a predetermined period. Here, the air-conditioning control unit 136 is not different from the normal cooling operation mode, and the vertical air direction plate 105 at the outlet of the indoor unit 100 (see FIG. 2) is made substantially horizontal so that the cold air does not directly hit a person. However, this is not the case when the up-and-down wind direction plate 105 is set downward with the remote controller Re according to the user's preference.

In step S11, if the set temperature has not reached the set temperature (No), the air conditioning control unit 136 returns to the process of step S10 and continues the normal cooling operation. This determination is repeated once for several minutes to several tens of minutes. When the room temperature decreases with time and reaches the set temperature (Yes), the air conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S12.
In step S <b> 12, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the human head, limbs (end portion) from the position of each part of the person recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. ) Is detected, and the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.

  In step S <b> 13, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines that the temperature at the end portion with respect to the temperature of the head is lower than a predetermined temperature (α degree: first predetermined value) or the head temperature is reduced to 35 degrees or lower. Determine whether you are doing. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S15 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the cooling operation in step S14 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). Here, the threshold value of the temperature difference (α degree) at the end of the body with respect to the temperature of the head is desirably −2 degrees, but any value that is less than −1 degree and −2 degrees or more may be selected. . The process of step S13 determines whether or not this person feels cold.

In step S14, the air-conditioning control unit 136 performs the cooling operation for a predetermined period, and then returns to the process of step S12. As a result, the temperature of the human head and the temperature of the end of the body are repeatedly executed.
In step S15, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to increase the set temperature and prevent overcooling. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, +1 to +2 degrees.

In step S16, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the cooling operation processing in step S14. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the cooling operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).
With this comfortable operation control, the air conditioner A main body adjusts the set temperature before the person feels cold during cooling, thereby preventing overcooling, so that comfortable air conditioning can always be realized.

FIG. 5 is a graph of the experimental results of the passage of time of the skin surface temperature during the cooling operation of the first embodiment. The vertical axis of the graph indicates the temperature of each part of the body, and the horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time.
The temperature of the neck or neck (hereinafter referred to as the head temperature) is almost constant. However, the temperature of the instep or heel (hereinafter referred to as the temperature of the foot) gradually decreases with time. Here, when 25 minutes passed and the foot temperature was about 1 to 2 degrees lower than the temperature of the head, the sensation of coldness was felt. That is, the condition for the person to feel the cooling air is when the temperature of the foot (terminal) with respect to the temperature of the head is lowered to −2 degrees or less. Also, when the temperature of the hand (terminal portion) is lowered to -2 degrees or less with respect to the temperature of the head instead of the temperature of the foot, it seems that the cold is similarly felt.
Similarly, it is presumed that the condition that the person feels the thickness of the heating is when the temperature of the hand portion or the foot portion (terminal portion) is higher by +2 degrees or more than the head temperature.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the heating operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the first embodiment.
The operation in the heating comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.
In step S20, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs the heating operation over a predetermined period. Here, the air-conditioning control unit 136 is not different from the normal heating operation mode, and the vertical air direction plate 105 at the outlet of the indoor unit 100 (see FIG. 2) is directed downward so that the hot air reaches the floor surface. However, this is not the case when the up / down wind direction plate 105 is set upward from the initial value by the remote controller Re according to the user's preference.

In step S21, if the air conditioning control unit 136 has not reached the set temperature (No), the process returns to the process of step S20 and continues the normal heating operation. This determination is repeated once for several minutes to several tens of minutes. When the room temperature increases with time and reaches the set temperature (Yes), the air conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S22.
In step S <b> 22, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the human head, limbs (end portion) from the position of each part of the person recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. ) Is detected, and the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.
In step S23, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines that the temperature at the end portion with respect to the head temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature (β degree: second predetermined value) or the head temperature is increased to 36 degrees or higher. Determine whether you are doing. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S25 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the heating operation of step S24 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). Here, the threshold value of the temperature difference (β degree) of the body end with respect to the head temperature is desirably +2 degrees, but any value of less than +2 degrees and +1 degree or more may be selected. The process of step S23 determines whether or not this person feels hot.
In step S24, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs the heating operation for a predetermined period, and then returns to the process of step S22. As a result, the temperature of the human head and the temperature of the end of the body are repeatedly executed.
In step S <b> 25, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to lower the set temperature and prevent overheating. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, −1 to −2 degrees.
In step S26, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the heating operation processing in step S24. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the heating operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).
By this comfortable operation control, the air conditioner A main body adjusts the set temperature to prevent overheating before it feels hot during heating, so that comfortable air conditioning can always be realized.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described using FIGS. 7 and 8 with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 as appropriate. In the first embodiment, the number of occupants is not limited, but in the second embodiment, comfortable driving control when there are one or more occupants will be described.

  When there are multiple people in the room, there are individual differences in the experience, so if one raises the set temperature during cooling operation or lowers it during heating operation as in the control shown in the first embodiment, Even if comfortable, it may be uncomfortable for the other person. Therefore, when there are a plurality of people in the room as in the second embodiment, not only the set temperature but also the wind direction is adjusted, and air conditioning control is performed to make each person comfortable.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the second embodiment.
Similarly to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the operation in the cooling comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.

The processes in steps S10 and S11 are the same as the processes in steps S10 and S11 in FIG. Thus, at the beginning of operation, there is no change from the normal cooling operation mode. When the room temperature decreases with time and reaches the set temperature, the process proceeds to step S12.
The process of step S12 is the same as the process of step S12 of FIG. In this processing, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the head, limbs (and the like) of the person from the position of each part of the individual recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. And the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.
In step S13, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether the temperature of the end portion relative to the temperature of the head is lower than a predetermined temperature (α degrees) or whether the temperature of the head is decreased to 35 degrees or less. To do. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the windshield control process in step S131 if any of the determination conditions is satisfied (Yes), and performs the cooling operation in step S14 if any of the determination conditions is not satisfied (No). carry out. The process of step S13 determines whether or not this person feels cold.
In the process of step S131, the air-conditioning control unit 136 performs so-called wind protection control that adjusts the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the upper and lower wind direction plates 105 so that the cool air does not reach the individual so as not to get cold from the experience. .
In the process of step S132, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not another person is present in the room, and if it is present (Yes), the process returns to the process in step S12, and the temperature of each part of the other person is determined. Measure. By the processing from step S12 to step S132, the windbreak control for all the persons who satisfy the determination condition of step S13 is performed.
In the process of step S133, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not all the occupants have controlled the windshield of step S131, that is, whether or not the determination condition of step S13 is satisfied. If the condition is not satisfied (No), the process returns to step S14. If the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines that this determination condition is satisfied and everyone feels cold (Yes), the process proceeds to step S15.
In step S15, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to increase the set temperature and prevent overcooling. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, 1 to 2 degrees.
In step S16, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the cooling operation processing in step S14. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the cooling operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).
By this comfortable operation control, all the occupants are prevented from being overcooled, and the air conditioner A main body adjusts the set temperature to prevent overcooling, so that comfortable air conditioning can always be realized.

Next, comfortable operation control during heating operation when there are a plurality of people in the room will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the heating operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the operation in the heating comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.
The processes in steps S20 and S21 are the same as the processes in steps S20 and S21 in FIG. Thus, at the beginning of the operation, there is no change from the normal heating operation mode. When the room temperature decreases with time and reaches the set temperature, the process proceeds to step S22.
The process of step S22 is the same as the process of step S22 of FIG. In this processing, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the head, limbs (and the like) of the person from the position of each part of the individual recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. And the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.

  In step S23, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether the temperature of the end portion relative to the temperature of the head is higher than a predetermined temperature (β degrees) or whether the temperature of the head is increased to 36 degrees or more. To do. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S25 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the heating operation of step S24 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). Here, the threshold value of the temperature difference (β degree) of the body end with respect to the head temperature is desirably +2 degrees, but any value of less than +2 degrees and +1 degree or more may be selected. The process of step S23 determines whether or not this person feels hot.

In the process of step S231, the air-conditioning control unit 136 performs so-called wind protection control that adjusts the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the upper and lower wind direction plates 105 so that warm air does not reach the individual so as not to get hot from the experience. .
In the process of step S232, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not another person is present in the room, and if it is present (Yes), the process returns to the process in step S22, and the temperature of each part of the other person is determined. Measure. By the processing from step S22 to step S232, the windshield control for all who meets the determination condition of step S23 is performed.
In the process of step S233, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not all the occupants have controlled the windshield of step S231, that is, whether or not the determination condition of step S23 is satisfied. If the condition is not satisfied (No), the process returns to step S24. If the air conditioning control unit 136 determines that this determination condition is satisfied and everyone feels cold (Yes), the process proceeds to step S25.

In step S <b> 25, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to lower the set temperature and prevent overheating. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, −1 to −2 degrees.
In step S26, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the heating operation processing in step S24. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the heating operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).
Here, the threshold value of the temperature difference (β degrees) at the end of the body with respect to the temperature of the head is set to +1 to +2 degrees as in the first embodiment.

By these comfortable operation controls, even when there are multiple people in the room, before the air conditioner A body feels cold before cooling, the air conditioner A automatically adjusts the set temperature to prevent overcooling, and before heating it feels hot In order to prevent overheating, comfortable air conditioning can always be realized.
<< Third Embodiment >>
Next, a third embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 as appropriate with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In the second embodiment, comfortable driving control in the case where there are a plurality of occupants has been described, but in this embodiment, comfortable driving control in the case where there is one occupant will be described.

  When the number of people in the room is one, as shown in the first embodiment, at the time of cooling operation, after reaching the set temperature, the temperature at the end of the body with respect to the temperature of the head becomes lower than a predetermined temperature (α degree). If the temperature of the head is lowered to 35 degrees or less, there is a method of increasing the set temperature and performing comfort control. However, as shown in the second embodiment, the wind direction control is performed. There is also a method of using it together.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the cooling operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the third embodiment.
In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the operation in the cooling comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.

The processes in steps S10 and S11 are the same as the processes in steps S10 and S11 in FIG. Thus, at the beginning of operation, there is no change from the normal cooling operation mode. When the room temperature decreases with time and reaches the set temperature, the process proceeds to step S12.
The process of step S12 is the same as the process of step S12 of FIG. In this processing, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the head, limbs (and the like) of the person from the position of each part of the individual recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. And the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.

  In step S13, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether the temperature of the end portion relative to the temperature of the head is lower than a predetermined temperature (α degrees) or whether the temperature of the head is decreased to 35 degrees or less. To do. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the windshield control process in step S131 if any of the determination conditions is satisfied (Yes), and performs the cooling operation in step S14 if any of the determination conditions is not satisfied (No). carry out. The process of step S13 determines whether or not this person feels cold.

In the process of step S131, the air-conditioning control unit 136 performs so-called wind protection control that adjusts the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the upper and lower wind direction plates 105 so that the cool air does not reach the individual so as not to get cold from the experience. . The air conditioning control unit 136 performs the cooling operation for a predetermined period after the windbreak control.
In step S134, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines again whether the temperature of the end portion relative to the head temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature (α degrees) or whether the head temperature is decreased to 35 degrees or less. judge. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S15 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the cooling operation in step S14 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). In the process of step S134, it is determined whether or not this person feels cold after windshield control.

In step S15, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to increase the set temperature and prevent overcooling. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, 1 to 2 degrees.
In step S16, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the cooling operation processing in step S14. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the cooling operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).
This comfortable operation control prevents overcooling after the windbreak control for the occupants. Since the air conditioner A main body is protected from the wind and the set temperature is adjusted to prevent overcooling, it is possible to always realize comfortable air conditioning.

Next, comfortable operation control at the time of heating operation in the case where there is one occupant will be described.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the heating operation process of the comfortable operation control according to the third embodiment.
In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the operation in the heating comfortable operation control mode is started by the operation of setting the comfortable operation control mode from the remote controller Re.

The processes in steps S20 and S21 are the same as the processes in steps S20 and S21 in FIG. Thus, at the beginning of the operation, there is no change from the normal heating operation mode. When the room temperature decreases with time and reaches the set temperature, the process proceeds to step S22.
The process of step S22 is the same as the process of step S22 of FIG. In this processing, the object temperature detection unit 132 determines the head, limbs (and the like) of the person from the position of each part of the individual recognized by the image recognition unit 131 and the thermal image indicating the temperature of each part in the air-conditioned room. And the temperature of the temperature object at the specified at least one part is detected in a non-contact manner.

  In step S23, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines whether the temperature at the end is higher than the head temperature by a predetermined temperature (β degrees) or higher, or the head temperature has increased to 36 degrees or higher. To do. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S25 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the heating operation of step S24 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). Here, the threshold value of the temperature difference (β degree) of the body end with respect to the head temperature is desirably +2 degrees, but any value of less than +2 degrees and +1 degree or more may be selected. The process of step S23 determines whether or not this person feels hot.

In the process of step S231, the air-conditioning control unit 136 performs so-called wind protection control that adjusts the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the upper and lower wind direction plates 105 so that warm air does not reach the individual so as not to get hot from the experience. . The air conditioning control unit 136 performs the heating operation for a predetermined period after the windbreak control.
In step S234, the air-conditioning control unit 136 determines again whether the temperature at the end relative to the temperature of the head is higher than a predetermined temperature (β degrees) or whether the temperature of the head is increased to 36 degrees or higher. judge. The air-conditioning control unit 136 proceeds to the process of step S25 if any determination condition is satisfied (Yes), and performs the heating operation of step S24 if any determination condition is not satisfied (No). The process of step S23 determines whether or not this person feels hot after windbreak control.

In step S <b> 25, the air conditioning control unit 136 performs control to lower the set temperature and prevent overheating. The change width of the set temperature is, for example, 1 to 2 degrees.
In step S26, the air conditioning control unit 136 determines whether or not an air conditioning operation stop operation has been performed. If the air conditioning operation stop operation has not been performed (No), the process returns to the heating operation processing in step S24. . The air conditioning control unit 136 stops the heating operation when an operation for stopping the air conditioning operation is performed (Yes).

  This comfortable operation control prevents overcooling after the windbreak control for the occupants. The air conditioner A main body protects against wind and adjusts the set temperature to prevent overcooling, so that comfortable air conditioning can always be realized. According to the third embodiment, the air conditioner A itself can determine the feeling of hot and cold for each individual, and can always realize comfortable air conditioning, and also combine wind direction control even when multiple people are in the same space. Thereby, the air conditioner A which implement | achieves the comfortable air conditioning suitable for an individual can be provided.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail for easy understanding of the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to the one having all the configurations described. A part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of another embodiment can be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Moreover, it is also possible to add, delete, and replace other configurations for a part of the configuration of each embodiment.

  A part or all of the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, and the like may be realized by hardware such as an integrated circuit. Each of the above-described configurations, functions, and the like may be realized by software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files for realizing each function can be stored in a recording device such as a memory or a hard disk, or a recording medium such as a flash memory card or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

In each embodiment, the control lines and information lines indicate what is considered necessary for the explanation, and not all the control lines and information lines on the product are necessarily shown. Actually, it may be considered that almost all the components are connected to each other.
Examples of modifications of the present invention include the following (a) and (b).

(A) In the second embodiment described above, the set temperature is adjusted when the temperature condition is established for all the occupants. However, the temperature condition is set for a predetermined ratio (for example, a majority) of the occupants. When it is established, the set temperature may be adjusted.
(B) In the above-described third embodiment, there is only one occupant, but the process may be repeated for a plurality of occupants. In addition, when the temperature condition is established for all of the occupants, not only the set temperature is adjusted, but also when the temperature condition is established for a predetermined ratio (for example, a majority) of the occupants, the set temperature is adjusted. May be.

A Air conditioner 100 Indoor unit 200 Outdoor unit 300 Refrigerant piping Re Remote control Q Remote control transmission / reception unit 104 Left and right wind direction plates (wind direction control unit)
105 Vertical wind direction plate (wind direction control unit)
107 Air Suction Port 121 Imaging Unit 122 Thermopile (Thermal Image Acquisition Unit)
123 Room temperature sensor 130 Control unit 131 Image recognition unit 132 Object temperature detection unit 133 Storage unit 136 Air conditioning control unit 150 Load 151 Compressor motor 152 Blower fan motor 153 Motor for right and left wind direction plate (wind direction control unit)
154 Vertical wind direction plate motor (wind direction control unit)

Claims (13)

A thermal image acquisition unit that acquires the indoor temperature distribution as a thermal image in a non-contact manner;
An air-conditioning control unit that adjusts the set temperature and / or the wind direction when the temperature of the human head acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit and / or the temperature of the end of the human hand or the human foot satisfies a predetermined condition. When,
An air conditioner comprising: An imaging unit that images a room in a visible light band;
An image recognition unit for recognizing a person's head and / or a person's end based on image information captured by the imaging unit;
From the thermal image acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit, an object temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of each part recognized by the image recognition unit without contact,
The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: Based on the information of the thermal image acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit, an image recognition unit that recognizes a human head and / or a human end,
From the thermal image acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit, an object temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of each part recognized by the image recognition unit without contact,
The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: The predetermined condition during the cooling operation is that the temperature of the terminal portion with respect to the head of the occupant is equal to or lower than a first predetermined value,
If the air conditioning control unit detects that the predetermined condition is satisfied during the cooling operation, it adjusts to increase the set temperature.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The first predetermined value is -2 degrees Celsius.
The air conditioner according to claim 4. The predetermined condition during the cooling operation is that the temperature of the head of the occupant is 35 degrees Celsius or less,
If the air conditioning control unit detects that the predetermined condition is satisfied during the cooling operation, it adjusts to increase the set temperature.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The predetermined condition during the heating operation is that the temperature of the head relative to the terminal portion of the occupant is equal to or higher than a second predetermined value.
If the air conditioning control unit detects that the predetermined condition is satisfied during the heating operation, it adjusts the set temperature to be low,
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The second predetermined value is +2 degrees Celsius.
The air conditioner according to claim 7. The predetermined condition during the heating operation is that the temperature of the head of the occupant is at least 36 degrees Celsius,
If the air conditioning control unit detects that the predetermined condition is satisfied during the heating operation, it adjusts the set temperature to be low,
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: A wind direction control unit for controlling the air direction of the air conditioning;
In the case where there are one or more people in the room, the air-conditioning control unit prevents the wind direction control unit from directing the wind when the temperature of the head and the terminal of the person satisfies the predetermined condition. To adjust the set temperature by controlling windbreak,
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioner is provided. A wind direction control unit for controlling the air direction of the air conditioning;
In the case where there are one or more people in the room, the air-conditioning control unit prevents the wind direction control unit from directing the wind when the temperature of the head and the terminal of the person satisfies the predetermined condition. Windbreak control and
When the temperature of the head and the end of a predetermined percentage of people in the room satisfies the predetermined condition, the set temperature is adjusted.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioner is provided. When the temperature of the head of the occupant and the temperature at the end of the body satisfy the predetermined condition, the air conditioning control unit controls the wind so as not to direct the wind to the person,
When the temperature of the head and the end of the body satisfies the predetermined condition even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the set temperature is adjusted.
The air conditioner according to claim 11. A step in which the thermal image acquisition unit acquires the indoor temperature distribution as a thermal image in a non-contact manner;
The temperature of the head of the person and / or the end of the person's hand or the person's foot satisfies the predetermined condition from the thermal image acquired by the thermal image acquisition unit during the air-conditioning operation. Detecting a set temperature and / or wind direction;
The control method of the air conditioner characterized by performing this.

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