JP2020034239A - Air conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning system that can maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system 100 includes an acquisition unit F10 and a determination unit F11. The acquisition unit F10 acquires information on a stop period of stopping the operation of an air conditioner 20. The determination unit F11 obtains a time point of resumption at which the air conditioner 20 resumes the operation earlier than an end point of the stop period so that the room temperature at the end point becomes a temperature within a comfortable temperature range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates generally to air conditioning systems, and more particularly to an air conditioning system that regulates room temperature with an air conditioner.

  Patent Literature 1 discloses an air conditioner (air conditioning system) including an inverter device that drives a compressor. The air conditioner of Patent Literature 1 includes a branch point calculation unit. The branch point calculation means sets the same amount of power for starting the operation after the operation stop time once stopped and making it equal to the current room temperature and the amount of power for continuing the operation under the current operation conditions. Is output as the notification information.

JP 2015-178917 A

  Patent Literature 1 discloses that, by comparing a scheduled time in which a user is absent from entering a room to entering a room with a branch point time, it is easy to determine whether continuation of operation or operation stop is energy saving operation with low power consumption. There is a statement that it can be determined. However, it takes time to start the operation after the operation stop time once the operation has been stopped and make it the same as the current room temperature. Therefore, when the operating air conditioner is stopped, the user may be placed in an uncomfortable environment for a while after entering the room.

  The problem is to provide an air-conditioning system that can maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  An air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a stop period for stopping the operation of the air conditioner, and the end unit configured to stop the operation so that a room temperature at the end of the stop period is within a comfortable temperature range. A determination unit that determines a restart time point at which the operation of the air conditioner is restarted before the time point.

  An air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a stop period for stopping the operation of the air conditioner, and the end unit configured to stop the operation so that a room temperature at the end of the stop period is within a comfortable temperature range. A control unit that causes the air conditioner to restart operation at a restart point in time before the point in time.

  According to the aspect of the present disclosure, there is an effect that comfort can be maintained while energy consumption is reduced.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an air conditioning system according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a graph of a temporal change of the room temperature during the cooling operation. FIG. 3 is a graph of a temporal change of the room temperature during the heating operation. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the air conditioning system.

1. Embodiment 1.1 Overview FIG. 1 shows an air conditioning system 100 of the present embodiment. The air conditioning system 100 includes an acquisition unit F10 and a determination unit F11. The acquisition unit F10 acquires information on the stop period Ps for stopping the operation of the air conditioner 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The determination unit F11 obtains a restart point tr at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted before the end point te such that the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc (FIG. (See FIG. 3).

  According to the air conditioning system 100, even when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start point ts of the stop period Ps, the room temperature can be set to a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc at the end point te of the stop period Ps. That is, even if the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start time ts of the stop period Ps to reduce the power consumption, the room temperature is at a comfortable temperature at the end time point te of the stop period Ps. Thus, according to the air conditioning system 100, comfort can be maintained while reducing energy consumption. In particular, the air conditioning system 100 is effective when the user leaves the room at the start time ts of the stop period Ps and enters the room at the end time te. In such a case, the user can spend comfortably in the room immediately after entering the room.

1.2 Configuration Hereinafter, the air conditioning system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The air conditioning system 100 is a system for adjusting a room temperature (room temperature, room temperature) by an air conditioner 20 installed in a building. The building is, for example, a detached house. The building is not limited to a detached house, and may be another building such as an apartment house or a store. The air conditioning system 100 includes a management device 10, an air conditioning device 20, and a terminal device 30, as shown in FIG. The management device 10 can be communicably connected to the air conditioner 20 and the terminal device 30. In the present embodiment, the management device 10 can be connected to the air conditioner 20 and the terminal device 30 via the communication network 40.

  Communication network 40 may include the Internet. The communication network 40 can be composed of not only a network conforming to a single communication protocol, but also a plurality of networks conforming to different communication protocols. The communication protocol may be selected from a variety of well-known wired and wireless communication standards (eg, power line communication protocol, wireless communication protocol, infrared communication protocol, extended HBS protocol, Lon Talk® protocol). Examples of the wireless communication protocol include a standard for specific low-power wireless communication and a standard for a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Examples of the standard of the specified low-power radio include the Wi-SUN (registered trademark) standard and the Wi-SUN HAN (registered trademark). Wireless LAN standards include Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Although simplified in FIG. 1, the communication network 40 may include data communication devices such as repeater hubs, switching hubs, bridges, gateways, routers, and the like.

  The air conditioner 20 is an air conditioning related device that adjusts the room temperature. An example of this type of air conditioning related equipment is an air conditioner. In the present embodiment, the air conditioner 20 is an air conditioner having cooling and heating functions. The air conditioner 20 may have a dehumidifying function, an air cleaning function, and the like in addition to the cooling and heating functions.

  The air conditioner 20 includes a function unit 21, a communication unit 22, and a processing unit 23, as shown in FIG.

  The function unit 21 has a mechanical structure that realizes a predetermined function in the air conditioner 20. In the present embodiment, since the air conditioner 20 is an air conditioner, the function unit 21 includes a mechanical structure (for example, a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and a temperature sensor) for realizing the function of the air conditioner. Have.

  The communication unit 22 is a communication interface. The communication unit 22 is connectable to the communication network 40 and has a function of performing communication through the communication network 40. The communication unit 22 conforms to a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol is the Echonet (Energy Conservation & Homecare Network: ECHONET) (registered trademark) standard. The Echonet standard is a communication protocol that can use a plurality of communication protocols (for example, a power line communication protocol, a wireless communication protocol, an infrared communication protocol, an extended HBS protocol, and a Lon Talk (registered trademark) protocol). The predetermined communication protocol is not limited to the Echonet standard, and may be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards as described above.

  The processing unit 23 is a control circuit that controls the operation of the air conditioner 20. The processing unit 23 can be realized by, for example, a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, one or more processors function as the processing unit 23 by executing one or more programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the program is recorded in the memory of the processing unit 23 in advance, but may be provided through an electric communication line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

  The processing unit 23 sets (determines) the control content of the function unit 21 based on the information (control command information) received from the communication network 40 through the communication unit 22. That is, the function unit 21 performs an operation according to the control content set based on the control command information. The control command information is provided from the management device 10 through the communication network 40. The control content is information for determining the operation of the function unit 21. As an example of the control content, an operation state of the air conditioner 20 (for example, an operation mode, a set temperature, an air volume, and the like) can be given. Examples of the operation mode include a cooling mode, a heating mode, a dehumidification mode, and an air cleaning mode. Further, the processing unit 23 outputs status information indicating the current status of the air conditioner 20 from the communication unit 22 to the communication network 40. The state information may include an operation state, room temperature, power consumption (cumulative power), and the like.

  The management device 10 has a function of managing the operation of the air conditioner 20 in the air conditioning system 100. The management device 10 is, for example, a server. The management device 10 is not limited to a server, and may be realized by a gateway, a house power distribution panel, a local device of a HEMS (Home Energy Management System), or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the management device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a processing unit 13.

  The communication unit 11, like the communication unit 22, is connectable to the communication network 40 and has a function of performing communication through the communication network 40. The communication unit 11 conforms to the same communication protocol as the communication unit 22.

  The storage unit 12 stores registration information. The registration information is information on the air conditioner 20 registered as a management target in the air conditioning system 100. The registration information includes, for example, identification information of a user of the air conditioner 20, identification information of the air conditioner 20, model information of the air conditioner 20, an installation location of the air conditioner 20, and the like. The installation location of the air conditioner 20 indicates the address of the location where the air conditioner 20 is installed. In addition, the storage unit 12 can store a history of state information of the air conditioner 20 transmitted from the air conditioner 20.

  The processing unit 13 is a control circuit that controls the operation of the management device 10. The processing unit 13 can be realized by, for example, a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, one or more processors function as the processing unit 13 by executing one or more programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the program is recorded in the memory of the processing unit 13 in advance, but may be provided through an electric communication line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

  The processing unit 13 has a function of giving control command information to the air conditioner 20 according to control information from the terminal device 30. The control information includes information for specifying the air conditioner 20 to be controlled (for example, identification information of the air conditioner 20 and user identification information) and information for specifying control content. The processing unit 13 performs a process of generating control command information with reference to the control information and the registration information of the storage unit 12 and transmitting the control command information to the target air conditioner 20 via the communication unit 11. Thereby, the control information from the terminal device 30 is converted into control command information by the management device 10 and transmitted to the air conditioner 20. As described above, the management device 10 performs a process of transmitting control command information to the air conditioner 20 based on the control information from the terminal device 30.

  Further, the processing unit 13 performs an energy saving operation. The energy saving operation is an operation prepared in consideration of a scene in which the user comes out of the room and returns after a certain period. As an example, in the case of an inverter type air conditioner, the air conditioner is operated at a high capacity at the start of operation, and is continued at a low capacity after the room temperature reaches a set temperature. Therefore, stopping the operation of the air conditioner does not necessarily reduce the power consumption. Therefore, in the energy saving operation, the processing unit 13 selects the smaller power consumption between the continuous operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is continued and the intermittent operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is temporarily interrupted.

  The processing unit 13 includes an acquisition unit F10, a determination unit F11, and a control unit F12, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to perform the energy saving operation. In FIG. 1, the acquisition unit F10, the determination unit F11, and the control unit F12 do not show a substantial configuration, but show functions realized by the processing unit 13.

  The acquisition unit F10 acquires information on the suspension period Ps (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The stop period Ps is defined as a period during which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped. The suspension period Ps can be set, for example, when the user is absent in the room where the air conditioner 20 is installed. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit F10 can acquire information on the suspension period Ps from the terminal device 30. Information on the suspension period Ps can be input to the terminal device 30 by the user. In the present embodiment, the information of the suspension period Ps is information for specifying the length of the suspension period Ps itself. The user may use the terminal device 30 to input a length of time such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, and 5 hours. In this case, the time when the information of the suspension period Ps is input by the user may be the start time ts, which is the time at which the suspension period Ps starts. Further, the time when the stop period Ps has elapsed from the start time ts may be the end time te at which the stop period Ps ends.

  Here, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are graphs of the temporal change of the room temperature. In particular, in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 20 is in the cooling mode, and in FIG. 3, the air conditioner 20 is in the heating mode. 2 and 3, To indicates the outside air temperature (outdoor temperature), and Ts indicates the set temperature of the air conditioner 20. Further, Tc corresponds to the critical value (the upper limit in FIG. 2 and the lower limit in FIG. 3) of the comfortable temperature range Rc at which the user feels comfortable. Hereinafter, Tc is referred to as a comfortable temperature as needed. As an example, in FIG. 2, the outside air temperature To is 34 ° C., the set temperature Ts is 26 ° C., and the comfortable temperature Tc is 28 ° C. As an example, in FIG. 3, the outside air temperature To is 16 ° C., the set temperature Ts is 22 ° C., and the comfortable temperature Tc is 20 ° C. 2 and 3, the outside air temperature To, the set temperature Ts, and the comfortable temperature Tc are all constant.

  In FIG. 2, G11 indicates a temporal change in the room temperature when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is continued even during the stop period Ps. G12 indicates a temporal change in the room temperature when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped only during the stop period Ps. That is, in G12, the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start time ts of the stop period Ps, and the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted at the end time te. As is clear from FIG. 2, in G12, the room temperature gradually rises due to the stop of the operation of the air conditioner 20, and at the end time point te, the room temperature is almost equal to the outside air temperature To. After the end point te, the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted, but it takes time until the room temperature reaches the comfortable temperature Tc. Therefore, if the user returns to the room after the elapse of the suspension period Ps, the user will be in an uncomfortable state until the room temperature reaches the comfortable temperature Tc.

  In FIG. 3, G21 indicates a temporal change in the room temperature when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is continued even during the stop period Ps. G22 indicates a temporal change in the room temperature when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped only during the stop period Ps. That is, in G22, the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start time ts of the stop period Ps, and the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted at the end time te. As is clear from FIG. 3, in G22, the room temperature gradually decreases due to the stoppage of the operation of the air conditioner 20, and at the end time point te, the room temperature is substantially equal to the outside air temperature To. After the end point te, the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted, but it takes time until the room temperature reaches the comfortable temperature Tc. Therefore, if the user returns to the room after the elapse of the suspension period Ps, the user will be in an uncomfortable state until the room temperature reaches the comfortable temperature Tc.

  As described above, when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is interrupted without continuing, although a reduction in power consumption can be expected, comfort may be impaired.

  The determination unit F11 obtains the restart point tr (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in order to suppress the loss of comfort. The restart time tr is a time after the start time ts of the suspension period Ps. The restart point tr is a point before the end point te of the stop period Ps. The restart point tr is a time at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 stopped at the start point ts of the stop period Ps is restarted. The restart point tr is determined so that the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps falls within the comfortable temperature range Rc (see FIGS. 2 and 3). That is, the restart point tr is defined as a point in time at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted before the end point te such that the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc. In the present embodiment, the comfortable temperature range Rc is a range between the set temperature Ts and the comfortable temperature Tc. The comfortable temperature Tc is a temperature between the set temperature Ts and the outside air temperature To. The comfortable temperature Tc may be automatically determined by the determination unit F11 from general data, or may be input by the user.

  In FIG. 2, G13 indicates that the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start point ts of the stop period Ps and then restarted from the restart point tr, and the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps falls within the comfortable temperature range Rc. It shows a temporal change of room temperature in an operation (intermittent operation) at (comfortable temperature Tc). As is clear from FIG. 2, in G13, although the room temperature gradually rises due to the stop of the operation of the air conditioner 20, the operation of the air conditioner 20 was restarted at the restart point tr before the end point te. Accordingly, at the end time point te, the room temperature is substantially equal to the comfortable temperature Tc. Therefore, even when the user returns to the room after the elapse of the suspension period Ps, the user can spend a comfortable state.

  In FIG. 3, G23 indicates that the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start point ts of the stop period Ps and then restarted from the restart point tr, and the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps falls within the comfortable temperature range Rc. It shows a temporal change of room temperature in an operation (intermittent operation) at (comfortable temperature Tc). As is clear from FIG. 3, in G23, the room temperature gradually decreases due to the stop of the operation of the air conditioner 20, but the operation of the air conditioner 20 was restarted at the restart point tr before the end point te. Accordingly, at the end time point te, the room temperature is substantially equal to the comfortable temperature Tc. Therefore, even when the user returns to the room after the elapse of the suspension period Ps, the user can spend a comfortable state.

  As described above, by obtaining the restart point tr, it is possible to maintain comfort even when the operation of the air conditioner 20 is interrupted without continuing.

  Next, a method of obtaining the restart point tr will be described. In the present embodiment, a prediction model is used to determine the restart point tr. The prediction model is a classifier (learned model) that outputs the room temperature at the end time point te with respect to the input parameters. Here, the parameters may include the stop period Ps, the room temperature at the start time ts, the operation start time, information on the air conditioner 20 (capacity, set temperature, etc.), the outside air temperature, the ability to hold the amount of heat in the room, and the like. Here, the operation start time is a time at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is disclosed. The operation start time is a parameter that can be arbitrarily set by the determination unit F11. The operation start time can be adopted as the restart time tr when the room temperature becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc at the end time te. The ability to hold the amount of heat in the room is an index indicating the ease of cooling / hardness of the room and the ease of warming / hardness of the room.

  When the acquiring unit F10 acquires the information of the suspension period Ps, the determination unit F11 acquires the start time ts and the end time te of the suspension period Ps from the information of the suspension period Ps acquired by the acquisition unit F10. In addition, the determination unit F11 acquires the information (capacity, set temperature, and the like) of the room temperature and the air conditioner 20 at the start time ts. Further, the determining unit F11 acquires the outside air temperature based on the registration information of the air conditioner 20. As described above, the registration information includes the installation location of the air conditioner 20, and the installation location indicates the address of the location where the air conditioner 20 is installed. Therefore, the determining unit F11 acquires the outside air temperature based on the installation location. A weather forecast server can be used to obtain the outside temperature. The weather forecast server is provided by a government, a business or the like. As described above, the determination unit F11 obtains the restart point tr with reference to the outside air temperature. When the air conditioner 20 has a temperature sensor that measures the outside air temperature, the determination unit F11 may acquire the outside air temperature from the air conditioner 20. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the outside air temperature To is fixed, but the determining unit F11 may acquire a temporal change of the outside air temperature at least during the stop period Ps. The determining unit F11 may use the average value of the outside air temperature during the suspension period Ps for determining the restart point tr.

  The determination unit F11 sets the operation start time to a time before the end time point te, and obtains the room temperature at the end time point te using the prediction model. If the room temperature at the end time point te is not within the comfortable temperature range Rc, the operation start time is set to a further earlier time, and the room temperature at the end time point te is obtained again using the prediction model. On the other hand, if the room temperature at the end point te is within the comfortable temperature range Rc, the operation start time is adopted as the restart point tr. The determining unit F11 determines that the restart time tr does not exist if the room temperature at the end time te does not fall within the comfortable temperature range Rc unless the operation start time is before the start time ts. Further, the determination unit F11 may set the operation start time to the end time point te, and obtain the room temperature at the end time point te using the prediction model. If the room temperature at the end time point te is within the comfortable temperature range Rc, the room temperature at the end time point te of the stop period Ps becomes the temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc without restarting the operation of the air conditioner 20. In this case, the determination unit F11 determines that it is not necessary to restart the operation of the air conditioner 20.

  The determining unit F11 obtains the power consumption of the air conditioner 20. More specifically, the determination unit F11 obtains a first power amount and a second power amount as the power consumption of the air conditioner 20. The first electric energy is the electric energy consumption of the air conditioner 20 during the intermittent operation. The intermittent operation is an operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted from the restart time tr so that the room temperature at the end time te of the stop period Ps falls within the comfortable temperature range Rc. That is, the first electric energy is consumed by the air conditioner 20 in the intermittent operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted from the restart point tr and the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps falls within the comfortable temperature range Rc. The amount of power. The second power amount is the power consumption amount of the air conditioner 20 during the continuous operation. The continuous operation is an operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is continued to maintain the room temperature at the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner 20 during the stop period Ps. That is, the second power amount is the power consumption amount of the air conditioner 20 in the continuous operation in which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is continued and the room temperature is maintained at the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner 20 during the stop period Ps.

  In the present embodiment, a prediction model is used to obtain the power consumption of the air conditioner 20. The prediction model is a classifier (learned model) that outputs the power consumption of the air conditioner 20 with respect to the input parameters. Here, the parameters may include information (capacity, set temperature, and the like) of the air conditioner 20, an operation period, a room temperature, an outside air temperature, and the like.

  The determining unit F11 selects the intermittent operation when the first electric energy is smaller than the second electric energy. On the other hand, when the first electric energy is larger than the second electric energy, the determining unit F11 selects the continuous operation. Note that if the first power amount matches the second power amount, there is no clear difference in the merit enjoyed by the user regardless of whether the intermittent operation or the continuous operation is selected. However, in the present embodiment, when the first power amount matches the second power amount, the determination unit F11 selects the intermittent operation. Of course, when the first electric energy matches the second electric energy, the determination unit F11 may select the continuous operation. In addition, when the first power amount matches the second power amount, whether to execute the intermittent operation or the continuous operation is determined in advance by the user or when the first power amount matches the second power amount. You may make it selectable. Further, when the restart point tr does not exist, the determination unit F11 may select the continuous operation. If there is no need to restart the operation of the air conditioner 20, the determination unit F11 may select to stop the operation of the air conditioner 20. That is, the determination unit F11 stops the operation of the air conditioner 20 if the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc without restarting the operation of the air conditioner 20. You may choose. In this case, the operation of the air conditioner 20 is stopped at the start time ts of the stop period Ps, and remains stopped until the user restarts the operation.

  The control unit F12 controls the air conditioner 20 according to the result of the selection in the determination unit F11. When the continuous operation is selected in the determination unit F11, the control unit F12 causes the air conditioner 20 to perform the continuous operation. That is, the control unit F12 continues the operation of the air conditioner 20 even during the stop period Ps. On the other hand, when the intermittent operation is selected by the determining unit F11, the control unit F12 causes the air conditioner 20 to perform the intermittent operation. That is, the control unit F12 stops the operation of the air conditioner 20 at the start time ts of the stop period Ps, restarts from the restart time tr, and sets the room temperature at the end time te as the temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit F12 issues a notification (push notification) to execute the intermittent operation. More specifically, when executing the intermittent operation, the control unit F12 sends a notification from the communication unit 11 to the terminal device 30. Thereby, the terminal device 30 can notify the user that the intermittent operation is to be performed. In addition, the control unit F12 performs notification (push notification) of restarting the operation of the air conditioner 20. More specifically, when restarting the operation of the air conditioner 20 at the restart point in time tr, the control unit F12 sends a notification from the communication unit 11 to the terminal device 30. Thereby, the terminal device 30 can notify the user that the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted.

  The terminal device 30 mainly functions as a user interface for the user to manage the air conditioner 20. In particular, the terminal device 30 functions as a graphical user interface (GUI).

  The terminal device 30 includes an input / output unit 31, a communication unit 32, and a processing unit 33, as shown in FIG. The input / output unit 31, the communication unit 32, and the processing unit 33 can be housed in the same housing. The terminal device 30 is an information terminal, for example, a smartphone. Note that the terminal device 30 can be realized by a portable terminal such as a tablet terminal or a wearable terminal, or a personal computer.

  The input / output unit 31 includes an input device for operating the terminal device 30, a voice input device, and a camera. The input device has, for example, a touchpad and / or one or more buttons. In addition, the input / output unit 31 includes an image display device for displaying information and an audio output device. The image display device is a thin display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Note that a touch panel may be configured by the touch pad of the input / output unit 31 and the image display device.

  The communication unit 32 is connectable to the communication network 40 and has a function of performing communication via the communication network 40, similarly to the communication unit 11. The communication unit 32 conforms to the same communication protocol as the communication unit 11.

  The processing unit 33 is configured to control the entire terminal device 30, that is, to control the input / output unit 31 and the communication unit 32. The processing unit 33 can be realized by, for example, a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. That is, one or more processors function as the processing unit 33 by executing one or more programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the program is recorded in the memory of the processing unit 23 in advance, but may be provided through an electric communication line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

  The processing unit 33 has a function of transmitting the input information input by the user to the management device 10 via the communication network 40 in accordance with the operation of the input / output unit 31 described above. Examples of the input information include information specifying the stop period Ps, information specifying the comfortable temperature range Rc, and registration information. As described above, the terminal device 30 is used for inputting the stop period Ps, inputting the comfortable temperature range Rc, and inputting registration information. The terminal device 30 facilitates input of the stop period Ps. Further, the terminal device 30 facilitates input of the comfortable temperature range Rc (comfortable temperature Tc).

  Further, when the processing unit 33 receives a notification that the intermittent operation is to be performed from the management device 10, the processing unit 33 displays a message indicating that the intermittent operation is to be performed on the image display device of the input / output unit 31. Further, when receiving a notification from the management device 10 that the operation of the air conditioner 20 is to be restarted, the processing unit 33 displays a message indicating that the operation of the air conditioner 20 is to be restarted on the image display device of the input / output unit 31. I do. Thereby, the air-conditioning system 100 can provide a necessary notification to the user regarding the operation state of the air conditioner 20.

1.3 Operation Next, the energy saving operation of the air conditioning system 100 will be briefly described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the user inputs the information of the suspension period Ps to the terminal device 30, the information of the suspension period Ps is transmitted from the terminal device 30 to the management device 10 via the communication network 40. Then, the acquisition unit F10 of the management device 10 acquires information on the suspension period Ps (S11). When the obtaining unit F10 obtains the information of the suspension period Ps, the determining unit F11 determines the restart point tr (S12). Further, the determining unit F11 calculates the power consumption (first power consumption) during the intermittent operation of the air conditioner 20 and the power consumption (second power consumption) during the continuous operation of the air conditioner 20 (S13). . Next, the determination unit F11 compares the power consumption (first power) during the intermittent operation of the air conditioner 20 with the power consumption (second power) during the continuous operation of the air conditioner 20 (S14). . Here, if the first electric energy is larger than the second electric energy (S14: Yes), the determination unit F11 selects the continuous operation, and the control unit F12 causes the air conditioner 20 to perform the continuous operation (S15). On the other hand, if the first power consumption is equal to or less than the second power consumption (S14: No), the determination unit F11 selects the intermittent operation, and the control unit F12 causes the air conditioner 20 to perform the intermittent operation (S16).

  Then, even in the case of intermittent operation, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the room temperature at the end point te is within the comfortable temperature range Rc, so that the room at the end point te is given to the user. Can be in a comfortable state. Therefore, according to the air conditioning system 100, comfort can be maintained while reducing energy consumption.

1.4 Summary The air conditioning system 100 described above includes an acquisition unit F10 and a determination unit F11. The acquisition unit F10 acquires information on the stop period Ps for stopping the operation of the air conditioner 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The determination unit F11 obtains a restart point tr at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted before the end point te such that the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc. According to such an air conditioning system 100, comfort can be maintained while reducing energy consumption.

  In other words, it can be said that the air conditioning system 100 executes the following method (first air conditioning method). In the first air conditioning method, information on a stop period Ps for stopping the operation of the air conditioner 20 is obtained. Further, in the first air conditioning method, a restart point tr at which the operation of the air conditioner 20 is restarted before the end point te is determined so that the room temperature at the end point te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc. According to such a first air conditioning method, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  The air conditioning system 100 is realized by a computer system. That is, the air conditioning system 100 is realized by the computer system executing a program (air conditioning program). This program is a program for causing a computer system to execute the first air conditioning method. According to such a program, similarly to the first air conditioning method, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  In other words, the air conditioning system 100 includes an acquisition unit F10 and a control unit F12. The acquisition unit F10 acquires information on the stop period Ps for stopping the operation of the air conditioner 20. The control unit F12 causes the air conditioner 20 to resume operation before the end time te so that the room temperature at the end time te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc. According to such an air conditioning system 100, comfort can be maintained while reducing energy consumption.

  In other words, it can be said that the air conditioning system 100 executes the following method (second air conditioning method). In the second air conditioning method, information on a stop period Ps for stopping the operation of the air conditioner 20 is obtained. In the second air conditioning method, the air conditioner 20 restarts the operation before the end time te so that the room temperature at the end time te of the stop period Ps becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range Rc. According to such a second air conditioning method, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  The air conditioning system 100 is realized by a computer system. That is, the air conditioning system 100 is realized by the computer system executing a program (air conditioning program). This program is a program for causing a computer system to execute the second air conditioning method. According to such a program, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption, as in the second air conditioning method.

2. Modifications Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiment can be variously modified according to the design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Hereinafter, modified examples of the above embodiment will be listed.

  In the above embodiment, the information of the suspension period Ps is information for specifying the length of the suspension period Ps itself, but is not limited thereto. In one modification, the information of the suspension period Ps may be any information that can specify the start time ts (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and the end time te (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the suspension period Ps. For example, the information on the suspension period Ps may be information specifying the end time point te. In this case, the user may use the terminal device 30 to input a time such as “18:00”. Further, the information of the suspension period Ps may be information for specifying the start time ts and the end time te, and the information of the suspension period Ps may be information for specifying the start time ts and the length of the suspension period Ps. May be.

  In the above embodiment, the comfortable temperature range Rc is set so as to include the set temperature of the air conditioner 20 and not to include the outside air temperature To, but is not limited to this. In one modification, the comfortable temperature range Rc may not include the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner 20. The comfortable temperature range Rc may be a range between the set temperature Ts and the outside temperature To. The comfortable temperature range Rc may be equal to or lower than the set temperature Ts in the cooling mode, and may be equal to or higher than the set temperature Ts in the heating mode. That is, the comfortable temperature Tc may be equal to the set temperature Ts.

  In the above embodiment, the room temperature at the end time point te is obtained using the prediction model. However, in a modified example, the restart time tr may be obtained directly from the prediction model. Further, in a modified example, an arithmetic expression simpler than the prediction model may be used to determine the restart point tr. The arithmetic expression may be generated to give the room a room temperature at the end time te or a restart time tr. Here, similarly to the prediction model, the parameters include the stop period Ps, the room temperature at the start time ts, the operation start time, the information of the air conditioner 20 (capacity, set temperature, etc.), the outside air temperature, the ability to hold the amount of heat in the room, and the like. May be included. In addition, the history of the state information (operation status, room temperature, and the like) of the air conditioner 20 may be used to determine the restart point tr. As a simpler example, the ratio of the time difference between the restart point tr and the end point te to the length of the stop period Ps may be determined in advance. For example, this ratio may be set to 1:12. In this case, if the suspension period Ps is 3 hours, the time difference between the restart time tr and the end time te is 15 minutes. Therefore, the restart point tr can be set 15 minutes before the end point te. Thus, the restart point tr can be determined in various ways.

  In the above-described embodiment, the power consumption (the first power and the second power) of the air conditioner 20 is obtained by using the prediction model. However, in a modified example, an arithmetic expression that is simpler than the prediction model is used. Is also good. The arithmetic expression may be generated so as to give the power consumption of the air conditioner 20 to the parameter. Here, the parameters may include information (capacity, set temperature, and the like) of the air conditioner 20, an operation period, a room temperature, an outside air temperature, and the like, similarly to the prediction model. Further, the history of the state information (operating status, room temperature, accumulated power consumption, etc.) of the air conditioner 20 may be used for calculating the power consumption. As a simpler example, the start-up power amount and the steady-state power amount of the air conditioner 20 may be determined in advance. For example, the start-up power amount is the power amount used when the air conditioner 20 starts operating and rapidly sets the room temperature to the set temperature, and is expressed as the power amount per unit time. The constant electric energy is an electric energy required to maintain the room temperature after the room temperature reaches the set temperature, and is expressed as an electric energy per unit time. In this case, the first power amount is determined based on the power amount at start-up and the time difference between the restart time tr and the end time point te, and the second power amount is determined based on the steady-state power amount and the stop period Ps. May do it.

  In a modified example, the management device 10 may provide the terminal device 30 with various data obtained by the determination unit F11. The various types of data include the restart point tr, the power consumption in the intermittent operation (first power amount), and the power consumption in the continuous operation (second power amount). In such a case, the terminal device 30 can display the data provided from the management device 10 (restart time tr, first power amount, second power amount, and the like). Thereby, the user can know the restart point tr, the power consumption in the intermittent operation (first power amount), and the power consumption in the continuous operation (second power amount).

  In the above embodiment, the air conditioning system 100 includes the management device 10, the air conditioning device 20, and the terminal device 30. In a modification, the air conditioning system 100 may include a plurality of air conditioners 20. In addition, the air conditioning system 100 may include a plurality of terminal devices 30 individually corresponding to the plurality of air conditioners 20, or one terminal device 30 may be associated with the plurality of air conditioners 20. In a modified example, the air conditioning system 100 may not include at least one of the air conditioner 20 and the terminal device 30. That is, the air conditioning system 100 may include only the management device 10. From a functional aspect, the air conditioning system 100 only needs to include the acquisition unit F10 and the determination unit F11 or the control unit F12. That is, it is not important which hardware resource implements the acquisition unit F10 and the determination unit F11 or the control unit F12. The acquisition unit F10 and the determination unit F11 or the control unit F12 may be realized by some hardware resources such as the management device 10, the air conditioner 20, and the terminal device 30. For example, the acquisition unit F10 and the determination unit F11 may be provided in the management device 10, and the control unit F12 may be provided in the air conditioner 20, or the acquisition unit F10, the determination unit F11, and the control unit F12 may be provided in the air conditioner 20. It may be provided. In this case, the management device 10 can be omitted. However, if the acquisition unit F10, the determination unit F11, and the control unit F12 are provided in the management device 10 as in the above-described embodiment, it is not necessary to make a significant change to the air conditioning device 20. Becomes easier.

  In a modification, the air conditioning system 100 may be configured by a plurality of computers, and the functions of the air conditioning system 100 (in particular, the acquisition unit F10, the determination unit F11, and the control unit F12) are distributed to a plurality of devices. May be. For example, the acquisition unit F10, the determination unit F11, and the control unit F12 may be provided in a personal computer or the like installed in a facility having the air conditioner 20. In this case, the air conditioning system 100 is realized by cooperation of the personal computer and the server. Further, at least a part of the functions of the air conditioning system 100 may be realized by, for example, a cloud (cloud computing).

  The execution subject of the air conditioning system 100 described above includes a computer system. The computer system has a processor and a memory as hardware. When the processor executes a program recorded in the memory of the computer system, a function as an execution subject of the air conditioning system 100 according to the present disclosure is realized. The program may be recorded in a memory of the computer system in advance, or may be provided through a telecommunication line. Further, the program may be provided by being recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by a computer system. A processor of a computer system includes one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). Field programmable gate array (FGPA), ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), or reconfigurable, which can be programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, to enable the reconfiguration of junction relations inside the LSI or the setup of circuit sections inside the LSI Logical devices can be used for the same purpose. The plurality of electronic circuits may be integrated on one chip, or may be provided separately on a plurality of chips. The plurality of chips may be integrated in one device, or may be provided separately in a plurality of devices.

3. Aspects As is apparent from the above embodiments and modifications, the present disclosure includes the following aspects. In the following, reference numerals are given in parentheses only for clarifying the correspondence with the embodiment.

  A first aspect is an air conditioning system (100), which includes an acquisition unit (F10) and a determination unit (F11). The acquisition unit (F10) acquires information on a stop period (Ps) for stopping the operation of the air conditioner (20). The deciding unit (F11) determines that the room temperature at the end point (te) of the stop period (Ps) is within the comfortable temperature range (Rc) before the end point (te). The restart point (tr) at which the operation of 20) is restarted is determined. According to the first aspect, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  A second aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the first aspect. In a second aspect, the determining unit (F11) obtains the power consumption of the air conditioner (20) during intermittent operation. In the intermittent operation, the operation of the air conditioner (20) is restarted from the restart point (tr), and the room temperature at the end point (te) of the stop period (Ps) is reduced to a temperature within the comfortable temperature range (Rc). It is a driving to be. According to the second aspect, the power consumption in the intermittent operation can be provided.

  A third aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the second aspect. In a third aspect, the deciding unit (F11) continues the operation of the air conditioner (20) and changes the room temperature to the set temperature (Ts) of the air conditioner (20) during the stop period (Ps). The power consumption of the air conditioner (20) in the continuous operation to be maintained is determined. According to the third aspect, the power consumption in the continuous operation can be provided.

  A fourth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the third aspect. In a fourth aspect, the deciding unit (F11) determines that the first electric energy, which is the electric energy consumption of the air conditioner (20) at the time of the intermittent operation, of the air conditioner (20) at the time of the continuous operation is changed. If the power consumption is less than the second power consumption, the intermittent operation is selected. According to the fourth aspect, energy saving can be achieved.

  A fifth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the fourth aspect. In a fifth aspect, the determining unit (F11) selects the continuous operation when the first electric energy is larger than the second electric energy. According to the fifth aspect, energy saving can be achieved.

  A sixth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) according to any one of the first to fifth aspects. In the sixth aspect, the determination unit (F11) sets the room temperature at the end point (te) of the stop period (Ps) to the comfortable temperature range (Rc) without restarting the operation of the air conditioner (20). If the temperature in () is reached, the operation of the air conditioner (20) is stopped. According to the sixth aspect, energy saving can be achieved.

  A seventh aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) according to any one of the fourth to sixth aspects. In a seventh aspect, the control device further includes a control unit (F12) that controls the air conditioner (20) according to a result of the selection in the determination unit (F11). According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  An eighth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) according to any one of the first to seventh aspects. In an eighth aspect, the determination unit (F11) obtains the restart point (tr) with reference to the outside air temperature (To). According to the eighth aspect, the accuracy of the restart point (tr) can be improved.

  A ninth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the eighth aspect. In a ninth aspect, the determination unit (F11) acquires the outside air temperature (To) based on registration information of the air conditioner (20). According to the ninth aspect, the accuracy of the restart point (tr) can be improved.

  A tenth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the ninth aspect. In a tenth aspect, the registration information includes an installation location of the air conditioner (20). The installation location indicates an address of a location where the air conditioner (20) is installed. The determining unit (F11) acquires the outside air temperature (To) based on the installation location. According to the tenth aspect, the accuracy of the restart point (tr) can be improved.

  An eleventh aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) according to any one of the first to tenth aspects. In an eleventh aspect, the determination unit (F11) determines the comfortable temperature range (Rc) based on an input from a user. According to the eleventh aspect, comfort can be improved.

  A twelfth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects. In a twelfth aspect, the air conditioning system (100) includes the air conditioning device (20) and a management device (10) communicably connected to the air conditioning device (20). The management device (10) includes the acquisition unit (F10) and the determination unit (F11). According to the twelfth aspect, it is not necessary to change the air conditioner (20), so that the air conditioning system (100) can be easily introduced.

  A thirteenth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the twelfth aspect. In a thirteenth aspect, the air conditioning system (100) includes a terminal device (30) communicably connected to the management device (10). The terminal device (30) is used for inputting the suspension period (Ps). According to the thirteenth aspect, the input of the stop period (Ps) is facilitated.

  A fourteenth aspect is the air conditioning system (100), which includes an acquisition unit (F10) and a control unit (F12). The acquisition unit (F10) acquires information on a stop period (Ps) for stopping the operation of the air conditioner (20). The control unit (F12) controls the restart point (tr) before the end point (te) so that the room temperature at the end point (te) of the stop period (Ps) becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range (Rc). ), The air conditioner (20) is restarted. According to the fourteenth aspect, it is possible to maintain comfort while reducing energy consumption.

  A fifteenth aspect is based on the air conditioning system (100) of the fourteenth aspect. In a fifteenth aspect, the control unit (F12) notifies that the operation of the air conditioner (20) will be restarted. According to the fifteenth aspect, it is possible to provide a necessary notification to the user regarding the operation state of the air conditioner (20).

Reference Signs List 100 Air conditioning system F10 Acquisition unit F11 Determination unit F12 Control unit 10 Management device 20 Air conditioner 30 Terminal device Ps Stop period te End time tr Restart time Ts Set temperature To Outside air temperature Rc Comfortable temperature range

Claims (15)

An acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a stop period for stopping the operation of the air conditioner;
A determination unit that determines a restart point to restart the operation of the air conditioner before the end point so that the room temperature at the end point of the stop period becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range,
Comprising,
Air conditioning system. The determining unit restarts the operation of the air conditioner from the restart point, and determines the power consumption of the air conditioner in an intermittent operation in which the room temperature at the end of the stop period is a temperature within the comfortable temperature range. ,
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. The determination unit determines the power consumption of the air conditioner in a continuous operation of maintaining the room temperature at the set temperature of the air conditioner during the suspension period while continuing the operation of the air conditioner,
The air conditioning system according to claim 2. The determining unit may determine that the first power amount, which is the power consumption amount of the air conditioner during the intermittent operation, is smaller than the second power amount, which is the power consumption amount of the air conditioner during the continuous operation, the intermittent operation. Select driving,
The air conditioning system according to claim 3. The determining unit selects the continuous operation when the first electric energy is larger than the second electric energy.
The air conditioning system according to claim 4. The determining unit, if the room temperature at the end of the stop period becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range without restarting the operation of the air conditioner, selects to stop the operation of the air conditioner,
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. A control unit that controls the air conditioner according to a result of the selection in the determination unit, further includes:
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 4 to 6. The determination unit determines the restart point by referring to the outside temperature,
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. The determining unit acquires the outside air temperature based on registration information of the air conditioner,
The air conditioning system according to claim 8. The registration information includes an installation location of the air conditioner,
The installation location indicates an address of a location where the air conditioner is installed,
The determining unit acquires the outside air temperature based on the installation location,
The air conditioning system according to claim 9. The determining unit determines the comfortable temperature range based on an input from a user,
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. The air conditioner;
A management device communicably connected to the air conditioner;
With
The management device includes the acquisition unit and the determination unit,
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. A terminal device communicably connected to the management device;
The terminal device is used for inputting the suspension period,
The air conditioning system according to claim 12. An acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a stop period for stopping the operation of the air conditioner;
A control unit that causes the air conditioner to resume operation at a restart point prior to the end point so that the room temperature at the end point of the stop period becomes a temperature within the comfortable temperature range,
Comprising,
Air conditioning system. The control unit performs notification of restarting the operation of the air conditioner,
The air conditioning system according to claim 14.

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