JP2022022563A - Airflow control method for controlling airflow of air conditioner and air-conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

To determine a control parameter of an airflow so as to make an air conditioner blow out an airflow which can improve the comfort of a user.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning system includes: an air conditioner for blowing out an airflow to a user existing in a control space which is an object of air-conditioning control; and an airflow control device for determining a control parameter of the airflow. The airflow control device can implement an airflow control method for determining the control parameter of the airflow of the air conditioner. The airflow control device is constituted so as to acquire a thermogenic amount of the user, to make the user radiate heat on the basis of the acquired thermogenic amount, and to determine the control parameter of the airflow. The control parameter includes at least either of a blowout wind velocity and a blowout temperature. The airflow control device determines the control parameter of the airflow so that a heat radiation amount of the user is increased when the acquired thermogenic amount is increased, and the heat radiation amount of the user is reduced when the acquired thermogenic amount is reduced on the basis of the acquired thermogenic amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to an airflow control method and an air conditioning system for controlling the airflow of an air conditioner, and more particularly to an airflow control method and an air conditioning system for determining control parameters for controlling the airflow of the air conditioner.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that determines a state of a human body and controls an air flow blown out from the air conditioner based on the determination result.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-024131

However, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 does not fully consider the comfort of the user and does not blow out the airflow that the user feels comfortable with.

Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to blow out an air flow that can make the user feel comfortable from the air conditioner.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the air conditioner system of one aspect according to the present disclosure includes an air conditioner that blows airflow to a user existing in the control space targeted for air conditioning control, and the control parameters of the airflow. Includes an air flow control device to determine. The airflow control device acquires the amount of heat produced by the user, and based on the acquired amount of heat produced, determines the control parameter of the airflow so that the user dissipates heat. The control parameters include at least one of blowout wind speed and blowout temperature. Based on the acquired heat production amount, the airflow control device increases the heat dissipation amount of the user when the acquired heat production amount increases, and decreases the heat dissipation amount of the user when the acquired heat production amount decreases. As such, the control parameters of the airflow are determined.

The air-conditioning control method for controlling the air-conditioning of the air-conditioning machine according to the other aspect of the present disclosure includes a step of acquiring the amount of heat produced by a user existing in the control space targeted for air-conditioning control of the air-conditioning machine, and the acquired heat-producing amount. A step of determining the control parameter of the air flow for the user so that the user dissipates heat based on the amount of heat produced, wherein the control parameter includes at least one of a blow air velocity and a blow temperature. In the step of determining the control parameter including the step of determining the parameter, the heat dissipation amount of the user increases as the acquired heat production amount increases based on the acquired heat production amount, and The control parameter of the air flow is determined so that the heat radiation amount of the user decreases when the acquired heat production amount decreases.

In the present disclosure, according to the airflow control method and the air conditioning system for determining the airflow control parameters of the air conditioner, the airflow control parameters for the user are determined in consideration of the amount of heat produced by the user. As a result, the user can balance the heat balance of the human body through the airflow blown out and feel comfortable.

A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Example diagram showing airflow control in the prior art An example diagram showing airflow control in the present disclosure. Diagram showing user heat generation and heat dissipation A diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed. The figure which shows the correspondence relationship between the blowing temperature and the blowing wind speed in Embodiment 2. The figure which shows an example of the fluctuation of the blowing wind speed in Embodiment 2. The figure which shows the correspondence relationship between the blowing temperature and the blowing wind speed in Embodiment 3. The figure which shows the correspondence relationship between the blowing temperature and the blowing wind speed in Embodiment 4. The figure which shows the correspondence relation between the human body heat balance, the blowing temperature, and the blowing wind speed in Embodiment 5. The figure which shows the control area in Embodiment 6. Flow chart of an example of the airflow control method in the seventh embodiment

First, various aspects of the air conditioner control method and the air conditioner system for controlling the air flow of the air conditioner will be described.

The air conditioner system of the first aspect according to the present disclosure includes an air conditioner that blows out an airflow and an airflow control device that determines the control parameters of the airflow for a user existing in the control space that is the target of air conditioning control. include. The airflow control device acquires the amount of heat produced by the user, and determines the control parameter of the airflow so that the user dissipates heat based on the acquired amount of heat produced. The control parameters include at least one of blowout wind speed and blowout temperature. Based on the acquired heat production amount, the airflow control device increases the heat dissipation amount of the user when the acquired heat production amount increases, and the heat dissipation amount of the user increases when the acquired heat production amount decreases. The control parameters of the airflow are determined so as to decrease.

The air conditioning system of the second aspect according to the present disclosure is such that, in the first aspect, the airflow control device causes fluctuations in at least one of the blown wind speed and the blown temperature based on the amount of heat produced. , The control parameter of the airflow may be determined.

In the second aspect of the air conditioning system according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the airflow control device controls the airflow control device so as to maintain one of the blown wind speed and the blown temperature constant and change the other. The parameters may be determined.

The air conditioning system of the fourth aspect according to the present disclosure, in the second aspect, the airflow control device determines the control parameter so that both the blower wind speed and the blowout temperature increase or decrease. You may be doing it.

In the air conditioning system of the fifth aspect according to the present disclosure, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the airflow control device is a user's activity amount, body movement, heart rate variability, and body temperature. The biometric data containing at least one of the above may be acquired, and the calorific value may be estimated based on the biometric data.

In the sixth aspect of the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, in the fifth aspect, the airflow control device estimates the metabolic amount of the user based on the biological data, or acquires the clothing amount of the user. You may. The airflow control device may estimate the amount of heat produced based on the amount of metabolism or the amount of clothing.

In the air conditioning system of the seventh aspect according to the present disclosure, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the airflow control device is at least one of the user's gender, age, weight, and height. The calorific value may be acquired based on the calorific value table showing the relationship between the user characteristic parameters, the user characteristic parameters obtained in advance, and the calorific value.

In the air conditioning system of the eighth aspect according to the present disclosure, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the airflow control device dissipates heat to the user based on the amount of heat produced. The amount of heat is determined, and based on the target heat dissipation amount, the heat dissipation amount of the user increases when the determined target heat dissipation amount increases, and when the determined target heat dissipation amount decreases, the heat dissipation amount of the user increases. The control parameters may be determined to decrease. The control parameter may be determined so that the human body heat balance, which is the difference between the amount of heat produced and the amount of heat released to the target, is within a predetermined range including zero.

In the eighth aspect of the air conditioning system of the ninth aspect according to the present disclosure, the human body heat balance may be zero.

In the tenth aspect of the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, in the eighth aspect, the airflow control device is controlled to show the relationship between the target heat dissipation amount, the target heat dissipation amount obtained in advance, and the control parameter. The control parameters may be determined based on the parameter table.

In the eleventh aspect of the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, in the tenth aspect, the control space is divided into a plurality of control areas, and the control parameter table has a plurality of controls corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas. It may include a parameter table. The airflow control device identifies the control area in which the user is located as the position of the user, and is based on the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameter table corresponding to the control area in which the user is located. The control parameters may be determined.

In the twelfth aspect of the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, in the tenth aspect, the airflow control device specifies the position of the user, and the target heat dissipation amount and the control are based on the position of the specified user. The control parameters determined based on the parameter table may be corrected.

In the air conditioning system of the thirteenth aspect according to the present disclosure, in any one of the first aspect to the twelfth aspect, the air flow control device may be incorporated in the air conditioner.

The airflow control method for controlling the airflow of the air conditioner according to the fourteenth aspect according to the present disclosure includes a step of acquiring the amount of heat produced by the user existing in the control space targeted for the air conditioning control of the air conditioner. A step of determining the control parameter of the airflow for the user so that the user dissipates heat based on the amount of heat produced, wherein the control parameter includes at least one of a blower wind velocity and a blowout temperature. Includes steps to determine control parameters. In the step of determining the control parameter, based on the acquired heat production amount, when the acquired heat production amount increases, the heat dissipation amount of the user increases, and when the acquired heat production amount decreases, the user said. The control parameter of the airflow is determined so that the amount of heat dissipated from the airflow is reduced.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the air flow control method and the air conditioner system for controlling the air flow of the air conditioner according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

Each of the embodiments described below is an example of the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, configurations, steps, order of steps, and the like shown in each of the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

In each of the embodiments described below, a modification may be shown for a specific element, and for other elements, any combination of arbitrary configurations is included, and each effect is achieved in the combined configuration. It plays. In each of the first embodiments, by combining the configurations of the respective modified examples, the effect in each of the modified examples can be obtained.

In the present disclosure, terms such as "first" and "second" are used for illustration purposes only and are understood to express or imply the order of relative importance or technical features. Should not be. The features limited to "first" and "second" are explicit or implied to include one or more such features.

<< Embodiment 1 >>
Among the components in the following embodiment 1, the components not described in the independent claim indicating the highest level concept are described as arbitrary components.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, the air conditioning system and the outline of the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 1A will be described. The air conditioning system 10 includes at least one air conditioner 20 and an air flow control device 30. The air flow control device 30 determines the control parameters for the air conditioner 20 and causes the air conditioner 20 to operate according to the determined control parameters. The air flow control device 30 can determine the control parameters of the air flow blown by the air conditioner 20 so that the user of the air conditioner 20 blows the air flow that can improve the comfort to the air conditioner 20. "Determining a control parameter" refers to determining the value of a particular control parameter (eg, blowout wind speed or blowout temperature). In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the airflow control device 30 is a server capable of managing the air conditioner 20.

<Air conditioner 20>
The air conditioner 20 that can be controlled by the air flow control device 30 is, for example, a control space in which the internal space of a room in a home or office is targeted for air conditioning control, and an indoor unit provided on the wall surface or ceiling of the control space. It has an outdoor unit installed outdoors, in a central air conditioning room other than the control space, and the like. In the air conditioner 20 of the first embodiment below, the air conditioner having the functions of cooling and heating will be described, but this configuration is an example. The present disclosure is not limited to the configuration described in the following embodiments, and has, for example, other functions such as a dehumidifying function and an air cleaning function in addition to the cooling and heating functions, or a cooling mode. -It includes an air conditioner having a combination of a heating mode and other functions (for example, a cooling / dehumidifying function). The air conditioner 20 includes an air conditioning storage unit 21, an air conditioning control unit 22, an air conditioning communication unit 23, a built-in sensor such as a biological temperature sensor 24, a photographing device 25, a compressor 26, and a fan 27. ..

The air conditioning storage unit 21 is a recording medium for recording various information and control programs, and may be a memory that functions as a work area of the air conditioning control unit 22. The air-conditioning storage unit 21 is realized, for example, by flash memory, RAM, other storage devices, or a combination thereof as appropriate.

The air conditioning control unit 22 is a controller that controls the entire air conditioner 20. The air conditioning control unit 22 includes a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, MPU, FPGA, DSP, and ASIC that realizes a predetermined function by executing a program. The air conditioning control unit 22 can realize various controls in the air conditioner 20 by calling and executing the control program stored in the air conditioning storage unit 21. Further, the air conditioning control unit 22 can read / write the data stored in the air conditioning storage unit 21 in cooperation with the air conditioning storage unit 21. The air-conditioning control unit 22 is not limited to one that realizes a predetermined function by the cooperation of hardware and software, and may be a dedicatedly designed hardware circuit that realizes a predetermined function.

The air conditioning control unit 22 determines the temperature of the control space and the wind speed of the airflow ejected from the air conditioner 20 based on the control parameters such as the set temperature and the operation mode, and the detection values received from various sensors. Control the wind direction. The air conditioning control unit 22 may control the humidity of the control space.

The air conditioning communication unit 23 can also communicate with the air flow control device 30, the user's terminal device 50, and the like, and can transmit and receive Internet packets, for example. When the air-conditioning control unit 22 cooperates with the air-conditioning control device 30 via the air-conditioning communication unit 23, the air-conditioning control unit 22 is controlled from the air-conditioning control device 30 via the Internet, for example, the rotation speeds of the compressor 26 and the fan 27, and the fan 27. It is possible to receive control parameters related to the blowing direction of the air and its parameter values or commands.

In one embodiment, the air flow control device 30 is connected to a plurality of air conditioners 20 via the Internet to control the air conditioners 20 by determining the control parameters of the air conditioners 20. Can be done. As the plurality of air conditioners 20 referred to here, it is assumed that they are installed all over Japan or in each region of the world. Each air conditioner 20 is provided in each control space.

The compressor 26 of the air conditioner 20 receives a control parameter related to the rotation speed from the air conditioning control unit 22, and operates according to the rotation speed. Thereby, the compressor 26 can be operated so as to adjust or maintain the blowing temperature of the airflow blown by the air conditioner 20.

The fan 27 of the air conditioner 20 may be an indoor blower fan. The fan 27 can blow out an air flow from the outlet of the air conditioner 20 toward the control space, particularly toward a user existing in the control space. More specifically, the fan 27 can blow out the air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger (not shown) inside the air conditioner 20 as the above-mentioned air flow, thereby increasing the indoor temperature in the control space. Can be controlled. Further, the air conditioner 20 may have a wind direction changing means such as a blade that can open and close the air outlet and adjust the air flow direction to at least one of the up, down, left, and right directions.

<Airflow control device 30>
The airflow control device 30 in FIG. 1A may be, for example, a management server of a manufacturer of the air conditioner 20 for managing at least one air conditioner 20 or for collecting data. Alternatively, the airflow control device 30 may be an application server. When the air conditioner 20 manages a specific air conditioner 20, the air flow control device 30 determines the blowout air velocity and the blowout temperature of the airflow blown out by the air conditioner 20, and the compressor 26 and the fan 27 are based on the determined blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature. By controlling the number of rotations with respect to the air conditioner 20, the air conditioner 20 can blow out an air flow having the blowing air velocity and the blowing temperature.

The airflow control device 30 in the embodiment of FIG. 1A is a server, and may have a server storage unit 31, a server control unit 32, and a server communication unit 33. The air flow control device 30 can communicate with the air conditioner 20, the terminal device 50, or another external device via the server communication unit 33.

The server storage unit 31 is a recording medium for recording various information and control programs, and may be a memory that functions as a work area of the server control unit 32. The server storage unit 31 is realized, for example, by a flash memory, an SSD (Solid State Disk), a hard disk, a RAM, another storage device, or a combination thereof as appropriate. The server storage unit 31 may be a memory inside the airflow control device 30, or may be a storage device connected to the airflow control device 30 by wireless communication or wired communication.

The server storage unit 31 may store detected values such as room temperature received from the air conditioner 20, operation records or control histories, weather information received from an external information source, and the like. Further, the server storage unit 31 may store the received detection value, operation record, and control history as a part of the database or as an individual electronic file.

The server control unit 32 of the airflow control device 30 is a controller that controls the entire airflow control device 30. The server control unit 32 includes a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, MPU, GPU, FPGA, DSP, and ASIC that realizes a predetermined function by executing a program. The server control unit 32 can realize various controls in the airflow control device 30 by calling and executing the control program stored in the server storage unit 31. Further, the server control unit 32 can read / write the data stored in the server storage unit 31 in cooperation with the server storage unit 31. The server control unit 32 is not limited to the one that realizes a predetermined function by the cooperation of hardware and software, and may be a hardware circuit specially designed to realize a predetermined function.

The server communication unit 33 can also cooperate with the server control unit 32 to send and receive Internet packets to and from the air conditioner 20, the user's terminal device 50, and the like, that is, to communicate with each other. The air flow control device 30 transmits control parameters related to the control of the air conditioner 20, for example, the rotation speed of the compressor 26 and the fan 27, the control parameters related to the blowing direction of the fan 27, and their parameter values or commands via the server communication unit 33. Can be done. Further, the airflow control device 30 may receive the operation record and control history of the air conditioner 20 from the air conditioner 20 via the server communication unit 33, and may receive past, present or future weather information from an external information source. You may receive it. The server communication unit 33 or the air conditioning communication unit 23 is used as a communication means used for transmitting / receiving data between the airflow control device 30, the air conditioner 20, the terminal device 50, and the external information source. Communication may be performed according to standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), IEEE802.2, IEEE802.3, 3G, LTE, etc. In addition to the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, It may communicate with infrared rays, Bluetooth (registered trademark), virtual dedicated network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication network, etc.

In FIG. 1A, it is indirect as follows that the server control unit 32 of the airflow control device 30 which is a server determines the control parameter with the blowout wind speed or the blowout temperature to control the operation of the air conditioner 20. It is done by the method. The server control unit 32 determines the control parameters, and transmits the determined control parameters to the air conditioner 20 via the server communication unit 33. When the air conditioning control unit 22 receives the control parameter from the air flow control device 30 via the air conditioning communication unit 23, the air conditioning control unit 22 controls the operation of the compressor 26 and the fan 27 according to the received control parameter. In this way, the server control unit 32 controls the operation of the air conditioner 20 by an indirect method.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the air flow control device 30 is provided in the air conditioner 20. For example, the airflow control device 30 may be the air conditioning control unit 22. Further, the air conditioning storage unit 21 may also have the necessary functions of the server storage unit 31 regarding the air conditioning system and the airflow control method according to the present disclosure. The air conditioning control unit 22 may also have the necessary functions of the server control unit 32 regarding the air conditioning system and the air flow control method according to the present disclosure. The air conditioning communication unit 23 may also have the necessary functions of the server communication unit 33 regarding the air conditioning system and the air flow control method according to the present disclosure.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, since the air flow control device 30 provided in the air conditioner 20 also serves as the air conditioning control unit 22, the server control unit 32 directly controls the operation of the compressor 26. Can be done. That is, the airflow control device 30 can be directly controlled by the compressor 26 and the fan 27 without going through the air conditioning communication unit 23 and the server communication unit 33 or the Internet. In this case, the air conditioning control unit 22 can control the operation of the compressor 26 and the fan 27 by determining control parameters such as the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature by the airflow control method described later.

The airflow to be controlled by the control parameters in the present disclosure is blown out to the user. That is, the air conditioner 20 generates an air flow and blows the air flow toward the user so as to hit the user. It should be noted that the determination of the control parameters according to the present disclosure may be performed under a specific operation mode of the air conditioner 20.

The blowing temperature in the present disclosure is the temperature at which the airflow blown from the air conditioner 20 separates from the air conditioner 20. For example, the blowout temperature is the temperature in the vicinity of the blowout port of the air conditioner 20 from which the airflow is blown out. The blowing temperature is the user-set temperature input by the user via the controller of the air conditioner 20, a smartphone associated with the air conditioner 20, the internal set temperature at which the air conditioner 20 actually operates, or the room temperature. It may be different. Generally, when the operation mode is cooling, the outlet temperature is lower than the set temperature or the room temperature, and when the operation mode is heating, the outlet temperature is higher than the set temperature or the room temperature.

The blowing wind speed in the present disclosure is the wind speed when the airflow blown from the air conditioner 20 separates from the air conditioner 20. For example, the blowout wind speed is the speed of the airflow passing through the outlet of the air conditioner 20 from which the airflow is blown out. The air conditioner 20 can control the blowing wind speed by controlling the fan 27.

The amount of airflow can be calculated based on the airflow speed. For example, the amount of airflow from the outlet that blows out the airflow can be calculated by the following formula. Therefore, the amount of air emitted from the air conditioner 20 can be controlled by determining the airflow velocity.

(Number 1)
Air volume (cubic meters per second) = 60 (seconds) x blowout wind speed (meters per second) x outlet opening area (square meters)

FIG. 2A is an example diagram showing airflow control in the prior art, and FIG. 2B is an example diagram showing airflow control in the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2A, the conventional air conditioner blows an air flow so as to set the room temperature to the set temperature over the entire control space 60 regardless of whether or not the conventional air conditioner hits the user existing in the control space 60. .. Therefore, the range in which the temperature should be controlled is wide, and a large amount of power is consumed to cool or heat the air in the wide range. For example, in order to maintain the indoor temperature (room temperature) of the entire control space 60 at 25.5 ° C., it is necessary to blow out an air flow having a blowout temperature of 17 ° C. and a blowout wind speed of 1 m / s to circulate in the control space 60. There is.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, the air conditioner 20 in the present disclosure blows an air flow to the user. Therefore, it is not necessary to control the temperature of the entire control space 60, and if only the temperature of the air around the user (also called the atmospheric temperature) is controlled to reach the set temperature, the user can feel comfortable enough. .. The air conditioner 20 airflow control device has an airflow generated by a small power consumption (low output of a compressor) as compared with the prior art, for example, an airflow temperature of 20 ° C. and an airflow speed of 0.3 m / s. The airflow allows the air around the user to be sufficiently cooled or heated. Therefore, as compared with the prior art, according to such an air conditioner 20, power consumption can be suppressed while providing comfort to the user, and an energy saving effect can be obtained.

<Determining control parameters based on the amount of heat produced by the user>
In order to generate a comfortable airflow for the user, the airflow control device 30 determines the airflow control parameter in consideration of the amount of heat produced by the user so that the user can balance the heat balance of the human body. The human body heat balance refers to the relationship between the heat produced (quantity) and heat dissipation (quantity) of the human body. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the heat generation and heat dissipation of the user. The amount of heat produced refers to the amount of heat produced in the human body by metabolism and muscle exercise, and differs depending on the activity state of the person. For example, a person who is exercising has a relatively high amount of heat, and a person who is reading quietly has a relatively low amount of heat. The amount of heat released refers to the amount of heat released from the human body to the outside. In the human body heat balance, when the amount of heat produced is higher than the amount of heat released, the body temperature rises and the person feels hot. On the other hand, when the amount of heat released is higher than the amount of heat produced, the body temperature drops and the person feels cold. When the human body heat balance is balanced, a person feels comfortable, neither hot nor cold. The airflow control device 30 determines the airflow control parameters for the user from the viewpoint of such a human body heat balance. The fact that the human body heat balance is well-balanced means that the human body heat balance is practically zero in principle.

Specifically, the airflow control device 30 first acquires the amount of heat produced by the user (the acquisition method will be described later). Then, based on the acquired heat production amount, the airflow control device 30 determines the airflow control parameter so that the user dissipates heat. Here, the control parameter includes at least one of the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature. More specifically, the airflow control device 30 is based on the acquired heat production amount so that the user's heat dissipation amount increases when the acquired heat production amount increases, and the user releases when the acquired heat production amount decreases. The control parameters of the airflow are determined so that the amount of heat decreases.

When the acquired heat production amount increases, that is, when the user's heat production amount is high and the user feels hot, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameter so as to promote the heat dissipation of the user and increase the heat dissipation amount of the user. For example, the control parameters may be determined so that the blowout temperature and / or the blowout wind speed is lowered and the blowout airflow is relatively cold and / or strong.

When the acquired heat production amount of the user decreases, the user feels cold if excessive heat dissipation is promoted. Therefore, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameter so that the heat dissipation amount of the user decreases. For example, the airflow temperature and / or the airflow speed may be increased and the airflow control parameters may be determined to result in a relatively warm and / or weak airflow.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may determine the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed to correspond to each other. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed. In this example, the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed have a substantially linear correspondence relationship. Based on this correspondence, the higher the blowout temperature is set, the higher the blowout wind speed is set. This correspondence (relational expression) may be determined theoretically or experimentally. In another embodiment, the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed may have a correspondence relationship different from the linear function correspondence relationship, for example, a step function correspondence relationship.

Further, the airflow control device 30 may set an upper limit value and a lower limit value with respect to the blowout temperature and the blowout wind speed. In general, humans feel comfortable when the sensible temperature is within a certain range of around 25 ° C. For example, when the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index is used as a comfort index, the comfort range is within ± 0.5 of the PMV index. Since the airflow control device 30 aims to blow out a wind (airflow) that makes the user feel comfortable, it is possible to control the blowout temperature so as to fall within the comfortable range and control the blowout wind speed according to the blowout temperature. can. For example, in FIG. 4, the temperature range within the broken line quadrangle, that is, 23.5 ° C to 26 ° C is set as the comfortable range of the blowing temperature, that is, the blowing temperature has an upper limit of 26 ° C and a lower limit of 23.5 ° C. Is set to be. In addition to the PMV index, the upper and lower limits of the control parameter values are set based on indicators such as the Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) or the standard new effective temperature (SET *). You may decide. In addition, these indexes may include parameters other than the control parameters, such as parameters such as clothing amount, metabolism amount, and average radiation temperature. In that case, the index may be calculated with a parameter other than the control parameter as a constant value.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 acquires heat production periodically or dynamically, and determines control parameters based on the acquired heat production. The amount of heat produced can fluctuate depending on the user's activity status, increase / decrease in clothing, eating and drinking conditions, and the like. In order to maintain a comfortable air flow, the air flow control device 30 may periodically acquire the amount of heat produced by the user and adjust the control parameters, for example, every 5 minutes, every 10 minutes, every hour. Further, the airflow control device 30 detects the activity or body temperature of the user via an activity meter, a camera, an infrared thermography camera, or the like, and when the activity or body temperature changes by a certain degree or more, the amount of heat produced by the user. May be obtained and the control parameters may be adjusted.

As described above, the airflow control device 30 determines the airflow control parameters for the user in consideration of the amount of heat produced by the user. As a result, the user can balance the heat balance of the human body through the airflow blown out and feel comfortable. In addition, comfort is ensured because the airflow control parameters are determined based on the current amount of heat produced, regardless of the user's activity status.

<How to obtain heat production>
There are various calculation methods and acquisition methods for acquiring the amount of heat produced. Although a plurality of acquisition / calculation methods are disclosed as follows, the acquisition / calculation method of the amount of heat produced actually adopted by the airflow control device 30 is not limited to these.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 acquires biometric data including at least one of the user's activity, body movement, heart rate variability, and body temperature, and estimates the amount of heat produced based on the acquired biometric data. You may. Body movement refers to the movement of the user's body. As mentioned above, the amount of heat produced depends on the activity state of the user. Generally, during exercise, the user's activity, body movement, heart rate variability or temperature is relatively high, and these biometric data are relatively low when quiet. Therefore, it is considered that the amount of heat produced can be estimated based on the biological data. In addition, other biological data such as heart rate and rate of increase in body temperature can also be used for estimating the amount of heat produced.

The biometric data can be acquired via the biosensor 24 of the air conditioner 20. Examples of the biological sensor 24 include a camera, an electrocardiographic sensor, a microwave sensor, an acceleration sensor, a heart rate sensor, an activity meter, an infrared thermography camera, and the like. For example, when the biosensor 24 is a camera, the amount of activity or body movement can be acquired by analyzing the user's position change or motion change in the image taken by the camera. The biosensor 24 may be provided in a place other than the air conditioner 20, for example, in the terminal device 50 or the control space 60, or may be provided in a wearable terminal or smart watch that can be worn by the user. The raw data or biometric data detected by the biosensor 24 may be transmitted directly to the airflow control device 30, and may be indirectly airflow controlled via the server communication unit 33, the air conditioner 20, or the terminal device 50. It may be transmitted to the device 30. Further, the airflow control device 30 may store the acquired biometric data in the air conditioning storage unit 21 or the server storage unit 31.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may store a predetermined table (collation table) showing the relationship between at least one biometric data and the amount of heat produced. In this case, when determining the control parameter, the airflow control device 30 reads out the table, collates the table based on the acquired biometric data, acquires the heat production amount, and determines the control parameter based on the acquired heat production amount. decide. The contents of this table can be obtained by prior experiments.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may store a table in which biometric data and control parameters directly correspond. The table shows the correspondence between at least one predetermined biometric data and at least one control parameter. That is, a table of biometric data and heat production and a table of heat production and control parameters may be stored and collated in one table. When determining the control parameters, the airflow control device 30 can directly determine the control parameters by reading out the summarized table and collating the summarized table based on the acquired biometric data.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 estimates the user's metabolic rate based on biometric data, or acquires the user's clothing amount. Then, the airflow control device 30 may estimate the amount of heat produced based on the amount of metabolism or the amount of clothing.

Regarding the amount of metabolism, the airflow control device 30 acquires the user's physical activity level and non-exercise physical activity (NEAT) based on biological data, and estimates the amount of heat produced based on the physical activity level and NEAT. You may. For example, the airflow control device 30 sets the basal metabolic rate (that is, the numerical value corresponding to 1 met) as "58", and the result of multiplication between the basal metabolic rate and the metabolic rate in an active state (that is, the coefficient of met). May be estimated as the amount of heat produced. As an example, the metabolic rate when the user is in a resting state is 0.9, the metabolic rate when the user is in a normal state is 1.0, and the metabolic rate when the user is in an exercise state below a certain level is 1.1. , The amount of metabolism in the case of exercise state of a certain degree or more may be set to 1.2. In this case, for example, when the biometric data indicating that the user is in the normal state is acquired, the airflow control device 30 calculates 58 × 1 = 58 as the amount of heat produced.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may calculate the amount of clothing acquired and the amount of heat produced based on the following equation.

(Number 2)
S = MW- (C + R) -E

Here, S is the human body heat balance (sometimes abbreviated as the human body heat balance), and the unit is w / m ² . M is the amount of heat produced, W is the amount of mechanical work, C is the amount of convection heat radiation, R is the amount of radiant heat radiation, and E is the amount of heat of moisture evaporation.

As can be seen from this equation, when the human body heat balance is zero, the heat production amount M is the same as the total value of the mechanical work amount W, the convection heat radiation amount C, the radiant heat radiation amount R, and the water evaporation heat amount E.

In general, the mechanical work amount W may be set to zero, and the convection heat dissipation amount C and the radiant heat dissipation amount R may be calculated together. Further, the mechanical work amount W, the convection heat dissipation amount C, the radiant heat dissipation amount R, and the water evaporation heat amount E can be collectively calculated based on the room temperature ta, the clothing amount clo, and the skin temperature ts.

The clothing amount clo may be acquired by having the user input the airflow control device 30 via the terminal device 50, or may be acquired by analyzing the user's image taken by the camera. Further, regarding the amount of clothing, a predetermined default value may be used when there is no input from the user. For example, the default value is 0.8 clo in the period from March to May or September to November, the default value is 0.5 clo in the period from June to August, and the default value is set in the period from December to February. The value may be 1 clo.

The skin temperature ts may be acquired by the biosensor 24, or a default value such as 36 ° C. may be used.

The amount of heat of water evaporation E may be calculated by the following formula based on the user's weight Wt and height Ht, or a constant default value may be used.

(Number 3)
E = 20 × 0.67 / (Wt ^0.444 × Ht ^0.663 × 0.008883)

As described above, the airflow control device 30 can calculate the heat production amount M based on the amount of clothes and the like. However, the amount of heat produced may be calculated using other formulas, parameters, default values, and the like.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may obtain the heat production by collating it with a heat production table based on at least one user characteristic parameter of the user's gender, age, weight, and height. good. The airflow control device 30 may acquire the user's gender, age, weight, and height by causing the user to input via the terminal device 50. Then, the airflow control device 30 may store a predetermined calorific value table showing a relationship between at least one user characteristic parameter of gender, age, weight, and height and the calorific value. In this case, when determining the control parameter, the airflow control device 30 reads out the heat production amount table, collates the heat production amount table based on the acquired gender of the user, etc., acquires the heat production amount, and acquires the acquired heat production amount. The control parameters are determined based on.

Accurate heat production can be obtained by dynamically calculating the heat production based on various detected values before determining the control parameters. On the other hand, by storing and collating the heat production amount table, the heat production amount can be obtained quickly by substituting a part or all of the calculation for the heat production amount.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
<When the airflow fluctuates (wind speed fluctuation)>
When a person is exposed to a certain wind (air flow) for a long time, he / she may feel tired and uncomfortable with the wind. In the second embodiment, as a countermeasure for this, the control parameters are determined so that the blown airflow fluctuates. In particular, the control parameters are determined so that the blowing wind speed fluctuates.

In the second embodiment, the airflow control device 30 may generate a change (fluctuation) in the airflow to be blown out in order to avoid this discomfort. The airflow control device 30 determines the airflow control parameters so as to generate fluctuations in at least one of the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature based on the amount of heat produced. As mentioned above, the user feels comfortable as long as the surrounding environment including room temperature and wind is within a certain range (comfort). Therefore, if the airflow blown out within a comfortable range where the heat balance of the human body can be balanced based on the amount of heat produced, it is possible to always generate a comfortable and tireless airflow (wind).

Fluctuation refers to a phenomenon in which control parameters such as blowout temperature and blowout wind speed change and fluctuate around the average value. Preferably, it is a change within a certain range and / or a periodic change. Airflow fluctuation refers to the phenomenon of fluctuation that occurs in attribute values such as airflow temperature and wind speed. The fluctuation of the air flow can be achieved by setting the upper and lower limit values of the fluctuation range of the control parameter to be fluctuated, or the fluctuation average value and the fluctuation width centered on the average value when determining the control parameter. For example, the airflow control device 30 may set the fluctuation range of the blown wind speed to 0.1 m / s to 1.0 m / s. Further, the airflow control device 30 may set the fluctuation range of the blowout temperature to 22.5 ° C. to 28 ° C. The fluctuation range of the blown wind speed may be defined by the rotation speed of the fan 27.

When the airflow control device 30 generates periodic fluctuations, the cycle of the fluctuations of the control parameters is, for example, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes. , 240 minutes, or 300 minutes. Further, the fluctuation period may be a predetermined value or a fluctuation value determined by the airflow control device 30, or may be a numerical value designated by the user via the terminal device 50 or the like. Further, the periodic waveform of the control parameter may be a waveform in which a plurality of periodic waveforms having a short period are superimposed on a periodic waveform having a long period. When the air conditioner 20 receives a fluctuating control parameter from the air flow control device 30, the compressor 26 and / or the fan 27 is operated so as to change its rotation speed based on the control parameter, and the fluctuating air flow is operated. Blow out.

As an example of the mode of fluctuation, 1 / f fluctuation can be mentioned. 1 / f fluctuation refers to fluctuation in which the spectral density is inversely proportional to the frequency f. It is thought that when the living body senses 1 / f fluctuations from the outside through the five senses, the autonomic nerves are arranged, the mind is stabilized, and the body becomes relaxed. Therefore, if 1 / f fluctuation is generated in the control parameter, it is possible to blow out an air flow that makes the user comfortable and relaxed. The airflow control parameters may be changed by fluctuations other than 1 / f fluctuations. Further, as will be described later, the number of control parameters to be fluctuated may be one or a plurality.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameters so as to change the blowout wind speed while keeping the blowout temperature constant. The fluctuation generated at the blowout wind speed at this time may be abbreviated as wind speed fluctuation below. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a change in the blowout temperature and a change in the blowout wind speed (correspondence relationship) in the second embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the airflow control device 30 determines the blowing temperature to a constant value. The constant value is, for example, a user-set temperature input by the user via the terminal device 50, an internal set temperature actually operated by the air conditioner 20, or a temperature lower or higher than these set temperatures by a constant value. May be good.

Then, the airflow control device 30 determines the blowing air velocity based on the blowing temperature. For example, based on the blowout temperature which is a constant value, the upper and lower limits of the fluctuation range of the blowout wind speed are set so that the PMV index is within the comfortable range (PMV index = ± 0.5 or less), and the blowout wind speed is this. The blowing wind speed may be determined so as to fluctuate within the set fluctuation range. Here, the upper and lower limit values of the fluctuation range of the blown wind speed may be determined based on the comfort range based on an index such as SET *. The range surrounded by the broken line rectangle in FIG. 5 represents the comfort range. The average value, which is the center of the change in wind speed fluctuation, may be a predetermined value, and is based on inputs received from the user via the terminal device 50 such as "strong", "medium", and "weak". It may be a numerical value.

The air conditioner 20 causes wind speed fluctuations in the airflow by changing the rotation speed of the fan 27 according to the blowout wind speed determined by the airflow control device 30. Since the wind speed changes more quickly with the change in the rotation speed of the fan 27 than the compressor 26, the period of the wind speed fluctuation can be set to be relatively short. For example, when the blowing wind speed is changed while keeping the blowing temperature constant, the period of the wind speed fluctuation may be set to 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes.

The waveform of the fluctuation of the blowing wind speed may have a sine wave, a rectangular wave, a triangular wave, or a composite shape. Further, the waveform may have a periodic smooth wave shape as shown in FIG. 5, or may have an irregular rectangular shape. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of fluctuation of the blown wind speed in the second embodiment, and the blown wind speed is represented by the corresponding fan rotation speed. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the fluctuation period is 300 minutes, the fluctuation range is 500 rpm to 1100 rpm, and the waveform is an irregular rectangular wave. The fluctuation of the blowout wind speed can be set according to a specific situation. For example, the airflow may generate fluctuations that reproduce the pleasant breeze in forests, grasslands, and plateaus, which can provide further comfort to the user.

As described above, the airflow control device 30 can generate fluctuations in the airflow to be blown out so that the user does not get tired of the airflow hitting the body. When the user gets tired of the air flow, the rotation speed of the compressor 26 and / or the fan 27 changes abruptly by the user manually changing the temperature and the wind speed, resulting in an increase in power consumption and the user's human body. The balance of heat balance may also be lost. However, the rotation speed of the compressor 26 and / or the fan 27 is rapidly increased or decreased by causing the airflow control device 30 to generate fluctuations in at least one of the blowing air velocity and the blowing temperature so that the user does not get bored. This is suppressed, so that the balance of the human body heat balance is always kept within the comfortable range.

Further, the airflow control device 30 can change the blowing air velocity while keeping the blowing temperature constant. In general, the power consumption of the compressor 26 is higher than the power consumption of the fan 27. Therefore, if the compressor 26 is operated at a constant speed and the wind speed fluctuates, an energy saving effect is also produced. In addition, since the wind speed changes quickly in response to changes in the fan speed, there is a high degree of freedom in setting the wind speed fluctuation, and it is possible to set fluctuations with various cycles, and it is possible to set complicated fluctuation patterns. can.

<< Embodiment 3 >>
<When the airflow fluctuates (temperature fluctuation)>
In the third embodiment, the control parameters are determined so that the airflow blown out fluctuates so that the user does not get tired of the wind hitting the body. In particular, the control parameters are determined so that the blowout temperature fluctuates.

In the third embodiment, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameters so as to change the blowing temperature while maintaining the blowing wind speed constant. Such fluctuations generated at the blowout temperature may be abbreviated as temperature fluctuations below. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing changes in the blowing temperature and changes in the blowing wind speed in the third embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the airflow control device 30 determines the blown wind speed to a constant value. The constant value may be a predetermined value, or may be a numerical value based on an input received from the user via the terminal device 50 such as "strong", "medium", and "weak".

The range surrounded by the broken line rectangle in FIG. 7 represents the comfort range. Similar to the second embodiment, the airflow control device 30 can determine a comfortable range in which the human body heat balance can be balanced based on the amount of heat produced. Then, the blowing temperature of the airflow is fluctuated within the comfortable range. The average value, which is the center of the change in temperature fluctuation, is a user-set temperature input by the user via the terminal device 50, an internal set temperature actually operated by the air conditioner 20, or a constant value lower than these set temperatures. Alternatively, the temperature may be high.

The airflow control device 30 may freely determine the period of temperature fluctuation. Considering the response speed of the compressor 26 to the change of the set temperature, and considering that the compressor 26 may fail if the rotation speed of the compressor 26 changes frequently, the cycle of the temperature fluctuation is too short. No cycle is preferred. For example, it is preferable to set the temperature fluctuation cycle to 10 minutes or longer.

The airflow control device 30 sets the upper and lower limit values of the fluctuation range of the blowout temperature so as to be within the comfortable range regulated by the amount of heat produced, the PMV index, etc., based on the blowout temperature which is a constant value, and the blowout temperature. The blowing temperature may be determined so that is fluctuating within this set fluctuation range. Here, the upper and lower limit values of the fluctuation range of the blowout temperature may be determined based on the comfort range based on an index such as SET *. The air conditioner 20 causes temperature fluctuations in the airflow by changing the rotation speed of the compressor 26 according to the blowing temperature determined by the airflow control device 30.

The waveform of the blowout temperature fluctuation may have a sine wave, a square wave, a triangular wave, or a composite shape, or may have a periodic smooth wave shape as shown in FIG. 7, and may be irregular. It may be rectangular. Further, the airflow control device 30 may determine the blowout temperature so as to generate 1 / f fluctuation in the blowout temperature.

The airflow control device 30 can freely set the fluctuation of the blowout temperature according to a specific situation. For example, when the user is sensitive to changes in the wind speed and volume of the airflow that hits the user, such as during reading, by generating temperature fluctuations while maintaining a weak wind (that is, an airflow with a low blowout speed). , Comfort can be improved. On the other hand, for a user who is exercising or cooking, comfort can be improved by generating temperature fluctuations while maintaining a strong wind (that is, an air flow having a high blowing wind speed).

As a result, the airflow control device 30 can blow out an airflow that is comfortable and does not get tired of the user. In particular, the blowing temperature can be changed while keeping the blowing wind speed constant. Therefore, the user can fluctuate the airflow even when he / she is sensitive to changes in the wind speed / volume of the airflow that hits his / her body, and can create a comfortable environment.

<< Embodiment 4 >>
<When the airflow fluctuates (wind speed fluctuation and temperature fluctuation)>
In the fourth embodiment, the control parameters are determined so that the airflow blown out fluctuates so that the user does not get tired of the wind hitting the body. In particular, the control parameters are determined so that fluctuations occur in both the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature.

In the fourth embodiment, the airflow control device 30 causes fluctuations in both the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a change in the blowing temperature and a change in the blowing wind speed (correspondence relationship between the blowing temperature and the blowing wind speed) in the fourth embodiment. Specifically, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameters so that both the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature increase or decrease. That is, in the wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation, the direction of increase / decrease of the numerical value of the control parameter is the same. If the blowout temperature rises, the amount of heat produced by the user will also increase, but if the blowout wind speed is also raised accordingly to encourage the user to dissipate heat, the balance of the heat balance of the human body can be maintained. Therefore, the airflow control device 30 raises the blowout air velocity and raises the blowout temperature, or lowers the blowout wind speed and also lowers the blowout temperature.

Similar to the second and third embodiments, the airflow control device 30 can determine a comfortable range in which the human body heat balance can be balanced based on the amount of heat produced. Then, the blowing speed and the blowing temperature of the airflow are fluctuated within the comfortable range. The center of the change in the wind speed fluctuation may be a predetermined value or a numerical value based on an input received from the user via the terminal device 50. The mean value, which is the center of the change in temperature fluctuation, may be a user-set temperature, an internal set temperature, or a temperature that is constant lower or higher than these set temperatures.

Still, as described above, the airflow control device 30 may freely determine the period and the waveform of the fluctuation between the wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the period of the wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation is the same, and the increase / decrease of the amplitude (that is, the degree of change in the fluctuation) is also the same. However, it may be set individually for each of the wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation according to the demand. Therefore, the determined period, fluctuation range, and waveform of the wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation may be the same or different. The ratio of the fluctuation width in the fluctuation range and the change in the fluctuation width between the determined wind speed fluctuation and the temperature fluctuation may be the same or different.

As a result, the airflow control device 30 can blow out an airflow that is comfortable and does not get tired of the user. In particular, the blowing wind speed and blowing temperature can be changed accordingly. By fluctuating both the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature, the fluctuation can be set more freely. For example, it is possible to reproduce a pleasant breeze in various natural environments.

<< Embodiment 5 >>
<When determining control parameters based on the target heat dissipation amount>
In the fifth embodiment, the target heat dissipation amount related to the heat production amount is determined, and the control parameter is determined based on the determined target heat dissipation amount.

In the fifth embodiment, the airflow control device 30 determines the target heat dissipation amount to be dissipated to the user based on the heat production amount. In order to balance the human body heat balance of the user, the control parameters are determined so that the human body heat balance, which is the difference between the amount of heat produced and the amount of heat released to the target, is within a predetermined range including zero. Preferably, the target heat dissipation amount may be determined to be a value substantially equal to the heat production amount. That is, the target heat dissipation amount may be determined to be the same as the heat production amount so that the human body heat balance becomes zero. However, considering the convenience of airflow control or the accuracy of the data in the table, the target heat dissipation amount may be substantially equal to the acquired heat production amount, and may not completely match the acquired heat production amount. For example, if the user wants to quickly lower or raise the room temperature, the target heat dissipation amount is compared with the heat production amount for a while from the time when the air conditioner 20 is started or the time when the input from the user is received. It may be set high or low.

Next, the airflow control device 30 increases the heat dissipation amount of the user when the determined target heat dissipation amount increases based on the target heat dissipation amount, and decreases the heat dissipation amount of the user when the determined target heat dissipation amount decreases. To determine the control parameters. In the operation of the airflow control device 30 of the first to fourth embodiments, the target heat dissipation amount may be a criterion for determining the control parameter instead of the heat production amount. For example, the airflow control device 30 may determine the control parameters by storing a control parameter table showing the relationship between the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameters and collating the control parameter table based on the target heat dissipation amount. good.

It should be noted that this control parameter table may indirectly show the relationship between the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameter via other variables or formats. For example, as described above, since the human body heat balance is related to the amount of heat radiation, the control parameter table may show the relationship between the human body heat balance and at least one control parameter.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the human body heat balance, the blowing temperature, and the blowing wind speed in the fifth embodiment. The vertical axis is the human body heat balance (W / m ² ), the horizontal axis is the blowout wind speed (m / s), and curves corresponding to different blowout temperatures (23 ° C. to 28 ° C.) are shown. The range surrounded by the broken line quadrangle in FIG. 9 represents the comfort range. This comfortable range is a range in which the human body heat balance is within ± 7.5 (W / m ² ), and is a range in which the PMV index is within ± 0.1 when converted to the PMV index.

The airflow control device 30 may determine the blowout wind speed and / or the blowout temperature according to the correspondence diagram shown in FIG. For example, when the blowout temperature is set to 24 ° C. by the user-set temperature or the internal set temperature, and the human body heat balance is set to 0 by the acquired heat production amount and the operation mode of the air conditioner 20, the airflow control device 30 collates the relationship diagram. The blowout wind speed is determined to be 0.4 m / s. When the blowout temperature is 24 ° C. and the human body heat balance is 2.5, the airflow control device 30 collates the relationship diagram and determines the blowout wind speed to 0.3 m / s. When the blowout temperature is 25 ° C. and the human body heat balance is zero, the airflow control device 30 collates the relationship diagram and determines the blowout wind speed to 0.9 m / s. On the other hand, the blowout temperature may be determined by collation after determining the blowout wind speed and the human body heat balance. Further, when a fluctuation is generated in at least one of the blowing wind speed and the blowing temperature, the blowing wind speed or the blowing temperature obtained by collation may be used as an average value as the center of the change in the wind speed fluctuation or the temperature fluctuation.

By using such a target heat dissipation amount, the air conditioner can blow out a comfortable air flow according to the user's preference and constitution. For example, by determining the airflow control parameter based on the target heat dissipation amount that is larger than the heat production amount, it is possible to blow out a comfortable airflow for the user who prefers a cool environment. Further, for example, by determining the control parameter of the airflow based on the target heat dissipation amount smaller than the amount of heat produced, it is possible to blow out a comfortable airflow for the user who prefers a warm environment. Further, by using a table showing the relationship between the control parameter and the target heat dissipation amount and the human body heat balance, the control parameter can be efficiently determined.

<< Embodiment 6 >>
<When considering the user's position>
The airflow blown out from the air conditioner may be attenuated in its wind speed and temperature before reaching (hit) the user. For example, before the airflow reaches a user located at a distant distance, the wind speed may decrease from the blowout air velocity, and the temperature may rise or fall from the blowout temperature (cooling mode) or decrease (heating mode). In the sixth embodiment, the airflow control device 30 determines or corrects the control parameters in consideration of the position of the user.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 acquires a position in the control space 60 in which the user is present, and determines or corrects a control parameter based on the position. The position in the control space 60 may be an absolute position or a relative position with respect to the air conditioner 20. Further, the position of the user may be represented by coordinates, or may be represented by a specific control area in the control space 60 in which the user is present.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a control region according to the sixth embodiment. The control space 60 is divided into a plurality of control areas 62. These control regions 62 are, for example, a distance from the air conditioner 20 (“near (N)”, “middle (M)”, “far F”) and a viewing angle from the air conditioner 20 (“left (L)”. ) ”,“ Center (C) ”,“ Right (R) ”).

In one embodiment, the air conditioning system 10 further includes a detector 40 that detects the user's position. The airflow control device 30 may use the detection device 40 to detect in which control region 62 the user is located or the distance between the user and the air conditioner 20. The detection device 40 may be, for example, a camera, an infrared thermography camera, or a distance sensor. The detection device 40 may be provided in the air conditioner 20, the terminal device 50, the control space 60, or a wearable terminal or smart watch worn by the user and which can be worn by the user.

In one embodiment, the airflow control device 30 stores a plurality of control parameter tables corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas 62. For example, a first control parameter table is prepared for the control region 62 (LN, CN, RN) closest to the air conditioner 20, and the control region 62 (LM, CM, RM) having an intermediate distance to the air conditioner 20 is prepared. ), And a third control parameter table may be prepared for the control region 62 (LF, CF, RF) farthest from the air conditioner 20. The wind speed and temperature of the blown air flow are attenuated as the distance from the air conditioner 20 increases. The numerical values of the control parameters in the control parameter table may be set to predict and compensate for the amount of attenuation due to the distance so that the airflow reaching the user can balance the human body heat balance. Therefore, in order to achieve a similar balance of human body heat balance, the blown wind speed in the first control parameter table is lower than the blown wind speed in the second control parameter table, and / or the blown temperature in the first control parameter table is Higher (cooling mode) or lower (heating mode) than the blowing temperature in the second control parameter table. A different control parameter table may be prepared for each of the control areas 62, or the same control parameter table may be prepared for some control areas 62.

When determining the control parameters, the airflow control device 30 identifies the control area 62 to which the user's position belongs and reads out the control parameter table corresponding to the control area 62. Then, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameters by collating the control parameter table corresponding to the control area 62 in which the user exists, based on the target heat dissipation amount.

In one alternative embodiment, the airflow control device 30 once acquires control parameters by collating the same control parameter table. After that, the airflow control device 30 corrects the once acquired control parameter based on the position of the user, that is, the control area 62 in which the user exists or the distance between the user and the air conditioner 20, so that the control parameter can be changed. Determine the final value. For example, the airflow control device 30 multiplies the once acquired control parameter by a correction coefficient based on the position of the user, that is, the control area 62 in which the user exists or the distance between the user and the air conditioner 20. May be corrected.

As an example, the correction coefficient may be determined based on a predetermined position, control area 62, or distance. For example, if the position of the user, that is, the control area 62 in which the user is located or the user is closer to the air conditioner 20 than the reference, the correction coefficient may be a positive number smaller than 1. good. On the other hand, when the air conditioner 20 is farther than the reference, the correction coefficient may be a positive number larger than 1.

As a result, the airflow control device 30 determines the control parameters in consideration of the position of the user, so that the balance of the human body heat balance of the user can be more reliably achieved when the blown airflow reaches the user.

<< Embodiment 7 >>
<Airflow control method for determining the airflow control parameters of the air conditioner>
In the seventh embodiment, an airflow control method capable of controlling the airflow by determining the airflow control parameter of the air conditioner 20 is disclosed. The airflow control method may be performed by the airflow control device 30.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example of the airflow control method according to the seventh embodiment. The airflow control method includes the following steps S100 and S200. First, the airflow control device 30 acquires the amount of heat produced by the user existing in the control space 60 that is the target of the air conditioning control of the air conditioner 20 (step S100). Next, the air conditioner 30 determines the control parameter of the air flow for the user so that the user dissipates heat to the outside based on the acquired heat production amount (step S200). Here, the control parameter includes at least one of the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature.

In step S200, the airflow control device 30 increases the amount of heat radiated to the outside of the user when the acquired amount of heat is increased, and when the acquired amount of heat is decreased, the airflow control device 30 is used by the user. Determine the airflow control parameters so that the amount of heat released to the outside is reduced.

According to such an airflow control method, it is possible to generate a comfortable airflow for the user. Further, according to the airflow control method, the airflow to be controlled is applied to the user, and the control parameters are determined based on the amount of heat produced by the user, so that the effect of energy saving can be brought about.

The airflow control method may include a step representing an operation related to determination of an airflow control parameter performed by the airflow control device 30 in the first to sixth embodiments. For example, the airflow control method may include a step of generating wind speed fluctuations and / or temperature fluctuations, and a step of determining a target heat dissipation amount. Here, these operations by the airflow control device 30 will not be described in duplicate.

The above is merely a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, and the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the content described above in the drawings and the specific embodiments described above. Various embodiments or examples disclosed may be combined without departing from the scope or intent of the present disclosure. Modifications that do not deviate from the functional and structural principles of the present disclosure are within the scope of the claims.

10 Air conditioner system 20 Air conditioner 21 Air conditioner 21 Air conditioning storage unit 22 Air conditioning control unit 23 Air conditioning communication unit 24 Biosensor 25 Imaging device 26 Compressor 27 Fan 30 Airflow control device 31 Server storage unit 32 Server control unit 33 Server communication unit 40 Detection device 50 Terminal device 60 Control space 62 Control area

Claims (14)

It ’s an air conditioning system.
An air conditioner that blows airflow to users in the control space targeted for air conditioning control,
An airflow control device that acquires the amount of heat produced by the user and determines the control parameters of the airflow so that the user dissipates heat based on the acquired amount of heat produced.
Including
The control parameters include at least one of blowout wind speed and blowout temperature.
The airflow control device is
Based on the acquired heat production amount, the user's heat dissipation amount increases when the acquired heat production amount increases, and the heat dissipation amount of the user decreases when the acquired heat production amount decreases. Determining the control parameters for airflow,
Air conditioning system. The airflow control device is
Based on the amount of heat produced, the control parameters of the airflow are determined so as to generate fluctuations in at least one of the blowout wind speed and the blowout temperature.
The air conditioning system according to claim 1. The airflow control device is
The control parameters are determined so as to change one of the blowing wind speed and the blowing temperature while keeping the other constant.
The air conditioning system according to claim 2. The airflow control device is
The control parameters are determined so that both the blow rate and the blow temperature increase or decrease.
The air conditioning system according to claim 2. The airflow control device is
Obtain biometric data including at least one of the user's activity, body movement, heart rate variability, and body temperature.
The calorific value is estimated based on the biometric data.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The airflow control device is
The metabolic amount of the user is estimated based on the biological data, or the clothing amount of the user is acquired.
The amount of heat produced is estimated based on the amount of metabolism or the amount of clothing.
The air conditioning system according to claim 5. The airflow control device is
The calorific value is acquired based on at least one user characteristic parameter of the user's gender, age, weight, and height, and a calorific value table showing the relationship between the user characteristic parameter and the calorific value obtained in advance. ,
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The airflow control device is
Based on the amount of heat produced, the target amount of heat to be dissipated to the user is determined.
Based on the target heat dissipation amount, the heat dissipation amount of the user increases when the determined target heat dissipation amount increases, and the heat dissipation amount of the user decreases when the determined target heat dissipation amount decreases. Determine the control parameters
The control parameter is determined so that the human body heat balance, which is the difference between the amount of heat produced and the amount of heat released to the target, is within a predetermined range including zero.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The human body heat balance is zero,
The air conditioning system according to claim 8. The airflow control device is
The control parameter is determined based on the target heat dissipation amount and a control parameter table showing the relationship between the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameter obtained in advance.
The air conditioning system according to claim 8. The control space is divided into a plurality of control areas, and the control space is divided into a plurality of control areas.
The control parameter table includes a plurality of control parameter tables corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas.
The airflow control device is
As the position of the user, the control area in which the user is located is specified.
The control parameter is determined based on the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameter table corresponding to the control area in which the user exists.
The air conditioning system according to claim 10. The airflow control device is
Identify the location of the user and
Based on the position of the specified user, the control parameter determined based on the target heat dissipation amount and the control parameter table is corrected.
The air conditioning system according to claim 10. The air flow control device is incorporated in the air conditioner.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 12. It is an airflow control method that controls the airflow of an air conditioner.
A step of acquiring the amount of heat produced by a user existing in the control space targeted for air conditioning control of the air conditioner, and
A step of determining the control parameter of the airflow for the user so that the user dissipates heat based on the acquired heat generation amount, wherein the control parameter includes at least one of a blowout wind speed and a blowout temperature. , Steps to determine the control parameters,
Including
In the step of determining the control parameters,
Based on the acquired heat production amount, the user's heat dissipation amount increases when the acquired heat production amount increases, and the heat dissipation amount of the user decreases when the acquired heat production amount decreases. Determining the control parameters for airflow,
Airflow control method.

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