JP6425452B2 - AIR CONDITIONER AND CONTROL METHOD OF AIR CONDITIONER - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method of the air conditioner.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, air conditioners are often equipped with a camera in order to understand the condition of a person or a room and perform air conditioning operation according to the condition. The air conditioner recognizes, by means of a camera, information such as the number of people in the room, the number of people in the room, the location, the amount of activity, and the area in which the room layout and sunlight are inserted. The air conditioner analyzes this information together with temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and seasonal information, and controls the temperature, wind direction, and air volume appropriately to perform air conditioning while maintaining the comfort of the occupants. .

The air conditioner can grasp the situation of a person or a room more accurately by using not only visible light images but also infrared (light) images. As a technology of the air conditioner which grasps a situation by an infrared (light) picture, there is a technology given in patent documents 1, for example.
The problem of Patent Document 1 is described as "providing an air conditioner that can perform optimal air conditioning control according to the indoor environment even in a dark environment without using an infrared camera." In the solution means of the same document, “I recognize the indoor environment based on the imaging unit 2 capable of imaging in a band including a visible light band and a partial band of infrared light, and the image information imaged by the imaging unit 2 It is described that the image recognition unit 3A and the air conditioning control unit 4 that changes the air conditioning setting based on the indoor environment recognized by the image recognition unit 3A.

  In paragraph 0016 of Patent Document 1, “In the first embodiment, an infrared cut filter 2c capable of transmitting a partial band of infrared light is used, and for example, a characteristic capable of transmitting a near infrared band such as C” Therefore, the imaging unit 2 can capture both visible light and near-infrared light. " In paragraph 0029 of the document, it is described that “the air conditioner 1 of the second embodiment is obtained by adding the light emitting portion 6 to the air conditioner 1 of FIG. 1 in the first embodiment”. .

JP, 2011-220612, A

The imaging element of the camera is generally sensitive not only to the visible light band but also to the infrared band. Therefore, in the camera, a band pass filter for attenuating a band shorter in wavelength than ultraviolet light and a band longer in wavelength than infrared light is used.
The technique described in Patent Document 1 needs to use a special filter inside the camera. In addition, the effect disclosed in the same document also remains in the night vision function and can hardly enjoy the advantage of emitting infrared rays (light).

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the air conditioner which is equipped with an imaging means and an infrared irradiation means, and can detect an object and / or a human body with high precision by image processing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the first invention, the object to be air-conditioned room is imaged by an imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room, an infrared light emitting means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared light into the air-conditioned room A control means for causing the imaging means to image the air conditioned room under at least both of the condition where infrared rays are not irradiated and the condition where infrared rays are irradiated in the air conditioned room, and at least from the image picked up by the imaging means Image detection means for detecting whether or not an object other than a human body is included, and an air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means, and detecting an image area of the detection object . The control unit causes the imaging unit to capture an image when infrared light is not emitted by the infrared irradiation unit at predetermined time intervals; And an air conditioner, wherein the repeating the process of imaging the imaging means when the infrared is irradiated by external irradiation means.
In the second invention, the air-conditioned room is irradiated with infrared light by an imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room, an infrared-irradiating means having an infrared light-emitting element for irradiating the air-conditioned room with infrared light Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions of no infrared light and infrared light, and at least an object other than a human body is included in the image taken by the imaging means And an air conditioning operation control means for controlling the air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means, and the predetermined operation mode is set to itself. At the same time, the control means turns on the infrared radiation means, causes the imaging means to pick up an image, and then turns off the infrared radiation means, and thereafter the air conditioning subject to air conditioning Repeating a process for imaging on the imaging unit when the infrared is not irradiated within and an air conditioner, characterized in that.
In the third invention, the air-conditioned room is irradiated with infrared light by an imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room, an infrared-irradiating means having an infrared light-emitting element for irradiating the air-conditioned room with infrared light Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions of no infrared light and infrared light, and at least an object other than a human body is included in the image taken by the imaging means And an air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means, wherein the control means detects a predetermined time. The process of causing the image pickup means to pick up an image while repeating the infrared radiation means turned off is repeated at intervals, and the image pickup means picks up an image by the image detection means. And when the predetermined detection target is detected from the image, the so captured in the imaging means After turning on the infrared ray irradiation means, and an air conditioner, characterized in that.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the room to be air-conditioned is irradiated with infrared light by an imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room, an infrared irradiation means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating the room to the air-conditioned room with infrared light. Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under conditions of no case and infrared radiation, and a human body or / and an object to be detected in an image taken by the imaging means And an air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means, and detecting the image area of the detection target while detecting whether or not Repeats the process of causing the imaging means to capture an image in a state where the infrared irradiation means is turned off at predetermined time intervals, and the image detection means When the image means is not detected a predetermined detection object from the image captured, the is imaged on the imaging means After turning on the infrared ray irradiation means, and an air conditioner, characterized in that.

In a fifth invention, an imaging means for imaging the air conditioned room, an infrared irradiation means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the air conditioned room, and a control means for causing the imaging means to image the air conditioned room. Image detection means for detecting whether an image contains a human body and / or an object to be detected and detecting an image area of the detection object, and air conditioning for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means A control method of an air conditioner comprising: operation control means, wherein the air conditioner turns off the infrared irradiation means at predetermined time intervals and causes the imaging means to image, and the infrared irradiation The process of turning on the means and causing the image pickup means to pick up an image is repeated, and the image detection means turns off the infrared radiation means and the type and image of the detection target from the image picked up And the second detection result of detecting the type of the detection target and the image area from the image captured by turning on the infrared irradiation means, and the air conditioning operation control Means for combining the first detection result and the second detection result, and controlling the air conditioning operation according to the type of the detection target corrected with a predetermined parameter and the estimated position in the air-conditioned room The control method of an air conditioner characterized by

  Other means will be described in the form for carrying out the invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner capable of detecting an object and / or a human body with high accuracy by image processing, provided with an imaging unit and an infrared irradiation unit.

It is a front view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner in this embodiment, an outdoor unit, and a remote control. It is a sectional side view of an indoor unit. It is a block diagram which shows the outline | summary containing the control means of an air conditioner. It is a block diagram which shows the 1st modification which connected the near-infrared light projector to the camera board | substrate. It is a block diagram which shows the 2nd modification which connected the near-infrared light projector to the control board. It is a figure which shows an example of the image detection result by an image detection part. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a near-infrared light projector. It is a figure which shows the mounting of the light emitting diode which comprises a near-infrared light projector. It is a figure which shows the near-infrared irradiation time in the case of no synchronization, and a near-infrared image acquisition timing. It is a figure which shows the near-infrared irradiation time in the case with synchronization, and a near-infrared image acquisition timing. It is a figure showing control operation of air conditioning operation using an imaging result in a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the air-conditioning operation control processing in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the air-conditioning operation control processing at the time of the predetermined | prescribed operation mode setting in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the air-conditioning operation control processing in 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a front view of an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and a remote control of the air conditioner according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner A includes an indoor unit 100, an outdoor unit 200, and a remote controller Re. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 are connected by a refrigerant pipe (not shown), and the air in the room where the indoor unit 100 is installed is conditioned by a known refrigerant cycle. Moreover, the indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 mutually transmit and receive information via a communication cable (not shown).

The remote control Re is operated by the user, and transmits an infrared signal to the remote control transmission / reception unit Q of the indoor unit 100. The contents of the infrared signal are commands such as an operation request, a change of the set temperature, a timer, a change of the operation mode, and a stop request. The air conditioner A performs the air conditioning operation such as the cooling mode, the heating mode, and the dehumidifying mode based on the instruction of the infrared signals. Also, the indoor unit 100 transmits data such as room temperature information, humidity information, and electricity cost information from the remote control transmission / reception unit Q to the remote control Re.
Further, at the lower center of the indoor unit 100, an imaging means 121 and a near infrared light projector 141 (infrared irradiation means) are respectively installed on the same straight line in the longitudinal direction. The near-infrared light projector 141 is installed on the same plane as the installation surface of the imaging means 121, so that a shadow is not included in the image captured by the imaging means 121. The imaging means 121 is arranged to image the air conditioned room. The near-infrared light projector 141 is configured to include a near-infrared light emitting element arranged to emit near-infrared light into the conditioned room. Here, near infrared radiation refers to an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 0.7 to 2.5 μm.
The arrangement of the near-infrared light projector 141 and the imaging unit 121 may be set according to the image detection method and the detection target, the specification of the imaging unit 121, and the like. In the present embodiment, the near infrared light projector 141 is mounted at one place of the indoor unit 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the near infrared projector 141 may be disposed at a plurality of locations of the indoor unit 100.
The details of the imaging unit 121 and the near-infrared light projector 141 will be described later.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the indoor unit 100. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the housing base 101 of the indoor unit 100 accommodates internal structures such as the indoor heat exchanger 102, the blower fan 103, and the filter 108.
The indoor heat exchanger 102 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes 102 a. The indoor heat exchanger 102 is configured to heat exchange the air taken into the indoor unit 100 by the blower fan 103 with the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer pipe 102 a to heat or cool the air. The heat transfer pipe 102a is in communication with a refrigerant pipe (not shown), and constitutes a part of a known refrigerant cycle (not shown).

The left and right wind direction plate 104 is rotated by a left and right wind direction plate motor (not shown) with a pivot shaft (not shown) provided at the lower part as a fulcrum according to an instruction from a main microcomputer (not shown) of the indoor unit 100. Be moved.
The vertical wind direction plate 105 is rotated by a vertical wind direction plate motor (not shown) around pivot shafts (not shown) provided at both ends according to an instruction from the main microcomputer of the indoor unit 100.

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

As the blower fan 103 rotates, room air is taken in through the air suction port 107 and the filter 108, and the air heat-exchanged by the room heat exchanger 102 is guided to the blowoff air passage 109a. The air guided to the blowoff air path 109a is adjusted in wind direction by the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the up and down wind direction plates 105, and is sent out from the air blowout port 109b. The air supplied to the outside from the air outlet 109 b air-conditions the room.
The imaging means 121 is attached in the vicinity of the air outlet 109b. The imaging unit 121 is installed so as to face downward from the mounting position of itself by a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction. Thereby, the room in which the indoor unit 100 is installed can be appropriately imaged. However, the attachment position of the imaging means 121 and the installation angle may be set according to the specification and application of the air conditioner A, and the configuration is not limited.
The configuration of the air conditioner A according to the present embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention is applicable to any form of air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an outline including the control means 130 of the air conditioner A. As shown in FIG.
The control unit 130 of the air conditioner A includes an image detection unit 131, a storage unit 135, an arithmetic processing unit 136, and a drive control unit 137. The control means 130 drives the load 150 and the near-infrared light projector 141 based on each sensor information of the environment detection means 120.

The environment detection unit 120 includes an imaging unit 121, an A / D conversion unit 124, and other sensors 129. Here, the other sensor 129 is, for example, an occupant detection sensor, a temperature sensor using a thermopile, or an activity detection sensor using an illuminance sensor or a Fresnel lens and an infrared sensor.
The imaging unit 121 continuously images the air conditioned room, converts it into image data by the A / D conversion unit 124, and outputs the image data to the control unit 130. The A / D conversion unit 124 may be configured to perform image correction such as color tone and luminance of image data.

The control unit 130 generally controls the operation of the air conditioner A according to the image information input from the imaging unit 121, the command signal input from the remote controller Re, and the sensor output input from various sensors. The control unit 130 causes the imaging unit 121 to image the air-conditioned room under the conditions in which the near-infrared light projector 141 does not irradiate the near-infrared light in the conditioned room and in the case where the near-infrared light is irradiated. Thereby, the air conditioner A enables more precise control of operation.
The image detection unit 131 of the control unit 130 performs various image processing on the image data captured by the imaging unit 121, and information on the position and activity of the occupant, information on the shape, position and distance of the object, etc. To detect. Detection data detected by the image detection unit 131 is transmitted to the arithmetic processing unit 136. Thereby, the air conditioner A can perform the correction of the air conditioning operation according to the condition of the air conditioned room.

The image detection unit 131 according to the present embodiment includes a human body detection unit 132, an object detection unit 133, and a floor plan detection unit 134. The human body detection unit 132 detects a human body and its image area from the image data. The object detection unit 133 detects an object and its image area from the image data. Here, the object is, for example, furniture or the like. The floor plan detection unit 134 detects the floor plan of the air conditioned room from the image data. The details of the human body detection unit 132, the object detection unit 133, and the floor plan detection unit 134 will be described later. The image detection unit 131 detects whether the image captured by the imaging unit 121 includes a human body and / or an object to be detected and also detects an image area of the detection target.
The detection data of the image detection unit 131 is information such as the position and activity amount of the occupant, information such as the shape, position and distance of the detected object, and does not include the image data itself. As a result, the amount of data held by the storage means 135 can be reduced, and the privacy of the occupant in the conditioned room can be protected.

  The storage unit 135 includes, for example, a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like. The program stored in the ROM is read out by the control microcomputer, expanded on the RAM, and executed. When the control microcomputer is divided into two parts, one for camera and one for operation control, it is desirable to divide ROM and RAM.

The arithmetic processing unit 136 corrects the air conditioning operation by the drive control unit 137 using detection data output from the image detection unit 131 in addition to the set operation setting of the air conditioning operation. The detailed control contents of these control means 130 will be described later.
The drive control unit 137 outputs a drive signal to the load 150 for driving, thereby performing air conditioning operation. That is, the arithmetic processing unit 136 and the drive control unit 137 configure an air conditioning operation control unit that controls the air conditioning operation according to the imaging result of the imaging unit 121.

  The load 150 is installed, for example, on the compressor motor 151 included in the outdoor unit 200, the blower fan motor 152 included in the indoor unit 100, the left and right air direction plate motor 153 installed on the left and right air direction plate 104, and the up and down air direction plate 105 And an up and down wind direction plate motor 154.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a first modified example in which the near infrared light projector 141 is connected to the camera substrate 160. As shown in FIG.
The control means 130 of the first modification is divided into a camera substrate 160 and a control substrate 170. On the camera substrate 160, an imaging unit 121, a camera microcomputer 161, and a near-infrared light projector drive circuit 140 are mounted. The camera microcomputer 161 is configured to include an image detection unit 131 and a storage unit 135.
The main microcomputer 171 is mounted on the control board 170. The main microcomputer 171 includes an arithmetic processing unit 136, a drive control unit 137, and a storage unit 138, and drives the load 150.
The camera microcomputer 161 performs information communication with the main microcomputer 171. The camera microcomputer 161 transmits detection data and an operation command to the main microcomputer 171. The main microcomputer 171 transmits an imaging request command and an operation command to the camera microcomputer 161.

<Configuration of Imaging Unit 121>
The imaging unit 121 includes an imaging element 123, an optical lens 122, an A / D converter 124, and a digital signal processor 125.
The optical lens 122 is, for example, a convex lens or a concave lens such as glass or plastic, and condenses light to form an object image on the image sensor 123. The optical lens 122 is installed on the front of the image sensor 123.
The imaging device 123 is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, or the like, and images light and converts it into an analog electrical signal.

The A / D conversion unit 124 converts an analog signal output from the imaging device 123 into a digital signal.
The digital signal processor 125 processes the digital signal output from the A / D converter 124 and outputs image data. The digital signal processing unit 125 can read an imaging parameter from the outside and use it.
The imaging unit 121 may use a module device that processes the analog signal of the image sensor after A / D conversion and outputs the image data.

The imaging device is sensitive to visible light as well as to near infrared light and near ultraviolet light. Therefore, in a general camera, an optical filter for suppressing the influence of infrared light and ultraviolet light is disposed on the front surface of the imaging device, and an optical lens is disposed on the front surface of the optical filter. This optical filter can transmit visible light on the imaging device and attenuate ultraviolet light and near infrared light.
The imaging means 121 of the present embodiment removes this optical filter to improve the sensitivity to near-infrared light. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, an optical filter in which the attenuation factor of the wavelength in the near infrared band is arbitrarily reduced may be used.
However, the optical filter for attenuating the light in the ultraviolet and near infrared band wavelengths is only attenuating the ultraviolet and near infrared rays, and is not completely blocking. Therefore, in the setting specification of the air conditioner A to which the present invention is applied, when the amount of light received by the near infrared light can be ensured even with a general camera, it is not necessary to take measures to change or delete the optical filter.
As the imaging means 121 included in the air conditioner A, an appropriate one may be used in accordance with the design specification of the air conditioner A, the product specification of the air conditioner A, and the like.

<Basic Configuration of Control Means 130>
The control unit 130 includes an image detection unit 131 and a storage unit 135.
The image detection unit 131 is configured to include various detection units adapted to the specifications of the air conditioner A in order to perform various image processing based on the image data obtained by the imaging unit 121. The image detection unit 131 according to the present embodiment includes a human body detection unit 132, an object detection unit 133, and a floor plan detection unit 134.
The human body detection unit 132 detects a human body such as a human head, chest, arms, and legs. The object detection unit 133 detects, for example, the shape of an object in the air-conditioned room. The floor plan detection unit 134 estimates the floor plan of the air conditioned room by detecting the distance to the wall of the room and the position of the corner of the room wall.

The control means 130 is composed of two substrates, a control board 170 on which the main microcomputer 171 is mounted, and a camera board 160 on which the camera microcomputer 161 and the imaging means 121 are mounted. The main microcomputer 171 of the control board 170 controls the operation of the air conditioner A. The camera microcomputer 161 of the camera substrate 160 includes software that performs various image processing based on the image data captured by the imaging unit 121. The control means 130 is configured to be executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) suitable for each of image processing that requires relatively fast arithmetic processing and drive control of the air conditioner A that may have slow arithmetic processing. It is possible to construct more inexpensively.
The processing speed of the camera microcomputer 161 of this embodiment is different from the processing speed of the main microcomputer 171. Therefore, the control unit 130 may connect the camera microcomputer 161 and the main microcomputer 171 to serial communication, and transmit only the detection result by the image detection from the camera microcomputer 161 to the main microcomputer 171. Thus, the processing load of the main microcomputer 171 can be reduced while minimizing the amount of information to be communicated.

<When connecting the near infrared projector 141 to the camera substrate 160>
When the near infrared light projector 141 (infrared irradiation unit) is connected to the camera substrate 160 or mounted on the camera substrate 160 when the camera substrate 160 is separate from the control substrate 170, control by the imaging unit 121 is performed. The near infrared light projector 141 can be directly driven by the camera microcomputer 161 to be performed. This facilitates synchronization of imaging by the imaging unit 121 and irradiation of near-infrared light, and enables shortening of the irradiation time of near-infrared light and shortening of the photographing time at the time of near-infrared irradiation.

At this time, when an LED (Light Emitting Diode) is used for the near-infrared light projector 141, the irradiation time of the near-infrared light per one time is shortened, so the LED life becomes long. In addition, since the influence of heat generation of the LED is reduced, it is possible to increase the current value accordingly. In the case of an LED, the current value and the light emission intensity are proportional. By increasing the light emission intensity of each LED, the number of LEDs can be reduced accordingly, and the price of the near infrared light projector 141 can be reduced and the size can be further reduced.
By arranging the camera substrate 160 and the near-infrared light projector 141 near each other, lead wires can be shortened and cost can be reduced.

<When mounting the near infrared light projector 141 on the camera substrate 160>
In addition to the configuration of FIG. 4, by mounting the near-infrared light projector 141 on the camera substrate 160, it is possible to realize a configuration in which near-infrared light is always emitted in the imaging direction of the camera (imaging unit 121). Therefore, the irradiation range of the near infrared rays can be minimized, and there is no need to arrange the LEDs in all directions, or a mechanism for driving the near infrared light projector 141 in the imaging direction of the imaging means 121 becomes unnecessary. It is possible to construct more inexpensively. Further, the lead wire for connecting the near-infrared light projector 141 and the like become unnecessary, and the cost can be reduced.

  When the near infrared light projector 141 is connected to the camera substrate 160 or mounted on the camera substrate 160 when the camera substrate 160 is separate from the control substrate 170, the same camera microcomputer 161 controls the imaging unit 121. And the near infrared projector 141 can be driven. Thereby, the imaging by the imaging means 121 and the irradiation of the near infrared light by the near infrared light projector 141 can be easily synchronized. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the irradiation time of the near infrared radiation and to shorten the photographing time at the time of the near infrared radiation irradiation.

  At this time, when an LED is used for the near-infrared light projector 141, the irradiation time of the near-infrared light per one time is shortened, and the LED life becomes long. In addition, since the influence of heat generation of the LED is reduced, the current value can be increased accordingly. In the case of an LED, the current value and the light emission intensity are proportional. By increasing the light emission intensity of each LED, the number of LEDs can be reduced accordingly, and the price of the near infrared light projector 141 can be reduced and the size can be further reduced.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second modified example in which the near-infrared light projector 141 is connected to the control board 170. As shown in FIG. The same reference numerals are given to the same elements as in the first modification shown in FIG.
<When connecting the near-infrared projector 141 to the control board 170>
When the camera substrate 160 is separate from the control substrate 170 and the camera substrate 160 is configured to rotate, the near infrared light projector 141 is connected to the control substrate 170 on which the main microcomputer 171 is mounted, and controlled It may be mounted on another substrate connected to the substrate 170 or mounted on the control substrate 170. At this time, the near-infrared light projector drive circuit 140 is mounted on the control substrate 170. As a result, the number of lead wires connected to the camera substrate 160 can be reduced by the amount of the near-infrared light projector 141.

  When the camera substrate 160 is separate from the control substrate 170 and the camera substrate 160 is configured to rotate, the near infrared light projector 141 is connected to the control substrate 170 on which the main microcomputer 171 is mounted, and controlled It may be mounted on another substrate connected to the substrate 170 or mounted on the control substrate 170. As a result, there is no need to mount a mounting space for near infrared light emitting diodes on the camera substrate 160 or a connector for connecting an LED module, etc., so the camera substrate 160 can be made smaller. Furthermore, by reducing the size of the camera substrate 160, it is possible to secure the pivotability of the camera. In addition, since the number of harnesses connected to the rotating camera substrate 160 is reduced, it is possible to avoid problems such as disconnection of lead wires at the time of camera rotation.

<When mounting the near-infrared projector 141 on the control board 170>
In addition to the configuration of FIG. 5, by mounting the near-infrared light projector 141 on the control substrate 170, the wiring board and the like of the harness and the module can be eliminated compared with the case where the module is used to make the structure cheaper. It is possible.
When it is difficult to rotate the substrate itself that constitutes the near-infrared light projector 141, a plurality of LED elements with different irradiation directions are prepared, and only the elements facing the necessary direction are lit to achieve low current and long life. Can be realized.

6A to 6C are diagrams showing an example of the image detection result by the image detection unit 131. FIG.
FIG. 6A shows an evaluation image processed by the image detection unit 131.
The evaluation image is obtained by photographing the air-conditioned room, and includes the human body 400 and the objects 300 and 301. The object 300 is a table. The object 301 is a chair.
<About the method of human body detection by the control means 130>
FIG. 6B shows an operation in which the image detection unit 131 detects a human body from the image.
From the human body 400 of this evaluation image, a face area 410 on an image indicated by a dashed rectangle is detected.
In the detection of the human body, it is possible to obtain much information by combining the detection results of the body detection and the face detection. For example, the human body detection unit 132 may also estimate the distance from the air conditioner A to the detected occupant from the size of the body and the size of the face included in the image information acquired by the imaging unit 121. It is possible. For example, the face or body of the occupant near the air conditioner A is large, and the face or body of the occupant far from the air conditioner A is small. By detecting this and further associating it with the position information of the body, it is possible to detect the position of the occupant with high accuracy.

The control means 130 can detect the amount of activity by capturing not only the position of the occupant in the air-conditioned room but also its change over time. It is possible to further improve the comfort of the air-conditioned room by reflecting the activity amount of the occupants in the air conditioning operation. This is realized by calculating the sensible temperature according to the amount of activity of a person according to a predetermined parameter from the detection result of the amount of activity of the occupant in the air conditioned room, and reflecting it in the setting of the air conditioning operation .
These various image processing methods are an example of the air conditioner A to which the present invention is applied, and the same effects can be obtained even when other appropriate detection methods are set according to the specifications of the air conditioner A. You can get it.

<About a method of detecting an object by the control means 130>
FIG. 6C shows an operation in which the image detection unit 131 detects an object from the image.
From the object 300 of this evaluation image, an object region 310 on the image indicated by the dashed polygon is detected. From the object 301, an object region 311 on an image indicated by a dashed polygon is detected.
Similar to the detection of a human body, an object can be detected by detecting an outline from image information. The image detection unit 131 can also estimate the size of the object, the distance from the air conditioner A main body to the object, the shape, and the like from the detected object.

  The image detection unit 131 may perform each existing shape analysis and the like, such as calculation of the position of the center of gravity and the degree of complexity of the shape, from the contour of the detected object. The air conditioner A may add various image detection and the like utilizing these in accordance with the specification. Any software can be used to detect the shape of the object from the image information.

As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, the detected human body and / or object is used for control as a detection result based on the shooting direction of the camera and the position coordinates on the image. The position of the occupant and the distance from the indoor unit 100 are detected by arbitrarily setting parameters in accordance with the angle of view and mounting position of the imaging unit 121 and performing image processing according to the parameters.
About the specific operation mode which performs the air-conditioning operation according to the image pick-up and the image detection by image pickup means 121, and the image detection result, etc., it is set according to the specification of air conditioner A.

<Image detection while irradiating near infrared rays>
In the air conditioner A according to the present embodiment, the imaging unit 121 captures an image of the air conditioned room while the near infrared light is emitted to the air conditioned room by the near infrared light projector 141 in accordance with the indoor environment.

  Near infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light, and humans can not recognize near infrared light with the naked eye. However, the imaging means 121 can detect near infrared rays. It is possible to acquire a near-infrared image in the air-conditioned room by imaging with the imaging unit 121 while emitting near-infrared light from the near-infrared light projector 141.

In general, an image sensor for imaging visible light is configured by arranging pixel sensors provided with red, green, and blue color filters in a two-dimensional matrix. This image sensor measures and outputs the amount of light of red, green and blue. The signal processing unit of the camera generates the image data so that the output data of the pixel sensor of each color constitutes one dot on the image information.
The color of the object is determined by the wavelength of the visible light that the object of interest absorbs. For example, a blue object absorbs light of wavelengths in the red to green band and reflects light of blue wavelengths. This makes the color of this object appear blue. However, since the near-infrared light has a wavelength different from the visible light band, in the image obtained when the near-infrared light is irradiated, the near-infrared absorptivity and reflectance of the object are different from the color of the object. It is expressed in the corresponding color tone.

The object detection unit 133 derives a boundary on the screen from the difference in color tone and luminance, and detects this as an outline to detect an object. Therefore, when the color of the pattern or the pattern is different from the object to be imaged, the pattern or the pattern is erroneously detected as the boundary of the contour. Examples of objects that can be disturbances in image detection due to patterns and patterns include carpets, flooring, and wallpaper. Generally, the same material is used for the same object in these carpets, floorings, wallpaper, etc., and the near infrared absorptivity and reflectance of the same material are almost the same.
In the air conditioner A according to the present embodiment, the near-infrared light is emitted from the near-infrared light projector 141 at the time of imaging, so that the influence of the image processing by the patterns and patterns of these objects is reduced. That is, by imaging while emitting near-infrared light from the near-infrared light projector 141, it is possible to detect an object of the same material having a pattern or a pattern as the same color (brightness).

  Since the air conditioner A in the present embodiment includes the near infrared light projector 141, imaging can be performed by emitting near infrared light even at night when the air conditioned room is dark. At this time, near infrared rays can not be caught with the naked eye, and therefore, there is no discomfort to the occupants.

  Moreover, when detecting the outline of an object from the image imaged without irradiating near-infrared rays, there exists a problem that the shadow of an object will be misdetected as an outline of an object. When light is emitted to the target object from a direction different from the imaging direction, the imaging unit 121 captures a shadow of the target object. However, in the air conditioner A in the present embodiment, since the near infrared light is emitted from the near infrared light projector 141 installed in the vicinity of the imaging means 121, the shadow of the object caused by the irradiated near infrared light is the imaging means It is designed not to be reflected in 121. That is, it is possible to reduce the shadow of the target object by the lighting device in the air-conditioned room by irradiating the near infrared rays.

  Assuming that only reduction of the shadow of the target object is assumed, the air conditioner A may be considered to be provided with an illuminator for emitting visible light to the main body, and to light this at the time of imaging. However, visible light can be caught by the naked eye of the human being, and irradiation of visible light can not be used in air conditioner A used under human living environment because it may impair the comfort of the occupants . Since the air conditioner A in the present embodiment emits near infrared rays that can not be caught by the naked eye of a human being, it makes the occupant of the room uncomfortable at the time of imaging while suppressing false detection of image detection due to the shadow of the target object. There is no

  In addition, image detection software used when performing various image processing and detecting an object or the like from image data captured in an environment emitting near-infrared light is the same as conventional image detection software for visible light. It may be used, and image detection software dedicated to near infrared images may be prepared, and this software may be changed and used according to the image capturing method and the object detection object.

<Configuration when using an external optical filter in combination>
In the case where the filter for suppressing the light in the infrared band and the ultraviolet band provided inside the camera is removed, the influence of the light in the infrared band and the ultraviolet band on the color tone and contrast of the captured image can not be tolerated. In the imaging range on the front surface of the imaging means 121, an optical filter having infrared cut characteristics, ultraviolet cut characteristics, or both of them may be disposed. This optical filter can be arbitrarily moved according to the signal from the control means 130. The control means 130 places this optical filter in front of the imaging range of the imaging means 121 when imaging without emitting near-infrared light. The control means 130 moves this optical filter outside the imaging range of the camera when performing imaging while emitting near-infrared light. This makes it possible to secure the performance at the time of photographing with visible light.

  In addition, there is no case where the optical filter having the infrared cut characteristics, the ultraviolet cut characteristics, or both of them is used simultaneously with the visible light cut filter. Therefore, the air conditioner A is configured to simultaneously drive an optical filter having infrared cut characteristics, ultraviolet cut characteristics, or both characteristics as a united shape adjacent to the visible light cut filter by a single drive means. You may In the air conditioner A of the present embodiment, although improvement in detection accuracy can be expected by these optical filters and mechanisms, it may be set arbitrarily according to the specifications of the air conditioner A to which the present invention is applied. It does not limit the configuration of the invention.

<Configuration of Near-Infrared Projector 141>
The near-infrared light projector 141 is configured using, for example, a near-infrared light emitting element, for example, a near-infrared light emitting diode, disposed so that the near-infrared light is irradiated to the imaging range of the imaging means 121 in the air conditioned room. When the imaging unit 121 is configured to image the entire inside of the air conditioned room by pivoting, a near infrared light emitting diode may be disposed so that the entire imaging area at this time can be irradiated, and it is necessary to perform imaging It is good also as composition which irradiates near infrared rays only to a certain area.

FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams showing configuration examples of the near-infrared light projectors 141A to 141C.
Fig.7 (a) is a figure which shows the near-infrared light projector 141A.
The near-infrared light projector 141A includes a substrate 143, a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes 142 disposed on the substrate 143, and an optical lens 144. The optical lens 144 is disposed in front of the near infrared light emitting diode 142. Thereby, the near-infrared light projector 141A condenses the near-infrared light so that the near-infrared light can be emitted in an arbitrary range.

FIG.7 (b) is a figure which shows the near-infrared light projector 141B of a 2nd modification.
The near-infrared light projector 141A includes a substrate 143, a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes 142 disposed on the substrate 143, and a cover 145 made of a near-infrared diffusion material. The cover 145 is disposed on the front of the near infrared light emitting diode 142. As a result, the near-infrared light projector 141A can uniformly emit near-infrared light in an arbitrary range.

FIG.7 (c) is a figure which shows the near-infrared light projector 141C.
The near-infrared light projector 141 </ b> C includes a substrate 143, a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes 142 disposed on the substrate 143, and a reflector 146. The reflector 146 is disposed at the outer peripheral portion of the installation site of the near infrared light emitting diode 142. Thereby, the near-infrared light projector 141C can collect and diffuse near-infrared light in an arbitrary range.

FIGS. 8 (a) to 8 (c) are diagrams showing the mounting of the light emitting diode constituting the near infrared light projector 141D.
FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing the near infrared light emitting diode 142 and the pedestal 147.
The near-infrared light projector 141D includes a substrate 143, six near-infrared light-emitting diodes 142 mounted on the substrate 143, and a pedestal 147 for supporting them.

FIG. 8B is a perspective view showing the positional relationship with the unit opening 148.
The unit opening 148 is a single transmission part that transmits near infrared light. The near infrared light emitting diode 142 is disposed such that the irradiation direction of the near infrared light is directed to the unit opening 148 (transmission part).

FIG. 8C is a diagram showing the positional relationship with the unit opening 148.
The near infrared light emitting diode 142 is disposed such that the irradiation direction of the near infrared light is directed to the unit opening 148 (transmission part). The near infrared rays emitted by the respective near infrared light emitting diodes 142 once converge on the unit opening 148 (transmission portion) and then diverge to irradiate each portion in the air conditioned room. With such a configuration, the unit opening 148 can be made small, and the thickness and the installation area of the near infrared light projector 141D can be made small.
In addition, an optical filter that transmits near infrared rays and cuts visible light may be installed in the unit opening portion 148.

  The air conditioner A in the present embodiment is capable of image detection under a plurality of conditions based on the presence or absence of near-infrared radiation from the near-infrared light projector 141. Therefore, the air conditioner A in the present embodiment can perform more accurate image detection by changing the imaging method according to the indoor environment in the air conditioned room or the target to be detected from the image data acquired by the imaging unit 121. It is possible.

As is generally known, the physical properties of visible light and near infrared light are different. Therefore, in an environment where the room is dark or in an environment in which the room light is weakly lit at night, it is possible to capture an image captured by emitting near infrared rays and a color tone different from an image by visible light. Therefore, it is possible to acquire a lot of information from the same imaging unit 121 by switching on and off of the near-infrared light projector 141 according to an object to be subjected to image detection.
An example of an object to be detected by the near infrared image is an object such as furniture or a wall of an air conditioned room, an outline of a human body, and limbs.

  An image capturing near infrared rays has a color tone / brightness corresponding to the near infrared reflectance and absorptivity of the object. If it is the same material, the reflectance of near infrared rays is near. Therefore, even if an object made of the same material has different color tones in visible light, it has almost the same color tone and brightness on the near infrared image. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect the shape of the object without being influenced by the pattern and the pattern of the object by irradiating the near infrared rays.

The shadow of an object is also a disturbance in image detection. The near-infrared light projector 141 is mounted on the main body of the air conditioner A like the imaging means 121. Therefore, the near-infrared light projector 141 emits near-infrared light to reduce the shadow of the object or / and the human body to be detected. It is possible. Thereby, it is possible to avoid false detection due to the shadow of the object or / and the human body. In addition, since the near infrared rays can not be seen by human eyes, the room occupants do not feel uncomfortable.
In addition, when the illuminance in the air conditioned room is low, it is possible to perform image detection under low illuminance by irradiating the near infrared light from the near infrared light projector 141.
These imaging conditions may be appropriately set according to the specifications of the image processing software, the type of detection target, and the product specifications of the air conditioner A.

<Near infrared irradiation time and acquired image>
It is possible to make the exposure time by near-infrared irradiation into a desired value by matching the timing of the near-infrared irradiation and the timing of the imaging. This is effective when comparing images captured in a predetermined time cycle.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the near infrared irradiation time and the near infrared image acquisition timing in the case of no synchronization.
The irradiation time of the near-infrared light shown in FIG. 9 is the case where it is difficult to synchronize the irradiation of the near-infrared light and the imaging by the configuration where the near-infrared light projector 141 is connected to the control substrate 170 of the second modification shown in FIG. It is suitable. At this time, since the main microcomputer 171 (see FIG. 5) does not know the timing for acquiring the photographed image of the camera, the main microcomputer 171 issues an on command to the near infrared light projector 141 simultaneously with the operation mode switching. The timing of the on command is any _{one of} from the imaging timing t _{n -1} to the imaging timing t _n . Thereafter, when the time of 2Δt or more passes, the main microcomputer 171 issues an off command to the near-infrared light projector 141.

The first image acquired by the camera microcomputer 161 after the near infrared light projector 141 is turned on is the photographing timing t _n , the exposure time is unknown, and the exposure time is insufficient. Therefore, the camera microcomputer 161 discards the first image immediately after the near-infrared light projector 141 is turned on, acquires an image captured at the second image capturing timing t _{n + 1} , and performs image processing. Thus, it is possible to acquire a captured image of the exposure time Δt from time t _n to time t _{n + 1} .
The photographed image at the photographing timing t _n and the photographing timing t _{n + 2} is discarded because the exposure time is unknown.
In FIG. 9, after the photographing timing t _{n +3,} it is possible to obtain an image at the time of non-irradiation of near infrared light.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the near infrared irradiation time and the near infrared image acquisition timing in the case where there is synchronization.
The irradiation time of the near-infrared light shown in FIG. 10 is suitable when it is easy to synchronize the irradiation of the near-infrared light and the imaging by the configuration in which the near-infrared light projector 141 is connected to the camera substrate 160 of the first modification shown in FIG. It is.
The camera microcomputer 161 (see FIG. 4) issues an ON command to the near infrared light projector 141 earlier by the margin time Δt _b with respect to the next photographing timing t _n in consideration of the rise of the near infrared light projector 141 and the communication lag. Thereafter, the camera microcomputer 161 issues an off command to the near-infrared light projector 141 at the time of the captured image acquisition timing t _{n + 1} . Thus, near infrared ray projector 141 is turned off after a time margin Delta] t _a. As a result, it is possible to acquire a photographed image exposed for a time Δt from time t _n to time t _{n + 1} at the photographing timing t _{n + 1} . The irradiation time of the near infrared light projector 141 at this time is time (Δt + Δt _b + Δt _a ), and can be reduced to about half that in the case without synchronization.
The photographed image at the photographing timing t _n and the photographing timing t _{n + 2} is discarded because the exposure time is uncertain.

<Combined detection of each imaging result>
In addition, it is possible to hold the result of image detection for each condition and combine detection results of each image for detection. It is possible to detect an object with higher accuracy by performing object detection for each of image data captured under a visible light environment and image data capturing near infrared rays and correlating the detection results.

For example, it is assumed that the detection target is a towel in which the right half is brown and the left half is cream. When an image of this two-color towel is detected as a visible light image, since two colors of color exist, the boundary portion of this color is erroneously detected as the boundary between objects, and erroneous detection occurs if there are two objects.
However, since the right half and the left half of the two-color towel are the same material, the near-infrared image has the same color and the same brightness. When this two-color towel is image-detected by a near-infrared image, it is possible to detect it as a single object. By making the coordinates of the object detected in the image data capturing visible light correspond to the coordinates of the object detected in the image data capturing near infrared rays, it is assumed that there are two objects on the visible light image It is possible to make the incorrectly detected towel correctly recognized as the same object.

11 (a) to 11 (e) are diagrams showing control operation of air conditioning operation using the imaging result in the first embodiment.
FIG. 11A is a view showing the actual environment in the air conditioned room.
In the air-conditioned room, a rectangular object 302 is located, and a human body 401 is located behind it. The detection operation and the air conditioning operation operation in this environment will be described below.

FIG. 11B is a diagram showing an operation of human body detection under visible light environment.
The visible light image data is obtained by photographing the real environment in the air-conditioned room with visible light. The human body detection unit 132 (see FIG. 3) detects the face area 411 and the body area 412 from the human body 401 included in the visible light image data. The human body detection unit 132 detects the “human body” that is the type of the detection target, the face area 411 and the body area 412 from the image captured when the near infrared light projector 141 does not emit near infrared light into the conditioned room. The detected first detection result is output.

FIG. 11C is a diagram showing an operation of object detection using near-infrared light.
The near infrared image data is obtained by irradiating the real environment in the air conditioned room with near infrared light. An object region 312 is detected by an object detection unit 133 (see FIG. 3) from an object 302 included in the near-infrared image data. The object detection unit 133 detects the “object” that is the type of the detection target from the image captured when the near-infrared light is irradiated to the air-conditioned room by the near-infrared light projector 141 and the second detection of the object region 312 Output the detection result.

FIG. 11D is a view showing a composite image of two detection results.
The face area 411 and the body area 412 (first detection result) detected from the visible light image and the object area 312 (second detection result) detected from the near-infrared image are combined on the same image. By doing this, it is possible to preferably detect the human body 401 and / or the object 302 by selecting an image suitable for detection from the visible light image and the near infrared image. By correcting this composite image with a predetermined parameter, it is possible to estimate the position in the air-conditioned room for each type of detection target.

FIG. 11E is a diagram showing the position estimation operation in the room.
Here, the positions of the human body 401 and the object 302 in the conditioned room are estimated. The air conditioner A sets not the object 302 but the human body 401 as the wind direction of the air. The air conditioner A of the present embodiment controls the air conditioning operation by the drive control unit 137 (air conditioning operation control means) according to the estimated position in the air conditioned room for each type of the detection target.

  Another example is a configuration in which the position of a person is detected from image data captured by visible light, and from the frequency at which the position is detected, an area where the occupancy frequency of the occupant in the conditioned room is high is detected. It is also good. At this time, it is possible to detect an object with higher accuracy by detecting an object by emitting near-infrared rays around an area where the human body was not detected when detecting a human body. As a result, the air conditioner A avoids the object by the drive control unit 137 (air conditioning operation control means) to perform air conditioning such that an area with a high occupancy frequency of the occupant in the air conditioned room is the wind direction. Control the operation.

  As described above, since imaging can be performed by a plurality of methods, detection accuracy and the like can be improved by adding various processes according to the image detection software provided in the air conditioner to which the present invention is applied.

<Air-conditioning operation control according to the image detection result>
The air conditioner A in the present embodiment performs the air conditioning operation based on the detection results of various image detection by including the imaging unit 121 and the image detection software. The air conditioner A includes the near-infrared light projector 141 to realize air conditioning control using image detection utilizing characteristics of near-infrared light in addition to normal image detection.
The air conditioner A detects, for example, software (human body detection unit 132) that detects the position and activity of the human body from the captured image at near infrared non-irradiation, and detects furniture (object) from the captured image at near infrared irradiation Software (object detection unit 133) is provided. The air conditioner A avoids the furniture at the time of air conditioning operation and blows air in the area where people are present. As a result, the air conditioner A can efficiently perform the air conditioning of the air conditioned room by omitting the unnecessary air conditioning which is generated when the air flow hits the furniture and stagnates.
The air conditioner A controls the wind direction by moving the left and right wind direction plates 104 by driving the left and right wind direction motor 153 and moving the vertical wind direction plate 105 by driving the vertical air direction plate motor 154. The air conditioner A further adjusts the air volume and the wind speed by driving the blower fan motor 152.

<First Example of Air-Conditioning Operation Control According to Detection Result>
In the first example of the air-conditioning operation control, control will be described in the case where the operation is started with the heating 22 ° C. setting at 7:00 pm, the outside temperature −2 ° C., and the room temperature 6 ° C.
The air conditioner A detects a position where a person is present from a photographed image at near infrared non-irradiation and detects a shape of an object from a photographed image at near infrared irradiation. The size and distance of the object at this time are calculated, and it is detected that the object is present before the person. Thus, the air conditioner A can efficiently perform air conditioning by blowing warm air while avoiding this object.

<Second example of air conditioning operation control according to detection result>
In the second example of the air conditioning operation control, control will be described in the case where the operation is started with the cooling 22 ° C. setting at 7:00 pm, the outside air temperature 32 ° C., and the room air temperature 6 ° C.
The air conditioner A detects a position where a person is present from a photographed image at near infrared non-irradiation and detects a shape of an object from a photographed image at near infrared irradiation. The air conditioner A detects the size of the room and determines the wind speed of air conditioning. This makes it possible to provide air conditioning suitable for the actual conditioned room.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an air conditioning operation control process according to the first embodiment.
The air conditioner A starts the air conditioning operation control process when the power is turned on by the remote controller Re.
In step S10, the control means 130 outputs an off command to the near-infrared light projector 141 to turn off the near-infrared irradiation. As a result, the room to be air-conditioned is not irradiated with near infrared light by the near infrared light projector 141.
In step S11, the control unit 130 causes the imaging unit 121 to image the air-conditioned room. Thereby, the control means 130 can capture an object or / and a human body in the air-conditioned room with visible light.
In step S12, the control unit 130 causes the human body detection unit 132 to detect the presence or absence of a human body and the region on the image from the captured image at the time of near infrared non-irradiation.
In step S13, the control means 130 causes the floor plan detection unit 134 to estimate a floor plan from the photographed image at the time of near infrared non-irradiation.
In step S14, the control means 130 determines the wind speed of the air conditioning from the size of the floor plan detected by the floor plan detection unit 134.

In step S15, the control means 130 outputs an on command to the near-infrared light projector 141 to turn on near-infrared irradiation. Thus, the room to be air-conditioned is irradiated with near infrared light by the near infrared light projector 141.
In step S16, the control unit 130 causes the imaging unit 121 to image the air-conditioned room. As a result, the control means 130 can capture an object or / and a human body in the air-conditioned room by near-infrared light.
In step S17, the control unit 130 causes the object detection unit 133 to detect the presence or absence of an object and the region on the image from the captured image at near infrared irradiation.
In step S18, the control unit 130 causes the arithmetic processing unit 136 to estimate the positions of the human body and the object in the room from the detection results of the images of the human body and the object, respectively.
In step S19, the control means 130 determines the wind direction of the air conditioning as the estimated position of the occupant and returns to the process of step S10.
By processing in this way, the control means 130 causes the imaging means 121 to take an image after turning off the near-infrared light projector 141 at predetermined time intervals, and the imaging means 121 after turning on the near-infrared light projector 141. And the process of causing the Therefore, the control means 130 can detect the object or / and the human body in the air-conditioned room by one which can appropriately detect one of a photographed image by visible light and a photographed image at near infrared irradiation. Further, the control means 130 can judge the condition in the air-conditioned room more accurately than a single type of photographed image by combining both detection results.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an air conditioning operation control process at the time of setting a predetermined operation mode in the second embodiment.
The air conditioner A starts the air conditioning operation control process when the predetermined operation mode is set by the remote control Re.
In step S30, the control means 130 outputs an on command to the near-infrared light projector 141 to turn on near-infrared irradiation.
In step S31, the control unit 130 causes the imaging unit 121 to image the air-conditioned room.
In step S32, the control unit 130 causes the object detection unit 133 to detect the presence or absence of an object and the region on the image from the captured image at near infrared irradiation.
In step S33, the control means 130 outputs an off command to the near infrared light projector 141 to turn off the near infrared irradiation. As a result, the room to be air-conditioned is not irradiated with near infrared light by the near infrared light projector 141.

In step S34, the control means 130 causes the imaging means 121 to image the air-conditioned room. Thereby, the control means 130 can capture an object or / and a human body in the air-conditioned room with visible light.
In step S35, the control means 130 causes the human body detection unit 132 to detect the presence or absence of a human body and the region on the image from the captured image at the time of near infrared non-irradiation.
In step S36, the control means 130 causes the floor plan detection unit 134 to estimate a floor plan from the photographed image at the time of near infrared non-irradiation.
In step S37, the control means 130 determines the wind speed of the air conditioning from the size of the floor plan detected by the floor plan detection unit 134.
In step S38, the control unit 130 causes the arithmetic processing unit 136 to estimate the positions of the human body and the object in the room from the detection results of the images of the human body and the object, respectively.
In step S39, the control means 130 determines the wind direction of the air conditioning as the estimated position of the occupant and returns to the process of step S34.
As a result, since the control means 130 detects an object with little movement only once at the time of setting the predetermined operation mode, the detection frequency of the human body with many movement can be increased, and the condition in the air conditioned room can be judged more accurately. . Furthermore, since the operation frequency of the near infrared light projector 141 becomes low, energy saving becomes possible, and the life of the near infrared light emitting diode 142 can be extended.

Third Embodiment
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an air conditioning operation control process according to the third embodiment.
The processes of steps S10 to S14 are the same as the processes of steps S10 to S14 illustrated in FIG. 12. When the process of step S14 ends, the process of step S50 is performed.
In step S <b> 50, the control unit 130 causes the image detection unit 131 to determine whether a predetermined object has been detected. Here, the predetermined thing means, for example, an object or / and a human body. If the control means 130 detects a predetermined object (Yes), it performs the process of step S15, and if it does not detect the predetermined object (No), it performs the process of step S18.
The processes of steps S15 to S19 are the same as the processes of steps S15 to S19 shown in FIG.
Since the control means 130 emits near infrared rays only when a predetermined object is detected, the detection frequency of an object with a small amount of movement is reduced, and instead the detection frequency of a human with a large amount of movement is increased. It becomes possible to judge the condition in the air-conditioned room. Thus, energy saving is possible, and the life of the near infrared light emitting diode 142 can be extended.
In addition, it is not restricted to this, The control means 130 may operate | move so that near-infrared rays may be irradiated only when not detecting a predetermined thing. For example, the control unit 130 may detect an object (such as furniture) by emitting near-infrared light only when the human body is not detected. Thereby, the control means 130 can estimate the arrangement of furniture without being affected by the human body. The control means 130 can further increase the detection frequency of the human body with many movements, and can judge the condition in the air-conditioned room more accurately.

  In the present embodiment, the case of using near infrared rays has been described, but the near infrared rays may be read as middle infrared rays or far infrared rays, and middle infrared rays or far infrared rays may be used. The near infrared is an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 0.7 to 2.5 μm, and has a wavelength close to that of red visible light. The mid-infrared is an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 2.5 to 4 μm, and the far-infrared is an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 4 to 1000 μm.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments are described in detail to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the described configurations. It is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Moreover, it is also possible to add, delete, and replace other configurations for part of the configurations of the respective embodiments.

  Each of the above-mentioned processing units, each processing means, etc. may realize part or all of them by hardware such as an integrated circuit. Each of the above-described processing units, each processing unit, and the like may be realized by software by the processor interpreting and executing a program for realizing the respective processing. Information such as a program, a table, and a file for realizing each process can be placed in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk, or a recording medium such as a flash memory card.

  In each embodiment, the control lines and the information lines indicate what is considered necessary for the description, and not all the control lines and the information lines in the product are shown. In practice, almost all configurations may be considered to be connected to each other.

A Air conditioner Re remote control Q remote control transmission / reception unit 100 indoor unit 103 air blower fan 104 left / right air direction plate 105 up / down air direction plate 106 front panel 107 air inlet 109 b air outlet 120 environment detection means 121 imaging means 122 optical lens 123 imaging lens 124 A / D converter 125 Digital signal processor 129 Other sensor 130 Control means 131 Image detector 132 Human body detector 133 Object detector 134 Floor plan detector 135 Storage means 136 Arithmetic processor (Air-conditioning operation control means)
137 Drive control unit (Air conditioning operation control means)
138 storage means 140 near infrared light projector drive circuit 141, 141A to 141 D near infrared light projector (infrared light irradiation means)
142 Near Infrared Light Emitting Diode (Infrared Light Emitting Element)
143 substrate 144 optical lens 145 cover 146 reflector 147 opening 147 pedestal 148 unit opening 150 load 151 compressor motor 152 air blower motor 153 left / right air direction plate motor 154 vertical air direction plate motor 160 camera substrate 161 camera microcomputer 170 control substrate 171 Main microcomputer 200 Outdoor unit 300-302 Object (furniture)
400,401 human body

Claims (12)

Imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room;
Infrared irradiating means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the conditioned room;
Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions where the air-conditioned room is not irradiated with infrared light and where infrared light is emitted by the infrared-irradiating means;
Image detection means for detecting whether or not at least an object other than a human body is included from the image captured by the imaging means, and for detecting an image area to be detected;
An air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means;
Equipped with
The control means is a process for causing the imaging means to pick up an image when infrared light is not irradiated by the infrared light irradiation means at predetermined time intervals, and when the infrared light is irradiated by the infrared light irradiation means. Repeat the process of making the image
An air conditioner characterized by Imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room;
Infrared irradiating means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the conditioned room;
Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions where the air-conditioned room is not irradiated with infrared light and where infrared light is emitted by the infrared-irradiating means;
Image detection means for detecting whether or not at least an object other than a human body is included from the image captured by the imaging means, and for detecting an image area to be detected;
An air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means;
Equipped with
When the predetermined operation mode is set to itself, the control means turns on the infrared radiation means to cause the imaging means to pick up an image, and then turns off the infrared radiation means, and thereafter, the air conditioned room Repeat the process of causing the image pickup means to pick up an image when infrared light is not emitted.
An air conditioner characterized by Imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room;
Infrared irradiating means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the conditioned room;
Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions where the air-conditioned room is not irradiated with infrared light and where infrared light is emitted by the infrared-irradiating means;
Image detection means for detecting whether or not at least an object other than a human body is included from the image captured by the imaging means, and for detecting an image area to be detected;
An air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means;
Equipped with
The control means repeats a process of causing the imaging means to take an image in a state in which the infrared irradiation means is turned off at predetermined time intervals, and a predetermined detection target is an image taken by the image taking means by the image detection means. When it is detected, after the infrared irradiation means is turned on, the imaging means is made to pick up an image,
An air conditioner characterized by Imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room;
Infrared irradiating means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the conditioned room;
Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air-conditioned room under both conditions where the air-conditioned room is not irradiated with infrared light and where infrared light is emitted by the infrared-irradiating means;
An image detection unit that detects whether or not the image captured by the imaging unit includes a human body and / or an object to be detected, and detects an image area of the detection target;
An air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means;
Equipped with
The control means repeats a process of causing the imaging means to take an image in a state in which the infrared irradiation means is turned off at predetermined time intervals, and a predetermined detection target is an image taken by the image taking means by the image detection means. When it is not detected, after turning on the infrared irradiation means, the image pickup means is made to pick up an image;
An air conditioner characterized by The image pickup means comprises image detection means for detecting whether or not the image picked up by the image pickup means includes a human body and / or an object to be detected, and an image area of the detection target,
The air conditioning operation control means changes control of one of the air conditioning operation among the wind direction control, the compressor control, and the air flow control according to the type of the detection target detected by the image detection means and the position on the image.
The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that: The image detection means outputs a first detection result in which the type of the detection object and the image area are detected from the image captured when the infrared radiation means does not emit infrared light into the air conditioned room by the infrared light emission means. Outputting a second detection result in which the type of the detection target and the image area are detected from the image captured when infrared rays are irradiated into the air-conditioned room by infrared irradiation means;
The air conditioning operation control means controls the air conditioning operation according to a type of a detection target obtained by combining the first detection result and the second detection result and correcting them with a predetermined parameter and the estimated position in the air conditioned room Do,
The air conditioner according to claim 5 , characterized in that: The image detection means may perform an image detection process different from the image detection process for the image captured when the infrared ray irradiation means does not emit infrared light into the air conditioned room by the infrared light emission means in the air conditioned room Performed on the image captured when infrared radiation is applied,
The air conditioner according to claim 6 , characterized in that. The image detection means
The infrared irradiation unit detects whether or not the human body to be detected is included in the image captured when the infrared conditioned room is not irradiated with infrared light, and detects the image area of the detection target,
It detects whether or not a human body and / or an object to be detected is included from an image captured when infrared rays are irradiated into the air-conditioned room by the infrared irradiation means and detects an image area of the detection target. ,
The air conditioner according to claim 6 , characterized in that. The infrared irradiation unit is connected to the air conditioning operation control unit.
The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that. The infrared irradiation unit is installed on the same plane as the installation surface of the imaging unit.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that. The infrared irradiation means and the imaging means are respectively installed on the same straight line in the longitudinal direction of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that. Imaging means for imaging the air-conditioned room;
Infrared irradiating means having an infrared light emitting element for irradiating infrared rays into the conditioned room;
Control means for causing the imaging means to image the air conditioned room;
An image detection unit that detects whether an image includes a human body and / or an object to be detected and detects an image area of the detection target;
An air conditioning operation control means for controlling an air conditioning operation according to the detection result of the image detection means;
A control method of an air conditioner comprising the
The air conditioner is
A process of turning off the infrared irradiation means to cause the imaging means to take an image at predetermined time intervals and a process of turning on the infrared irradiation means and causing the imaging means to take an image are repeated.
The image detection means outputs the first detection result in which the type of the detection object and the image area are detected from the image taken by turning off the infrared radiation means, and the infrared radiation means is turned on and imaged Outputting a second detection result in which the type of the detection target and the image area are detected from the image;
The air conditioning operation is performed by combining the first detection result and the second detection result by the air conditioning operation control means, according to the type of the detection target corrected with a predetermined parameter and the estimated position in the air conditioned room Control,
A control method of an air conditioner characterized in that.