JP6861366B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

Conventionally, an air conditioner that operates based on the heartbeat of a user has been known. For example, in the case of the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the waveform portion of the RR interval in the heartbeat waveform is spectrally analyzed. Next, the ratio HF / LF of the high frequency component (HF) to the low frequency component (LF) is calculated based on the spectrum analysis. The HF / LF determines the stress level of the user and controls the operation based on the stress level, particularly the air volume and the wind direction. For example, when the degree of stress is high, in order to reduce the stress, the air volume is reduced, or the wind direction is turned upward so that the user is not exposed to the wind. On the other hand, when the degree of stress is low, in order to increase the stress, the air volume is increased, the wind direction is lowered so that the user is exposed to the wind, or the temperature is lowered.

JP-A-2002-89927

However, in the case of the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the user does not feel comfortable in the operation. Specifically, it does not distinguish between when the user is too hot and stressed (too hot and uncomfortable) and when it is too cold and stressed (too cold and uncomfortable). That is, the user's feeling of temperature (warm / cold feeling) such as hot, warm, cool, and cold is not taken into consideration. Therefore, for example, when it is too hot and stressed during cooling operation, the air volume may be reduced or the wind direction may be changed so that the user does not receive the wind, which may increase the stress without cooling. is there. Also, for example, during heating operation, when it is comfortable and warm and not stressed, the air volume may be increased or the wind direction may be changed so that the user is exposed to the wind, which may cause the user to be too hot and stressed. As a result, the user may feel uncomfortable.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to perform a comfortable operation for the user in the air conditioner in consideration of the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to one aspect of the present invention,
It ’s an air conditioner,
A vital sign measurement device that measures the pulse or heart rate of a user in the room,
A tone / entropy calculation unit that calculates a tone value and an entropy value from the detection results of the vital sign measurement device using the tone entropy method.
Based on the correspondence between the combination of the tone value and the entropy value and the warm / cold feeling of the user, the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit give the user a comfortable warm / cold feeling. An air conditioner having an operation control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioner so as to have a combination of a corresponding tone value and an entropy value is provided.

According to the present invention, in the air conditioner, it is possible to perform a comfortable operation for the user in consideration of the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user.

Diagram showing an example heartbeat waveform Diagram showing an example of PI frequency distribution Diagram showing the tone-entropy map Diagram showing changes in tone value and entropy value that differ depending on the temperature environment Diagram showing the tone value and entropy value in the converged state, which differ depending on the temperature environment. The figure which shows the room where the air conditioner which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is arranged. The figure which shows the structure of the air conditioner schematicly. Block diagram showing the control system of the air conditioner Diagram showing a tone-entropy map to explain driving control when it is too hot and uncomfortable Diagram showing a tone-entropy map to explain driving control when it is too cold and uncomfortable The figure which shows the room where the air conditioner which concerns on another Embodiment of this invention is arranged.

The air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention includes a vital sign measuring device that measures the pulse or heartbeat of a user in a room, and a tone value and an entropy value from the detection results of the vital sign measuring device using the tone entropy method. The tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit based on the correspondence between the tone / entropy calculation unit, the combination of the tone value and the entropy value, and the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user. Has an operation control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioner so that is a combination of a tone value and an entropy value corresponding to the comfortable warming and cooling feeling of the user.

According to such an aspect, in the air conditioner, it is possible to perform a comfortable operation for the user in consideration of the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user.

For example, the air conditioner may have a tone-entropy map showing the correspondence, one axis representing the tone value and the other axis representing the entropy value. In this case, the operation control unit ensures that the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are within the comfort region in the tone-entropy map corresponding to the comfortable warmth and cold feeling of the user. In addition, the operation of the air conditioner is controlled.

For example, when the air conditioner is configured to be able to adjust the room temperature in the room, the operation control unit responds to the user's feeling of being too hot and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map. When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the unpleasant region of the above, the operation of lowering the room temperature is executed. In addition, when the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit exist in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's too cold and unpleasant warm / cold feeling in the tone-entropy map, the above-mentioned Perform an operation that raises the room temperature. This allows the air conditioner to perform comfortable driving for a user who feels too hot or uncomfortable or too cold.

For example, when the air conditioner is configured to be capable of performing cooling operation and heating operation and to be able to adjust the amount of air blown to the user, the operation control unit performs the tone-entropy map during the cooling operation. When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit exist in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of being too hot and unpleasant in the above, the operation of increasing the amount of air blown is performed. When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of warmth and coldness that is too cold and unpleasant for the user in the tone-entropy map. The operation of reducing the amount of air blown is performed. On the other hand, during the heating operation, the operation control unit sets the tone value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's too hot and unpleasant hot and cold feeling in the tone-entropy map. If an entropy value is present, the operation of reducing the amount of air blown is executed, and the tone / entropy is calculated in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of being too cold and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map. When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the unit are present, the operation of increasing the amount of air blown is executed. Thereby, the air conditioner can perform a comfortable operation for a user who feels too hot or uncomfortable or too cold during the cooling operation or the heating operation.

For example, when the air conditioner is configured to be able to adjust the indoor humidity in the room, the operation control unit responds to the user's feeling of being too hot and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map. When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the unpleasant region of the above, the operation of lowering the indoor humidity is executed. Further, when the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's too cold and unpleasant warm / cold feeling in the tone-entropy map, the above-mentioned Perform an operation that raises the indoor humidity. This allows the air conditioner to perform comfortable driving for a user who feels too hot or uncomfortable or too cold.

As the vital sign measuring device, the air conditioner emits millimeter waves toward the user, receives the millimeter waves reflected by the user, and measures the heartbeat of the user based on the received millimeter waves. It may have a measuring device.

The air conditioner may include, as the vital sign measuring device, a pulse measuring device that continuously photographs the user with a camera and measures the pulse based on the change in the hue of the user's image captured in the continuously captured image. Good.

The air conditioner may have an electrocardiograph as the vital sign measuring device, which is attached to the user, measures the user's heartbeat, and wirelessly transmits the heartbeat measurement value to the tone / entropy calculation unit. ..

The air conditioner is attached to the user as the vital sign measuring device, emits infrared rays toward the user, receives infrared rays reflected by the user, and measures the pulse of the user based on the received infrared rays. Then, the pulse measuring device may have a pulse measuring device that transmits the pulse measured value to the tone / entropy calculation unit via radio.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The air conditioner according to the present invention is based on the "tone entropy method". Specifically, the air conditioner according to the present invention controls the operation by using the "tone value" and the "entropy value" calculated based on the "tone entropy method". Therefore, first, the "tone entropy method" will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tone entropy method is a method for measuring cardiac autonomic nerve activity based on the rate of change of the RR interval in a heartbeat waveform (electrocardiogram waveform), and is used in various fields. In this tone entropy method, first, the rate of change PI (Percentage Index) of the RR interval is calculated. The rate of change PI (n) from the n (integer) th RR interval RRI (n) to the n + 1st RR interval RRI (n + 1) is calculated using the mathematical formula (1). ..

The PI calculated using the formula (1) is related to the heart rate. If PI is positive, it indicates that your heart rate is rising. Elevated heart rate indicates that sympathetic nervous system activity is predominant over parasympathetic nervous system activity.

On the other hand, if PI is negative, it indicates that the heart rate is decreasing. Decreased heart rate indicates that parasympathetic activity is predominant over sympathetic activity.

In order to calculate the tone value and the entropy value, the PI is measured for a certain period of time (N (integer) PI values are acquired). The N PI values are classified into M (integer) classes. As a result, a PI histogram (PI frequency distribution) as shown in FIG. 2 is produced. For example, class i is in the range of 0 to 1%. In the PI frequency distribution shown in FIG. 2, the frequency of the class i is fi.

The tone value T is the average value of PI in the PI frequency distribution. The tone value T is calculated using the mathematical formula (2).

The tone value T calculated using the mathematical formula (2) indicates the balance between the increase and decrease of the heart rate, and also indicates the balance between the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

The entropy value E is an index showing the uniformity of the distribution in the PI frequency distribution. The entropy value E is calculated using the mathematical formula (3).

Here, p (i) in the mathematical formula (3) is the probability of occurrence of the class i. The probability of occurrence p (i) is calculated using the mathematical formula (4).

Here, fsum in the mathematical formula (4) is the sum of the frequencies of all classes.

When the entropy value E calculated using the formulas (3) to (4) is a relatively small value, the PI frequency distribution is a class close to the PI value of zero (in the case of FIG. 2, classes i, i-1). ) Has a significantly larger distribution (steep mountain-shaped distribution) than the frequencies of other classes. This indicates that the autonomic nerve activity is weak and the heart rate hardly changes. On the other hand, when the entropy value E is a relatively large value, the PI frequency distribution has a substantially uniform distribution of the frequencies of each class. That is, the range of change in the RR interval is large, and the absolute value of the PI value is large. This indicates that the autonomic nerve activity is active and the heart rate fluctuates greatly. Therefore, the entropy value indicates the strength of the autonomic nerve activity.

It is also possible to use the heart rate or pulse rate instead of the RR interval RRI in the heart rate waveform required to calculate the tone value and the entropy value. This is because the RR interval corresponds to the heart rate and the pulse rate. For example, when the RR interval is 1 second, the heart rate (per minute) is 60 because the ventricles of the heart contract once per second. In addition, in the absence of diseases such as arrhythmia, the heart rate and pulse rate are the same. Therefore, it is possible to use the heart rate and the pulse rate to calculate the tone value and the entropy value.

The reason why the tone value T and the entropy value E based on the tone entropy method are used for the operation control of the air conditioner is as shown in FIG. 3 by the inventor of the present invention. This is because it was discovered that it corresponds to the "warm and cold feeling" of the user of the air conditioner. The "feeling of warmth and coldness" here refers to the user's experience of the ambient temperature of the user, such as heat, warmth, coolness, and coldness.

FIG. 3 is a tone-entropy map in which one axis (vertical axis) represents the tone value T and the other axis (horizontal axis) represents the entropy value E.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inventor has set a combination of tone value and entropy value corresponding to a comfortable experience that is neither too hot nor too cold (for example, the experience when indoors at a room temperature of 18 to 28 degrees Celsius). Was experimentally found to exist. That is, in the tone-entropy map, the existence of the comfort area As that the user feels comfortable is found.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the inventor experimentally determined the combination of the tone value and the entropy value corresponding to the unpleasant sensation of being too hot, that is, the unpleasant region Ah (first unpleasant region) in the tone-entropy map. I found it.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the inventor experimentally determined the combination of the tone value and the entropy value corresponding to the unpleasant sensation that is too cold, that is, the unpleasant region Ac (second unpleasant region) in the tone-entropy map. I found it.

The correspondence between the combination of the tone value T and the entropy value E and the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user is that a plurality of users (subjects) are placed in a plurality of temperature environments having different temperatures, and the tone values of the plurality of users are used. It was determined by measuring the entropy value E.

For example, FIG. 4 shows changes in tone value and entropy value in a plurality of temperature environments of one subject. Further, FIG. 5 shows a tone value and an entropy value in a converged state under a plurality of temperature environments.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tone value T and the entropy value E in a temperature environment of 35 degrees, that is, an environment in which the subject feels too hot and uncomfortable, are in a temperature environment of 2 degrees, that is, the subject is cold. The distribution range is different in the tone-entropy map with respect to the tone value T and the entropy value E in an environment that is too unpleasant.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the tone value T when it is too hot and unpleasant (at 35 degrees) is concentrated in the range of 0 to −0.05%, while it is too cold and unpleasant. In the case of (2 degrees), the tone value T is concentrated in the range of −0.25 to −0.4%.

The entropy value E when it is too hot and unpleasant (in the case of 35 degrees) is concentrated in the range of 3 to 3.5, while the entropy value E when it is too cold and unpleasant (in the case of 2 degrees). Is concentrated in the range of 4.5-5.

Therefore, as shown in the tone-entropy map shown in FIG. 3, and as is clear from FIG. 5 showing a state in which the tone value T and the entropy value E are converged (stable state), it is too hot and uncomfortable. The unpleasant region Ah containing the combination of the tone value and the entropy value in a certain case has a high tone value and a low entropy value with respect to the unpleasant region Ac including the combination of the tone value and the entropy value when it is too cold and unpleasant. (weak). Therefore, based on the tone value T and the entropy value E, it is possible for the user to distinguish between being too hot and unpleasant or being too cold and unpleasant.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the user feels comfortable (at 20 ° C and 23 ° C), the combination of the tone value and the entropy value is the unpleasant region Ah when it is too hot and the unpleasant region Ah when it is too cold. It is generally distributed between the unpleasant region Ac of the case. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, in the tone-entropy map, the comfortable area As where the user is comfortable is located between the unpleasant areas Ah and Ac.

Based on the tone-entropy map as described above, that is, the correspondence between the combination of the tone value and the entropy value and the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user, the inventor has made the air conditioner so that the user feels comfortable. I thought about controlling the driving.

That is, the inventor considered controlling the operation of the air conditioner so that the user's tone value T and entropy value E exist in the comfort region As. Further, when the tone value T and the entropy value E are present in the unpleasant region Ah or Ac, the user clearly feels uncomfortable because it is too hot or too cold, and therefore, the operation for eliminating the unpleasantness is executed. I thought about it. From here, the air conditioner for that purpose will be specifically described.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a room (room) in which an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed. Further, FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of the air conditioner. Further, FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a control system of the air conditioner.

As shown in FIG. 7, the air conditioner 10 according to the present embodiment includes an indoor unit 12 and an outdoor unit 14.

As shown in FIG. 6, the indoor unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 is installed in the room R (indoor). The outdoor unit 14 is installed outside the room R (outdoor). The user U of the air conditioner 10 is in the room R in which the indoor unit 12 is installed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the air conditioner 10 includes an indoor heat exchanger 16 provided in the indoor unit 12, an outdoor heat exchanger 18 provided in the outdoor unit 14, and a compressor 20 for compressing the refrigerant. It has a four-way valve 22 for switching the flow direction of the refrigerant, an expansion valve 24 for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant, and a refrigerant pipe 26 for connecting them. Further, the indoor unit 12 is provided with an indoor fan 28 that blows air after heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 16 into the room, and an upper and lower louver 30 that changes the direction of the wind W sent from the indoor unit 12. Has been done. Further, the outdoor unit 14 is provided with an outdoor fan 32 that blows air after heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger 18 to the outside.

FIG. 7 shows the state of the air conditioner 10 during the cooling operation. During the cooling operation, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 passes through the four-way valve 22, the outdoor heat exchanger 18, the expansion valve 24, the indoor heat exchanger 16, and the four-way valve 22 in this order, and returns to the compressor 20. On the other hand, during the heating operation, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 passes through the four-way valve 22, the indoor heat exchanger 16, the expansion valve 24, the outdoor heat exchanger 18, and the four-way valve 22 in this order and returns to the compressor 20. ..

The indoor fan 28 blows air cooled by heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 16 toward the inside of the room R during the cooling operation, and blows the air warmed by the heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 16 during the heating operation. Blow.

The upper and lower louvers 30 change the direction of the air (air after heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 16) (wind W) blown from the indoor unit 12 toward the inside of the room R. The upper and lower louvers 30 change the blowing direction between, for example, the direction in which the air is directed toward the ceiling of the room R and the direction in which the air is directed toward the floor.

The outdoor fan 32 discharges the air after heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger 18 to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 8, the air conditioner 10 includes a compressor 20, a four-way valve 22, an indoor fan 28, a vertical louver 30, and a control device 50 that controls an outdoor fan 32.

The control device 50 has an operation control unit 52 that controls the operation of the air conditioner 10, that is, controls the compressor 20, the four-way valve 22, the indoor fan 28, the upper and lower louvers 30, and the outdoor fan 32. Further, the control device 50 includes a heartbeat data acquisition unit 54 that acquires the user's heartbeat data, a tone / entropy value calculation unit 56 that calculates the user's tone value T and entropy value E, and a storage unit 58.

The control device 50 (the operation control unit 52, the heart rate data acquisition unit 54, and the tone / entropy calculation unit 56) is provided in the indoor unit 12 or the outdoor unit 14, and is provided in a CPU (arithmetic processing unit) such as a microcomputer, a ROM, or a ROM. It is a control board provided with a memory (storage unit 58) such as a RAM, a circuit for connecting these, a port for communicating with the outside, and the like. The control device 50 is also connected to the compressor 20, the four-way valve 22, the indoor fan 28, the upper and lower louvers 30, and the outdoor fan 32 via a signal line to control them. Further, the control device 50 executes various operations by executing the program stored in the storage device by the arithmetic processing unit.

As shown in FIG. 8, the control device 50 is communicatively connected to the remote controller 34 and the vital sign measuring device 36.

As shown in FIG. 6, the remote controller 34 is a device for the user U to operate the air conditioner 10, that is, a device for the user U to set the operating conditions of the air conditioner 10. For example, when the user sets the room temperature in the room R via the remote controller 34 (when the set temperature is input), the operation control unit of the control device 50 adjusts the room temperature so as to maintain the set temperature. 52 adjusts the output of the compressor 20.

Further, when the user U changes the operation from the cooling operation to the heating operation or vice versa via the remote controller 34, the operation control unit 52 controls the four-way valve 22 to switch the flow direction of the refrigerant.

Further, when the user U sets the air volume from the indoor unit 12 via the remote controller 34 (when the set air volume is input), the operation control unit 52 sets the rotation speed of the indoor fan 28 so as to maintain the set air volume. Adjust.

Furthermore, when the user U sets the blowing direction of the indoor unit 12 via the remote controller 34, the operation control unit 52 adjusts the inclination of the vertical louver 30 with respect to the horizontal axis so as to be in the set blowing direction. That is, the amount of air blown to the user U is adjusted by changing the wind direction.

In addition, when the user U sets a predetermined indoor humidity via the remote controller 34 (when the set humidity is input), the operation control unit 52 presses the compressor 20 and the four-way valve 22 in order to realize the set humidity. Control and execute dehumidifying operation.

In the case of the present embodiment, the vital sign measurement device 36 is a non-contact device that executes the heart rate measurement of the user without contacting the user, and is mounted on the indoor unit 12 as shown in FIG. ..

In the case of the present embodiment, the vital sign measuring device 36 emits a millimeter wave toward the user U, receives the millimeter wave reflected by the user U, and based on the received millimeter wave, the heartbeat of the user. A non-contact heart rate measuring device configured to measure. The vital sign measuring device 36 periodically measures the heart rate of the user U. Further, the heartbeat data measured by the vital sign measuring device 36 is transmitted to the heartbeat data acquisition unit 54 of the control device 50.

The vital sign measuring device 36 is a pulse device that continuously photographs the user U with a camera and measures the pulse based on the change in the hue of the user's image (particularly the facial image) captured in the continuously captured image. You may. This is because, as described above, the heartbeat and the pulse correspond to each other.

When the heartbeat data acquisition unit 54 of the control device 50 acquires the heartbeat data from the vital sign measurement device 36, the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 calculates the tone value T and the entropy value E from the acquired heartbeat data (described above). Based on the formulas (1) to (4) of.

The operation control unit 52 is a user based on the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 and the tone-entropy map (ET map) 60 stored in the storage unit 58. Check the warmth and coldness of U.

When the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 exist in the comfort region As in the tone-entropy map shown in FIG. 3, the operation control unit 52 creates an environment in which the user feels comfortable. To maintain, maintain the currently running operation (ie, maintain room temperature, air volume, air flow direction, and room humidity). As a result, it is possible to maintain a comfortable experience for the user.

Further, when the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 exist outside the comfort region As, the operation control unit 52 will perform the tone value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 from now on. Driving is controlled so that T and the entropy value E exist in the comfort region As. Specifically, at least one of the compressor 20, the four-way valve 22, the indoor fan 28, and the upper and lower louvers 30 is controlled to adjust at least one of the indoor temperature, the amount of air blown, the direction of air blown, and the indoor humidity. Whether or not the adjustment is appropriate can be determined by whether or not the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated after the adjustment approach the comfort region As. As a result, the user can experience a comfortable experience.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, when the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 are present in the unpleasant region Ah corresponding to the too hot and unpleasant sensation of the user U (point C1). The operation control unit 52 executes at least one of an operation of lowering the indoor temperature, an operation of increasing the amount of air blown to the user U, and an operation of lowering the indoor humidity during the cooling operation. The output of the compressor 20 is increased in order to reduce the room temperature. Further, in order to increase the amount of air blown to the user U, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 28 is increased and / or the air blowing direction is changed to the floor direction by the upper and lower louvers 30. Furthermore, a dehumidifying operation is performed to reduce the indoor humidity. For example, when the output of the compressor 20 is maximum, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 28 is increased. As a situation in which the user U feels uncomfortable because the user U is too hot during the cooling operation, for example, there is a situation in which the user U who has been out on a hot summer day has returned to the room R which has been sufficiently cooled by the cooling operation. ..

On the other hand, during the heating operation, the operation control unit 52 executes at least one of an operation of lowering the indoor temperature, an operation of reducing the amount of air blown to the user U, and an operation of lowering the indoor humidity. As a situation in which the user U feels uncomfortable because the user U is too hot during the heating operation, for example, immediately after the user U eats a warm meal or immediately after taking a bath.

By these operation controls, as shown in FIG. 9, the tone value T and the entropy value E (point C1) can be shifted from the unpleasant region Ah to the comfortable region As. As a result, the user U's experience, which is too hot and unpleasant, can be shifted to a comfortable experience.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, when the tone value T and the entropy value E calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 are present in the unpleasant region Ac corresponding to the user U's too cold and unpleasant sensation (point C2). ), The operation control unit 52 executes at least one of an operation of raising the indoor temperature, an operation of reducing the amount of air blown to the user U, and an operation of increasing the indoor humidity during the cooling operation. The output of the compressor 20 is reduced in order to raise the room temperature. In order to reduce the amount of air blown to the user U, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 28 is lowered and / or the air blowing direction is changed to the ceiling direction by the upper and lower louvers 30. As a situation in which the user U feels uncomfortable because the user U is too cold during the cooling operation, for example, there is a situation in which the user immediately after eating a cold meal or taking off his / her clothes.

On the other hand, during the heating operation, the operation control unit 52 executes at least one of an operation of increasing the indoor temperature, an operation of increasing the amount of air blown to the user U, and an operation of increasing the indoor humidity. As a situation in which the user U feels uncomfortable because the user U is too cold during the heating operation, for example, the user has returned to the room R where the user U, who was out on a cold winter day, has been sufficiently warmed by the heating operation. The situation can be mentioned.

By these operation controls, as shown in FIG. 10, the tone value T and the entropy value E (point C2) can be shifted from the unpleasant region Ac to the comfortable region As. As a result, the user U's experience, which is too cold and unpleasant, can be shifted to a comfortable experience.

As described above, according to the present embodiment as described above, in the air conditioner, it is possible to perform a comfortable operation for the user in consideration of the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, in the case of the above-described embodiment, the operation of the air conditioner 10 is controlled so as to be comfortable for the user by using the tone-entropy map shown in FIG. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to tone-entropy maps. For example, a table or mathematical formula showing the correspondence between the combination of the tone value and the entropy value and the user's feeling of warmth and coldness, which is obtained in advance, may be used.

Further, for example, in the case of the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the vital sign measuring device 36 for measuring the heartbeat (corresponding pulse) of the user U is mounted on the air conditioner 10 (the indoor unit 12 thereof). It is a non-contact measuring device. Alternatively, the vital sign measuring device may be contact type.

Further, for example, in the case of the above-described embodiment, the operation of the air conditioner 10 is controlled so as to be comfortable for the user by using the tone-entropy map shown in FIG. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to tone-entropy maps associated with a feeling of warmth and cold. For example, in the current indoor environment, when the user is performing some work such as office work or learning, the user's own fatigue level and tension, changes in emotions and "emotions", etc. are read, and the fatigue level is reduced by air conditioning control. , A calculation method different from the feeling of warmth and coldness may be used for constructing a space in which the work can be performed comfortably by relaxing the degree of tension and eliminating the degree of frustration due to the ups and downs of emotions. The type of vital sign measurement device at that time does not matter.

FIG. 11 shows a room in which an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention is arranged.

The air conditioner 110 shown in FIG. 11 is substantially the same as the air conditioner 10 according to the above-described embodiment, except for the vital sign measuring device.

The air conditioner 110 shown in FIG. 11 has a contact-type vital sign measuring device 136 that is detachably attached to the user. The vital sign measuring device 136 is a heart rate monitor that is worn on the chest of the user U via, for example, a belt (not shown) and measures the heart rate of the user U. Further, the vital sign measuring device 136 transmits a heartbeat measurement value (heartbeat data) to the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 (that is, the heartbeat data acquisition unit of the control device in the indoor unit 112) via wireless communication. It is configured in.

Instead of this, the contact-type vital sign measuring device 136 worn by the user is a wristwatch type, emits infrared rays toward the user's blood (blood vessel), and receives the infrared rays reflected by the user. Then, the pulse of the user is measured based on the received infrared rays (the amount of reflection thereof), and the pulse measurement value (pulse data) is transmitted to the tone / entropy calculation unit 56 (that is, the indoor unit 112) via wireless communication. It may be a pulse measuring device to be transmitted to the heart rate data acquisition unit of the control device in the device.

That is, in a broad sense, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention detects a vital sign measuring device for measuring the pulse or heartbeat of a user in a room and the vital sign measuring device using the tone entropy method. Calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit based on the correspondence between the tone / entropy calculation unit that calculates the tone value and the entropy value from the result, and the combination of the tone value and the entropy value and the feeling of warmth and coldness of the user. Air harmony having an operation control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioner so that the tone value and the entropy value to be performed are a combination of the tone value and the entropy value corresponding to the comfortable warming and cooling feeling of the user. It is a machine.

The present invention is applicable as long as it is an air conditioner.

10 Air conditioner 36 Vital sign measurement device 52 Operation control unit 56 Tone / entropy calculation unit

Claims (9)

It ’s an air conditioner,
A vital sign measurement device that measures the pulse or heart rate of a user in the room,
A tone / entropy calculation unit that calculates a tone value and an entropy value from the detection results of the vital sign measurement device using the tone entropy method, which is a cardiac autonomic nerve activity measurement method.
Based on the correspondence between the combination of the tone value and the entropy value and the warm / cold feeling of the user, the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit give the user a comfortable warm / cold feeling. An air conditioner having an operation control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioner so as to have a combination of a corresponding tone value and an entropy value.
Having a tone-entropy map showing the correspondence, one axis representing the tone value and the other axis representing the entropy value.
The operation control unit is such that the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are within the comfort region in the tone-entropy map corresponding to the comfortable warm / cool feeling of the user. The air conditioner according to claim 1, which controls the operation of the air conditioner.
The air conditioner is configured so that the indoor temperature in the room can be adjusted.
The operation control unit
If the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of being too hot and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the room temperature. Perform driving to reduce
If the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of being too cold and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the room temperature. The air conditioner according to claim 2, which performs an operation of raising the temperature.
The air conditioner is configured to be capable of performing cooling and heating operations and to be able to adjust the amount of air blown to the user.
During the cooling operation, the operation control unit
When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of hot and cold feeling that is too hot and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the amount of air blown. Perform driving to increase,
If the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of warmth and coldness that is too cold and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the amount of air blown. Perform driving to reduce,
During the heating operation, the operation control unit
When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of hot and cold feeling that is too hot and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the amount of air blown. Perform driving to reduce,
When the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's feeling of being too cold and unpleasant in the tone-entropy map, the air volume The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3, which performs an operation of increasing the number of air conditioners.
The air conditioner is configured so that the indoor humidity in the room can be adjusted.
The operation control unit
If the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the first unpleasant region corresponding to the user's too hot and unpleasant hot and cold feeling in the tone-entropy map, the indoor humidity. Perform driving to reduce
If the tone value and the entropy value calculated by the tone / entropy calculation unit are present in the second unpleasant region corresponding to the user's too cold and unpleasant warm / cold feeling in the tone-entropy map, the indoor humidity. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 4, which performs an operation for raising the temperature.
The vital sign measuring device includes a heartbeat measuring device that emits millimeter waves toward a user, receives millimeter waves reflected by the user, and measures the heartbeat of the user based on the received millimeter waves. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
Any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vital sign measuring device includes a pulse measuring device that continuously photographs a user with a camera and measures a pulse based on a change in the hue of the image of the user captured in the continuously captured image. The air conditioner described in item 1.
Any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vital sign measuring device includes an electrocardiograph that is attached to the user, measures the user's heartbeat, and wirelessly transmits the heartbeat measurement value to the tone / entropy calculation unit. The air conditioner described in paragraph 1.
As the vital sign measuring device, the device is attached to the user, emits infrared rays toward the user, receives infrared rays reflected by the user, measures the pulse of the user based on the received infrared rays, and measures the pulse. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a pulse measuring device that wirelessly transmits the above to the tone / entropy calculation unit.

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