JP7462167B2 - Environmental Control System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an environmental control system.

Triggered by work style reform, ABW (Activity Based Working) offices are on the rise. ABW offices are a style of office that improves the efficiency of worker and organizational performance by allowing workers to select spaces with different design themes in response to the ever-changing type and amount of work, such as when a worker wants to concentrate on work alone, when they want to work in a group with multiple people, or when they want to take a break and relax, or to the worker's own emotions and motivations. One method of creating spaces with different design themes is known to be a zoning method, as described in Patent Document 1, which uses fixtures and furniture to create spaces with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of concentrated work.

JP 2017-131572 A

Ideally, the zoning of an ABW office should be continually changed in response to the dynamic work performance of workers and organizations and the needs of each space. For example, the zoning of the aforementioned booth-type fixtures and furniture can be changed by changing their arrangement and number in response to over- or under-utilization even after installation. However, while the work performance of workers and organizations and the needs of each space can arise in cycles such as hourly, daily, or monthly, it is difficult to continually carry out tasks such as transporting and reinstalling fixtures and furniture and storing them in a warehouse in the aforementioned cycle, given the time and effort involved. This has created challenges in terms of flexibility in design changes as a means of realizing an ABW office.

The objective of this disclosure is to provide an environmental control system that enables active zoning that can easily accommodate the dynamic work performance of workers and organizations that arise on an hourly, daily, monthly, or other cycle, as well as the needs for each space.

To solve the above problems, the environmental control system according to the present disclosure includes one or more task lights for illuminating a visual target area in a room, multiple base lights for illuminating an area in the room that is wider than the visual target area, and a control device. The control device has a dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit that transmits signals to control dimming and color adjustment to the task lights and base lights, and a memory unit that stores position information and device identification information of the task lights and base lights that have been set in advance. The control device can execute one or more group controls that execute dimming and color adjustment control of at least one task light and multiple base lights in conjunction with a signal transmitted from the dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit using the information stored in the memory unit. The one or more group controls include control of at least one task light and multiple base lights so that when at least one task light is turned on, the light intensity of a base light installed in a nearby area is equal to or less than the light intensity of a base light in an area where no task light is turned on.

The light quantity of the base light installed in the nearby area may be zero. The base light installed in the nearby area refers to one or more base lights that can predominantly illuminate the visual target area illuminated by the task light, including the base light closest to the lit task light. The base light in the area where the task light is not lit refers to one or more base lights that cannot predominantly illuminate the visual target area illuminated by the lit task light.

The requirement of "predominantly illuminating" is met when the ratio of the amount of luminous flux reaching the visual target area illuminated by the turned-on task light to the total amount of luminous flux emitted from the base light at the position (hereafter referred to as the origin) of all installed base lights that reaches the visual target area is defined as the origin luminous flux ratio, and half the value of the origin luminous flux ratio is defined as the effective luminous flux ratio.

Next, whether or not the requirement of "dominant illumination" is satisfied will be explained with a concrete example for easy understanding. FIG. 13 is a perspective view explaining an XYZ three-dimensional simulation model defined by the ray tracing simulation software LightTools. As shown in FIG. 13, the bottom surface of a plate-shaped object measuring 1218 mm x 78 mm was defined as the light source unit, and the top surface of a plate-shaped object measuring 700 mm x 1200 mm was defined as the light receiving unit. The distance between the light source unit and the light receiving unit was set to 1800 mm. Note that these roughly reflect the size and light distribution of the light source and the work desk used in the disclosed examples described in this specification, as well as the distance between the desk top and the light source unit.

Figure 14 is a graph showing the ratio of the amount of energy reaching the light receiving unit when the central coordinates of the light source unit and the light receiving unit are aligned as shown in Figure 13, and when the position coordinates of the light source unit are offset in the X-axis direction from that state. The vertical axis of the energy reaching the desk surface indicates the luminous flux ratio, which indicates the percentage of the luminous flux that reaches the desk surface, which is the visual target area, when the total luminous flux emitted from the light source unit is taken as 100%. In this specific example, as shown in Figure 14, the origin luminous flux ratio, which indicates the luminous flux ratio when the base light exists at the position coordinates of x = 0 mm, y = 0 mm, is 7.1%. As a result, the effective luminous flux ratio is recognized as 7.1 x 0.5 = 3.55%. From this, the ratio of the luminous flux that reaches the desk surface out of the total luminous flux emitted by the base light that satisfies the requirement of "dominant illumination" is determined to be 3.55% to 7.1%. From this simulation result, for example, the following can be mentioned.

In this specific example, in a 1218 mm x 78 mm base light provided at a height of 1800 mm from a 700 mm x 1200 mm visual target area, a base light with a ratio of the luminous flux reaching a certain visual target area to the total luminous flux emitted from the base light in the range of 3.55% to 7.1% is a base light that predominantly illuminates a certain visual target area. In other words, a base light with a ratio of the luminous flux reaching a certain visual target area to the total luminous flux emitted from the base light that is less than 3.55% is a base light that cannot predominantly illuminate a certain visual target area. The total luminous flux of the base light can be measured using known measurement and analysis means such as an integrating sphere and a spectrophotometer, and the luminous flux reaching the visual target area can be measured using known measurement and analysis means such as an illuminometer. In addition, it is self-evident that the above derivation method is universally applicable to changes in the size and luminous flux distribution of the light source, the size of the visual target area, the height distance from the light source, etc., and is applicable under any conditions. In addition, as in this specific example, by reflecting the size and light distribution of the actual light source in the simulation settings and running the simulation, it is possible to determine whether a certain base light is the base light that predominantly illuminates a certain visual target area, and by grasping the actual size and illuminance using a known illuminometer, it is also possible to determine whether a certain base light is the base light that predominantly illuminates a certain visual target area.

The environmental control system according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of irradiation units that illuminate a room, a speaker that outputs sound into the room, an information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding human use of the room, and a control device, where two or more of the plurality of irradiation units have different irradiation areas, and the control device can perform at least one of dimming and color adjustment control and sound output by the speaker based on information from the information acquisition unit.

The environmental control system disclosed herein enables active zoning that can easily accommodate the dynamic work performance of workers and organizations that occurs on an hourly, daily, monthly, or other cycle, as well as the needs for each space.

This is a drawing showing a disclosed example of a layout for the possible arrangement of multiple work desks in an ABW office as an example of a room in which an environmental control system according to the first disclosed example of the present disclosure is installed, and is a layout diagram showing the arrangement of multiple work desks as viewed from above, and the arrangement of base lights, electric duct rails, and spotlights attached to the ceiling of the ABW office superimposed on the arrangement of the work desks. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing dimming and color adjustment data for each lighting device in four scenes set for each of lighting groups 1 to 3. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an environmental control system. FIG. 2 shows one form of spotlight that may be provided with the environmental control system. 13A-13C are diagrams showing other configurations of spotlights that may be included with the environmental control system. FIG. 5 is a block diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 in an environmental control system according to a modified example of the disclosed example 1. FIG. 2 is a layout diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 in the environmental control system of the disclosed example 2. FIG. 4 is a block diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 in the environmental control system of the disclosed example 2. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining information on the light emitted by each lighting device and information on the sound output by each speaker when sound is output and scene 1 is reproduced in disclosure example 2. FIG. 13 is a graph showing the results of a test example in which lighting scene 1 was played in the ABW office of disclosure example 2, and further the sound of a babbling brook was played from speaker group 1 and jazz or bossa nova music was played from speaker group 2, and the illuminance and volume of the space were measured with a light meter and a sound level meter positioned across desks D12 to D03. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an omnidirectional camera. 1A is a flowchart showing an example of control that can be executed by a control device in an environmental control system of a modified example of disclosure example 1, and FIG. 1B is a flowchart showing an example of control that can be executed by a control device in an environmental control system of another modified example of disclosure example 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining an XYZ three-dimensional simulation model defined by the ray tracing simulation software LightTools. 14 is a graph showing the proportion of energy reaching the light receiving unit when the central coordinates of the light source unit and the light receiving unit are aligned as shown in FIG. 13 and when the position coordinates of the light source unit are offset in the X-axis direction from that state.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, when multiple embodiments or variations are included, it is assumed from the beginning that new embodiments will be constructed by appropriately combining the characteristic parts of those. In the following disclosure examples, the same components are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and duplicated explanations are omitted. In addition, multiple drawings include schematic diagrams, and the dimensional ratios of the length, width, height, etc. of each member do not necessarily match between different drawings. In addition, among the components described below, components that are not described in the independent claim that indicates the highest concept are optional components and are not essential components. In addition, when the word "approximately" is used in this specification, it is used in the same sense as the word "roughly speaking", and the requirement of "approximately ~" is met if a person looks roughly ~. For example, the requirement of approximately circular is met if a person looks roughly circular.

[Disclosure Example 1]
FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a disclosure example of a layout for the possible arrangement of multiple work desks D01 to D14 in an ABW office 20 as an example of a room in which an environmental control system 10 according to a first disclosure example of the present disclosure is installed, and is a layout diagram showing the arrangement of the multiple work desks D01 to D14 as viewed from above, and the arrangement of base lights 3, electric duct rails 4, and spotlights 5 attached to the ceiling of the ABW office 20 superimposed on the arrangement of the work desks D01 to D14.

In one form of the ABW office 20 shown in Figure 1, a total of 14 work desks D01-D14, which are general office desks, are classified into desk group 1 and desk group 2, and 28 LED dimmable and color-adjustable base lights (e.g., NNLK41515+NNL4600EXDK9: Panasonic) are installed above them at equal intervals as ambient lighting for illuminating the ABW office 20, and three rows of electrifying duct rails 4 are installed nearby. In detail, a total of 14 work desks D01-D14 are arranged in four examples, and three electrifying duct rails 4 are arranged near three rows of the work desks D01-D14 in the four examples so as to extend in a direction approximately parallel to the extension direction of the rows.

Furthermore, a total of 14 LED dimmable spotlights (e.g., NTS05121W: Panasonic) 5, which are an example of task lights, were installed on each duct rail 4. Additionally, a wavelength conversion filter was attached to the opening of each spotlight 5, and the color temperature of the light output from the spotlight 5 was adjusted to 6000K. Then, the 14 work desks D01 to D14 and the 14 spotlights 5 were placed in one-to-one correspondence, and the installation position and installation direction of each spotlight 5 was adjusted so that each spotlight 5 illuminates the center of the corresponding work desk D01 to D14.

The 28 base lights 3 and 14 spot lights 5 were connected in sequence via dimming signal lines to a multi-manager (e.g., NQ51101: Panasonic) as an example of a control device, an LS/PD signal conversion interface (e.g., NK51111: Panasonic), a PD/dimming signal conversion interface (e.g., NK51012: Panasonic), and a PiPit+ separate cellcon type A (e.g., NQ23171Z: Panasonic). Seven spot lights 5 were paired with two PiPit+ separate cellcon type A units.

Next, the multi-manager operation application was used to map the 28 base lights 3, storing the position information of each base light 3, and as shown in Figure 1, 12 base lights 3 and 8 spot lights 5 were set as lighting devices belonging to lighting group 1, 4 base lights 3 were set as lighting devices belonging to lighting group 2, and 12 base lights 3 and 6 spot lights 5 were set as lighting devices belonging to lighting group 3. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, four scenes were set for each of lighting groups 1 to 3, and in each scene, values of color temperature and dimming rate were set for each group.

Here, each scene can be easily set using an information terminal with an existing scene setting application installed, such as a smartphone, tablet, or remote control. Then, each scene was actually reproduced. In detail, after closing the blind curtains on the windows of the ABW office 20, scene 1 was played using the operation unit 64 (see FIG. 3), and the desk group 1 and desk group 2 were separated in appearance. Next, other scenes such as scene 3 and scene 4 were played in sequence using the operation unit 64 (see FIG. 3), and each scene was switched within about a few seconds.

In Desk Group 1 in Scene 1, the illuminance was high only in the center of work desks D07 to D014, and the illuminance decreased the further away from the center, resulting in an uneven illuminance distribution. The illuminance of the floors and walls around the work desks was also low, creating a space with a low sense of brightness. On the other hand, in Desk Group 2 in Scene 1, the illuminance of work desks D01 to D06 was more uniform than Desk Group 1, and the illuminance of the floors and walls around the work desks was also high, creating a space with a high sense of brightness.

In this case, when a worker sits at desk group 1, the illuminance is high only in the center of the work desks D07 to D014, which the worker should pay more attention to, and the cognitive noise factor of the peripheral vision is reduced, so the worker can easily concentrate on the work and the efficiency of concentrated work is improved. Furthermore, in this method, the dimming rate of the base light 3 is set low, which reduces the visibility of the peripheral vision of the walls and floors, making it easier to improve the effect of immersion in the work desks D07 to D014 and work. In addition, because the dimming rate of the base light 3 is set low, it is difficult for other workers to talk to the workers working at desk group 1 because their facial expressions are not clearly visible when seen from outside, or because the shadows are cast on the faces, making them look unhappy. In other words, the workers working at desk group 1 are more likely to be talked to by other workers and their work is interrupted, which makes it easier to improve the efficiency of concentrated work. From the above, when scene 1 is reproduced, desk group 1 is a space that is easy to function as a concentration space. On the other hand, in Scene 1, Desk Group 2 has a low color temperature and is conducive to relaxation and increasing communication among multiple people, making it a space that can easily function as a co-creation space.

Desk group 1 and desk group 2 have very different spatial illuminance distributions. Desk group 1 is particularly characterized by lower illuminance on the floor and walls around the work desks, which causes the two desk groups to have a strong sense of spatial division. Furthermore, desk group 1 and desk group 2 have very different color temperatures of lighting, which causes the two groups to have a strong sense of spatial division. As a result, there is a zoning effect that perceives the space as being divided, even without the use of fixtures or furniture. The greater the difference in illuminance distribution and color temperature between the groups, the greater the zoning effect.

In addition, desk group 1 and desk group 2 each encourage workers to do different tasks; for example, in the disclosed example, desk group 1 encourages concentrated work, while desk group 2 encourages relaxation and communication. This creates differences not only in appearance, but also in the functional use of each space, which also contributes to the zoning effect.

When zoning is performed using this method, switching between each scene can be completed in a few seconds, so the layout of the office can be changed in a few seconds. For example, on busy days in the office or other days when there is a high need for concentration spaces, switching from scene 1 to scene 3 increases the number of seats in the concentration space in the office from 8 to 14, meeting the need for concentration spaces for workers and thus making it easier to improve the work performance of workers and organizations. Alternatively, on quiet days, switching to scene 4 reduces the number of seats in the concentration space to 0 and the co-creation space to 14, which has the effect of reducing stress in the organization and increasing the amount of communication. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the number of seats in the concentration space in the afternoon during the lunch break, based on the utilization rate of the concentration space in the morning on a certain day. According to this method, active zoning is possible, which changes the layout on an hourly, daily, monthly, or other cycle, which is difficult to achieve with the above-mentioned method using fixtures and furniture. In conventional office scenes, areas such as work desks and corridors were generally lit with highly uniform color temperature and illuminance distribution. In contrast, this application uses such lighting techniques and control methods, which makes it possible to achieve remarkable effects that could not have been predicted with conventional lighting knowledge, particularly in ABW office scenes.

3 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the environmental control system 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the environmental control system 10 has a control device 61 consisting of a base light 3, a spot light 5, and a multi-manager, as well as an operation unit 64, and the control device 61 includes a control unit 61a, a dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit 61b, and a storage unit 61c. The control device 61 is preferably configured by a computer, for example, a microcomputer, and the control unit 61a, i.e., the processor, includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 61c is configured by a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU reads out and executes programs and the like stored in the storage unit 61c. The non-volatile memory also stores a control program, a predetermined threshold value, and the like in advance. The volatile memory also temporarily stores the read program and processing data. The storage unit 61c stores position information and device identification information regarding one or more spot lights 5 and a plurality of base lights 3 that have been set in advance. The memory unit 61c also stores dimming and color adjustment data for reproducing the above-mentioned scenes 1 to 4. In the disclosed example 1, eight work desks D07 to D014 belong to desk group 1, and six work desks D01 to D06 belong to desk group 2, but the number of work desks belonging to desk group 1 and desk group 2 is not limited to that in the disclosed example 1. The number of lighting groups is also not limited to three as in the disclosed example 1, and any number of lighting groups greater than or equal to two may exist. Next, the position information and device identification information, and each component of the environmental control system 10 will be described in detail.

(About information)
<Location information>
The position information may be information similar to absolute coordinate values such as an actual position in space, or may be information on a relative positional relationship based on a certain spotlight or base light, or a pillar already installed in the space. The position information stored in the storage unit 61c does not need to be able to completely reproduce the positions and positional relationships of the spotlights and base lights actually installed, and may be information that can reproduce (define) only a part of them. The position information may be recorded in the storage unit by input from the user, or may be recorded by an algorithm of AI or a computer. The position information may be set and recorded while referring to drawing data stored in a separate storage unit or the like, or while being associated with the drawing data. The position information does not need to be assigned or associated with all the devices included in the environmental control system, and may be appropriately selectable according to the user's circumstances.

<Device Identification Information>
The device identification information is information that identifies the spotlight or baselight device, and is composed of, for example, a manufacturing number, a MAC address, an IP address, a product number, etc. The device identification information is used when setting and recording the above-mentioned location information, group, or scene, or when individually setting and recording the output parameters of the device (color adjustment rate, dimming rate, etc.), so that different devices are not unintentionally determined to be the same in the environmental control system. The device identification information does not need to be assigned or associated with all devices included in the environmental control system, and the devices to be assigned or associated can be appropriately selected according to the user's circumstances.

(Specific aspects of each configuration)
<Task light>
The device form of the task light is not particularly limited, and in addition to the above-mentioned spotlight 5, desk lights, downlights, etc. can be used as the task light. However, a task light with light distribution control that focuses light on a specific area like a spotlight is preferable because it is easy to control the illumination range of the work desk. More specifically, the spotlight 5 may have a structure shown in the perspective view of FIG. 4, that is, a structure in which the irradiation direction of the spotlight 5 is adjusted by a person applying an external force, or a structure shown in the perspective views of FIG. 5(a) and (b), that is, a structure in which the irradiation direction of the spotlight 5 can be automatically adjusted to either downward direction by freely rotating two rotation shafts with a motor or the like using a remote control. If at least one spotlight 5 is as shown in FIG. 5(a) and (b) and the emission direction of the illumination light can be changed to either direction at the installation position, the degree of freedom of the gap between the work desks in the longitudinal direction in the concentration space can be increased, and the degree of freedom of the gap between the work desks in the width direction in the concentration space can also be increased, and the degree of freedom of the layout of the concentration space can be increased. 5(a) and 5(b), in which the irradiation direction of the spotlight 5 can be freely adjusted by remote control, the irradiation direction of the spotlight 5 can be safely adjusted from the ground without using a stepladder, etc. More specifically, as described above, it is preferable to use a dimmable and color-adjustable spotlight as the task light.

Task lighting is lighting that is used to improve the efficiency of a worker's work, such as computer operation, writing, and reading, and is lighting that selectively illuminates the visual target area of a work desk. The visual target area is the area that is generally visible when working at a work desk. For example, when a personal computer (hereinafter simply referred to as a PC) is placed at the back of the center of the work desk and used, the center of the work desk is the center of the visual target area. In this case, changes in the visual target due to physiological factors or accidental changes in posture or line of sight are not taken into account. In other words, events such as looking up at the ceiling to think about something or stretch, shifting your gaze to the wall, shifting your gaze to the floor when sneezing or coughing, or shifting your gaze because someone is talking to you are not considered as significant changes in the visual target area on the work desks D01 to D14.

It is preferable that the illumination range of the task light is limited to a part of the visual target area, for example, 30% to 90% of the surface area of the work desk is the illumination range. The illumination range of the task light is not particularly limited, but is preferably approximately circular or approximately polygonal. In this way, the brightness of the visual target area is brighter than the brightness of areas that are not the visual target area, and cognitive noise in the peripheral vision is reduced. This directs the worker's attention toward the work desk, making it easier to improve work efficiency.

The illumination range can be calculated as the position where the maximum amount of light per unit area reaching the work desk is halved, and is generally the range called the half-width. The illumination range can be measured and calculated using a known illuminometer. There are no particular limitations on the color temperature of the task light, but a color temperature of 4000K to 6500K is preferable as it helps to improve cognitive concentration.

<Base light>
The base light is a lighting for increasing the brightness in a room, and is a lighting that uniformly illuminates the room. The light distribution of the base light is preferably wider than that of a spot light in order to uniformly illuminate the room. The color temperature of the base light is not particularly limited. The base light is preferably a dimmable and color adjustable type. The device form of the base light is not particularly limited, and any type such as a ceiling light, line light, pendant light, spot light, or light bar can be used.

<Control device>
The control device 61 is a device for controlling the task light and the base light. Here, the control includes ON/OFF control and dimming/toning control. The device form of the control device 61 is not particularly limited, but the device form of the control device 61 can be suitably adopted, for example, the lighting control device and the control application of the lighting control device described in the disclosure example 1. The control application of the device may be installed on a separate terminal such as a tablet as exemplified in FIG. 3, a personal computer, a smartphone, etc. In this case, it is preferable because it is easy for the user to set up, manage, and operate the lighting control device.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the control device 61 is included in the tablet 60, but the control device does not necessarily have to be included in an operation terminal such as a tablet. As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 71 of the environmental control system 70 may be a terminal or device separate from an operation terminal such as a tablet 72. Here, the housing of the control device 71 may be embedded in a ceiling or wall, or may be installed on the ground or a storage shelf. The control device 71 may be controlled by wired signal communication with an information terminal such as a tablet 72, or may be controlled by wireless signal communication such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this case, although not particularly shown in FIG. 6, the control device 71 may include a communication device having a port for connecting a communication signal line or a wireless LAN access point. Furthermore, at this time, the tablet 72 and the like do not need to directly communicate with the spotlight 5 or the base light 3. At this time, the information on the positions and control conditions of the appliances constituting the environmental control system 70, such as mapping, scene, group, control schedule, etc., set using the operation unit 75 of the tablet 72, may be transmitted to the control device 71 and recorded in the memory unit 76 of the control device 71. In this case, even if the tablet 72 is turned off or stored in a place outside the communication range of the spotlight 5 and the base light 3, the intended environmental control can be performed. In addition, the control device 71 does not need to have a user interface for operation such as a liquid crystal display. In this case, the control device 71 can be easily made small, and the ease of installation and design are improved, which is preferable. Although not particularly illustrated in FIG. 6, the operation terminal such as the tablet 72 may have a memory unit. In addition, the environmental control system 70 shown in FIG. 6 is a modified example of the environmental control system 10, 110 shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 8 described later, but it is clear that there are many environmental control systems that are feasible and easy to conceive other than the environmental control system 70 shown in FIG. 6.

<Dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit>
The dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit 61b is a part that transmits dimming and color adjustment signals to the task light and base light to execute at least one of dimming and color adjustment, and is included in the control device 61. The signal format is not particularly limited, and any known dimming signal, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. can be used. In the above dimming and color adjustment control, dimming and color adjustment control of a digital control method was described, and a control method for transmitting a digital signal (PDCL) from the light control was described. Here, this control method requires wiring of a signal line for digital control in addition to a power line. This digital control allows communication of detailed information, making it possible to perform control using a large amount of information, and control by wireless signals is also included in this method.

However, when performing dimming and color adjustment control, a phase control method may be adopted, and dimming control may be performed by directly adjusting the power to the lighting equipment. This method is easy to be affected by voltage fluctuations because it directly controls the power supply current to the lighting equipment, but is easy to install because there is no need to lay a dedicated signal line separately. Alternatively, when performing dimming and color adjustment control, a signal line method may be adopted, and a dimming signal (duty signal) may be sent from the light control, and the brightness of the light-emitting part such as an LED may be controlled by the power unit on the equipment side. This method requires wiring of a dimming signal line in addition to the power line, but it is less affected by the wire voltage, making it possible to perform smooth dimming control without flickering. Note that dimming control also includes only ON/OFF control of task lights and base lights.

<Memory Unit>
Any known device may be used as the device constituting the storage unit. The storage unit may not be incorporated in the control device, unlike the configuration shown in Fig. 3, and may be configured as an information terminal other than the information terminal including the control device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, or as a server or workstation on the cloud, or an external storage medium, etc. The storage unit is set by the user as a default setting, but may also be rewritten and set by a machine using the cloud or AI.

<Group information for multiple devices>
The group information of the lighting devices is managed by, for example, an app. The grouping may be set and saved by, for example, operating a tablet terminal. The same command is sent to the grouped devices all at once, and, for example, the same dimming and color control is performed. Note that, for the dimming and color control of the grouped devices, i.e., group control, a signal delay is permitted, and the operation variation of the devices is also permitted. For example, the permitted operation variation of the devices is within 30 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes, even more preferably within 1 minute, and most preferably within 10 seconds, and a signal or command delay within this range is included in the behavior of the grouped devices. When the operation variation of the devices is within the above time, it is preferable because the layout change can be achieved sufficiently quickly and with less labor compared to a layout change involving the transportation and reinstallation of general fixtures and furniture. The group setting may be included as a function of an application that operates a control device, but is not necessarily defined by the name "group". It is preferable to set groups in an application that operates the control device or in a storage unit included in the control device, since this makes it easier for the user to manage and change the lighting and its control parameters.

<Control scene information>
Setting and reproducing control parameters such as dimming rate and color adjustment rate for each lighting device is a very cumbersome task for a user. This is because a typical ABW office uses 10 or more, 30 or more, and even 100 or more lighting devices. Therefore, a method of collectively storing and managing the control parameters of a plurality of lighting devices in a storage unit is known, and this method is referred to as a scene in the present application. This is preferable because it not only makes it easy for a user to manage the conditions of the control parameters for a plurality of lighting devices, but also makes it easy to instantly reflect the conditions on a plurality of lighting devices at a desired timing (hereinafter referred to as reproduction). Furthermore, by storing a plurality of types of scenes in the storage unit in advance, a user can instantly switch between two or more intended setting conditions. The settings of each scene may be set in any way depending on the specification needs. For example, unlike the example shown in FIG. 2, the dimming rate of the 10 base lights may be set to 100% in scene 1 and stored in the storage unit, and the dimming rate of the 10 base lights may be set to 30% in scene 2 and stored in the storage unit. Then, when scene 1 is played, the dimming rate of the 10 base lights may instantly transition to a state where the dimming rate is set to 100%, and when scene 2 is played from this state, the dimming rate of the 10 base lights may instantly transition to a state where the dimming rate is set to 30%. In this way, it is preferable because it is possible to realize dimming control of a large number of lighting devices in a much shorter time and with less labor than the task of resetting the dimming rate of the 10 lighting devices every time. Note that the setting of a scene may be included as a function of an application that operates a control device, but is not necessarily defined by the name of a "scene". Also, the setting of each scene may be set as follows for groups 1 and 2. For example, in scene 1, group 1 may be set to 0% dimming rate and group 2 may be set to 50% dimming rate, and in scene 2, group 1 may be set to 50% dimming rate and group 2 may be set to 0% dimming rate. By setting the scenes in this way, a zone where a worker is likely to concentrate can be instantly exchanged with a zone where a worker is likely to relax and communicate with other workers, and when the scale of the two zones is different, the scale of each zone can be instantly changed according to needs. Note that, with respect to the dimming and color control of multiple devices in a scene, i.e., group control, a signal delay is permitted and the variation in the operation of the devices is also permitted. For example, the permitted variation in the operation of the devices is within 30 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes, even more preferably within 1 minute, and most preferably within 10 seconds, and a delay in a signal or command within this range is included in the behavior of multiple devices in a scene.

The above describes the control in the environmental control system 10 and the specific aspects of each component. In this section, we will explain the effects of the environmental control system 10 that have become clear from the above description.

The environmental control system 10 includes one or more spotlights (task lights) 5 for illuminating a visual target area (near the center of the top surface of the work desks D01-D14) in the ABW office (room) 20, a plurality of base lights 3 for illuminating an area wider than the visual target area in the ABW office 20, and a control device 61. The control device 61 also includes a dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit 61b that transmits signals to control dimming and color adjustment to the spotlights 5 and base lights 3, and a memory unit 61c that stores previously set position information and device identification information for the spotlights 5 and base lights 3. The control device 61 can also execute one or more group controls that execute dimming and color adjustment control of at least one spotlight 5 and a plurality of base lights 3 in conjunction with each other using signals transmitted from the dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit 61b using the information stored in the memory unit 61c. The one or more group controls include control to control the eight spotlights 5 and the 28 base lights 3 so that when the eight spotlights 5 belonging to group 1, which is an example of at least one spotlight 5, are turned on, the light intensity of the eight base lights 3 closest to each of the eight spotlights 5, which are an example of base lights 3 installed in the vicinity, is equal to or less than the light intensity of the 20 base lights 3 other than the eight base lights 3, which are an example of base lights in the area where the task light is not turned on.

Therefore, as described in detail above, the area near the lit spotlight 5 can be separated from the area where the task light is not lit, making the area near the lit spotlight 5 an area where people can easily concentrate.

Information (group information) of lighting groups 1 to 3 of multiple devices 3 and 5 may also be stored in the memory unit 61c. The information of lighting groups 1 to 3 of multiple devices 3 and 5 may include information of multiple groups (lighting groups 1 and 3) in which one or more spotlights 5 and one or more base lights 3 are mixed. As in the control of scene 1 in FIG. 2, when one or more spotlights 5 are turned on, the light intensity of some or all of the base lights 3 included in the same lighting group 1 may be controlled to be equal to or lower than the light intensity of the base lights 3 included in a lighting group 2 that does not include a spotlight 5, or the light intensity of some or all of the base lights included in a lighting group 3 that has one or more spotlights 5 but does not have any spotlights 5 turned on.

According to this configuration, when spotlight 5 is turned on, the area illuminated by the multiple lighting devices in the same lighting group 1 can be globally darkened relative to the areas illuminated by lighting devices in other groups. This emphasizes the sense of division of the external space, and makes the area illuminated by the multiple lighting devices in lighting group 1 in which spotlight 5 is turned on a space where people can more easily concentrate.

Control scene information may also be stored in the storage unit 61c. The control scene information may also include information on one or more first scenes (first to third scenes in FIG. 2) in which the spotlight 5 is turned on, and information on one or more second scenes (fourth scene in FIG. 2) in which the spotlight 5 is not turned on. The multiple scenes that can be realized with one or more spotlights 5 and multiple base lights 3 may also include the first scene (first to third scenes in FIG. 2) and the second scene (fourth scene in FIG. 2) in which the light intensity of the base light 3 installed in the vicinity of the spotlight 5 in the first scene (first to third scenes in FIG. 2) is controlled to be equal to or less than the light intensity of the base light 3 installed in the vicinity of the spotlight 5 in the second scene (fourth scene in FIG. 2).

According to this configuration, other group controls can be instantly executed to reproduce other scenes, so that switching between each scene can be executed instantly, and the office layout can be changed in a few seconds according to needs. Therefore, active zoning can be realized that easily responds to the fluid work performance of workers and organizations that occurs on an hourly, daily, monthly, or other cycle, and the needs for each space. Furthermore, in cases such as off days, when reducing the area of concentrated space is more likely to reduce stress in the organization and increase the amount of communication, the scene can be instantly switched to the second scene (the fourth scene in Figure 2). Therefore, an ABW office 20 with a high degree of freedom in response to needs can be realized.

In addition, the memory unit 61c may store group information and control scene information for the multiple devices 3 and 5. In addition, the control scene information may be associated with the group information as shown in the first scene in FIG. 2, and may include information on a scene that occurs when a group in which the spotlight 5 is turned on (lighting group 1 in FIG. 2) and a group in which the spotlight 5 is not turned on (lighting group 2 in FIG. 2) are adjacent to each other.

With this configuration, the area around the area where the spotlight 5 is on can be made dimmer. This increases the degree of separation between the area where the spotlight 5 is on and the surrounding area.

The storage unit 61c may store group information and control scene information for the multiple devices 3 and 5. As shown in the first scene of FIG. 2, the control scene information may include scene information associated with the group information and including the illumination light of the group in which the spotlight 5 is turned on (lighting group 1 in FIG. 2) and the illumination light of the group in which the spotlight 5 is not turned on (lighting group 3 in FIG. 2). The amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the spotlight 5 from the base light 3 included in the group in which the spotlight 5 is turned on (lighting group 1 in FIG. 2) may be controlled to be equal to or less than the amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the spotlight 5 from the base light 3 included in the group in which the spotlight 5 is not turned on (lighting group 3 in FIG. 2).

With this configuration, the light from the spotlight 5 can be focused on the visual target area in the concentration space. This makes it possible to more effectively stimulate people's concentration.

In addition, group information and control scene information for multiple devices 3 and 5 may be stored in the memory unit 61c. In addition, the control scene information may include scene information that is associated with group information and includes illumination light from a group in which the spotlight 5 is turned on (lighting group 1 in FIG. 2) and illumination light from a group in which the spotlight 5 is not turned on (lighting group 3 in FIG. 2), as shown in the first scene in FIG. 2.

The storage unit may also store group information and control scene information for multiple devices. The control scene information may also include a scene that is associated with the group information and includes the illumination light of a group in which the task light is turned on and the illumination light of a group in which the task light is not turned on. The amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the task light from the task light and base light included in a group in which the task light is turned on may also be controlled to be equal to or less than the amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the task light from the base light included in a group in which the task light is not turned on.

With this configuration, the area where the task light is on can be made dimmer than the surrounding area. This increases the degree to which the area where the task light is on is separated from the surrounding area.

The storage unit may also store group information and control scene information for multiple devices. The control scene information may also include scene information that is associated with the group information and includes illumination light of a group in which the task light is turned on and illumination light of a group in which the task light is not turned on. The amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the task light from a base light included in a group in which the task light is turned on, and the amount of light per unit area reaching the visual target area of the task light from a base light included in a group in which the task light is not turned on, may each be controlled to be greater than the amount of light per unit area reaching an area that is not the visual target area.

This configuration makes it possible to make the work areas in the concentration space and co-creation space brighter than areas that are not visually targeted, promoting efficient work in both the concentration space and the co-creation space.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are cases where a noticeable effect can be achieved even if the scenes are not switched instantly and intentionally. In more detail, the scenes may be switched gradually over a period of time greater than or equal to a predetermined time, for example, over the course of 30 minutes.

According to this configuration, the scene is gradually switched over a period of time that is longer than a predetermined time, so that, for example, it is possible for a worker to transition to a concentration zone without being aware of the change. Therefore, it becomes easier for the worker to naturally transition to concentration work, and for example, by performing this control about two hours before the scheduled end of work, it becomes easier to reduce the overtime hours of the worker, which results in an ABW office that is less likely to accumulate mental and physical stress. Alternatively, because the peripheral vision becomes dark without the worker realizing it, it is expected that the effect will be that the worker will be more likely to psychologically focus on returning home, just as agricultural workers in the days before the invention of clocks instinctively returned home after finishing their work at dusk, which results in a reduction in the overtime hours of the worker, and an ABW office that is less likely to accumulate mental and physical stress.

In this modified example, the time for switching between each scene is not particularly limited within the range in which the effect can be expressed. For example, the time for switching between each scene may be any time between 10 minutes and 70 minutes, and the above-mentioned 30 minutes or 60 minutes can be preferably adopted. In addition, the scene transition during the scene change may be a mixed condition in a ratio according to the elapsed time of the dimming and color adjustment conditions of the scene before the change and the dimming and color adjustment conditions of the scene after the change, that is, a so-called cross-fade-like scene transition. Alternatively, one or more other scenes for the midway of the scene change may be played, or the scenes may be gradually switched using an animation technique. In this way, it is impossible to gradually change the layout so that the workers do not notice it with conventional layout changes using fixtures or furniture, and this is a remarkable effect of the present invention.

In the disclosure example 1, the storage unit 61c stores group information of the multiple devices 3, 5 set in advance, and control scene information. However, the storage unit only needs to store the position information and device identification information of one or more task lights and multiple base lights set in advance, and does not need to store one or both of the group information of one or more task lights and multiple base lights and the control scene information. The control device of the environmental control system of the present disclosure is only required to control at least one task light and multiple base lights based on the position information and device identification information of one or more task lights and multiple base lights, and at least one of the position information and device identification information of the task lights that are turned on, so that when at least one task light is turned on, the light intensity of the base light installed in the vicinity of the task light is equal to or less than the light intensity of the base light in the area where the task light is not turned on.

[Disclosure Example 2]
In the above disclosure example 1, the case where zoning is performed using illumination light has been described, but zoning may be performed using not only illumination light but also sound output. In disclosure example 2, zoning using not only illumination light but also sound effects will be described.

7 is a layout diagram of the environmental control system 110 of the disclosure example 2 corresponding to FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the environmental control system 110 of the disclosure example 2 corresponding to FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 7, the environmental control system 110 is different from the environmental control system 10 of the disclosure example 1 in that multiple speakers 109 (e.g., LSPX-103E26: Sony) are attached to the duct rail 104. As shown in FIG. 8, in the disclosure example 2, the control device 161 of the environmental control system 110 has a sound signal transmission unit 161c in addition to the dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit 161b, and outputs a signal including sound information to be output to the multiple speakers 109. The sound control unit of the environmental control system 110 may be built into any information device, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a single board computer, etc.

To explain the acoustic effect of the multiple speakers 109 in more detail, as shown in Figure 7, in the environmental control system 110, four first to fourth speakers 109a to 109d are attached to the duct rail 104, and the speakers 109a to 109d are connected wirelessly in stereo. The first speaker 109a and the second speaker 109b form speaker group 1, and the third speaker 109c and the fourth speaker 109d form speaker group 2. The first and second speakers 109a, 109b belonging to speaker group 1 output the same first audio content, and the third and fourth speakers 109c, 109d belonging to speaker group 2 output the same second audio content. The first and second speakers 109a, 109b belonging to speaker group 1 output sound to people in the area of desk group 1, and the third and fourth speakers 109c, 109d belonging to speaker group 2 output sound to people in the area of desk group 2. Note that the number of speakers belonging to speaker group 1 may be any number, and the number of speakers belonging to speaker group 2 may also be any number. Also, a directional speaker, such as a parametric speaker, may be used as speaker 109. A parametric speaker uses ultrasound, so it is possible to give a noticeable directivity to the sound output direction.

In this configuration, for example, sound content recorded with the sound of a babbling brook was played via a smartphone from speaker group 1 located above desk group 1. At the same time, sound content recorded with jazz and bossa nova music was played via a different smartphone from the one mentioned above from speaker group 2 located above desk group 2. Here, when sitting at a desk belonging to desk group 1, the sound of the babbling brook was heard, and the jazz and bossa nova music was only faintly audible. On the other hand, when sitting at a desk belonging to desk group 2, jazz and bossa nova music was heard, and the babbling brook was only faintly audible. From the above, it was confirmed that, for example, with such a configuration, it is possible to selectively provide different content to a certain extent for different desk groups.

Furthermore, in disclosure example 2, in addition to outputting sound from speaker groups 1 and 2, the scene described in disclosure example 1 was also played. Information on the sound output by each lighting device in each scene was stored in advance in storage unit 161d. For example, when the above-mentioned scene 1 is played as lighting control in addition to outputting sound from speaker groups 1 and 2, desk group 1 will experience a superposition of the effect of the lighting described in disclosure example 1 that makes it easier to increase the efficiency of concentrated work, and the effect of the babbling sound of a stream that makes it easier to increase the efficiency of concentrated work. Therefore, the synergistic effect of this superposition can change the zone of desk group 1 into an area where it is much easier to increase the efficiency of concentrated work.

The babbling sound of a stream has strength over the entire frequency range and is close to the characteristics of sounds known as white noise or brown noise. When this characteristic is expressed in a graph as a Fourier transform spectrum of frequency versus intensity, it can be said that the frequency characteristics of the sound in the graph are broad when compared with a graph of a Fourier transform spectrum that does not have strength over the entire frequency range, for example, a graph of a Fourier transform spectrum of frequency versus intensity of a specific piano scale. Compared with sounds that tend not to have strength over the frequency range, sounds with this characteristic have a remarkable effect of easily canceling noises with various frequencies that may reduce the efficiency of concentrated work that come from places other than desk group 1, such as sounds and voices. Therefore, workers working in desk group 1 are less likely to hear external noise. This makes it easier for workers to concentrate on their work and become engrossed in their work in the desk group 1 zone.

Sound content that can improve the efficiency of concentrated work is preferably one that has characteristics similar to those of the previously mentioned white noise and brown noise, but is not limited to these. For example, it can be primarily natural environmental sounds such as birds chirping, forest leaves rustling, or ocean waves, or it can be music that is primarily composed of electronic sounds synthesized using a musical synthesizer. Sound content can be recorded natural sounds as they are, or it can be composed by humans, or by computer algorithms, AI, or artificial intelligence. Sound content can also be a mix of the various sounds mentioned above.

Meanwhile, in the area where Desk Group 2 exists, in addition to outputting sound content recorded with jazz and bossa nova music, Scene 1 will be played, so as explained in Disclosure Example 1, the effect of illuminating with low color temperature light, which promotes a sense of relaxation and smooth communication among multiple people, and the effect of jazz and bossa nova music, which promotes a sense of relaxation and smooth communication among multiple people, will be superimposed. Therefore, the synergistic effect of this superposition will make the Desk Group 2 zone an area where workers can be highly relaxed and where it is highly easy to promote smooth communication among multiple people.

Compared to the white noise and brown noise mentioned above, jazz and bossa nova music has the characteristic that the frequency characteristics of the sound in the graph of the Fourier transform spectrum of frequency vs. intensity are not broad. This is because the instruments that primarily play jazz and bossa nova, such as the piano, saxophone, and bass, are used in a state where they are strictly tuned to output a specific single scale, namely do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si, do, and the chromatic scale. Therefore, the noise cancellation function against the aforementioned external noise tends to be poor, but since there is little need for noise cancellation function in a co-creation space intended for relaxation and communication with multiple people, there is no major disadvantage even if the noise cancellation function is poor.

Furthermore, jazz and bossa nova are popular sound contents offered in cafes and relaxation facilities, and are frequently used when promoting relaxation and smooth communication among multiple people. Therefore, as is clear from this, using these sound contents can help workers feel relaxed and at ease, and can help realize smooth communication.

As sound content that can promote a sense of relaxation and smooth communication between multiple people, it is preferable to adopt sounds with characteristics similar to those called jazz or bossa nova, but this is not limited to this. For example, classical music, healing music, natural environmental sounds, etc. may be adopted as sound content that can promote a sense of relaxation and smooth communication between multiple people. Such sound content may be recordings of natural sounds as they are, may be composed by humans, or may be composed by computer algorithms, AI, or artificial intelligence. The sound content may also be a mix of the various sounds mentioned above.

As is clear from the above explanation, it is preferable for lighting control and sound control to be linked, and it is even more preferable for the purpose of the lighting and sound content that can be predominantly provided to each desk group to be consistent. In this way, the effects intended by each desk group can be overlapped to create a synergistic effect, making the intended effect of each desk group more prominent.

When lighting control and sound control are linked, their operations do not need to be strictly synchronized; for example, even if there is some discrepancy between the start or end time of the lighting scene change and the start or end time of the sound content change, the above-mentioned effect is not lost. Furthermore, when such a discrepancy occurs, the discrepancy between the start or end time of the lighting scene change and the start or end time of the sound content change can be any amount, but is preferably within 30 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes, even more preferably within 1 minute, and most preferably within 10 seconds. When the discrepancy is within 30 minutes, the layout change can be accomplished sufficiently quickly and with less effort than a layout change that involves the transportation and reinstallation of general fixtures and furniture.

<Evaluation results of spatial illuminance and volume in Scene 1>
Next, a test result of the illuminance and sound volume of the space in scene 1 will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining information on the light emitted by each of the lighting devices 103 and 105 when sound is output and scene 1 is reproduced in disclosure example 2. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the results of a test example in which the illuminance and sound volume of the space are measured with an illuminometer (CL-200: Konica Minolta) and a sound level meter (SD-2200: FUSO) arranged across desks D12 to D03 when lighting scene 1 is reproduced and the babbling sound of a stream is reproduced from speaker group 1 and jazz or bossa nova music is reproduced from speaker group 2 in the ABW office 120 in disclosure example 2. In FIG. 10, y1 is a function related to the illuminance, and y2 is a function related to the sound volume.

As shown in FIG. 10, in this test example, the illuminance and sound volume are the lowest for the passage between desk group 1 and desk group 2. Different illumination lights and different sound contents are reproduced on both sides of the passage. In addition, in desk group 1, illumination light that rapidly increases illuminance locally on the desk surface can be realized. Furthermore, in desk group 1, sound content that promotes concentration is reproduced at a high volume, and in desk group 2, sound content that gives people a sense of relaxation and comfort is output at about half the volume output in desk group 1. For this reason, in this test example, the peripheral area of desk group 1 and the peripheral area of desk group 2 can be clearly separated (divided), and excellent zoning can be realized. In addition, the illumination light and sound content reproduced in the peripheral areas of desk group 1 and desk group 2 can make the peripheral area of desk group 1 an excellent concentration space where people can particularly concentrate on work, and the peripheral area of desk group 2 can be an excellent co-creation space where people can particularly feel relaxed and are good at communicating with multiple people.

<Configuration preferably adopted in the second disclosed example and effects derived from the configuration>
As described in the second disclosure example, in the environmental control system 110, the storage unit 161d may store group information and control scene information of the multiple devices 103 and 105. The control scene information may include scene information associated with the group information and including the illumination light of the group in which the spotlight 105 is turned on and the illumination light of the group in which the spotlight 105 is not turned on. The control device 161 may further include a speaker 109 for transmitting sound toward the visual target area, and the control device 161 may have a sound signal transmission unit 161c for transmitting sound content to the speaker 109, a sound storage unit for storing the sound content, and a sound control unit for controlling at least one of the control schedule and the volume of the sound content. The frequency characteristics of the sound content reaching the visual target area of the spotlight 105 from the group in which the spotlight 105 is turned on may be different from the frequency characteristics of the sound content reaching the visual target area of the spotlight 105 from the group in which the spotlight 105 is not turned on.

This configuration allows zoning to be executed prominently, and the intended effect in each zone to be prominent. More specifically, this is preferable because it makes it easier to more prominently divide the effect of zoning, i.e., the functions of each zone, such as areas that are easy to concentrate on and areas that are easy to relax. In this case, the frequency characteristics of the sound content of each zone are obtained by performing a fast Fourier transform on time-series data of audio recorded by a known microphone or sound-collecting device, and by comparing these, it is possible to determine whether the sound content of each zone is different, or to what extent it differs.

In addition, the spectral width in the fast Fourier transform of sound content reaching the visual target area of the spotlight 105 from a group where the spotlight 105 is turned on may be wider than the spectral width in the fast Fourier transform of sound content reaching the visual target area of the task light from a group where the spotlight 105 is not turned on.

This configuration makes it possible to make the area where the spotlight 105 is lit an area where people are more likely to gather.

[Modifications, etc.]
The environmental control system may include a detection unit for detecting one or more of the following: position information of people in the room, information on people entering and leaving the room, information on date and time, vital information of people in the room, acceleration information of an accelerometer for detecting human movement, ID information, usage status information of spaces included in the room, reservation information of spaces included in the room, temperature information of the room, humidity information of the room, illuminance information of lighting that illuminates the room, acoustic information of sounds outputted into the room, and usage evaluation information based on learning of the usage status of spaces included in the room. The environmental control system may further include a detection information storage unit that stores information of the detection unit, and a detection information analysis unit that analyzes the information. Then, dimming and color adjustment may be controlled using at least one of the information of the detection unit and the information of the detection information analysis unit.

Alternatively, the environmental control system may include a detection unit for detecting one or more of the following: position information of people in the room, information on people's entry and exit, information on date and time, vital signs of people in the room, acceleration information of an accelerometer for detecting people's movements, ID information, usage status information of spaces included in the room, reservation information of spaces included in the room, temperature information of the room, humidity information of the room, illuminance information of the lighting that illuminates the room, acoustic information of sounds outputted into the room, and usage evaluation information based on learning of the usage status of the spaces included in the room. The environmental control system may further include a detection information storage unit that stores information from the detection unit, and a detection information analysis unit that analyzes the information. At least one of the control schedule and the volume of the sound content may be controlled using at least one of the information from the detection unit and the information from the detection information analysis unit.

To provide a more detailed explanation of these two cases, for example, in the above-mentioned disclosure example 1, a known omnidirectional camera 180 shown in a perspective view in FIG. 11 may be installed above the entrance of the ABW office 20. Then, as shown in the control flowchart in FIG. 12(a), when the environmental control system 10 is installed and operating in the ABW office 20, the control device 61 may determine in step S1 whether the number of people in the ABW office 20 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number based on a wireless or wired signal from the omnidirectional camera 180.

If a negative judgment is made in step S1, the process proceeds to step S2, where scene 1 shown in FIG. 2 is reproduced, whereas if a positive judgment is made in step S1, the process proceeds to step S3, where scene 3 shown in FIG. 2 is reproduced, after which control is returned and step S1 and subsequent steps are repeated.

With this control, for example, on busy days in the office or other days when there is a high need for concentration spaces, scene 3 can be automatically reproduced, and the number of seats in the office's concentration spaces can be increased from 8 to 14. By satisfying workers' need for concentration spaces, it becomes easier to improve the work performance of workers and organizations.

In addition, in the above-mentioned disclosure example 1, the memory unit 61c of the control device 61 may further include a memory unit that stores light control information related to dimming control for a predetermined period (date and time) of each spotlight 5 and each base light 3. The control device 61 may then execute dimming control of each spotlight 5 and each base light 3 based on the light control information.

More specifically, for example, as shown in the control flowchart in FIG. 12(b), when the environmental control system 10 is installed and operated in the ABW office 20, the control device 61 may determine in step S11 whether or not it is a predetermined period based on information from a built-in timer. Here, for example, the predetermined period can be set to a non-working day.

If a negative judgment is made in step S11, the process proceeds to step S12, where scene 1 shown in FIG. 2 is reproduced, whereas if a positive judgment is made in step S11, the process proceeds to step S13, where scene 4 shown in FIG. 2 is reproduced, after which control is returned and step S11 and subsequent steps are repeated.

According to this modified example, on off days, scene 4 is automatically reproduced. Therefore, on off days, the number of seats in the concentration space can be reduced to 0 and the number of seats in the co-creation space can be increased to 14, which reduces stress in the organization and increases the quantity and quality of communication.

3,103 Base light, 5,105 Spot light, 10,70,110 Environmental control system, 20,120 ABW office, 61,71,161 Control device, 61a Control unit, 61b,161b Dimming and color adjustment signal transmission unit, 61c,76,161d Memory unit, 109,109a,109b,109c,109d Speaker, 161c Sound signal transmission unit, 180 Omnidirectional camera.

Claims (4)

A plurality of illumination units for illuminating the interior of a room;
a plurality of speakers for outputting sound into the room;
An information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the use of the room by people;
A control device,
Two or more of the plurality of irradiating units have different irradiating areas,
The control device is capable of controlling a sound output by the speaker based on information from the information acquisition unit,
the plurality of speakers include one or more first audio content output speakers constituting a speaker group 1 that outputs a first audio content, and one or more second audio content output speakers constituting a speaker group 2 that outputs a second audio content different from the first audio content,
The control of the sound includes controlling the first audio content output speaker to output the first audio content and the second audio content output speaker to output the second audio content at the same time ;
The control device is capable of controlling dimming and color adjustment based on information from the information acquisition unit,
the one or more first audio content output speakers output sound to a first area, and the one or more second audio content output speakers output sound to a second area different from the first area;
The dimming/color control includes controlling dimming/color adjustment for the first area and the second area simultaneously, and controlling the illuminance distribution of the second area to be different from the illuminance distribution of the first area and the color temperature of the lighting for the second area to be different from the color temperature of the lighting for the second area . Two or more of the plurality of speakers have sound output areas that are at least partially different;
The environmental control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is capable of controlling the sound based on information from the information acquisition unit. The speaker is mountable to a duct rail;
The environmental control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of irradiation units is attachable to the duct rail. an information storage unit that stores information from the information acquisition unit;
An information analysis unit that analyzes the information from the information acquisition unit,
The environmental control system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device is capable of controlling the sound based on the information from the information analysis unit.

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