JP7843871B2 - Air conditioner, learning device and reasoning device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an air conditioner, a learning device, and an inference device.

Conventional air conditioners write logs of their operation to a storage medium for maintenance purposes in case of errors during operation. A conventional air conditioner comprises a diode bridge that rectifies the AC power supply voltage into a pulsating current, an electrolytic capacitor that smooths the pulsating voltage, a power supply unit that supplies each power supply voltage, a main microcomputer that controls the actuators, a storage medium that stores logs of the air conditioner's operation, a sub-microcomputer that stores logs in the storage medium via a level shift unit, and a power synchronization signal unit that stops the processing of the main microcomputer and sub-microcomputer in the event of a power outage.

Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning controller having a low voltage detection unit that sets a low voltage detection flag when it detects that the power supply voltage has fallen below a threshold, and a control unit that overwrites the low voltage detection flag on the condition that it is in a reset state.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-55875

Conventional air conditioners write data such as logs to a storage medium via a level shift unit from a sub-microcomputer. Therefore, conventional air conditioners suffer from communication delays and noise interference due to data transmission via the level shift unit.

This disclosure is made in view of the above, and aims to provide an air conditioner that can improve the delay of communication between a submicrocomputer and a storage medium and the influence of noise on said communication.

To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the air conditioner according to this disclosure includes a diode bridge that rectifies the AC power supply voltage into a pulsating current, an electrolytic capacitor that smooths the voltage of the pulsating current rectified by the diode bridge, a first power supply unit that converts the voltage smoothed by the electrolytic capacitor into a first DC voltage, a second power supply unit that drops the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit to obtain a second DC voltage, and a main microcomputer that controls the operation of the air conditioner using the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit. The air conditioner according to this disclosure further includes: a third power supply unit that drops a second DC voltage obtained by a second power supply unit to obtain a third DC voltage; a storage medium that stores data related to air conditioning using the third DC voltage obtained by the third power supply unit; a sub-microcomputer that stores data in the storage medium using the third DC voltage obtained by the third power supply unit; a power synchronization signal unit that outputs a signal to stop the processing of the main microcomputer and the sub-microcomputer in the event of a power outage using a second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit; and a level shift unit that converts the signal output by the power synchronization signal unit into a signal of the third DC voltage and outputs the signal of the third DC voltage to the sub-microcomputer.

The air conditioner described herein has the effect of improving the delay in communication between the submicrocomputer and the storage medium, as well as the impact of noise on said communication.

Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. This figure shows the configuration of the power supply protection circuit in the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 3. This figure shows the configuration of the level shift section of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 3. This figure shows the configuration of the power synchronization signal unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4. A flowchart showing the control procedure performed by the power synchronization signal unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4. This figure shows the voltage waveform in the photocoupler of the power synchronization signal section of the air conditioner in Embodiment 4. Diagram showing the configuration of the learning device according to Embodiment 6. Flowchart showing the procedure for the learning process of the learning device according to Embodiment 6 Diagram showing the configuration of the inference device according to Embodiment 6. Flowchart showing the operation procedure of the inference device according to Embodiment 6 This figure shows a processor in which at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit, actuator drive unit, second power supply unit, actuator control unit, third power supply unit, power synchronization signal unit, and level shift unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 are realized by a processor. This figure shows a processing circuit in which at least a portion of the first power supply unit, actuator drive unit, second power supply unit, actuator control unit, third power supply unit, power synchronization signal unit, and level shift unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 are implemented by a processing circuit.

The air conditioner, learning device, and reasoning device according to the embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1.
First, the configuration of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. The air conditioner 1 is a refrigeration cycle device. The air conditioner 1 has a circuit board 101. Figure 1 shows the internal configuration of the circuit board 101. The circuit board 101 has an AC power supply 102 that supplies an AC power supply voltage. For example, the AC power supply voltage is a voltage between 200V and 240V. The circuit board 101 further has a diode bridge 103 that rectifies the AC power supply voltage supplied from the AC power supply 102 into a pulsating current.

The substrate 101 further includes an electrolytic capacitor 104 that smooths the voltage of the pulsating current rectified by the diode bridge 103. The electrolytic capacitor 104 is also used to protect all components included in the substrate 101 in the event of a momentary voltage drop due to a momentary power outage. The capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 104 is relatively large; for example, the electrolytic capacitor 104 is a supercapacitor.

The circuit board 101 further includes a first power supply unit 105 that converts the voltage smoothed by the electrolytic capacitor 104 into a first DC voltage. For example, the first voltage is 12V. For example, the first power supply unit 105 is implemented by a circuit. The circuit board 101 further includes an actuator drive unit 106 for driving an actuator (not shown). The first power supply unit 105 supplies a first DC voltage to the actuator drive unit 106. The circuit board 101 further includes a second power supply unit 107 that drops the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105 to obtain a second DC voltage. For example, the second voltage is 5V. For example, the second power supply unit 107 is implemented by a circuit.

The circuit board 101 further includes a main microcomputer 108 that controls the operation of the air conditioning system and an actuator control unit 109 that controls the actuator drive unit 106. For example, the actuator control unit 109 is implemented by a circuit. The circuit board 101 further includes a third power supply unit 110 that drops the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit 107 to obtain a third DC voltage. For example, the third voltage is 3.3V. For example, the third power supply unit 110 is implemented by a circuit.

The circuit board 101 further includes a storage medium 111 for storing data related to air conditioning, and a sub-microcomputer 112 for storing data in the storage medium 111. For example, the storage medium 111 is implemented by a semiconductor memory. For example, the storage medium 111 is implemented by an SD card. The storage medium 111 is used to record data such as the operation log of the air conditioner 1 and settings related to air conditioning. The circuit board 101 further includes a power synchronization signal unit 113 that outputs a signal to stop the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 in the event of a power outage. For example, the power synchronization signal unit 113 is implemented by a circuit.

The second power supply unit 107 supplies a second DC voltage to the main microcomputer 108, the actuator control unit 109, and the power synchronization signal unit 113. Each of the main microcomputer 108, the actuator control unit 109, and the power synchronization signal unit 113 operates using the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit 107. The signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 113 is a signal of the second DC voltage. The third power supply unit 110 supplies a third DC voltage to the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112. Each of the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112 operates using the third DC voltage obtained by the third power supply unit 110.

The circuit board 101 further includes a level shift unit 114 that converts a second DC voltage signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 113, which stops the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 in the event of a power outage, into a third DC voltage signal corresponding to the sub-microcomputer 112, which is supplied with a third DC voltage. For example, the level shift unit 114 is implemented by a circuit. The level shift unit 114 outputs the third DC voltage signal obtained by the conversion to the sub-microcomputer 112.

Next, the operation of the air conditioner 1 will be explained. The diode bridge 103 rectifies the AC power supply voltage supplied from the AC power supply 102 into a pulsating current, and the electrolytic capacitor 104 smooths the pulsating voltage rectified by the diode bridge 103. The first power supply unit 105 converts the voltage smoothed by the electrolytic capacitor 104 into a first DC voltage and supplies the first DC voltage to the actuator drive unit 106. The actuator drive unit 106 operates based on the first DC voltage.

The second power supply unit 107 reduces the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105 to obtain a second DC voltage, and supplies this second DC voltage to the main microcomputer 108, the actuator control unit 109, and the power synchronization signal unit 113. The third power supply unit 110 reduces the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit 107 to obtain a third DC voltage, and supplies this third DC voltage to the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112.

The sub-microcomputer 112 outputs data related to air conditioning, such as the operation log of the air conditioner 1 and settings for air conditioning, to the storage medium 111. The storage medium 111 receives and stores the data output from the sub-microcomputer 112. When the storage medium 111 has finished storing the data, it outputs a signal to the sub-microcomputer 112 indicating that the data storage has finished. If a power outage occurs while the storage medium 111 is storing data, the circuit board 101 has an electrolytic capacitor 104 to maintain the power supply voltage until the storage medium 111 finishes storing the data.

The power synchronization signal unit 113 outputs a signal to stop the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 when the AC power supply 102 is interrupted. This signal stops the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112, which in turn stops the operation of the actuator control unit 109 and the storage medium 111. As a result, all components of the circuit board 101 are protected.

Incidentally, the sub-microcomputer 112 and the power synchronization signal unit 113 have different power supply systems. Therefore, when the AC power supply 102 is interrupted, the level shift unit 114 converts the second DC voltage signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 113 into a third DC voltage signal corresponding to the sub-microcomputer 112, which is supplied with a third DC voltage, in order to stop the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112. The level shift unit 114 outputs the third DC voltage signal obtained by the conversion to the sub-microcomputer 112.

As described above, in the air conditioner 1, the power supply system for the storage medium 111 and the power supply system for the sub-microcomputer 112 are the same. Therefore, in the air conditioner 1, there is no need to provide a level shifter circuit for voltage conversion between the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112. In other words, the sub-microcomputer 112 can communicate with the storage medium 111 without going through a level shifter circuit. That is, the air conditioner 1 can improve the communication speed and reduce the influence of noise from power supply systems different from the power supply systems of the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112. Therefore, the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 can improve the delay of communication between the sub-microcomputer 112 and the storage medium 111 and the influence of noise on said communication.

Embodiment 2.
The air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 can improve the speed of communication between the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111, and can reduce the influence of noise on the communication from a power supply system different from the power supply systems of the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111. In the air conditioner 1, an electrolytic capacitor 104 with a relatively large capacitance of several tens of millifarads is required in order to have the electrolytic capacitor 104 involved in all of the current consumption of the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage, and to be able to supply the voltage for the time until the storage medium 111 finishes storing the data. For example, the first voltage is 12V, the second voltage is 5V, and the third voltage is 3.3V.

Next, Embodiment 2 will be described for temporarily maintaining power supply only to the third voltage system during a power outage. Embodiment 2 will mainly describe the differences from Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2. The air conditioner 2 has a circuit board 201. Figure 2 shows the internal configuration of the circuit board 201. Except for the electrolytic capacitor 104 and the third power supply unit 110, the circuit board 201 has all the components that the circuit board 101 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 has.

The substrate 201 has an electrolytic capacitor 204 having a capacitance smaller than that of the electrolytic capacitor 104, instead of the electrolytic capacitor 104, and a third power supply unit 210 that drops the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105 to obtain a third DC voltage, instead of the third power supply unit 110. For example, the third power supply unit 210 is implemented by a circuit.

The circuit board 201 further includes a power supply protection circuit 215 located between the first power supply unit 105 and the third power supply unit 210, and connected to both the first power supply unit 105 and the third power supply unit 210. A first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105 is supplied to the third power supply unit 210 via the power supply protection circuit 215. The third power supply unit 210 reduces the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105 to obtain a third DC voltage, and supplies this third DC voltage to the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111. The power supply protection circuit 215 has a function to charge using the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit 105. The power supply protection circuit 215 discharges during a power outage, enabling the third power supply unit 210 to supply the third DC voltage to the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111. In Embodiment 2, the second power supply unit 107 is not connected to the third power supply unit 210.

Figure 3 shows the configuration of the power supply protection circuit 215 of the air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2. The power supply protection circuit 215 has an electrolytic capacitor 305 that is charged using a first DC voltage 301. The capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 305 is determined by considering the current consumption of the third voltage and the time it takes for the storage medium 111 to finish storing the data. For example, the third voltage is 3.3V, and the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 305 is several thousand microfarads.

In the power supply protection circuit 215, diodes 302, 303, and 306 are implemented to prevent reverse voltage from being applied to the electrolytic capacitor 305, and resistor 304 is implemented to suppress the inrush current flowing through the electrolytic capacitor 305 when the power is turned on. When the power supply is cut off, the electrolytic capacitor 305 starts to discharge, and this discharge supplies a first DC voltage to the third power supply unit 210 via the output unit 307.

The air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2 has a power supply protection circuit 215, so that a third DC voltage can be maintained supplied to the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111 until the storage medium 111 has finished storing the data. In other words, even if a power outage occurs, the air conditioner 2 can continue to supply a third DC voltage to the submicrocomputer 112 and the storage medium 111 until the storage medium 111 has finished storing the data.

As described above, the air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2 has a power supply protection circuit 215 that enables the supply of a third DC voltage to the third power supply unit 210 during a power outage. Therefore, the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 204 can be reduced to the capacitance necessary to protect the sub-microcomputer 112 and the storage medium 111 during a momentary power outage, for example, a capacitance of several tens of microfarads. In other words, the air conditioner 2 does not require a supercapacitor, which is relatively expensive, and a regular electrolytic capacitor that can reduce costs can be implemented as the electrolytic capacitor 204. That is, the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 204 for supplying power to the storage medium 111 and the sub-microcomputer 112 in the air conditioner 2 can be smaller than the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 104 in Embodiment 1, and consequently, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Embodiment 3.
As described above, the air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2 has a power supply protection circuit 215, which allows for a smaller capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor 204, and consequently, reduces manufacturing costs compared to the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. In the air conditioner 2, since the power supply system of the sub-microcomputer 112 is different from the power supply system of the power synchronization signal unit 113, there is a level shift unit 114 that converts the second DC voltage signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 113 into a third DC voltage signal corresponding to the sub-microcomputer 112 to which the third DC voltage is supplied. Embodiment 3 describes a configuration having a level shift unit including a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. Embodiment 3 mainly describes the differences from Embodiment 2.

Figure 4 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 3 according to Embodiment 3. The air conditioner 3 has a circuit board 401. Figure 4 shows the internal configuration of the circuit board 401. Except for the level shift unit 114, the circuit board 401 has all the components of the circuit board 201 of the air conditioner 2 according to Embodiment 2. Instead of the level shift unit 114, the circuit board 401 has a level shift unit 414 that converts a second DC voltage signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 113 to stop the processing of the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 in the event of a power outage into a third DC voltage signal corresponding to the sub-microcomputer 112 to which a third DC voltage is supplied. The level shift unit 414 has a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor for converting voltage.

Figure 5 shows the configuration of the level shift unit 414 of the air conditioner 3 according to Embodiment 3. Figure 5 also shows the AC power supply 102, the main microcomputer 108, the sub-microcomputer 112, and the power supply synchronization signal unit 113. The power supply synchronization signal unit 113 has a photocoupler 500. A Hi or Lo signal of a second DC voltage from the power supply synchronization signal unit 113 is output to the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112. The level shift unit 414 is located between the power supply synchronization signal unit 113 and the sub-microcomputer 112. The level shift unit 414 is a circuit that incorporates a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501, a pull-up resistor 503 for outputting a third DC voltage 502, and a diode 504.

When a Hi signal of the second voltage is output from the power synchronization signal unit 113, the drain of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501 is pulled up, so the voltage between the gate and source of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501 falls below the threshold, the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501 turns off, and a Hi signal of the third DC voltage 502 via the pull-up resistor 503 is input to the port of the submicrocomputer 112.

On the other hand, when a Lo signal of a second DC voltage is output from the power synchronization signal unit 113, the slight voltage drop across the diode 504 causes the source of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501 to be partially pulled down. As a result, the voltage between the gate and source of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501 rises above the threshold of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501, turning on the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor 501, causing the drain and source to conduct, and a Lo signal of a third DC voltage 502 is input to the port of the submicrocomputer 112.

As described above, the air conditioner 3 according to Embodiment 3 has a level shift section 414 including a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor 501, a pull-up resistor 503, and a diode 504. Therefore, it does not require a level shift section 114, which has a relatively high unit cost, and thus the cost of components can be reduced.

Embodiment 4.
As described above, the air conditioner 3 according to Embodiment 3 has a power synchronization signal unit 113 including a photocoupler 500. One photodiode is arranged on the input side of the photocoupler 500. In Embodiment 4, the power synchronization signal unit has a photocoupler including two photodiodes connected in antiparallel.

Figure 6 shows the configuration of the power synchronization signal unit 413 of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4. Figure 6 also shows the AC power supply 102, the main microcomputer 108, the sub-microcomputer 112, and the level shift unit 414. The power synchronization signal unit 413 has a photocoupler 601 including two photodiodes connected in antiparallel and a pull-up resistor 602.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the control procedure performed by the power synchronization signal unit 413 of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4. The power synchronization signal unit 413 determines whether the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 are able to receive the power synchronization signal (S1). The power synchronization signal is a second DC voltage signal output by the power synchronization signal unit 413, or the signal obtained when that signal is converted into a third DC voltage signal. If the power synchronization signal unit 413 determines that the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 are able to receive the power synchronization signal (Yes in S1), it terminates the control.

If the power synchronization signal unit 413 determines that the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 have not been able to receive the power synchronization signal (No in S1), it stops the actuator control and data writing to the storage medium 111 that the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 are performing (S2).

The AC voltage supplied from the AC power supply 102 turns the transistor inside the photocoupler 601 on or off. When the transistor is on, current flows from the pull-up resistor 602 to the emitter of the transistor based on the second DC voltage, the collector voltage drops, and a Lo signal of the second DC voltage is output from the power synchronization signal unit 413. This Lo signal is transmitted to the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112, and the main microcomputer 108 and the sub-microcomputer 112 operate based on this Lo signal. When the Lo signal is transmitted to the sub-microcomputer 112, it is transmitted to the sub-microcomputer 112 via the level shift unit 414.

Since the two photodiodes of the photocoupler 601 are connected in antiparallel, the AC voltage supplied from the AC power supply 102 is rectified into a pulsating current as shown in the upper graph of Figure 8. The voltage on the input side of the microcomputer becomes a rectangular wave voltage formed by the Hi signal and the Lo signal. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the voltage waveform at the photocoupler 601 of the power synchronization signal unit 413 of the air conditioner of Embodiment 4. The upper graph of Figure 8 shows the pulsating voltage waveform 801 on the photodiode side of the photocoupler 601. The lower graph of Figure 8 shows the rectangular voltage waveform 802 on the input side of the microcomputer.

The power synchronization signal unit 413 of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4 has a photocoupler 601 that includes two photodiodes connected in antiparallel. Therefore, the period of the Hi and Lo voltages of the power synchronization signal is halved compared to when a photocoupler 500 containing only a forward photodiode is used. As a result, the detection time during a power outage can be shortened in the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4.

Embodiment 5.
In embodiments 1 to 4, for example, the storage medium 111 is implemented by an SD card. In embodiment 5, the storage medium 111 is implemented by a microSD card or flash memory. By implementing the storage medium 111 by a microSD card or flash memory, the occupancy rate of the storage medium 111 on the substrates 101, 201, and 401 is reduced, and the size of the substrates 101, 201, and 401 can be reduced.

Embodiment 6.
Figure 9 shows the configuration of the learning device 6 according to Embodiment 6. The learning device 6 uses training data, including the operating state of the air conditioner and the time history when the power to the air conditioner was cut off, to generate a trained model for inferring the time period when the air conditioner will experience a power outage and the operating settings required during such a power outage. The inference device 7, which is paired with the learning device 6, will be described later, but the learning device 6 is a device in the training phase. For example, the air conditioner according to Embodiment 6 may be an air conditioner according to any of the embodiments from Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 5.

The learning device 6 has a data acquisition unit 61 that acquires learning data including the operating status of the air conditioner and the time history when the power supply to the air conditioner was cut off. For example, the operating status is data such as ambient temperature, target setting temperature, refrigerant circuit temperature, temperature of each water circuit, pump flow rate, external input signal, and heater status, and is recorded every minute in a storage medium 611 inside the data acquisition unit 61. For example, the storage medium 611 is implemented by a semiconductor memory. The time history when the power supply was cut off is labeled "power supply cutoff history" in Figure 9 and will be referred to as "power supply cutoff history" below. Regarding the power supply cutoff history, the time period when the power supply was cut off when the power supply voltage dropped and the main microcomputer and sub-microcomputer of the air conditioner determined that the power synchronization signal had been lost is recorded in the storage medium 611.

The learning device 6 further includes a model generation unit 62 that generates a trained model for inferring the time periods when the air conditioner will experience power outages and the necessary operating settings during such outages, using training data acquired by the data acquisition unit 61. The model generation unit 62 learns the time periods when power outages will occur based on training data including operating status and power interruption history. More specifically, the model generation unit 62 generates a trained model that infers the time periods when power outages will occur using the air conditioner's power interruption history.

The model generation unit 62 can use known algorithms such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, or reinforcement learning as learning algorithms. As an example, the case in which the model generation unit 62 uses reinforcement learning will be described. In reinforcement learning, an agent in a certain environment observes the current state and decides what action to take. The agent is the agent of action, and the current state is a parameter of the environment. The environment changes dynamically as a result of the agent's actions, and the agent is given a reward in accordance with the changes in the environment. As the agent's actions change repeatedly, the model generation unit 62 learns the action strategy that yields the most reward through the agent's series of actions. Representative reinforcement learning methods include Q-learning and TD-learning. For example, in Q-learning, the general update formula for the action-value function Q(s, a) is expressed by the following equation (1).

In equation (1), s _t represents the state of the environment at time t, and a _t represents the action at time t. The action a _t changes the state to s _t+1 . _{r t+1} represents the reward given by the change in state, γ represents the discount rate, and α represents the learning rate. Note that the range of γ is 0 < γ ≤ 1 and the range of α is 0 < α ≤ 1. The driving operation becomes the action a _t , the power cut-off history becomes the state s _t , and the model generation unit 62 learns the best action a _t for the state s _t at time _t .

The update formula in equation (1) increases the action value Q of action a if the action value Q of action a with the highest Q value at time t+1 is greater than the action value Q of action a performed at time t, and decreases the action value Q if the opposite is true. In other words, the action value function Q(s, a) is updated so that the action value Q of action a at time t approaches the best action value at time t+1. As a result, the best action value in a given environment is sequentially propagated to the action values in previous environments.

The model generation unit 62, which generates a trained model through reinforcement learning, includes a reward calculation unit 621 and a function update unit 622.

The reward calculation unit 621 calculates the reward based on the operating status and power cut-off history. The reward calculation unit 621 calculates the reward r based on the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature in the power cut-off history. For example, if the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature is small, the reward r is increased, for example, to a reward of "1". On the other hand, if the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature is large, the reward r is decreased, for example, to a reward of "-1".

The function update unit 622 updates the function for determining the time period of power outage and the operating settings required during a power outage, according to the reward calculated by the reward calculation unit 621, and outputs the trained model to the trained model storage unit 63. The trained model storage unit 63 is located outside the learning device 6. For example, the trained model storage unit 63 is implemented by a semiconductor memory. For example, in Q-learning, the function update unit 622 uses the action-value function Q( _st , _at ) expressed by equation (1) as a function for calculating the time period of power outage and the operating settings.

The learning device 6 repeatedly performs the learning described above. The learned model storage unit 63 stores the action-value function Q( _st , _at ) updated by the function update unit 622, i.e., the learned model.

Next, the learning process performed by the learning device 6 will be explained using Figure 10. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the learning process of the learning device 6 according to Embodiment 6.

In step S11, the data acquisition unit 61 acquires the operating status and power cut-off history as learning data.

In step S12, the model generation unit 62 calculates the reward based on the operating state and power outage history. Specifically, the reward calculation unit 621 acquires the operating state and power outage history and determines whether to increase or decrease the reward based on the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature or hot water temperature during the inferred power outage period.

The reward calculation unit 621 increases the reward in step S13 if it determines that the reward should be increased, for example, if the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature or hot water temperature is smaller than the standard. The reward calculation unit 621 decreases the reward in step S14 if it determines that the reward should be decreased, for example, if the difference between the set temperature and the ambient temperature or hot water temperature is larger than the standard.

In step S15, the function update unit 622 updates the action-value function Q(s _t , a _t ) represented by equation (1) stored in the trained model storage unit 63, based on the reward calculated by the reward calculation unit 621.

The learning device 6 repeatedly performs each of the operations from step S11 to step S15 described above and stores the generated action-value function Q( _st , _at ) as a trained model.

The learning device 6 according to Embodiment 6 stores the learned models in a learned model storage unit 63 provided outside the learning device 6, but the learned model storage unit 63 may be located inside the device.

Figure 11 shows the configuration of the inference device 7 according to Embodiment 6. The inference device 7 is an inference device relating to the air conditioner 5. More specifically, the inference device 7 is a device in the utilization phase that utilizes the trained model generated by the learning device 6, and is paired with the learning device 6. For example, the air conditioner 5 is a device that provides air conditioning or hot water. The air conditioner 5 is also shown in Figure 7.

The inference device 7 has a data acquisition unit 71 that acquires the operating status of the air conditioner 5. More specifically, the data acquisition unit 71 acquires the current operating status of the air conditioner 5. The operating status refers to the state such as the set temperature in the air conditioning mode or hot water supply mode set by the user.

The inference device 7 further includes an inference unit 72 that uses a trained model to infer the time period during which the air conditioner 5 will experience a power outage and the operating settings required during the power outage, based on the operating state acquired by the data acquisition unit 71. By inputting the operating state acquired by the data acquisition unit 71 into the trained model, the inference unit 72 can infer settings to control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that the state of the air conditioner 5 reaches the target operating state by the inferred power outage time period. The inference unit 72 outputs the settings to control the operation to the air conditioner 5.

For example, the inference unit 72 uses a trained model to infer the time period during which the air conditioner 5 will experience a power outage and the necessary operating settings during the power outage. Based on the operating status acquired by the data acquisition unit 71, the inference unit 72 outputs a signal to the main microcomputer of the air conditioner 5 to control its operation so that the temperature of the air-conditioned space reaches the set temperature by the time of the power outage. Based on the operating status acquired by the data acquisition unit 71, the inference unit 72 also outputs a signal to the main microcomputer to temporarily control the heater and pump of the air conditioner 5 to prevent sudden current interruptions during the power outage.

In Embodiment 6, the inference device 7 outputs a setting to control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that it reaches the target operating state by the time of the power outage inference, which is inferred using the trained model learned by the model generation unit 62 of the learning device 6. However, the inference device 7 may also obtain a trained model from a device other than the model generation unit 62 of the learning device 6 and output a setting to control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that it reaches the target operating state by the time of the power outage inference, which is inferred using the trained model.

Next, using Figure 12, we will explain the process for obtaining settings to control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that the target operating state is reached by the time of the power outage inferred by the inference device 7. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the inference device 7 according to Embodiment 6. Figure 12 also shows the operation procedure of the air conditioner 5 that is performed in accordance with the settings output by the inference device 7.

In step S21, the data acquisition unit 71 acquires the current operating status.

In step S22, the inference unit 72 inputs the current operating state to the learned model stored in the learned model storage unit 63 and obtains a setting to control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that the target operating state is reached by the inferred power outage period. In step S23, the inference unit 72 outputs the setting to control the operation in advance so that the target operating state is reached by the inferred power outage period to the air conditioner 5.

In step S24, the main microcomputer of the air conditioner 5 controls the fan speed, pump flow rate, and heater drive using settings output from the inference unit 72, which control the operation of the air conditioner 5 in advance so that the target operating state is reached by the inferred power outage period. This makes it possible to create the necessary air conditioning and hot water supply environment by the inferred power outage period.

Furthermore, the learning device 6 and the inference device 7 may be devices connected to the air conditioner 5 via a communication network, for example. In other words, the learning device 6 and the inference device 7 may be separate devices from the air conditioner 5. The learning device 6 and the inference device 7 may also be built into the air conditioner 5. Moreover, the learning device 6 and the inference device 7 may reside on a cloud server.

The model generation unit 62 may learn settings to control the operation of the controlled air conditioner in advance so that it reaches a target operating state by the inferred power outage time, using training data acquired from multiple air conditioners. The model generation unit 62 may acquire training data from multiple air conditioners used in the same area, or it may learn settings to control the operation of the controlled air conditioner in advance so that it reaches a target operating state by the inferred power outage time, using training data collected from multiple air conditioners operating independently in different areas. It is also possible to add or remove air conditioners from the learning device 6 and inference device 7 during operation to collect training data. Furthermore, a learning device that has learned settings to control operation in advance so that it reaches a target operating state by the inferred power outage time for a certain air conditioner may be applied to an air conditioner other than the one described above. In that case, the learning device may relearn and update settings to control operation in advance so that it reaches a target operating state by the inferred power outage time for that other air conditioner.

Figure 13 shows a processor 97 in which at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 are realized by the processor 97. In other words, at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 may be realized by a processor 97 that executes a program stored in memory 98. The processor 97 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), processing system, arithmetic system, microprocessor, or DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Memory 98 is also shown in Figure 13.

When at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 are implemented by the processor 97, those functions are implemented by the processor 97 and software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in memory 98. The processor 97 implements at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 by reading and executing the program stored in memory 98.

When at least some of the functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 are implemented by the processor 97, the air conditioner 1 has a memory 98 for storing a program in which at least some of the steps performed by the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 are consequently executed. The program stored in the memory 98 can also be said to cause the computer to execute at least some of the procedures or methods performed by the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114.

Memory 98 includes, for example, non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Registered Trademark) (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), magnetic disks, flexible disks, optical disks, compact disks, minidiscs, or DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks).

Figure 14 shows a processing circuit 99 in which at least a portion of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 are realized by a processing circuit 99. In other words, at least a portion of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 may be realized by a processing circuit 93.

The processing circuit 99 is dedicated hardware. The processing circuit 93 is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

The first power supply unit 105, the actuator drive unit 106, the second power supply unit 107, the actuator control unit 109, the third power supply unit 110, the power synchronization signal unit 113, and a portion of the level shift unit 114 may be implemented by dedicated hardware separate from the rest.

Regarding the multiple functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114, some of these functions may be implemented by software or firmware, while the remaining functions may be implemented by dedicated hardware. In this way, the multiple functions of the first power supply unit 105, actuator drive unit 106, second power supply unit 107, actuator control unit 109, third power supply unit 110, power synchronization signal unit 113, and level shift unit 114 can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

The functions of the third power supply unit 210 in Embodiment 2 and the power synchronization signal unit 413 in Embodiment 4 may be implemented by a processor that executes a program stored in memory. This memory is the same as memory 98. This processor is the same as processor 97. The third power supply unit 210 and the power synchronization signal unit 413 may each be implemented by a processing circuit. This processing circuit is the same as processing circuit 99.

At least some of the functions of the data acquisition unit 61 and the model generation unit 62 of the learning device 6 according to Embodiment 6 may be implemented by a processor that executes a program stored in memory. This memory is the same as memory 98. This processor is the same as processor 97. At least some of the functions of the data acquisition unit 61 and the model generation unit 62 may be implemented by a processing circuit. This processing circuit is the same as processing circuit 99.

At least some of the functions of the data acquisition unit 71 and the inference unit 72 of the inference device 7 according to Embodiment 6 may be implemented by a processor that executes a program stored in memory. This memory is the same as memory 98. This processor is the same as processor 97. At least some of the functions of the data acquisition unit 71 and the inference unit 72 may be implemented by a processing circuit. This processing circuit is the same as processing circuit 99.

The configurations shown in the above embodiments are examples only, and can be combined with other known technologies, or the embodiments themselves can be combined, or parts of the configuration can be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1, 2, 3, 5 Air conditioner, 6 Learning device, 7 Inference device, 61, 71 Data acquisition unit, 62 Model generation unit, 63 Learned model storage unit, 72 Inference unit, 97 Processor, 98 Memory, 99 Processing circuit, 101, 201, 401 Circuit board, 102 AC power supply, 103 Diode bridge, 104, 204, 305 Electrolytic capacitor, 105 First power supply unit, 106 Actuator drive unit, 107 Second power supply unit, 108 Main microcomputer, 109 Actuator control unit, 110, 210 Third power supply unit, 111, 611 Storage medium, 112 Submicrocomputer, 113, 413 Power synchronization signal unit, 114, 414 Level shift unit, 215 Power supply protection circuit, 301 First DC voltage, 302, 303, 306, 504 Diode, 304 Resistor, 307 Output section, 500, 601 Photocoupler, 501 Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, 502 Third DC voltage, 503, 602 Pull-up resistor, 621 Reward calculation section, 622 Function update section, 801, 802 Voltage waveform.

Claims (7)

A diode bridge that rectifies the AC power supply voltage into a pulsating current,
An electrolytic capacitor that smooths the voltage of the pulsating current rectified by the diode bridge,
A first power supply unit that converts the voltage smoothed by the electrolytic capacitor into a first DC voltage,
A second power supply unit that reduces the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit to obtain a second DC voltage,
A main microcomputer controls the operation of the air conditioner using the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit,
A third power supply unit that reduces the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit to obtain a third DC voltage,
A storage medium for storing data related to air conditioning using the third DC voltage obtained by the third power supply unit,
A submicrocomputer that stores the data in the storage medium using the third DC voltage obtained by the third power supply unit,
A power synchronization signal unit that uses the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit to output a signal to stop the processing of the main microcomputer and the sub-microcomputer in the event of a power outage,
An air conditioner comprising: a level shift unit that converts the signal output by the power synchronization signal unit into a third DC voltage signal and outputs the third DC voltage signal to the submicrocomputer. The system further includes a power supply protection circuit located between the first power supply unit and the third power supply unit, which has the function of charging using the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit, and which discharges during a power outage, enabling the third power supply unit to supply the third DC voltage to the submicrocomputer and the storage medium.
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the third power supply unit obtains the third DC voltage by lowering the first DC voltage obtained by the first power supply unit, without lowering the second DC voltage obtained by the second power supply unit to obtain the third DC voltage. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the level shifting unit has a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor for converting voltage. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the power synchronization signal unit has a photocoupler including two photodiodes connected in antiparallel. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the storage medium is implemented by a microSD card or flash memory. A data acquisition unit that acquires learning data including the time history when the power supply to the air conditioner described in claim 5 is cut off and the operating status of the air conditioner,
A learning device comprising: a model generation unit that generates a trained model for inferring the time period during which the air conditioner will experience a power outage and the operating settings required during such a power outage, using the training data acquired by the data acquisition unit. A data acquisition unit for acquiring the operating status of the air conditioner described in claim 5,
The system includes an inference unit that uses a trained model to infer the time period during which the air conditioner will experience a power outage and the necessary operating settings during the power outage, and outputs a signal to the main microcomputer of the air conditioner to control its operation so that it reaches the set temperature by the time of the power outage, based on the operating status acquired by the data acquisition unit.
The inference unit outputs a signal to the main microcomputer, based on the operating state acquired by the data acquisition unit, to temporarily control the heater and pump of the air conditioner so that abrupt current interruptions do not occur during the power outage period.