JPH04103942A - Amenity evaluation device and air conditioning controller using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To procure a comfortable airiconditioned space by detecting a rapid potential change (SPR) of a skin potential and controlling an enviroment setting means based on a sum of changing time which appears within a prescribed time period. CONSTITUTION:An air conditioning controller 1 consists of a skin potential detecting means 8 which detects a skin potential (SPL) of a subject, an SPR detecting means (a skin potential change detecting means) 9 which detects an SPR, a rapid potential change of SPL appearing sensitively in response to any change of passion, and an air conditioner controller 10 which carries out cooling and heating operation controls based on control signals from the SPR detecting means 9. The skin potential detecting means 8 consists of a first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12 which are attached to hands and wrists of the subject and a detecting circuit 13 which amplifies and detects feeble SPL signal measured by these electrodes 11 and 12. A microcomputer 15 detects SPR from the input SPL signals, and outputs to an air conditioner controller 10 (controlling means) control signals for changing room temperature so that SPR appearing time (changing time) will be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a comfort evaluation device that evaluates the comfort of an environment, and an air conditioning control device that uses this comfort evaluation device to control the environment of an air-conditioned space. .

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a comfort evaluation device has been proposed that evaluates the comfort of the environment based on the skin potential of the human body (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-30
(See Publication No. 5927).

This device detects the skin potential of a subject under resting conditions and measures the time required for the skin potential to drop to a threshold value. The required time is compared with a reference time measured in advance, and comfort is evaluated based on the comparison value.

Furthermore, an air conditioner has been proposed that sets the environment of an air-conditioned space to a predetermined target environment according to the temporal change in the detected skin potential (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-291039).

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, the conventional comfort evaluation device shows that the subject's alertness level has decreased! 'l! Since this method evaluates comfort in a state of being sleepy (for example, when you are sleepy), it is not possible to evaluate comfort in a state of high alertness (for example, when driving a car), which limits its scope of application. .

Furthermore, the air conditioner disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-291039 performs air conditioning control on the condition that the subject's level of alertness has decreased, so it is not possible to perform wide-range air conditioning control that is not related to the subject's level of alertness. Can not.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a comfort evaluation device that is not limited to a range of application, and an air conditioning control device that can ensure a comfortable air-conditioned space.

[Means for solving the problem] The skin potential of the human body is a direct current potential SPL (Skin Potential) with gradual potential changes corresponding to the degree of wakefulness.
Al Level) and 5PR (Ski
n Potential Re5ponce).

Conventionally, there have been attempts to quantify the correlation with emotional changes based on the amplitude and frequency of SPR, but in actual SPR measurement, when SPR appears continuously, the amplitude is unclear and it is difficult to count. It becomes impossible.

In addition, when examining changes in comfort depending on the number of SPR appearances,
As shown in FIG. 5, the number of appearances is smaller when the user is extremely uncomfortable than when the user is uncomfortable, and no correlation can be obtained between the number of SPR appearances and the sense of comfort.

Therefore, we proposed the appearance time of SPR as an index for measuring pleasure/discomfort, and compared the SPR appearance time with pleasure/discomfort depending on the temperature environment.

As a result, as shown in Figure 6, the SPR appearance time and the
We found that the feeling of discomfort corresponds well with the feeling of discomfort (the longer the SPR appearance time, the more the discomfort increases), and that it is possible to quantify the pleasure and discomfort by using the spR appearance time as an index. .

Based on this result, the invention according to claim 1 includes a skin potential detection means for detecting the skin potential of a human body, and a skin potential change detection means for detecting a sudden potential change in the skin potential detected by the skin potential detection means. means, and calculates the change time of the skin potential detected by the skin potential change detection means, and evaluates the comfort of the environment based on the total change time that appears within a certain time. Use as a means.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, in the air conditioning control device comprising an environment setting means for setting the environment of an air-conditioned space and a control means for controlling the environment setting means, The technical means is to control the environment setting means based on the total of the appearing change times.

[Operation and Effects of the Invention] The comfort evaluation device according to claim 1 detects a rapid potential change (SPR) of skin potential, and calculates the total of change times 1'5 (SPR appearance time) that appear within a certain period of time. It evaluates the comfort of the environment based on the following.

Therefore, the comfort of the environment can be evaluated regardless of the level of arousal of the subject.

Further, the air conditioning control device according to the second aspect controls the environment setting means for setting the environment of the air conditioned space based on the above change time.

This makes it possible to perform air conditioning control to reduce the subject's discomfort and ensure a comfortable air-conditioned space.

[Example] Next, an air conditioning control device applied to a vehicle will be described based on an example shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of this embodiment.

The air conditioning control device 1 of this embodiment detects whether the environment in the vehicle interior set by the air conditioner 2 is comfortable for the test subject (vehicle occupant), and based on the detection result, the test subject's discomfort is detected. This is to control the air conditioning in a way that reduces pleasure.

The air conditioner 2 includes a duct 3 that guides conditioned air into the vehicle interior;
It is composed of a blower 4 that generates airflow within the duct 3, a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant evaporator 5 is disposed within the duct 3, a heater core 6 that uses engine cooling water as a heat source, etc. The ratio of air passing through heater core 6 to air bypassing heater core 6 is adjusted.

This air conditioner 2 has an AUTO mode for automatically controlling the air conditioning according to a set temperature set on a control panel (not shown), and an AUTO mode for automatically controlling the air conditioner according to a set temperature set on a control panel (not shown). A comfort mode is set to control the air conditioning to reduce discomfort.

The air conditioning control device W1 controls the skin potential (SkinPot) of the subject.
skin potential detection means 8 that detects the SPL (hereinafter referred to as SPL), and SPR (S
kin Potential Re5ponce)
The air conditioner control device 10 includes an SPR detecting means (skin potential change detecting means of the present invention) for detecting SPR detecting means 9, and an air conditioner control device 10 for performing cooling and heating control in response to a control signal from the SPR detecting means 9.

The skin potential detection means 8 includes a first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12 that are attached to the palm or wrist of the subject, and a detection circuit 13 that amplifies and detects the weak SPL signal measured by these electrodes. Become.

The SPR detection means 9 includes an A/D converter 14 that converts the analog SPL signal sent from the detection circuit 13 into a digital signal, and various types of signals according to the SPL signal digitized by the A/D converter 14. The microcomputer 15 performs calculation processing (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and outputs a control signal to the air conditioner control device 10 based on the calculation results.

The air conditioner control device 10 receives signals from various sensors such as an outside air sensor 16, an inside air sensor 17, and a solar radiation sensor 18, and controls the electromagnetic clutch 20, blower 4, and air mix damper combined with the refrigerant compressor 19 of the refrigeration cycle. 7 (the above is the environment setting means of the present invention), etc.

The microcomputer 15 detects the SPR from the input SPL signal, and sends a control signal to the air conditioner control device 10 (the present invention) to change the indoor temperature in a direction in which the SPR appearance time (change time of the present invention) decreases. control means).

Note that SPR is the rate of change in SPL: V/l (V: SPL
voltage value) and the predetermined rate of change: Y, V/l l
> Y is assumed to have appeared when the relationship holds true, and its appearance time is S from the time of SPL change, as shown in Figure 2.
This is the time until the stable state of PL is detected. Also,
The steady state of SPL is, for example, l vlV/t Se
It is judged that the system is stable when c1 or less is read for X seconds (in Figure 2, ta: SPL stabilization time).

Here, the operation of the microcomputer 15 when the comfort mode is selected will be explained based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the explanation, Tm: Unit time for measuring the appearance time of SPH Tn: One SPR appearance time (see Figure 2) Ttotal: Total time of SPR appearance time Tn in unit time Tm (see Figure 2) FHC: Air conditioning Flag (FHC=O...cooling, FHC=1...heating) FT
・Discomfort flag (FT=O...pleasant, FT=1...unpleasant) FUD:
Temperature change flag (FUD=O...down, FUD=1...increase) F:
The first pass flag (F=0...passed, F=1...not passed) is set.

First, in step S1, the following initial settings are performed.

Clear Tm, Tn reset, TtOtal clear, and other flags.

Next, in step S2, it is determined whether the temperature change rate is equal to or less than a constant A. In other words, it is determined whether the room temperature is stable with little temperature change.

If the determination result in step S2 is NO, step S2
repeat.

If the determination result in step S2 is YES, step S
3, a subroutine (flowchart shown in FIG. 4) for measuring the SPR appearance time is executed.

In this subroutine, first, in step S3a, the SPL detected by the skin potential detection means 8 is input.

Next, in step S3b, it is determined whether the SPR flag is ON.

If the determination result in step 83tl is NO, it is determined in step S3c whether or not SPR has appeared.

If the determination result in step S3c is YES, in step S3d, the SPR flag is set to 014L, and step S
Proceed to 3e.

In step S3e, the Tm timer is reset and starts counting.

On the other hand, if the determination result in step S3b is YES, it is determined in step 83f whether or not a stable state of SPL has been detected.

If the determination result in step S31 is YES, in step 83g, the Tn value at that time is added to Ttotal, and the process proceeds to step S3h.

After clearing Tn in step S3h, step S3
Set the SPR flag with i.

After executing step S3e or step S3i, the process advances to step S3j.

Further, if the determination results in step S3c and step S3f are NO, the process directly proceeds to step S3j.

In step S3j, it is determined whether the Tm timer that has been counting since the start of the measurement has elapsed for a predetermined period of time.

If the determination result in step S3j is NO, the process advances to step S4 of the main routine.

Further, if the determination result in step S3j is YES, in step 33k, T tota I with respect to Tm
In addition to calculating the ratio 'rx (=Ttotal /Tm), the old data is updated every time Tx is updated.
x-1 and clear Tm and 'rtotat.

After executing step 33k, the process advances to step S4 of the main routine.

In step S4, it is determined whether the TX and Tx-1 data have been updated.

If the determination result in step S4 is YES, step S4
5, it is determined whether Tx-Tx-1 is greater than constant B. In other words, it is determined whether Tx has increased compared to Tx-1.

If the determination result in step S5 is YES, the discomfort tends to increase, so in step S6, the discomfort occurrence flag FT is set to 1, and the process proceeds to step S7.

If the determination results in step S4 and step S5 are NO, the process directly proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, it is determined whether the first pass flag F is 1 or not.

If the determination result in step S7 is NO, step 1. /Step S8, it is determined whether the air conditioning flag FHC is 1 or not.

If the determination result in step S8 is YES, that is, during heating operation, a control signal for lowering the room temperature is output to the air conditioner control device 10 in step S9.

Then, in step StO, the temperature change flag F
Let UD be 1.

If the determination result in step S8 is NO, that is, during cooling operation, a control signal for raising the room temperature is output to the air conditioner control device 10 in step 311.

Then, in step S12, the temperature change flag FU
Let D be O.

Here, if the first pass flag F is O, that is, in the case of first time control, it cannot be determined whether the temperature is high and uncomfortable, or the temperature is low and therefore uncomfortable, so if it is during cooling operation, the temperature is increased, Set to lower the temperature during heating operation. Therefore, the temperature may be lowered during cooling operation, and the temperature may be increased during heating operation.

After executing step 31G or step 312, in step S13, it is determined whether the value obtained by subtracting the predetermined temperature range β from the set temperature set on the control panel is greater than the current indoor temperature.

If the determination result in step 313 is '/ES, in step S14, a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined temperature range β from the set temperature is set as the target value of the indoor temperature.

If the determination result in step S13 is NO, step S
In step 15, it is determined whether the value obtained by adding the predetermined temperature range β to the set temperature is smaller than the current indoor temperature.

If the determination result in step S15 is YES, in step 316, a value obtained by adding a predetermined temperature range β to the set temperature is set as the target value of the indoor temperature.

After executing step S14 or step 816, the process advances to step S17.

Further, if the determination result in step S15 is NO, the process directly advances to step 317.

In step 317, the first pass flag F is set to 1, and then the process returns to step S2.

On the other hand, if the determination result in step S7 is YES,
In step 318, it is determined whether the discomfort occurrence flag FT is 1 or not.

If the determination result in step 318 is YES, FT is set to O in step 519.

Next, in step S20, the temperature change flag FUD
is 1 or not.

If the determination result in step S20 is YES, FUD is set to 0 in step S21.

If the determination result in step S20 is NO, step S
In 22, FUD is set to 1.

After executing step S21 or step S22, the process advances to step 823.

Further, if the determination result in step 818 is NO, the process directly advances to step 323.

In step S23, it is determined again whether FtJD is 1 or not.

If the determination result in step S23 is YES, a control signal for lowering the room temperature is output to the air conditioner control device 10 in step 324.

If the judgment result in step 323 is NO, step 3
At 25, a control signal for raising the room temperature is output to the air conditioner control device 10.

After executing step S24 or step 325, the process advances to step 326.

In step S26, it is determined whether a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined temperature range β from the set temperature set on the control panel is greater than the current indoor temperature.

If the determination result in step 326 is YES, in step S27, the value obtained by subtracting the predetermined temperature range β from the set temperature is set as the target value of the indoor temperature.

If the determination result in step 82B is NO, step 3
At step 28, it is determined whether the value obtained by adding the predetermined temperature width β to the set temperature is smaller than the current room temperature.

If the determination result in step 328 is NO, the process returns directly to step S2.

If the determination result in step 328 is YES, in step 329, a value obtained by adding a predetermined temperature range β to the set temperature is set as the target value of the indoor temperature.

After executing step S27 or step 329, the process returns to step S2.

In addition, in step S9, step S11, step S24, and step S25 described above, when operating the air mix damper 7 to change the room temperature, the room temperature is fed back and the temperature change is α'C/t Sec.
Control so that

Furthermore, by providing step 313 to step S16 and step 326 to step S29, the set temperature +β°C becomes the upper limit temperature, and the set temperature -3°C becomes the lower limit temperature.
Therefore, temperature control is performed within a predetermined temperature range (earth β) on the set temperature.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

After starting the air conditioner, by selecting the comfort mode, the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 11 attached to the subject are
The weak sp r signal measured via the sensor 2 is amplified by the detection circuit 13 , digitized by the A/D converter 14 , and input to the microcomputer 15 .

In the microcomputer 15, after the room temperature is stable (temperature change rate≦ALL), the SPL signal is inputted.
The appearance time of PR is measured.

Then, the SPR for 1glTm is the measurement unit of SPR.
Calculate the ratio Tx of the total appearance time Ttotal of
A control signal for changing the temperature setting is output to the air conditioner control device 10 according to the tendency of increase/decrease in TX with respect to TX-1 to which the old data of Tx was transferred.

The air conditioner control device 10 receives the control signal from the microcomputer 15 and controls the air mix damper γ.
By adjusting the opening degree, the indoor temperature is controlled. Note that the amount of air blown by the blower 4 follows an instruction set when starting the air conditioner, and in this embodiment, temperature control is performed only by operating the air mix damper 7.

That is, when T'X - TXI >B, it is determined that the discomfort is increasing, and the temperature is changed in the direction opposite to the current temperature control.

However, in the initial control, it cannot be determined whether the temperature is high and therefore uncomfortable, or the temperature is low and therefore uncomfortable, so the temperature is increased if it is during cooling operation, and the temperature is decreased when it is during heating operation.

Further, when Tx-Tx-1≦B, it is determined that the current temperature is moving toward comfort, and temperature control is continued as it is.

By repeating the temperature control described above, it is possible to reduce the subject's discomfort in the vehicle interior and obtain a comfortable vehicle interior environment.

In the above embodiment, the temperature was adjusted only by operating the air mix damper 7, but the temperature may also be adjusted by controlling the amount of air blown.

Alternatively, the control may be performed by controlling whether the blowing direction of the air outlet is directed toward the passenger or not, or by controlling whether the blowing air toward the passenger is diffused or concentrated.

As for temperature control, a method may be adopted in which the set temperature is controlled by, for example, step correction every 1°C.

The skin potential detecting means 8 and the SPR detecting means 9 in FIG.
Even if the signal is transmitted to the SPR detection means 9, it is insufficient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is an spL measurement graph, Figs. 3 and 4 are flow charts showing the operation of the microcomputer, and Fig. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the number of occurrences of SPH and the sense of comfort. A graph showing the relationship, FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the appearance time of SPH and the sense of comfort. In the figure 1... Air conditioning control device 4... Blower (environment setting means) 7... Air mix damper (environment setting means) 8...
Skin potential detection means 9...SPR detection means (skin potential change detection means) 10
... Air conditioner control device (control means) 11 ... First electrode (skin potential detection means) 12 ... Second electrode (skin potential detection means) 13 ... Detection circuit (skin potential detection means) 1
4... A/D converter (skin potential change detection means) 15.
... Microcomputer (skin potential change detection means) 20 ... Electromagnetic clutch (environment setting means) Fig. 2 1 ... Air conditioning control device 4 ... Air blower (environment setting means) 7 ... Air mix damper (Environment setting means) 8...
Skin potential detection means 9...SPR detection means (skin potential change detection means) 10
... Air conditioner control device (control means) 11 ... First electrode (skin potential detection means) 12 ... Second electrode (skin potential detection means) 13 ... Detection circuit (skin potential detection means) 1
4... A/D converter (skin potential change detection means) 15.
...Microcomputer (skin potential change detection means) 20...Electromagnetic clutch (environment setting means) g1 Figure 4! ! It! ○: 35'C 0:35@C Appearance time for 10 minutes after entering the room Fig. 5 Δ256C 口 5 @ C 箆 6 Fig. 6.25°C 口 s@c Environmental temperature ('C)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) (a) Skin potential detection means for detecting the skin potential of a human body; (b) Skin potential change detection for detecting a rapid potential change in the skin potential detected by the skin potential detection means means, and calculates the change time of the skin potential detected by the skin potential change detection means, and evaluates the comfort of the environment based on the total change time that appears within a certain time. . 2) In an air conditioning control device equipped with an environment setting means for setting the environment of an air-conditioned space and a control means for controlling this environment setting means, the control means is configured to adjust the total time of changes occurring within a certain period of time. An air conditioning control device, characterized in that the environment setting means is controlled based on the environment setting means.