JPH10230729A - Control method of air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the control which matches the hot and cool feelings of an occupant by calculating indices which evaluate the hot and cool feelings of the occupant based on temperature data of a plurality of matrix elements of thermal picture image of the occupant, environmental temperature in a cabin, and temperatures in the vicinity of the head and leg parts of the occupant and controlling an air conditioner based on the indices. SOLUTION: Data of temperatures detected by a matrix type infrared sensor which measures the temperature of the skin of an occupant who is seated, an internal air temperature sensor, a sensor which measures the air temperature in the vicinity of the head, and a sensor which measures the temperature in the vicinity of the leg are input into a microcomputer 12 of an air conditioner 10. Each temperature data which is input is converted to indices which indicate the degrees of comfortableness of the occupant for temperature environment and is transmitted to control means 13. The control means 13 changes an angle of an air mix door, adjusts the temperature of air fed into a cabin and adjusts the direction of an air blow-out port based on each index.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner for controlling an air conditioner based on temperature data of each part of an occupant obtained by a matrix type infrared sensor and temperature data of a plurality of places in a passenger compartment. It relates to a control method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an air conditioner for a vehicle, the air sent into the vehicle compartment is set so that the temperature measured by an internal temperature sensor installed in the vehicle compartment becomes a target temperature set in advance by a temperature setting device. The temperature was controlled. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-17806 discloses a method for measuring the skin temperature of an occupant using an infrared sensor and controlling the air conditioner based on the result.
No. 4 is disclosed. As shown in FIG. 8, the infrared sensor 1 is installed at the upper front of the passenger compartment 2 so that the skin temperature of the face of the seated occupant 3 can be measured.
The measured skin temperature (Ts) and the rate of change of the skin temperature (dT
s / dt), the target skin temperature is determined from the target skin temperature and the skin temperature of the face of the occupant 3 based on the target skin temperature. To control the air conditioner. Further, in the above example, the inside temperature sensor 5 and the dashboard 4 installed at the left and right central portions of the front wall of the dashboard 4 are provided.
The temperature of the vehicle interior, the amount of solar radiation, and the like are measured by the solar radiation sensor 6 and the like arranged at the left and right central portions of the upper surface, and the skin temperature data (T
s, dTs / dt).

[0003]

However, in the above conventional example, it is not specified which skin temperature of the face is the occupant's skin temperature, but only one skin temperature data is measured. Therefore, there is a drawback that the target skin temperature cannot be accurately grasped because the skin temperature of the occupant's face is not uniform, for example, when there is solar radiation. Further, the skin temperature of the occupant's face alone cannot be said to sufficiently grasp the occupant's thermal sensation even if the change rate of the skin temperature is considered. In addition, since the solar radiation sensor 6 is not installed at the location where the occupant is located, there is a drawback that the solar radiation sensor 6 is not enough to grasp the influence of the solar radiation on the occupant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems, and an air conditioner capable of accurately grasping the temperature of the occupant's skin and the temperature in the passenger compartment and performing control matching the sensation of the occupant's temperature. It is an object to provide a control method.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: temperature data of a plurality of matrix elements of a thermal image of an occupant measured by a matrix type infrared sensor; Calculating an index for evaluating the thermal sensation of the occupant based on the ambient temperature of the occupant and the temperature around the occupant's head and legs, and controlling the air conditioner based on the index. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: skin temperature data of the back of the occupant's face and the back of the hand gripping the handle; Calculate the warm / cold index or comfort index or airflow index from the difference between the skin temperature data and the leg area temperature data,
The air conditioner is controlled based on at least one of the indices.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: skin temperature data of a frontal part, a nose part, a chin part, left and right cheek parts of a passenger's face and a back part holding a handle; ,
Calculate the warm / cold index or the comfort sensation index or the air sensation index from the difference between the leg peripheral temperature data and the back skin temperature data and the leg peripheral temperature data, based on at least one of the indices. And controlling the air conditioner.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling an air conditioner, the matrix type infrared sensor focuses infrared rays radiated from each part of the occupant on the designated matrix elements of the infrared sensor. It is characterized by having such a Fresnel lens.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling an air conditioner, the Fresnel lens focuses only infrared rays radiated from each desired part of the occupant on each matrix element of the infrared sensor. As described above, a part of the lens is masked.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, portions common to the conventional example will be described using the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a temperature sensor used for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. And a matrix-type infrared sensor 7 for measuring the skin temperature of each part and the skin temperature of the back part (here, the left hand part) holding the handle Hd, and also measures the temperature of each part in the vehicle compartment 2. For this reason, an inside air temperature sensor 5 (hereinafter, referred to as an inker sensor) is provided at the center of the front wall of the dashboard 4 on the left and right sides, a head surrounding air temperature sensor 8 is provided above the head of the occupant 3, and A leg surrounding temperature sensor 9 is provided. The matrix-type infrared sensor 7 detects infrared rays radiated from the face of the occupant 3 and the left back part holding the handlebar Hd among the infrared rays radiated from the occupant 3 and the seat, and detects the infrared rays radiated from the occupant 3's face. 5 areas (nose, forehead,
It detects the skin temperature of the left and right cheeks and chin) and the back of the left hand. The incar sensor 5 measures the ambient temperature in the passenger compartment 2, the head temperature sensor 8 measures the temperature near the head of the occupant 3, and the leg temperature sensor 9 measures the temperature near the leg of the occupant 3. Things. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Temperature data detected by the above sensors is transmitted via an A / D converter 11 of the air conditioner 10. Each of the temperature data input to the microcomputer 12 and described above indicates the degree of comfort with respect to the temperature environment of the occupant 3 such as the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K) as described later. It is converted to an index to be represented and transferred to the control means 13. The control means 13 controls the air conditioner, such as changing the angle of the air mixing door to adjust the temperature of the air sent into the passenger compartment 2 and adjusting the direction of the air outlet, based on the indices. It is what you do.

Next, the configuration and operation of the matrix type infrared sensor 7 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3A, the matrix-type infrared sensor 7 is radiated from a sensor body 15 having a sensor array 14 in which pyroelectric sensors 14 m for detecting infrared rays are arranged in a matrix, and each part of the occupant 3. A planar Fresnel lens 16 for condensing infrared rays on a predetermined matrix element (pyroelectric sensor) 14m of the sensor array 14, and a chopper 1 for transmitting or blocking the infrared rays to the sensor array 14 at a constant period.
7 As shown in FIG. 3B, the sensor array 14 has a plurality of matrix elements 14m composed of pyroelectric sensors 14m arranged in a 4 × 3 matrix. Is the nose of the occupant 3, the left cheek is the matrix element b _a , the matrix element b _b
Cheek of right, the forehead portion to the matrix elements c _a, jaw matrix elements c _b, the above flat-type Fresnel lens 16 as infrared matrix elements d emitted from the left-hand upper part is incident Designed.

The flat Fresnel lens 16 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the plan view of (c) and the side view of FIG.
The lens portion 16R has a shape in which the upper portion of a cone is cut off in a plane parallel to the bottom surface thereof, and includes a disk portion 16P at the upper portion and a slope portion 16Q corresponding to a side surface of the cone.
The disk part 16P has a circular part A having the same center as the center of the disk,
The circular portion A is divided into a region H surrounded by the outer periphery of the disk portion 16, and the region H is further provided at predetermined intervals of 90 degrees at predetermined positions arranged above, below, left, and right of the circular portion A. It is divided into fan areas B _a (left), B _b (right), C _a (top), C _b (bottom) and other areas h having an angular area width. Also, the slope 16Q
Is also divided into a fan D having a predetermined angular area width on the right side of the fan _Cb (lower) and an area q other than the fan D. Then, in the above region h and region q masking is applied, as the infrared radiation passing through the Fresnel lens 16, the circle portion A and the fan unit _{B a, B b, C a} , C b, infrared only incident on the D Is limited to The surface 16F of the lens portion 16R has a convex surface on the back surface 16G in plan are formed, each unit A of the lens unit 16R, B _a, B _b, becomes C _a, C _b, the lens D is the focal length different I have. Each lens A, _Ba , _Bb , _Ca ,
The focal lengths of C _b and D are designed so that the infrared rays passing through the respective lenses are focused on the matrix elements a, b _a , b _b , c _a , c _b and d of the sensor array 14, respectively. Have been. FIG. 4A is a side view of the viewing angle of the flat Fresnel lens 16, and FIG. 4B is a top view of the viewing angle. The nose of the occupant 3 of the occupant 3 is shown by the Fresnel lens 16. it infrared light emitted from the parts are incident on the matrix elements a sensor array 14 through the circular portion a of the Fresnel lens 16, the infrared radiation from the left cheek that is incident on the matrix elements b _a through fan section B I understand.
The same applies to the right cheek, forehead, jaw, and left back of the occupant 3. Further, as described above, the Fresnel lens 16
Is masked, so that a part of infrared rays from unnecessary portions of the occupant 3 does not leak into each matrix element and enter.

Here, a method for obtaining an index representing the degree of comfort of the occupant 3 in the temperature environment, such as the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K), based on the outputs from the temperature sensors described above. explain. First, a passenger car equipped with a matrix type infrared sensor 7, an incar sensor 5, a head temperature sensor 8, and a leg temperature sensor 9 as shown in FIG.
In addition, this passenger car is provided with an air conditioner capable of controlling the temperature independently in the upper and lower sides, and can send air of a desired temperature and humidity in a desired direction in the passenger compartment 2 from upper and lower air vents in the passenger compartment 2. it can. Next, the subject corresponding to the occupant 3 is seated in the driver's seat of the passenger car, the air conditioner is operated, and the upper part of the passenger compartment 2 is heated, cooled, based on the temperature in the passenger compartment 2 (the temperature detected by the incar sensor 5). The reference, lower heating, cooling, and reference are sequentially changed, and the amount of air blown from the upper and lower air outlets is switched between two levels, strong and weak, and the infrared sensor 7 at that time is switched.
5 areas of occupant 3's face (nose, forehead, left and right cheeks,
Jaw), the skin temperature of the left back, the temperature near the head by the ambient temperature sensor 8 around the head, and the temperature near the leg by the ambient temperature sensor 9 around the leg, respectively. At the same time, the subject was given the following information as shown in FIGS. 5 (a), 5 (b) and 5 (c).
Subjective evaluations (seven-level evaluation from +3 points to -3 points) for the thermal sensation (I), comfortable sensation (J), and air sensation (K) felt by the subject were entered for each of the above environmental conditions. received. The evaluation values of the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K) under each of the environmental conditions were average values of subjective evaluations of a plurality of subjects.

It is considered that the subjective evaluation values of the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K) are represented by a linear combination of the respective temperature data detected by the respective temperature sensors. As a result of preparing various estimation models (multiple regression models) and examining the practicality of the above model, it was found that the following models A and B are most practical. Model A, the forehead and the skin temperature T _Ca, and the temperature Tl of the neighboring leg, and skin temperature TD of the left hand upper portion of the passenger 3, (in-Kasensa 5 detected temperature) ambient temperature Ti and the left-hand upper portion Using the difference from the skin temperature TD (Ti-TD) as an independent variable, a thermal sensation (I), a feeling of comfort (J), and a feeling of airflow (K)
Is represented as the following formulas (1), (2), and (3) as linear combinations of the above four independent variables.
However, a constant term was provided in each of the equations. I ₁ = a ₁ · T _Ca + a ₂ · T _l + a ₃ · T _D + a ₄ · (T _i -T _D ) + a ₅ ‥‥ (1) J ₁ = b ₁ · T _Ca + b ₂ · T _l + b ₃ T _D + b ₄ · (T _i -T _D ) + b ₅ ‥‥ (2) K ₁ = c ₁ · T _Ca + c ₂ · T _l + c ₃ · T _D + c ₄ · (T _i -T _D ) + c ₅ ‥‥ (3) The coefficients a ₁ , a ₂ , ‥‥, and c ₅ are calculated by statistical processing from the above-described subjective table values under the respective environmental conditions and the respective temperature data at that time. Also, Model B, the temperature T _h of all measured temperature data (proximity head was, the temperature T _l in the vicinity of the leg portion, the ambient temperature T _i, skin temperature T _A of the nose portion of the passenger 3, the left and right cheek Skin temperature T _Ba and T _Bb , forehead skin temperature T _Ca , jaw skin temperature T _Cb , left back skin temperature T _D ), environmental temperature _Ti and the left back skin temperature T _D (T _i −T _D ) as independent variables, and thermal sensation (I), comfort (J), and airflow (K) as a linear combination of the above nine independent variables, ), (5),
It is represented as (6). However, a constant term was provided in each of the equations. _{I 2 = A 1 · T h} + A 2 · T l + A 3 · T D + A 4 · (T i -T D) _{+ A 5 · T A + A} 6 · T Ba + A 7 · T Bb + A 8 · T Ca + A 9 · T Cb + A 10 ‥‥ (4) J 2 = B 1 · T h + B 2 · T l + B 3 · T D + B ₄ · (T _i -T _D ) _{+ B 5 · T A + B} 6 · T Ba + B 7 · T Bb + B 8 · T Ca + B 9 · T Cb + B 10 ‥‥ (5) K 2 = C 1 · T h + C 2 · C l + C 3 · T D + C ₄ · (T _i -T _D ) _{+ C 5 · T A + C} 6 · C Ba + C 7 · T Bb + C 8 · T Ca + C 9 · T Cb + C 10 ‥‥ (6) In addition, the coefficient A _1, A _2, ‥‥, also C _10, It is calculated by statistical processing from the subjective table value under each environmental condition described above and each temperature data at that time. The model B is
Since all temperature data are used as variables, the model is highly accurate, but requires a lot of processing data and takes a long processing time. The model A has a small number of variables and therefore has a short processing time, but is inferior to the model B in accuracy. However, both the models A and B are practically sufficient to express the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K). Therefore, the model A and the model B may be appropriately selected depending on the size of the vehicle and the scale of the air conditioner. The model A or the model B may be adopted.

In the control method of the air conditioner of the present embodiment, the temperature environment of the occupant 3 such as the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the air sensation (K) based on the output from each temperature sensor. The index representing the degree of comfort with respect to
The air conditioner is controlled based on (2), (3) or (4), (5), (6) and based on the index indicating the degree of comfort. FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of FIG. 2 and a flowchart of FIG. 6 showing a method of calculating the thermal sensation I (I ₁ or I ₂ ) of the occupant 3 from the output from each of the temperature sensors and controlling the air conditioner. It will be described based on the following. First, an output signal (temperature data) from each temperature sensor is input to the microcomputer 12 via the A / D converter 11 of the air conditioner 10 (step S1). The microcomputer 12 calculates the thermal sensation I from the input temperature data by the equation (1) or (4) (step S2), and the thermal sensation I is 0 (not hot or cold; FIG. 5 ( a)
(See step S3). Here, if I = 0, the timer is set to a predetermined time (for example, 5
Min) (step S5), and the process returns to step S1. Further, if I ≠ 0, the set temperature T of the air conditioner is changed from the set temperature T ₀ at that time to T = T ₀ + ΔT (here, Δ
T = α · I) (step S4), the timer is set to the required time (2 to 3 minutes) (step S5), and the process returns to step S1. That is, if I ≠ 0, the microcomputer 12 transfers to the control means 13 the value of the correction temperature ΔT proportional to the deviation of I from 0 (here, the value of I itself), and the control means 13 The air conditioner 10 is controlled so as to be T.

Incidentally, a feeling of comfort (J) may be used as an index indicating the degree of comfort of the occupant 3 with respect to the temperature environment.
In this case, it controls the calculated air conditioner comfort J (J ₁ or J ₂₎ of the passenger 3 from the output from the temperature sensor. However, when the above comfort level J is used, the criterion is J
= 0, for example, J ≧ + 2 (see FIG. 5B). Alternatively, the air conditioner may be controlled by combining the thermal sensation (I), the comfort sensation (J), and the airflow sensation (K) as an index representing the degree of comfort with respect to the temperature environment.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the skin temperature of the five regions (nose, forehead, left and right cheeks, and chin) of the face of the occupant 3 and the skin temperature of the left back holding the handle Hd and the vehicle temperature Room 2
The temperature inside the vehicle, the temperature near the head of the occupant 3, and the temperature near the legs are measured, and the thermal sensation (I), the comfort (J), and the like are calculated from the measured temperature data. Since the air conditioner is controlled based on an index representing the comfort level of the occupant 3 with respect to the temperature environment, such as airflow (K), the interior of the passenger compartment 2 can be controlled to match the occupant's thermal sensation, The comfort inside the cabin 2 can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the back of the occupant 3 holding the handle Hd is the left hand back, but this is usually the case of the left hand (although the handle Hd must be gripped with both hands). The Fresnel lens 16 is designed so that the temperature data of the thermal images of the left and right backs can be obtained, because the thermal image of the left and right backs can be obtained. Any of the temperature data may be used as the temperature data of the back of the occupant 3.
In the above example, the planar Fresnel lens 16 is used as the Fresnel lens, but a dome-shaped Fresnel lens 18 having a plurality of substantially hemispherical lenses 18R as shown in FIG. 7 may be used as shown in FIG. Since the dome type Fresnel lens 18 has a curved entrance surface, it can be made smaller than the above-mentioned flat type Fresnel lens 16. Type Fresnel lens 18
It is advantageous to use

[0020]

As described above, the control method of the air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling temperature of a plurality of matrix elements of a thermal image of an occupant measured by a matrix type infrared sensor, An index for evaluating the thermal sensation of the occupant is calculated based on the ambient temperature and the temperature around the occupant's head and legs, and the air conditioner is controlled based on the index. Can be controlled to match the thermal sensation of the vehicle, and the comfort in the vehicle interior can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: skin temperature data on the back of the occupant's face and the back of the hand gripping the handle; temperature data around the legs; Since the warm / cold index or the comfort index or the airflow index was calculated from the difference between the temperature data and the leg area temperature data, the air conditioner was controlled based on at least one of the indexes. The occupant's thermal sensation, comfort, and airflow sensation can be accurately calculated as an index.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: skin temperature data of a frontal part, a nose part, a chin part, left and right cheek parts of a passenger's face and a back part holding a handle; Calculate the warm / cold index or the comfort sensation index or the air sensation index from the difference between the leg peripheral temperature data and the back skin temperature data and the leg peripheral temperature data, based on at least one of the indices. Since the air conditioner is controlled in this way, the occupant's thermal sensation, comfort sensation, and airflow sensation can be more accurately calculated as indices.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the control method for an air conditioner, the matrix type infrared sensor focuses infrared rays radiated from each part of the occupant on the designated matrix elements of the infrared sensor. Since the vehicle is equipped with a simple Fresnel lens, the skin temperature of each part of the occupant can be accurately detected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the air conditioner control method, wherein the Fresnel lens focuses only infrared rays radiated from desired portions of the occupant on each matrix element of the infrared sensor. Since a part of the occupant is masked, a part of infrared rays from an unnecessary part of the occupant does not leak and enter, so that the skin temperature of each part of the occupant can be detected more accurately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a temperature sensor used for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control method of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a matrix type infrared sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a viewing angle of the flat Fresnel lens according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of an evaluation table in which subjective evaluations on thermal sensation (I), comfort (J), and airflow (K) according to the embodiment of the present invention are entered.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart when the air-conditioning apparatus is controlled by the thermal sensation I according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a dome-type Fresnel lens according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a conventional method for controlling an air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 infrared sensor 2 cabin 3 occupant 4 dashboard 5 incar sensor (internal temperature sensor) 6 solar radiation sensor 7 matrix type infrared sensor 8 head ambient temperature sensor 9 leg peripheral temperature sensor 10 air conditioner 11 A / D converter 12 Microcomputer 13 Control means 14 Sensor array 14 m Pyroelectric sensor (matrix element) 15 Sensor body 16 Flat Fresnel lens 17 Chopper 18 Dome Fresnel lens

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An occupant temperature based on temperature data of a plurality of matrix elements of a thermal image of an occupant measured by a matrix-type infrared sensor, an environmental temperature in a vehicle interior, and a temperature around the occupant's head and legs. A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising calculating an index for evaluating cold sensation, and controlling the air conditioner based on the index. 2. The temperature of the front of the occupant and the temperature of the back of the hand holding the steering wheel, the temperature of the back of the leg, and the difference between the skin temperature of the back of the hand and the temperature of the leg. 2. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an index of comfort, an index of comfort, or an index of airflow is calculated, and the air conditioner is controlled based on at least one of the indices. . 3. An occupant's frontal head, nose, jaw, left and right cheeks, and skin temperature data on the back of the hand holding the handle, temperature data around the leg, and skin temperature data on the back of the occupant. A warm / cold index or a comfort index or an airflow index is calculated from the difference between the leg area temperature data, and the air conditioner is controlled based on at least one of the indexes. The method for controlling an air conditioner according to claim 1. 4. The matrix type infrared sensor is provided with a Fresnel lens for focusing infrared rays radiated from each part of the occupant on each designated matrix element of the infrared sensor. Item 2
Or the control method of the air conditioner of Claim 3. 5. The Fresnel lens is characterized in that a part of the lens is masked so that only infrared rays radiated from desired portions of the occupant are focused on respective matrix elements of the infrared sensor. The method for controlling an air conditioner according to claim 4.