KR20120050989A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

Display means (3) for displaying image information from the image pickup means (1) for picking up the visible image of the entire indoor space, and a point or area on the visible image specified by the user as the center coordinate information of the coordinate system. It is provided with the area designation means 5, and it is the structure which determines the midpoint blowing direction based on the center coordinate information specified by the user, and controls the capability so that the said part may become predetermined temperature, and it becomes the object of air regulation to a user By presenting an image of the room and designating a desired area of the room, intensive air conditioning is possible for the desired area, and a comfortable air conditioning environment can be realized while suppressing power consumption.

Description

Air Conditioner {AIR CONDITIONER}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner whose control index is information obtained from a thermal image or a visible image of a room targeted for air conditioning.

Conventional techniques related to an air conditioner that uses information obtained from indoor thermal or visible images as a control index of air conditioning in the room have been used to perform air conditioning control by detecting a person's position using an infrared sensor. (See, eg, Patent Document 1).

The conventional technique divides a room into a plurality of areas, provides an infrared sensor for detecting infrared light in each of these areas, detects a person in each area, and detects a temperature of an area corresponding to the floor surface. And from the relationship between the position where a person among these was detected, the temperature of the bottom surface near a person, and room temperature, the setting temperature control which normally makes room temperature reach a preset temperature is performed, and the wind direction is based on the position detection result of a person. Change based on If the room temperature is within the set temperature range, and the difference between the bottom surface temperature and the room temperature is large, air blowing in the bottom direction is performed to warm the bottom surface. As a result, the control corresponding to the area where the person is located and the temperature have reached the set temperature, but the control to reduce the discomfort when there is a cold near the person's foot is performed.

(Prior art technical literature)

(Patent literature)

(Patent Document 1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-143047

However, it is difficult for the control device of the air conditioner shown in the prior art to detect accurate information about an individual's position on the floor or the wall surface of the room and the indoor heat environment. In addition, when there was a stationary heat generation point such as an electrical product or a sunscreened wall or floor, it was difficult to identify the place where a person is and the surface temperature of the human body.

In order to accurately detect such individual or indoor environment information, a thermal image having a resolution and the number of pixels of the degree that a single human being in the room is detected as an aggregate of a plurality of pixels or more is required, and since it is expensive, it cannot be practically used. As a result, there has been a problem that the portion where air conditioning is mainly focused is relatively large, and that the air conditioning capability becomes larger, and that the air conditioning control becomes relatively rough.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that enables the air conditioning focused on the desired area by accurately measuring the position and temperature of the desired area, thereby realizing a comfortable air conditioning environment while reducing power consumption. It is done.

In order to achieve the above object, the air conditioner according to the present invention is an air conditioner that performs air conditioning by controlling the capability of the air conditioner, which captures a visual image of an indoor space that can be the object of air conditioning. Means and a display means for displaying the visible image are provided, and the ability of the air conditioner is controlled based on the information of the center coordinates using the point or the area on the visible image specified by the user as the center coordinates.

As a result, the position can be accurately measured with respect to the area desired by the user, so that efficient and comfortable air conditioning can be realized.

According to the present invention, by presenting an image of a room to be subjected to air control to a user and designating a desired area of the room, the air conditioning can be focused on a desired area, thereby reducing the power consumption. Air conditioning environment is realized.

1 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a screen configuration displayed on display means according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing a screen configuration displayed on display means according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the screen configuration displayed on the display means according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram showing another example of the screen configuration displayed on the display means according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the screen configuration displayed on the display means according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging means and a temperature detection means.

The air conditioner of the present invention is an air conditioner that performs air conditioning by controlling the capability of the air conditioner, including an image capturing means for capturing a visible image of an indoor space that can be an object of air conditioning, and a display displaying a visible image. A means is provided, and the ability of the air conditioner is controlled based on the information of the center coordinates, using the point or the area on the visible image designated by the user as the center coordinates.

As a result, the position can be accurately measured with respect to the area desired by the user, so that efficient and comfortable air conditioning can be realized.

Further, preferably, the airflow control can be performed by determining the midpoint blowing direction based on the information of the midpoint coordinates.

Preferably, a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the area included in the indoor space is provided, and the temperature detecting means detects the center temperature, which is the temperature in the center coordinates, and the center temperature is the desired temperature. The ability of the air conditioner is controlled as much as possible. As a result, the position and the temperature can be measured for the area desired by the user, and efficient and comfortable air conditioning is realized.

Preferably, the temperature detecting means comprises: a radiation temperature detector comprising at least one radiation temperature sensor; a support for supporting the radiation temperature detector with at least one degree of freedom; and a joint angle of the support based on the coordinates. It is configured to support the control unit. Thereby, the temperature information of the user's desired air conditioning area can be obtained by the radiation temperature sensor of at least 1 element.

Moreover, when a temperature detection means is comprised by an infrared sensor, a sensor can be comprised cheaply.

Moreover, Preferably, the light receiving part of an imaging means and a temperature detection means is provided adjacent. Thereby, the deviation of the optical axis between the imaging means and the temperature detection means can be prevented.

In addition, the light receiving portions of the imaging means and the temperature detection means are configured to receive the light through the half mirror, respectively, thereby preventing deviation of the optical axis between the imaging means and the temperature detection means.

Moreover, based on the temperature of the airflow blown from a tuyere or the temperature of an indoor heat exchanger, and the temperature correction value for every area contained in a preset indoor space, the center temperature which is a temperature in a midpoint coordinate is estimated, and a midpoint temperature is desired. When the temperature control means is controlled to be a temperature, since the temperature information in the midpoint coordinates can be obtained by using the existing temperature detection means, it can be configured at low cost.

In addition, when the display means displays at least one of the midpoint coordinates, the midpoint temperature, the midpoint blowing direction, and the temperature specified by the user on the visible image, the display unit may be configured by the position, temperature information, and air conditioner desired by the user. It becomes possible to check the controlled wind direction.

In addition, when the midpoint temperature and the temperature specified by the user are displayed alternately or in parallel on the visible image, even if the screen of the display means is small, the user is easy to see.

In addition, when the display means is provided in the remote control of the indoor unit, new display means becomes unnecessary.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiment which concerns on this invention is described, referring drawings. In addition, in the following embodiment, although this invention is demonstrated using drawing, it is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)

1 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The air conditioner is configured to perform air conditioning intensively for a desired area desired by a user among the spaces that can be the object of air conditioning, and includes an imaging means 1 and a spatial information storage means 2; Display means 3, temperature detecting means 4, area designating means 5, temperature information generating means 6, temperature information selecting means 7, air blowing control means 8 and temperature information storing means 9 And capability control means (10).

The imaging means 1 is provided in the front surface of the main body of an air conditioner, is equipped with the optical system which accommodates in the angle of view the area | region of the room where the airflow from an air conditioner reaches directly, and comprises a CCD camera which picks up a visual image. Release. The spatial information storage means 2 is a memory housed in the air conditioner main body, and stores the visible image obtained by the imaging means 1 as image data having a matrix coordinate space of 480 dots x 640 dots. The display means 3 has a signal input circuit in which the liquid crystal provided in the remote control of the air conditioner and the input interface of the image data are exchanged, and the image data can be read from the spatial information storage means 2 and displayed. have.

The area designation means 5 is provided on the liquid crystal screen, and is composed of a transparent touch panel having the same coordinate system as the image data and a signal output circuit thereof. The desired area can be output by the coordinate system of the image data by contacting and instructing the desired area with a finger. The temperature detection means 4 is a chopper-type infrared sensor having a superconducting film having a pixel number of 16, and divides the entire area of the image data, which is the object of air conditioning, into 16 detection areas, and can detect the radiation temperature of each area. . In addition, this infrared sensor can detect the radiation temperature of a wall, a floor, a person, or an object.

The temperature information generating means 6 performs correspondence between the 16 areas detected by the temperature detecting means 4 and the coordinate system of the image data, and indicates the 16 areas detected by the radiation temperature as coordinates of the coordinate system. Metadata added as attribute values to temperature data in the region is generated as temperature information. The temperature information storage means 9 is a memory installed in the remote control, and stores the temperature information. The temperature information selection means 7 is a program built in the remote control, and inputs the center coordinate information specified by the area designation means 5 and the temperature information, and detects the center coordinate information among the temperature information. The temperature information included in the output is output as the central temperature information. The capability control means 10 performs capability control of the air conditioner with the above-mentioned center temperature information as a control target. The blowing control means 8 reads the midpoint coordinate information from the area designation means 5 and controls the angle of the wind direction changing portion of the air conditioner so that the midpoint coordinates are included in the blowing path.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the indoor image 13 acquired by the imaging means 1 is displayed on the display means 12 provided in the remote control 11, and as shown in FIG. 13), you can specify the desired area.

In the above configuration, when the air conditioner starts to operate, the imaging means 1 picks up a visible image of the entire indoor space that can be the object of air conditioning, and the spatial information storage means 2 displays the visible image. It is stored as spatial information developed in a predetermined plane coordinate system. The image information stored in the space information storage means 2 is displayed on the display means 3, and the area designation means 5 causes the point or area on the visible image by the user to contact the display means 3. Is designated as mid-point coordinate information of the coordinate system.

On the other hand, the temperature of the indoor space is divided into 16 zones and detected by the temperature detecting means 4, and the temperature information generating means 6 performs correspondence between the area and the coordinate system, and coordinates of the coordinate system with the temperature. The information is generated to generate temperature information, and the temperature information storage means 9 stores the temperature information and the center temperature information.

The temperature information selecting means 7 outputs, as the center temperature information (control target temperature), temperature information including the center coordinate information in the detection area based on the center coordinate information and the temperature information. In addition, the capability control means 10 controls the capability so that this important temperature information becomes a predetermined temperature, and the area | region (the user designated center which the said blowing control means 8 made into the said important temperature information (control object temperature)) To the wind), the central control is performed so that the temperature of this part becomes a predetermined target temperature. At this time, by adjusting the rotation speed of the fan provided in the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the compressor rotation speed, the expansion valve opening degree, and the like, the temperature, air volume, wind direction, heat exchanger temperature, and the like of the air flow port of the blower are controlled. And while controlling the ability of an air conditioner in this way, by controlling a wind direction, a midpoint coordinate becomes a target temperature.

Thus, this air conditioner enables local air control with high precision because the user is looking at the image and directs the wind to the designated area, and the air conditioner at that time is the target temperature information (controlled temperature) and the target temperature. For example, when the center temperature information (control target temperature) closes to the target temperature, the air conditioning is performed with a relatively low capability to control by the ability according to the difference of, and thus, energy saving operation can be performed delicately while suppressing power consumption.

In addition, instead of providing a temperature detecting means 4 such as an infrared sensor, the center point is based on the temperature of the air flow blown from the blower port or the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the temperature correction value for each region included in the preset indoor space. It is also possible to estimate the midpoint temperature, which is the temperature in the coordinates. Also in this case, the capability of the air conditioner can be controlled so that the estimated midpoint temperature becomes a desired temperature. That is, since it is possible to perform air conditioning control by obtaining temperature information in the midpoint coordinates using the existing temperature detecting means, it can be configured at low cost.

(Embodiment 2)

3 is a block diagram of the air conditioner according to the second embodiment. Since the main component and its operation are the same as that of Embodiment 1, description is abbreviate | omitted. The image constitution part 21 in the display means 3 of this Embodiment 2 is a program, The image data image | photographed by the imaging means 1 from the spatial information storage means 2, and the airflow control means 8 The angle of the set wind direction changing unit, the center coordinate information output from the area designation means 5, and the temperature information selected by the temperature information selecting means 7 are inputted, and the angle, the center coordinate coordinate information, and the temperature on the image data. Image data in which information is superimposed is generated and displayed on the display means 3.

In addition, the temperature detecting means 4 includes a radiation temperature detecting part 22 made of a pyroelectric sensor having a telephoto optical system having a number of pixels of 1 viewing angle and a support part 23 having degrees of freedom in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction with respect to the indoor unit of the air conditioner. ) And a support control unit 24 for controlling the hinge rotation angle of the support unit 23. The support control part 24 inputs center coordinate information from the area | region designation means 5, calculates a rotation angle from the coordinate information, and rotates the radiation temperature detection part 22 in the area | region desired by a user, and the temperature of the said area | region By detecting the information, it is possible to generate the central temperature information in real time. The support control part 24 collects temperature data of an air conditioning area | region sequentially, when not inputting the center point coordinate information from the area | region designation means 5, and the temperature information generation means 6 and the temperature information storage means 9 Has the same operation as in the first embodiment.

4 shows an indoor image 13 obtained by the image capturing means 1 on the display means 12 provided in the remote control 11, and an area desired by the user on the indoor image 13. 14) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the display of the point coordinate information and the display 15 of the detection temperature of the point temperature information are displayed. FIG. 5 calculates the passage area of the air blowing based on the angle of the wind direction changing portion read out from the air blowing control means 8 by the image forming portion 21 in the present embodiment, and is obtained by the imaging means 1. The display of the image synthesized on the image 13 is shown.

6, the display means 12 has shown the example which displayed the temperature display of the center temperature information, and the setting temperature which a user specifies. As shown in FIG. 6, when the display 15 and the set temperature 46 of the detected temperature, which are the current temperatures, are displayed so as to be contrasted, the air conditioning information of the indoor space is easily understood at a glance. In addition, by setting the room temperature based on the above information, the user can create a more comfortable indoor space.

In addition, the display means 12 may be displayed alternately with the midpoint temperature and the set temperature. In this case, even if the screen of the display means 12 is small, it becomes easy to see for a user.

In addition, when the user sets the temperature, as shown in Fig. 7, the user can easily set the temperature by displaying the analog scale 43 for the set temperature and the setting temperature display 45 on the screen. .

According to the above screen configuration, the user can confirm the desired temperature of the desired air control region and the desired air control region, and according to the air conditioner according to the present embodiment, intensive air conditioning is possible for the desired region, thereby consuming power consumption. A comfortable air conditioning environment is realized while suppressing it.

In addition, the display means 12 is not limited to the case where it is provided in a remote control, It may be another terminal which can be carried, and may be a television, a monitor of a personal computer, etc.

(Embodiment 3)

The concrete structure of an imaging means and a temperature detection means is demonstrated.

It is preferable that the light-receiving part of the imaging means 1 and the temperature detection means 4 which were demonstrated in said Embodiment 1, 2 adjoin each other.

8, an example of a structure of the imaging means 1 and the temperature detection means 4 is shown. As shown in FIG. 8, the light receiving part of the CCD camera which comprises the imaging means 1, and the infrared sensor which comprises the temperature detection means 4 is a half mirror arrange | positioned at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the lens 25 and the optical axis. Through 26, it is comprised so that light may be received by the same optical axis.

By configuring in this way, it can prevent that the coordinate of the center coordinate which a user specifies on an actual visible image, and the coordinate of the temperature information detected by the radiation temperature detection part can be prevented. Moreover, it becomes possible to drive the temperature detection means 4 by fixing the imaging means 1, while ensuring the same optical axis.

In addition, in order to capture the whole indoor space, it is preferable that the lens 25 is wide-angle.

In addition, in FIG. 8, what was transmitted by the half mirror 26 is guide | induced to the imaging means 1, and what reflected the half mirror 26 is guide | induced to the temperature detection means 4, It may be reversed. .

In addition, with respect to the imaging means, when the indoor unit of the air conditioner is a wall-hung type, the whole room can be imaged by providing the lower part of the indoor unit and the upper part of the indoor unit in the case of the floor arrangement type.

In addition, regarding the imaging means, when the user operates the display means or when imaging is performed only while the operation is being performed, power consumption can be reduced.

(Industrial availability)

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an air conditioner that uses information obtained from a thermal image or a visible image of a room that is an object of air conditioning as a control index.

1: imaging means
2: spatial information storage means
3: display means
4: temperature detection means
5: area designation means
6: temperature information generating means
7: temperature information selection means
8: blowing control means
9: temperature information storage means
10: ability control means
11: remote control
12 display means
13: indoor burn
14: user desired area
15: Display of detection temperature
16: blowing passage area
21: image composition unit
22: radiation temperature detection unit
23 support
24: support control unit
25 lens
26: half mirror
43: analog scale
45: Setting temperature display
46: set temperature

Claims (12)

As an air conditioner which performs air conditioning by controlling the capability of an air conditioner,
Imaging means for picking up a visible image of an indoor space that can be the object of air conditioning;
Providing display means for displaying the visible image,
Controlling the capability of the air conditioner based on the information of the center coordinates, with the point or the area on the visible image designated by the user as the center coordinates
Air conditioner characterized in that.
The method of claim 1,
An air conditioner is determined based on the information of the midpoint coordinates.
The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Providing a temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of an area included in the indoor space,
An air conditioner, characterized in that the temperature detecting means detects a center temperature, which is a temperature in the center coordinates, and controls the air conditioner so that the center temperature becomes a desired temperature.
The method of claim 3, wherein
The temperature detecting means includes a radiation temperature detecting unit comprising at least one radiation temperature sensor, a supporting unit having a joint having at least one degree of freedom and supporting the radiation temperature detecting unit, and adjusting the joint angle of the supporting unit based on the coordinates. An air conditioner comprising a support control unit.
The method according to claim 3 or 4,
The air conditioner is constituted by an infrared sensor.
6. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
An air conditioner characterized in that the light receiving portion of the imaging means and the temperature detection means are in close proximity.
The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6,
The light receiving part of the said imaging means and the said temperature detection means receives a light through a half mirror, respectively, The air conditioner characterized by the above-mentioned.
The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Based on the temperature of the airflow blown from a tuyere or the temperature of an indoor heat exchanger, and the temperature correction value for every area contained in the said indoor space preset, the center temperature which is the temperature in the said center point coordinate is estimated, and the said center temperature is Controlling the air conditioner's ability to achieve a desired temperature.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
And the display means displays at least one of the midpoint coordinates, the midpoint temperature, the midpoint blowing direction, and a temperature designated by a user on the visible image.
The method of claim 9,
An air conditioner, wherein the midpoint temperature and the temperature specified by the user are displayed alternately or in parallel on the visible image.
11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
And the display means is a remote control of an indoor unit.
The method of claim 3, wherein
Space information storage means for storing the visible image as spatial information developed in a predetermined plane coordinate system, area designation means for designating a point or an area on the visible image designated by the user as mid-point coordinate information of the coordinate system, and Temperature information generating means for performing correspondence between an area and the coordinate system, and giving temperature information by generating coordinate information of the coordinate system, and selecting center temperature information from the temperature information based on the center coordinate information. Predetermined temperature information selection means, temperature information storage means for storing the temperature information and the midpoint temperature information, blowing control means for determining a midpoint blowing direction based on the midpoint coordinate information, and the midpoint temperature information And capability control means for controlling the capability of the air conditioner to be at a temperature. Air conditioner.

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