WO2018025427A1

WO2018025427A1 - Air-conditioning control system

Info

Publication number: WO2018025427A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/000574
Authority: WO
Inventors: 有賀　徹
Original assignee: シャープ株式会社
Priority date: 2016-08-04
Filing date: 2017-01-11
Publication date: 2018-02-08
Also published as: EP3495747A4; EP3495747A1; US20200400334A1; CN109642746A; JPWO2018025427A1; JP6827470B2

Abstract

An air-conditioning control system (1) has a server (3). The server (3) is capable of communicating with an air conditioner (2) via a network such as the internet. The server (3) is also capable of receiving weather report data (4) via a network such as the internet. The server (3) is provided with a memory (storage unit) in which are stored a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining the method of operation of the air conditioner (2), a control unit for selecting an operation control table on the basis of the weather report data (4), and a transmission unit (communication interface) for transmitting the operation control table selected by the control unit to the air conditioner (2).

Description

Air conditioning control system

The present invention relates to an air conditioning control system that controls the operation of an air conditioner.

An air conditioner that performs operations such as cooling operation and heating operation can be operated in an operation mode called automatic operation. With automatic operation, the air conditioner acquires information such as the outdoor temperature (outside temperature) and the indoor temperature (room temperature), and selects the optimal driving method and set temperature based on this information. This is the operation mode.

Regarding the automatic operation of air conditioners, various studies have been conducted on the selection of cooling and heating in the intermediate period, which is the turning point of the season, and the control method for optimizing the set temperature. As a control method in consideration of the intermediate period, for example, there is a method in which the air conditioner acquires calendar information and controls the operation mode and the set temperature according to the calendar.

Further, Patent Document 1 proposes an air conditioner that enables automatic operation that enables selection of a comfortable and comfortable operation mode and finer setting temperature. This air conditioner automatically controls air-conditioning operation based on environmental information obtained from an indoor temperature sensor, an outside air temperature sensor, etc., information on the area where the device is installed, and calendar information to which the current date and time belong. To generate automatic driving information.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-9932

However, with the conventional method of determining the operation mode and set temperature based on the calendar, automatic operation in accordance with the actual situation is possible when an out-of-season climate such as “return of cold” or “remaining heat” occurs. There is a possibility of disappearing.

Therefore, the present invention provides an air conditioning control system capable of controlling the air conditioning operation in accordance with the place where the air conditioner is installed and the situation at that time.

An air conditioning control system according to an aspect of the present invention is based on a storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining an operation method of an air conditioner, and the operation control table based on forecast data related to weather. And a transmission unit that transmits the operation control table selected by the control unit to the air conditioner.

An air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining an operation method of the air conditioner, and the air conditioner. A receiving unit that receives information on the outside temperature and room temperature of the place, and the operation control table is selected based on forecast data related to weather, and the air is selected according to the selected operation control table and the information on the outside temperature and room temperature. A control unit that creates a control signal for controlling the operation method of the conditioner, and a transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the air conditioner.

An air conditioning control system according to still another aspect of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives prediction data related to weather information, a compressor that compresses a heat medium, an indoor heat exchanger, and an expansion that depressurizes the heat medium. A heat pump cycle including a valve and an outdoor heat exchanger, a storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining an operation method of the heat pump cycle, and the storage based on the prediction data A control unit that selects an operation control table stored in the unit and controls the operation of the heat pump cycle based on the selected operation control table.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the prediction data may include data of a predicted minimum temperature and a predicted maximum temperature.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention, the prediction data further includes sky prediction data, and the control unit corrects the operation control table based on the sky prediction data. Also good.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the control unit obtains atmospheric pressure data at a place where the air conditioner or the air conditioning control system is installed, and further considers the atmospheric pressure data. Then, an operation control table stored in the storage unit may be selected.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the control unit obtains seasonal data related to the current season, and further considers the data of the season, and the operation control stored in the storage unit A table may be selected.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the control unit obtains regional data regarding a region where the air conditioner or the air conditioning control system is installed, and based on the regional data, The operation control table may be corrected.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the plurality of types of operation control tables may include a summer table, a winter table, and a basic table.

In the air conditioning control system according to another aspect of the present invention described above, the operation control table may be associated with an outside air temperature, a room temperature, and an operation method determined based on the outside air temperature and the room temperature. Further, the operation control table may include information relating the outside air temperature, the room temperature, and the set temperature of the air conditioner determined based on the outside air temperature and the room temperature.

As described above, according to the air conditioning control system according to one aspect of the present invention, the air conditioning operation can be controlled in accordance with the location where the air conditioner is installed and the situation at that time.

It is a mimetic diagram showing the whole air-conditioning control system composition concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the air conditioner which comprises the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the air conditioner which comprises the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the server which comprises the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. In the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows the relationship between expected temperature (maximum temperature / minimum temperature) and the kind of table to be used. In the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows an example of the summer table utilized for the operation control of an air conditioner. In the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows an example of the winter table utilized for operation control of an air conditioner. In the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows an example of the basic table or spring table utilized for operation control of an air conditioner. In the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows an example of the autumn table utilized for the operation control of an air conditioner. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of operation control of the air conditioner in the air conditioning control system shown in FIG. 1. (A) shows the flow of operation control on the server side. (B) shows the flow of operation control on the air conditioner side. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation control of an air conditioner in the air-conditioning control system concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the operation control of an air conditioner in the air-conditioning control system concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the air-conditioning control system concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the smart phone which comprises the air-conditioning control system shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the air conditioner which comprises the air-conditioning control system concerning the 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the air conditioner concerning the 6th Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[First Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, an air conditioning control system according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to an example in which a server and an air conditioner are applied to a network system configured to be able to communicate via a network such as the Internet. Specifically, an air conditioning control system in which an air conditioner and a server for providing a service for controlling the operation of the air conditioner are connected via a network (Internet) will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an air conditioning control system 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a system) according to the first embodiment. The air conditioning control system 1 is mainly composed of an air conditioner 2 and a server 3. The air conditioner 2 and the server 3 can communicate via a network such as the Internet. As shown in FIG. 1, the server 3 can obtain weather forecast data (predicted data related to weather) 4 via a network such as the Internet.

Here, the weather means the weather condition at a specific place and at a specific time. In addition, in this specification, the term weather means each element such as temperature, humidity, sky pattern (clear, rain, cloudy, etc.), wind speed, cloudiness, amount of sunlight, atmospheric pressure, etc., and combinations of these elements. Is used to mean The weather forecast data (predicted data related to the weather) means data that predicts the future weather in units of weeks, days, hours, or the like.

<Configuration of air conditioner>
First, an overview of the overall configuration and basic operation of the air conditioner 2 constituting the air conditioning control system 1 will be described. The air conditioner 2 according to the present embodiment can be operated by a plurality of types of operation methods, for example, cooling operation, heating operation, dehumidifying operation, and air blowing operation. Moreover, the air conditioner 2 according to the present embodiment can perform automatic operation based on a command from the server 3 that is communicably connected via the Internet.

Here, the automatic operation is an operation in which the air conditioning control system 1 automatically determines various operation methods of the air conditioner 2 such as a cooling operation, a heating operation, a dehumidifying operation, and an air blowing operation, instead of being selected by the user. Refers to the mode. That is, the operation modes that the air conditioner 2 can take are roughly divided into an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode in which the user manually selects the type of operation. The manual operation mode includes, for example, a plurality of types of operation modes (operation methods) such as cooling operation, heating operation, dehumidifying operation, and air blowing operation.

In the automatic operation, the server 3 acquires the weather forecast data 4 on the cloud, and selects an operation control table for determining the operation method and set temperature of the air conditioner 2 based on the weather forecast data 4. . The operation control table selected in the server 3 is transmitted to the air conditioner 2. The air conditioner 2 determines an operation method using the operation control table transmitted from the server 3. Specifically, the air conditioner 2 refers to the operation control table and selects an operation method to be taken based on information on the current outside air temperature and room temperature in the environment where the air conditioner 2 is installed. .

FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the air conditioner 2. FIG. 3 shows the overall configuration of the air conditioner 2. In FIG. 3, the flow of the refrigerant (heat medium) during the cooling operation of the air conditioner 2 is indicated by a solid arrow, and the flow of the refrigerant (heat medium) during the heating operation of the air conditioner 2 is indicated by a broken arrow. Yes. In the dehumidifying operation, the operation of reducing the humidity in the room is performed while circulating the refrigerant in the heat pump cycle as in the cooling operation. In the air blowing operation, the operation of the heat pump cycle is stopped and only the indoor fan 13 is operated.

2 and 3, the air conditioner 2 according to the present embodiment is a separate type air conditioner, and mainly includes an indoor unit 10 and an outdoor unit 50. The air conditioner 2 is configured by connecting the indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 50 via

refrigerant pipes

57 and 58. Hereinafter, the outdoor unit 50, the indoor unit 10, and the

refrigerant pipes

57 and 58 will be described in detail.

(1) Outdoor unit The outdoor unit 50 mainly includes a casing 51, a compressor 52, a four-way valve 53, an outdoor heat exchanger 54, an expansion valve 55, an outdoor blower 56, a two-way valve 59, a three-way valve 60, and outside air. It consists of a thermometer 62. The outdoor unit 50 is installed outdoors.

The casing 51 houses a compressor 52, a four-way valve 53, an outdoor heat exchanger (outdoor heat exchanger) 54, an expansion valve 55, an outdoor blower 56, a two-way valve 59, a three-way valve 60, and the like. .

The compressor 52 has a discharge pipe 52a and a suction pipe 52b. The discharge pipe 52a and the suction pipe 52b are connected to different connection ports of the four-way valve 53, respectively. During operation, the compressor 52 sucks low-pressure refrigerant gas from the suction pipe 52b, compresses the refrigerant gas to generate high-pressure refrigerant gas, and then discharges the high-pressure refrigerant gas from the discharge pipe 52a.

The four-way valve 53 is connected to the discharge pipe 52a and the suction pipe 52b of the compressor 52, the outdoor heat exchanger 54, and the indoor heat exchanger 12 through a refrigerant pipe. The four-way valve 53 switches the path of the refrigeration cycle according to a control signal transmitted from the control unit 20 (see FIG. 2) of the air conditioner 2 during operation. That is, the four-way valve 53 switches the path between the cooling operation state and the heating operation state.

Specifically, in the cooling operation state, the four-way valve 53 connects the discharge pipe 52a of the compressor 52 to the outdoor heat exchanger 54 and connects the suction pipe 52b of the compressor 52 to the indoor heat exchanger 12 (FIG. (See solid line arrow 3). On the other hand, in the heating operation state, the four-way valve 53 connects the discharge pipe 52a of the compressor 52 to the indoor heat exchanger 12 and connects the suction pipe 52b of the compressor 52 to the outdoor heat exchanger 54 (broken line in FIG. 3). See arrow).

The outdoor heat exchanger 54 has a large number of radiating fins (not shown) attached to a heat transfer tube (not shown) bent back and forth at both left and right ends, and functions as a condenser during cooling operation. It functions as an evaporator during heating operation.

One of the expansion valves 55 is connected to the two-way valve 59 via the refrigerant pipe, and the other is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 54. The expansion valve 55 depressurizes the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out from the condenser (the indoor heat exchanger 12 during heating and the outdoor heat exchanger 54 during cooling) during operation. At the same time, it plays the role of adjusting the amount of refrigerant supplied to the evaporator (the outdoor heat exchanger 54 during heating and the indoor heat exchanger 12 during cooling).

The outdoor blower 56 is mainly composed of a propeller fan and a motor. The propeller fan is rotationally driven by a motor and supplies outdoor outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 54. The motor operates in accordance with a control signal transmitted from the control unit 20 of the air conditioner 2.

The refrigerant pipe 57 is connected to the two-way valve 59. The refrigerant pipe 57 connects the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The two-way valve 59 is closed when the refrigerant pipe 57 is removed from the outdoor unit 50 to prevent the refrigerant from leaking from the outdoor unit 50 to the outside.

One side of the three-way valve 60 is connected to the four-way valve 53 via the refrigerant pipe, and the other side is connected to the refrigerant pipe 58. Thereby, an outdoor unit and an indoor unit are connected. The three-way valve 60 is closed when the refrigerant pipe 58 is removed from the outdoor unit 50 to prevent the refrigerant from leaking from the outdoor unit 50 to the outside. Further, when it is necessary to recover the refrigerant from the outdoor unit 50 or the entire refrigeration cycle (cooling mechanism) including the indoor unit 10, the refrigerant is recovered through the three-way valve 60.

The outdoor thermometer 62 measures the outdoor temperature where the outdoor unit 50 is installed.

(2) Indoor unit The indoor unit 10 includes a housing 11, an indoor heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger) 12, an indoor blower 13, an indoor thermometer 15, an indoor hygrometer 16, a speaker 18, as main constituent members. A display unit 21 and a communication interface 22 are provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 2 includes a remote controller 26 as a constituent member different from the indoor unit 10.

The housing 11 houses an indoor heat exchanger 12, an indoor blower 13, an indoor thermometer 15, an indoor hygrometer 16, a control unit 20, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the indoor heat exchanger 12 is a combination of three heat exchangers such as a roof (inverted V shape) covering the indoor blower 13. Each heat exchanger has a large number of heat radiating fins (not shown) attached to a heat transfer tube (not shown) bent back and forth at both left and right ends, and functions as a condenser during heating operation. During cooling operation, it functions as an evaporator.

The indoor blower 13 is mainly composed of a cross flow fan and a motor. The cross flow fan is rotationally driven by a motor, sucks indoor air into the housing 11 and supplies the air to the indoor heat exchanger 12, and sends out the air exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 12 into the room.

The indoor thermometer 15 measures the temperature of the room where the indoor unit 10 is installed. The indoor thermometer 15 is disposed, for example, near the indoor air intake port of the housing 11.

The indoor hygrometer 16 measures the humidity in the room where the indoor unit 10 is installed. The indoor hygrometer 16 is disposed, for example, in the vicinity of the indoor air suction port of the housing 11.

The speaker 18 is based on a command transmitted from the server 3 (for example, voice data created based on the weather forecast data 4), for example, when the air conditioner 2 is shut down, Speak probability and expected temperature. Moreover, the speaker 18 may be configured to emit a sound for notifying a person in the room when the operation of the air conditioner 2 is started, when the operation of the air conditioner 2 is completed, or when the operation mode is changed. Good. The speaker 18 may be configured to notify the current driving method when driving in the automatic driving mode.

The control unit 20 is connected to each component in the air conditioner 2 and controls them. The control unit 20 includes a memory 23, a timer 24, and the like. In the present embodiment, the control unit 20 determines the operation method of the air conditioner 2 while referring to the operation control table transmitted from the server 3. And the control part 20 controls each component in the air conditioner 2 according to the determined operating method.

The memory 23 includes ROM (read only memory) and RAM (Random access Memory). The memory 23 stores an operation program and setting data of the air conditioner 2 and temporarily stores a calculation result by the control unit 20. The timer 24 measures the time of processing performed in the control unit 20 and the operation time of each component in the air conditioner 2 as necessary.

The display unit 21 includes a liquid crystal display panel, an LED light, and the like. The display unit 21 displays an operation status, an alarm, and the like of the air conditioner 2 based on a signal from the control unit 20.

The communication interface 22 is realized by an antenna or a connector. The communication interface 22 exchanges data with other devices by wired communication or wireless communication. Specifically, the communication interface 22 receives an infrared signal transmitted when the remote controller (operation unit) 26 is operated. Furthermore, the communication interface 22 receives various signals, various data (for example, an operation control table, etc.), various commands, and the like transmitted from the server 3. The communication interface 22 can also transmit information such as the outside air temperature, room temperature, and indoor humidity to the server 3.

The remote controller (operation unit) 26 functions as an operation unit for the user to operate the air conditioner 2. For example, the user can operate the remote controller 26 to select an operation mode, a set temperature, and the like of the air conditioner 2.

(3) Refrigerant piping The refrigerant piping 57 is thinner than the refrigerant piping 58, and the liquid refrigerant flows during operation. The refrigerant pipe 58 is thicker than the refrigerant pipe 57, and a gas refrigerant flows during operation. In addition, as a heat medium (refrigerant), HFC type | system | group R410A, R32, etc. are used, for example.

In the air conditioner 2 having the above-described configuration, the compressor 52, the four-way valve 53, the outdoor heat exchanger 54 and the expansion valve 55 of the outdoor unit 50, and the indoor heat exchanger 12 of the indoor unit 10 include

refrigerant pipes

57 and 58. Are connected sequentially. Thereby, a refrigeration cycle (heat pump cycle) is configured.

<Server configuration>
Next, the server 3 constituting the air conditioning control system 1 will be described. FIG. 4 shows the internal configuration of the server 3 constituting the air conditioning control system 1.

The server 3 is connected to the air conditioner 2 via a network such as the Internet. As shown in FIG. 4, the server 3 includes a control unit 31, a memory 32, a communication interface 33, and the like.

The control unit 31 controls each unit of the server 3 by executing a program stored in the memory 32 or an external storage medium. That is, the control unit 31 implements various processes described later by executing a program stored in the memory 32.

The memory 32 is realized by various RAMs, various ROMs, flash memories, and the like. The memory 32 is a program executed by the control unit 31, data generated by execution of the program by the control unit 31, data input from a switch or keyboard, data received from the air conditioner 2, and the air conditioner 2. An operation control table (see FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 and the like) for controlling the operation is stored.

The communication interface 33 exchanges data with other devices by wired communication or wireless communication.

<Control of automatic operation of air conditioner>
Next, a method for controlling the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 in the system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 to 8, and 10. FIG. 5 shows an example of the relationship between the predicted temperature from the weather forecast data and the operation control table to be used in order to explain the method for determining the operation control table. 6 to 9 show examples of the operation control table. Specifically, FIG. 6 is an example of a summer table, FIG. 7 is an example of a winter table, and FIG. 8 is an example of a basic table. The flow of the operation control of the air conditioner 2 in the system 1 is shown.

Hereinafter, the case where the air conditioner 2 performs air conditioning by three kinds of operation methods of heating operation, cooling operation, and air blowing operation will be described as an example. However, in the air conditioning control system of one embodiment of the present invention, the operation method of the air conditioner is not limited to these three types. As other operation methods, for example, the present invention can be applied to an air conditioner capable of dehumidifying operation.

In the system 1 of the present embodiment, the three types of operation control tables shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are stored in the memory (storage unit) 32 in the server 3. Then, the control unit 31 of the server 3 selects one type of operation control table from the three types of operation control tables based on the weather forecast data 4 provided from the weather information server existing on the cloud. In addition, as a weather information server, the server etc. which the company which provides the service which provides a weather forecast correspond, for example.

The weather forecast data includes forecast information such as a weekly weather forecast, a predicted minimum temperature and a predicted maximum temperature of the day, and weather (sky pattern), wind speed, and precipitation probability every several hours. In the present embodiment, the operation control table is selected based on information on the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature of the day among these weather forecast data. The weather forecast data 4 transmitted from the weather information server is stored in the memory 32 in the server 3.

It should be noted that the frequency at which the server 3 acquires the weather forecast data 4 from the weather information server is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, once a day. Moreover, the information on the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature of the day can be acquired from, for example, weather forecast data for the next day provided on the day before that day. In addition, when the acquisition frequency of the weather forecast data 4 is increased (several times or every several hours, etc.), the control unit 31 updates the data in the memory 32 every time new weather forecast data is acquired. To do. And it is preferable to select an operation control table based on the latest weather forecast data.

Next, a method for determining the operation control table will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the server 3 selects the operation control table on the basis of information on the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature for one day (corresponding date) included in the weather forecast data 4.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature when the winter table, the summer table, and the basic table are selected. In FIG. 5, the position of the upward arrow (↑) indicates the predicted maximum temperature, and the position of the downward arrow (↓) indicates the predicted minimum temperature.

In one example, when the predicted minimum temperature is 15 ° C. or higher, the summer table (see FIG. 6) is selected. When the predicted maximum temperature is 15 ° C. or lower, the winter table (see FIG. 7) is selected. Further, when none of these is applicable (that is, when the predicted minimum temperature is less than 15 ° C. and the predicted maximum temperature exceeds 15 ° C.), the basic table (see FIG. 8) is selected. In other words, there is a high possibility that the basic table is selected in the season such as autumn or spring.

It should be noted that the summer table and the winter table may be selected in consideration of both the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature. In this way, finer control becomes possible. For example, finer control can be performed by setting the reference line of the temperature used when selecting the table more finely. Specifically, a temperature line of 15 ° C. shown in FIG. 5 is set as an intermediate temperature line. By providing temperature lines other than the intermediate temperature line, it is possible to perform table selection based on finer case classification. As an example, a high temperature line having a threshold temperature higher than the intermediate temperature line and a low temperature line having a threshold temperature lower than the intermediate temperature line may be further provided. For example, the table can be selected based on the following case classification.

In this example, a summer high temperature table and a winter low temperature table are used in addition to the basic table, summer table, and winter table. It is assumed that the summer high temperature table is selected, for example, during a period of extreme heat. In addition, it is assumed that the winter low-temperature table is selected, for example, in a cold region or a time of midwinter.
When selecting the basic table: When both the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature are between the high temperature line and the low temperature line.
When selecting the summer table: When the expected minimum temperature is higher than the intermediate temperature line and lower than the high temperature line.
・ When the summer high temperature table is selected: When the predicted minimum temperature is higher than the high temperature line.
• When selecting a winter table: When the predicted maximum temperature is below the intermediate temperature line and higher than the low temperature line.
• When selecting a winter low temperature table: When the expected maximum temperature is below the low temperature line.

In the present embodiment, the temperature of the intermediate temperature line is not necessarily limited to 15 ° C. The temperature of the intermediate temperature line can be appropriately set based on experimental results and the like. Similarly, the temperature of the high-temperature line and the temperature of the low-temperature line can be set as appropriate based on the experimental results.

6 to 8 show examples of various operation control tables. In each operation control table, the outside temperature is set on the horizontal axis, and the room temperature is set on the vertical axis. The air conditioner 2 determines the operation method and set temperature of the air conditioner 2 according to the operation control table transmitted from the server 3. Specifically, the control unit 20 of the air conditioner 2 is an operation control table stored in the memory 23 based on room temperature data acquired from the indoor thermometer 15 and outside air temperature data acquired from the outside air thermometer 62. To determine the operation method and set temperature.

For example, when the operation control is performed using the summer table shown in FIG. 6, if the room temperature data is 27 ° C. and the outside air temperature data is 33 ° C., the operation method and the set temperature at the position where the corresponding room temperature and the outside air temperature intersect. Is selected. That is, as shown by the dashed arrows in FIG. 6, “cooling operation” is selected as the operation method, and “27 ° C.” is selected as the set temperature.

As can be seen by comparing the tables shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the summer table, the winter table, and the basic table select the operation method and the set temperature that are selected even when the outside temperature and the room temperature are the same. Is different. For example, in a basic table that is highly likely to be selected in an intermediate period such as spring or autumn, the rate at which the blowing operation is selected as the operation method is high (see FIG. 8). This is because the operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled by an operation control method that is better suited to the climatic conditions of the day at the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed. In other words, by selecting a table for the corresponding season from the predicted temperature included in the weather forecast data 4, it is possible to adopt an operation control method that takes into account the seasonal characteristics.

For example, the summer table is selected in the server 3 on a midsummer day when the predicted minimum temperature is 26 ° C. and the predicted maximum temperature is 35 ° C. And the air conditioner 2 can determine an operating method and preset temperature with reference to a summer table.

Also, for example, in Japan, May corresponds to spring as a season. However, if the “expected minimum temperature information, predicted maximum temperature information” included in the weather forecast data 4 is “expected minimum temperature 21 ° C., predicted maximum temperature 28 ° C.”, the predicted minimum temperature is 15 ° C. As described above, the summer table is selected. The air conditioner 2 can determine the operation method and the set temperature by referring to the summer table on the corresponding date of the weather forecast data 4 of “the predicted minimum temperature 21 ° C. and the predicted maximum temperature 28 ° C.”. . Thereby, the driving | running method and preset temperature more suitable for the climate condition of the day in the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed can be determined.

Subsequently, the flow of operation control of the air conditioner 2 in the system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10A shows a control flow in the server 3 (particularly, the control unit 31) constituting the system 1. FIG. 10B shows a control flow in the air conditioner 2 (particularly, the control unit 20) constituting the system 1.

As shown in FIG. 10 (a), first, in the server 3, the location (area) where the air conditioner 2 is installed is registered (step S11). The registration of the installation location is performed, for example, when the air conditioner 2 is incorporated into the system 1 via the Internet or the like. Specifically, for example, the postal code information of the address where the air conditioner 2 is installed can be transmitted from the air conditioner 2 to the server 3. More specifically, for example, a user (or an installer of the air conditioner 2) selects a zip code using the remote controller 26, and transmits the selected zip code to the air conditioner 2. The air conditioner 2 transmits the received zip code to the server 3.

When the installation location is registered, the control unit 31 in the server 3 can acquire the local weather forecast data 4 corresponding to the location where the air conditioner 2 is installed (step S12). Thereafter, the control unit 31 in the server 3 stores the memory based on the weather forecast data 4 (specifically, the predicted maximum temperature information and the predicted minimum temperature information) provided from the weather information server existing on the cloud. One type of operation control table is selected from among a plurality of types of operation control tables stored in 32 (step S13).

And the information of the operation control table which the control part 31 in the server 3 selected is transmitted to the air conditioner 2 via the communication interface 33 (step S14).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10B, the communication interface 22 of the air conditioner 2 receives the data of the operation control table transmitted from the server 3 (step S21). The received operation control table data is stored in the memory 23 in the control unit 20.

After that, the user transmits a command to start the automatic operation mode to the air conditioner 2 from the remote controller 26 or the like. That is, the control unit 20 receives the automatic operation mode ON signal (step S22). In addition, when the system 200 includes a mobile terminal such as the smartphone 5 as in a fourth embodiment to be described later, it is also possible to transmit a command to start the automatic operation mode from the smartphone 5.

Then, the control unit 20 acquires room temperature data from the indoor thermometer 15 and acquires outside air temperature data from the outside air thermometer 62 (step S23). And the control part 20 determines the driving | running method and preset temperature with reference to the driving | operation control table stored in the memory 23 (step S24). And the control part 20 starts the automatic driving | operation of the air conditioner 2 according to the determined driving | operation method and preset temperature (step S25).

The automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled according to the above flow. Thus, according to the air-conditioning control system 1 according to the present embodiment, based on the predicted temperature at the place where the air conditioner 2 included in the weather forecast data 4 is installed, it is used for the corresponding date (or date and time). Select the operation control table to be used. The air conditioner 2 controls automatic operation using the selected operation control table. Therefore, it is possible to control the air conditioning operation according to the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed and the situation at that time.

In the above-described example, the automatic operation control in the case where the air conditioner 2 performs air conditioning by the three operation methods of the heating operation, the cooling operation, and the air blowing operation has been described. However, this is an example of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the above three types of operation methods, the present invention can also be applied to an automatic operation of an air conditioner capable of performing a dehumidifying operation. In this case, it is preferable to add a parameter of room humidity to the operation control table. And based on the detection result of the indoor hygrometer 16 provided in the air conditioner 2, it may be determined whether or not to perform the dehumidifying operation instead of the cooling operation.

In the air conditioning control system 1 according to the present embodiment, another device (for example, the server 3 on the cloud) executes part or all of the role of each device (for example, the air conditioner 2) constituting the air conditioning control system 1. May be. Here, the cloud is composed of a server group including a plurality of servers that can periodically communicate with the air conditioner. Each server can collect, store, and transmit various types of data, and can process various types of data to create tables and the like.

<About modification>
Here, the modification of the control method of the automatic driving | operation of the air conditioner 2 performed in the system 1 is demonstrated, referring FIGS. 6-9. In the first embodiment described above, the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled using the three types of operation control tables shown in FIGS. On the other hand, in this modification, the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled using the four types of operation control tables shown in FIGS.

As the method for selecting the summer table shown in FIG. 6 and the winter table shown in FIG. 7, the same method as in the first embodiment can be applied. FIG. 8 is an example of a spring table used in this modification. FIG. 9 is an example of an autumn table used in this modification.

In this modification, the summer table (see FIG. 6) is selected when the predicted minimum temperature is 15 ° C. or higher. When the maximum temperature is 15 ° C. or lower, the winter table (see FIG. 7) is selected. In addition, when none of these applies (that is, when the predicted minimum temperature is less than 15 ° C. and the predicted maximum temperature exceeds 15 ° C.), the spring table (see FIG. 8) or the autumn table (see FIG. 9) is used. select.

It should be noted that which of the spring table and the autumn table is selected can be determined based on, for example, calendar information (information relating to the date of the relevant date) included in the weather forecast data 4. For example, when the calendar information included in the weather forecast data 4 received by the server 3 is any date from April to September, the control unit in the server 3 selects the spring table. . On the other hand, when the calendar information included in the weather forecast data 4 received by the server 3 is a date from January to March or from October to December, the control unit in the server 3 , Select the autumn table.

As described above, according to this modification, it is possible to control automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 more finely using four types of operation control tables. That is, in the first embodiment, when the weather forecast data corresponds to an intermediate climate such as spring or autumn, only the basic table is used. However, in this modification, the spring table and the autumn table are used. Two types of tables can be properly used.

<Other application examples>
It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where the object is achieved by supplying a program to a system or apparatus. Then, a storage medium (or memory) storing a program represented by software for achieving one embodiment of the present invention is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores it. The effect of one embodiment of the present invention can also be enjoyed by reading and executing the program code stored in the medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes one aspect of the present invention.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code However, it is needless to say that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to another storage medium provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the system 1 in which the air conditioner 2 determines the operation method and the set temperature based on the operation control table transmitted from the server 3 has been described as an example. However, the air conditioning control system of one aspect of the present invention may determine the operation method and set temperature of the air conditioner 2 on the server 3 side. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the server 3 determines the operation method and set temperature of the air conditioner 2 based on the operation control table based on information such as the outside air temperature and room temperature transmitted from the air conditioner 2. An example of an air conditioning control system will be described.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an air conditioning control system 100 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a system) according to the second embodiment. The air conditioning control system 100 is mainly composed of an air conditioner 2 and a server 3. About the whole structure of the system 100 concerning 2nd Embodiment, the structure similar to the system concerning 1st Embodiment is applicable. Therefore, in the second embodiment, only differences from the first embodiment will be described.

A method for controlling the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 in the system 100 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 to 8, and 11. FIG. 11 shows a flow of operation control of the air conditioner 2 in the system 100 when the operation mode of the air conditioner 2 is the automatic operation mode. FIG. 11 mainly shows a control flow in the server 3 (particularly, the control unit 31) constituting the system 100.

As shown in FIG. 11, first, the server 3 registers the location (area) where the air conditioner 2 is installed (step S31). For the registration of the installation location, the same method as in the first embodiment can be applied.

When the installation location is registered, the control unit 31 in the server 3 can acquire the weather forecast data 4 in the region corresponding to the location where the air conditioner 2 is installed (step S32).

Thereafter, the control unit 31 in the server 3 includes a plurality of types of operation control tables stored in the memory (storage unit) 32 based on the weather forecast data 4 provided from the weather information server existing on the cloud. One type of operation control table is selected from (Step S33). Note that the plurality of types of operation control tables stored in the memory 32 are, for example, the operation control tables shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 as in the first embodiment. In addition, as a method for selecting the operation control table, the same method as in the first embodiment can be applied.

Subsequently, the server 3 receives information on the outside air temperature and the room temperature of the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed from the air conditioner 2 (step S34). Specifically, the room temperature data acquired by the indoor thermometer 15 of the air conditioner 2 and the outside air temperature data acquired by the outside air thermometer 62 are communicated with the server 3 via the communication interface 22 of the air conditioner 2. It is transmitted to the interface (receiver) 33.

Thereafter, the control unit 31 of the server 3 refers to the operation control table stored in the memory 32 based on the room temperature data and the outside air temperature data received from the air conditioner 2, and sets the operation method and setting of the air conditioner 2. The temperature is determined (step S35). Then, the control unit 31 creates an operation control signal including information on the determined operation method and set temperature.

The created operation control signal is transmitted to the control unit 20 of the air conditioner 2 via the communication interface (transmission unit) 32 of the server 3 and the communication interface 22 of the air conditioner 2 (step S36). The control unit 20 of the air conditioner 2 starts the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 according to the operation method and the set temperature information included in the transmitted operation control signal.

The automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled according to the above flow. Thus, according to the air-conditioning control system 100 according to the present embodiment, based on the predicted temperature in the place where the air conditioner 2 included in the weather forecast data 4 is installed, it is used for the corresponding date (or date and time). Select the operation control table to be used. Then, the server 3 creates an operation control signal for controlling the automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 using the selected operation control table. The air conditioner 2 controls automatic operation according to the operation control signal transmitted from the server 3. Therefore, it is possible to control the air conditioning operation according to the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed and the situation at that time.

[Third Embodiment]
In the third embodiment, an example in which the operation control table is further corrected in the air conditioning control system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. The configuration of the air conditioning control system according to the present embodiment can be similarly applied to the configuration of the air conditioning control system according to the first embodiment described above. Therefore, in the third embodiment, only points different from the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 12 shows a flow of operation control of the air conditioner 2 in the system 1 when the operation mode of the air conditioner 2 is the automatic operation mode. FIG. 12 mainly shows the flow of control in the server 3 (particularly, the control unit 31) constituting the system 1.

As shown in FIG. 12, first, the server 3 registers the location (area) where the air conditioner 2 is installed (step S41). For the registration of the installation location, the same method as in the first embodiment can be applied.

When the installation location is registered, the control unit 31 in the server 3 can acquire the weather forecast data 4 in the region corresponding to the location where the air conditioner 2 is installed (step S42).

Thereafter, the control unit 31 in the server 3 includes a plurality of types of operation control tables stored in the memory (storage unit) 32 based on the weather forecast data 4 provided from the weather information server existing on the cloud. One type of operation control table is selected from (Step S43). Note that the plurality of types of operation control tables stored in the memory 32 are, for example, the operation control tables shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 as in the first embodiment. In addition, as a method for selecting the operation control table, the same method as in the first embodiment can be applied.

Next, the control unit 31 in the server 3 corrects the operation control table based on the weather forecast data 4 acquired from the weather information server (step S44). Here, the weather forecast data 4 includes information on the prediction of the sky such as sunny, rain, and cloudy (prediction data of the sky) in addition to the information of the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature. The control unit 31 corrects the content of the selected operation control table based on the sky pattern information.

Specifically, in the weather forecast data 4 acquired by the server 3, when the sky information on the relevant date is “rain”, the location where the driving method is “cooling operation” is selected in the selected operation control table. Change to “Dehumidifying operation”. For example, this correction may be performed only when the summer table (see FIG. 6) and the basic table (see FIG. 8) are selected in step S43. Alternatively, this correction may be performed uniformly regardless of the type of the selected table.

Also, for example, when the weather forecast data 4 includes wind speed forecast data, the following correction may be performed when the winter table (see FIG. 7) is selected in step S43. That is, in the weather forecast data 4 acquired by the server 3, when the wind speed on the relevant date is “predetermined value (for example, 10 m / s) or more”, the set temperature is uniformly set in the selected operation control table. Change to “+ 1 ° C.”.

Further, for example, in the weather forecast data 4 acquired by the server 3, when the weather on the date is “hot”, the set temperature is changed to “−1 ° C.” uniformly in the selected operation control table. To do. For example, this correction may be performed only when the summer table (see FIG. 6) is selected in step S43.

Thereafter, the information in the operation control table corrected by the control unit 31 in the server 3 is transmitted to the air conditioner 2 via the communication interface 33 (step S45). On the air conditioner 2 side, the corrected operation control table is received, and automatic operation control is performed based on the operation control table. For the control flow on the air conditioner 2 side, the same method as in the first embodiment (for example, see FIG. 10B) can be applied.

The automatic operation of the air conditioner 2 is controlled according to the above flow. According to the system 1 of the third embodiment, the operation control table can be corrected based on information of weather forecast data including sky prediction data. Therefore, a more appropriate operation control table can be created according to the weather forecast data of the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed.

As described above, in the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, an example of a system in which the air conditioner 2 determines the operation method and the set temperature based on the operation control table transmitted from the server. explained. However, the correction of the operation control table described in the third embodiment can also be applied to the air conditioning control system 100 of the second embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the third embodiment described above, the example in which the operation control table is corrected based on the information of weather forecast data including sky prediction data has been described. However, the operation control table correction method is not limited to this. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, an example will be described in which the operation control table is corrected based on data of an area where the air conditioner 2 is installed (an area with a more limited range).

FIG. 13 shows an overall configuration of an air conditioning control system 200 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a system) according to the fourth embodiment. The air conditioning control system 200 mainly includes an air conditioner 2, a server 3, and a smartphone (portable terminal) 5. The air conditioner 2 and the server 3 can have the same configuration as the air conditioner 2 and the server 3 included in the system 1 according to the first embodiment.

As in the first embodiment, the server 3 and each device (the air conditioner 2 and the smartphone 5) can communicate via a network such as the Internet. As shown in FIG. 13, the server 3 can obtain weather forecast data (predicted data related to weather) 4 via a network such as the Internet.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server 3 can obtain the regional data 6 regarding the region where the air conditioner is installed via a network such as the Internet. The regional data 6 includes data relating to regional characteristics including the address where the air conditioner 2 is installed. That is, as compared with the weather forecast data 4 provided as local unit information such as prefectures or municipalities, the regional data 6 includes data relating to characteristics of land or areas in a narrower region. For example, the area data 6 includes information on whether the area including the address where the air conditioner 2 is installed is an urban area or a rural area, the population density of the area, and the average amount of solar radiation for each season of the area. Etc. are included.

In FIG. 13, the server 3 that receives the regional data 6 and the server 3 that receives the weather forecast data 4 are the same server. However, in one aspect of the present invention, the server 3 that receives the regional data 6 and the server 3 that receives the weather forecast data 4 may be configured by different servers. In the system 200 of the present embodiment, the server 3 may be a server group including a plurality of servers.

FIG. 14 shows the internal configuration of the smartphone 5. As shown in FIG. 14, the smartphone 5 includes a control unit 251, an operation unit 252, a memory 253, a communication interface 254, a display unit 255, a speaker 256, and the like.

The control unit 251 controls each unit of the smartphone 5 by executing a program stored in the memory 253 or an external storage medium.

The operation unit 252 receives a command from the user and inputs the command to the control unit 251.

The memory 253 is realized by various RAMs, various ROMs, flash memories, and the like. The memory 253 stores a program executed by the control unit 251, data generated by execution of the program by the control unit 251, data input via the operation unit 252, data related to a task received from the server 3, and the like. .

The communication interface 254 is realized by an antenna or a connector. The communication interface 254 exchanges data with other devices by wired communication or wireless communication.

The display unit 255 outputs a screen such as a character or an image based on a signal from the control unit 251. In the present embodiment, the smartphone 5 has a touch panel in which a display unit 255 and an operation unit 252 are combined.

The speaker 256 outputs various sounds such as a task-related sound, a call sound, and music based on the sound signal from the control unit 251.

The smartphone 5 can be incorporated into the system 200 by downloading application software for using a service for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 2 from the server 3. For example, the smartphone 5 may be taken into the system 200 when a person with the smartphone 5 enters the room.

Further, the smartphone 5 may download application software for obtaining the weather forecast data 4 and application software for obtaining the regional data 6. Thereby, with the smart phone 5, the information of the weather forecast of an applicable area (for example, the address where the air conditioner 2 is installed) and the information regarding the characteristic of an area are acquirable.

In the system 200 according to the present embodiment, the operation control method for the air conditioner 2 when the operation mode of the air conditioner 2 is the automatic operation mode has been described with reference to FIG. 12 in the third embodiment. A method according to the method can be applied.

Specifically, in the series of flows shown in FIG. 12, only step S44 is different from the third embodiment. That is, in this embodiment, the control part 31 in the server 3 correct | amends a driving | operation control table based on the acquired area data 6 in step S44.

For example, when the area data 6 acquired by the server 3 includes information that the area data 6 including the address where the air conditioner 2 is installed is “urban area”, the selected operation control table is selected. , The set temperature is changed to be uniformly “−1 ° C.”. This correction can be performed, for example, only when the summer table (see FIG. 6) is selected in step S43.

Further, in the system 200 according to the present embodiment, the weather forecast of today, the probability of precipitation, the predicted temperature, and the like can be uttered from the speaker 18 of the air conditioner 2 when the operation of the air conditioner 2 is stopped. .

The content of this utterance is determined based on voice data transmitted from the server 3. The memory 32 in the server 3 stores, for example, weather forecast data 4 acquired in units of several hours. Then, when the operation of the air conditioner 2 is stopped, voice data is created based on the weather forecast data 4 corresponding to the time after the stop time. The audio data created by the server 3 is transmitted to the air conditioner 2 and uttered by the speaker 18.

Further, in the system 200 according to the present embodiment, the same content may be uttered from the speaker 256 of the smartphone 5.

Furthermore, in the system 200 according to the present embodiment, the regional data 6 obtained by the server 3 may include not only regional information including the installation location of the air conditioner 2 but also other regional information. Good. Further, the weather forecast data 4 obtained by the server 3 may include not only local weather forecast data including the place where the air conditioner 2 is installed, but also weather forecast data of each place. In this case, when a specific region (for example, one of the prefectures) is selected from the smartphone 5 in the system 200 or the remote controller 26 of the air conditioner 2, the corresponding region is determined based on the weather forecast data of the region. The operation of the air conditioner 2 may be controlled so as to reproduce the room at the same temperature and humidity.

[Fifth Embodiment]
Subsequently, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the fifth embodiment, a configuration in which an air conditioner includes a barometer will be described. FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an air conditioning control system 300 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a system) according to a fifth embodiment. The air conditioning control system 300 mainly includes an air conditioner 302 and a server 3. The system 300 according to the fifth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the configuration of the air conditioner 302. Therefore, in the fifth embodiment, the configuration of the air conditioner 302 will be described mainly. About the structure of other than that, the structure similar to 1st Embodiment is fundamentally applicable.

FIG. 15 shows the internal configuration of the air conditioner 302. The air conditioner 302 is a separate air conditioner, and mainly includes the indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 50. The outdoor unit 50 of the air conditioner 302 is provided with a barometer 363. About the structure of other than that, since the structure similar to the air conditioner 2 of 1st Embodiment is applicable, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

The barometer 363 measures the atmospheric pressure in the environment where the air conditioner 302 is installed. The atmospheric pressure data measured by the barometer 363 is transmitted to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 estimates the altitude of the place where the air conditioner 302 is installed based on the atmospheric pressure data. The altitude information estimated by the control unit 20 is transmitted to the server 3.

The control unit 31 of the server 3 changes the predicted temperature (at least one of the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature) of the acquired weather forecast data 4 as necessary based on the transmitted altitude information. For example, when the altitude of the place where the air conditioner 302 is installed is higher than the altitude that is the reference of the weather forecast data 4 in the corresponding region, the predicted temperature of the acquired weather forecast data 4 is lowered. Then, the control unit 31 of the server 3 selects an operation control table based on the changed predicted temperature.

The same method as that of the first embodiment can be applied to a control method of automatic operation of the air conditioner 302 other than the selection method of the operation control table.

In the above description, the control unit 20 of the air conditioner 302 estimates the altitude. However, the barometric pressure data measured by the barometer 363 may be transmitted to the server 3 and the altitude may be estimated by the control unit 31 of the server 3.

In the above description, the altitude of the installation location of the air conditioner 302 is estimated based on the atmospheric pressure data measured by the barometer 363. However, as another mode, it is also possible to change the predicted temperature directly based on the measured pressure data using a table in which the pressure data is associated with the change value of the predicted temperature.

As described above, in the system 300 according to the present embodiment, the air conditioner 302 or the server 3 acquires the atmospheric pressure data of the place where the air conditioner 302 is installed. Then, the server 3 selects one operation control table from a plurality of types of operation control tables stored in the memory 32 in consideration of the acquired atmospheric pressure data. Specifically, the altitude of the place where the air conditioner 302 is installed is predicted from the acquired atmospheric pressure data.

Then, when the predicted altitude is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (for example, +100 m), the predicted temperature (at least one of the predicted minimum temperature and the predicted maximum temperature) of the acquired weather forecast data 4 is set to the predetermined temperature. (Eg, 1 ° C., 0.5 ° C., etc.). The operation control table is selected using the changed temperature as the predicted temperature. In general, it is known that the higher the altitude, the lower the temperature. For this reason, the predicted temperature of the weather forecast data 4 may be lowered as the altitude increases. For example, it is conceivable to lower by 0.5 ° C. every +100 m. However, when the altitude is already taken into account in the acquired weather forecast data, it is desirable not to change the predicted temperature of the weather forecast data 4 as described above.

The system 300 according to the present embodiment can control the automatic operation of the air conditioner 302 in consideration of the altitude of the place where the air conditioner 302 is installed.

[Sixth Embodiment]
In the above-described first to fifth embodiments, the system in which the air conditioner and the server are connected via the Internet has been described as an example. However, the air conditioning control system of one embodiment of the present invention can also be realized as a single air conditioner configuration. Thus, in the sixth embodiment, an example of an air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 16 shows an internal configuration of the air conditioner 402 according to the present embodiment. The air conditioner 402 according to the present embodiment is a separate type air conditioner, and mainly includes the indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 50. About the internal structure of the air conditioner 402, the structure similar to the air conditioner 2 concerning 1st Embodiment is applicable.

In the first embodiment described above, the server 3 connected to the air conditioner 2 via the Internet so as to be communicable obtains the weather forecast data 4. In contrast, in the air conditioner 402 according to the present embodiment, the air conditioner 2 obtains the weather forecast data 4 directly from a weather information server or the like. The weather forecast data 4 is received by the communication interface 22.

In the air conditioner 402 of the present embodiment, a plurality of types of operation control tables are stored in the memory (storage unit) 23 in the air conditioner 402. Then, the control unit 20 of the air conditioner 402 selects one type of operation control table from among a plurality of types of operation control tables based on the weather forecast data 4 provided from the weather information server that exists on the cloud. .

Thereafter, the control unit 20 acquires room temperature data from the indoor thermometer 15 and acquires outside air temperature data from the outside air thermometer 62. Based on the acquired room temperature data and outside air temperature data, the control unit 20 refers to the selected operation control table and determines an operation method and a set temperature. And the control part 20 starts the automatic driving | operation of the air conditioner 402 according to the determined driving | operation method and preset temperature.

The type of operation control table stored in the memory 23, the operation control table selection method, and the automatic operation control method of the air conditioner 402 are shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 4 in the first embodiment. A method similar to the method described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8 and 10 can be applied.

The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims. Further, configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described in this specification with each other are also included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Air conditioning control system 2: Air conditioner 3: Server 4: Weather forecast data 5: Smartphone 6: Regional data 20: (Air conditioner) control unit 22: (Air conditioner) communication interface (transmitter, reception) Part)
23: Memory (storage unit)
31: Control unit 32 (server) Memory (storage unit) (server)
33: (server) communication interface (transmitter, receiver)
100: Air conditioning control system 200: Air conditioning control system 300: Air conditioning control system 302: Air conditioner 402: Air conditioner

Claims

A storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining the operation method of the air conditioner;
A control unit that selects the operation control table based on forecast data relating to weather; and
The air-conditioning control system provided with the transmission part which transmits the operation control table which the said control part selected to the said air conditioner.
A storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining the operation method of the air conditioner;
A receiver that receives information on the outside temperature and room temperature of the place where the air conditioner is installed;
A control unit that selects the operation control table based on forecast data related to weather, and generates a control signal for controlling the operation method of the air conditioner according to the selected operation control table and the information on the outside air temperature and room temperature. When,
The air-conditioning control system provided with the transmission part which transmits the said control signal to the said air conditioner.
A receiving unit for receiving prediction data on weather information;
A heat pump cycle including a compressor that compresses the heat medium, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve that depressurizes the heat medium, and an outdoor heat exchanger;
A storage unit storing a plurality of types of operation control tables for determining an operation method of the heat pump cycle;
An air conditioning control system comprising: a control unit that selects an operation control table stored in the storage unit based on the prediction data and controls the operation of the heat pump cycle based on the selected operation control table.
The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the prediction data includes data of a predicted minimum temperature and a predicted maximum temperature.
The prediction data further includes sky prediction data,
The air conditioning control system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit corrects the operation control table based on the sky prediction data.
The controller is
Acquire pressure data of the place where the air conditioner or the air conditioning control system is installed,
The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an operation control table stored in the storage unit is selected in consideration of the data of the atmospheric pressure.
The controller is
Get seasonal data about the current season,
The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an operation control table stored in the storage unit is selected in consideration of the seasonal data.
The controller is
Obtaining regional data regarding the region where the air conditioner or the air conditioning control system is installed,
The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the operation control table is corrected based on the regional data.