WO2018051479A1

WO2018051479A1 - Assist device, air conditioning system, and derivation method

Info

Publication number: WO2018051479A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/077379
Authority: WO
Inventors: 浩子泉原
Original assignee: 三菱電機株式会社
Priority date: 2016-09-16
Filing date: 2016-09-16
Publication date: 2018-03-22
Also published as: JPWO2018051479A1; JP6755322B2

Abstract

Provided is an assist device (10), wherein a data collection unit (131) collects thermal image data from each air conditioner. A data evaluation unit (132) compares collected time-series thermal image data for each air conditioner, and if there is thermal image data in which a feature point position varies, that thermal image data is deleted. A derivation unit (133) derives the relative positional relationship of the air conditioners on the basis of common feature points contained in this type of thermal image data. Note that when the derivation unit (133) cannot derive the relative positional relationships of the air conditioners, a command unit (134) selects and operates an air conditioner at random. In this state, the assist device (10) resumes from the collection of thermal image data. A generation unit (135) generates location information according to the derived relative positional relationships of the air conditioners.

Description

Support device, air conditioning system, and derivation method

The present invention relates to a support device, an air conditioning system, and a derivation method.

Conventionally, air conditioning systems (air conditioning systems) have been introduced into buildings such as buildings. In such an air conditioning system, for example, a plurality of air conditioners (indoor units) are embedded in the ceiling of each floor, and it becomes possible to control the air conditioners in units of floors or in the entire building in a coordinated manner. Yes.

Such cooperative control is performed using location information indicating the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner. For example, when cooperative control of air conditioners is performed in units of floors, not only information for identifying all air conditioners installed in the floor, but also the positional relationship between the air conditioners in the floor. Information that indicates whether or not Therefore, location information including these pieces of information is created by an operator when the air conditioning system is introduced (at the time of construction), for example. The location information is also used when, for example, displaying a floor map for an administrator (for example, a floor map indicating the layout of each air conditioner and the operating status of each air conditioner).

Such location information is created, for example, by manually inputting the arrangement of each air conditioner based on a floor plan. For this reason, the work of creating location information is very time-consuming, and input errors may occur. In addition, in an old building, there is a case where a plan view does not remain, which increases the work load.

Note that Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique for determining an installation position of an air conditioner installed in a room.

JP 2010-014350 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-001313

However, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the first place, for a wall-mounted air conditioner used in a general home, only the installation position based on a structure such as a wall or a floor is determined. Therefore, the techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are not very useful in an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioners are installed in the same space. That is, the techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2 determine the installation position of a single air conditioner, and cannot determine the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner. On the floor of a certain size or more, some air conditioners are installed away from the wall (that is, installed near the center of the floor ceiling). An air conditioner installed away from these walls cannot determine the installation position even using the techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2.

Therefore, in an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioners are installed in the same space, a technique for deriving the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner without human intervention has been demanded.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a support device, an air conditioning system, and a derivation method that can appropriately derive the relative positional relationship between a plurality of air conditioners. The purpose is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the support device according to the present invention provides:
First thermal image data detected by the first air conditioner and second thermal image data detected by the second air conditioner from the first air conditioner and the second air conditioner installed in the same space. A data collection unit that collects
A derivation unit that derives a relative positional relationship between the first and second air conditioners based on the common feature points included in the first and second thermal image data;
Is provided.

In the support device according to the present invention, a plurality of thermal image data (that is, first and second thermal image data) collected from a plurality of air conditioners (that is, the first and second air conditioners) are used, and a plurality of thermal image data are collected. The relative positional relationship of each air conditioner is derived based on the common feature points included in the thermal image data. As a result, it is possible to appropriately derive the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners without manual intervention.

The schematic diagram which shows an example of the whole structure of the air conditioning system which concerns on embodiment of this invention Schematic diagram for explaining the scanning range of the thermal image sensor of the air conditioner Schematic diagram for explaining that the scanning ranges of the thermal image sensors partially overlap in adjacent air conditioners The block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the assistance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. Schematic diagram showing an example of thermal image data Schematic diagram showing an example of other thermal image data Schematic diagram for explaining the connection between two thermal image data The flowchart for demonstrating the derivation | leading-out process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the assistance apparatus which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in this specification, common elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In addition, “air conditioner” (air conditioner) is a term that generally indicates both “outdoor unit” and “indoor unit”, but in order to correspond to the description in the claims of the present invention, The “indoor unit” will be described as “air conditioner”.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an air conditioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the air conditioning system 1, the support device 10, the outdoor unit 20 (20 a, 20 b), and the air conditioner 30 (30 a to 30 d) are communicably connected via an air conditioning communication network 90. FIG. 1 shows a case where the number of outdoor units 20 is two and the number of air conditioners 30 is four. However, the number of outdoor units 20 and air conditioners 30 is that of introducing the air conditioning system 1. It can be appropriately changed according to the number of floors and floor area in the building BL.

The support device 10 appropriately controls the outdoor unit 20 and the air conditioner 30 via the air conditioning communication network 90, and derives a relative positional relationship among the air conditioners 30 installed in the building BL (in the floor). . Details of the support device 10 will be described later.

The outdoor unit 20 (20a, 20b) has, for example, a compressor and a heat source side heat exchanger, and is connected to the air conditioner 30 (30a to 30d) by piping. And the outdoor unit 20 circulates a refrigerant | coolant between the air conditioners 30 through this piping. The outdoor unit 20 is installed outdoors (as an example, on the roof) of the building BL. The outdoor unit 20 includes a control unit and a communication unit, and transmits / receives control information necessary for air conditioning to / from the air conditioner 30, for example.

The air conditioner 30 (30a to 30d) is a so-called indoor unit, which has, for example, an expansion valve and a load side heat exchanger, and is connected to the outdoor unit 20 (20a, 20b) by piping. And the air conditioner 30 performs the air conditioning of object space by evaporating or condensing the refrigerant | coolant sent from the outdoor unit 20 through this piping in a load side heat exchanger. For example, the air conditioner 30 is embedded in a ceiling of a floor in a building BL. In the following description, it is assumed that a plurality of air conditioners 30 are installed on the same floor (same space). The air conditioner 30 includes a control unit and a communication unit, and transmits, for example, thermal image data described below to the support device 10.

The air conditioner 30 further includes a thermal image sensor 31 (31a to 31d). In this thermal image sensor 31, for example, arranged infrared light receiving elements (eight infrared light receiving elements as an example) are movably supported by a movable (rotating) mechanism, and a thermal image in a predetermined scanning range is obtained. Detect data. Specifically, the thermal image sensor 31 is controlled by the control unit of the air conditioner 30, and scans the scanning range A from the upper side (ceiling) to the lower side (floor) as shown in FIG. Is detected.

In addition, each thermal image sensor 31 in the adjacent air conditioner 30 is installed so that the mutual scanning range partially overlaps. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the adjacent air conditioners 30, the scanning range A1 of one thermal image sensor 31 and the scanning range A2 of the other thermal image sensor 31 are in a region indicated by hatching. Duplicate. FIG. 2B shows a case where the air conditioners 30 are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction (X direction) and the scanning ranges A1 and A2 partially overlap in the horizontal direction. Similarly, if they are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction (Y direction), the scanning ranges partially overlap in the vertical direction as well.

If a heat source such as a person or a personal computer is present in such a scanning range, the thermal image sensor 31 can detect thermal image data that captures such a heat source as a feature point. Specifically, the thermal image data is gradation image data representing temperature. As an example, the gradation here is acquired in 256 steps (0 to 255), and the numerical value increases as the temperature increases. In addition, as will be described later, when the air conditioner 30 performs a cooling operation or a heating operation, the thermal image sensor 31 can detect thermal image data in which cold air or warm air blown from the air conditioner 30 is captured as a feature point. it can.

In addition, all the thermal image sensors 31 detect thermal image data at the same time (simultaneous period). For example, when detection of thermal image data is instructed from the support device 10 to any one of the air conditioners 30 (or the outdoor unit 20 that supervises), the timing adjustment is performed in each air conditioner 30. All the thermal image sensors 31 detect thermal image data at the same time.

Also, when the thermal image sensor 31 detects thermal image data, for example, if a person moves within the scanning range, the feature point (heat source) captured by the thermal image data also varies. Therefore, at the time of detection, the thermal image sensor 31 continuously detects thermal image data over a plurality of times (as an example, three times every 10 seconds) at a predetermined time interval. The time interval and the number of times can be appropriately changed according to the communication speed and the response speed of the thermal image sensor 31.

As described above, all the thermal image sensors 31 start detection at the same time and detect a certain number (a plurality) of thermal image data in time series.

Next, details of the support device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the support apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the support apparatus 10 includes a communication unit 11, a data storage unit 12, and an arithmetic processing unit 13.

The communication unit 11 is a communication interface that can communicate with the outdoor unit 20 and the air conditioner 30 through the air conditioning communication network 90, for example. The communication unit 11 is controlled by the arithmetic processing unit 13 and receives, for example, the above-described thermal image data from the air conditioner 30.

The data storage unit 12 plays a role as a so-called secondary storage device (auxiliary storage device), and is composed of a readable / writable nonvolatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, for example. The data storage unit 12 stores, for example, thermal image data received from the air conditioner 30 by the communication unit 11. In addition, the data storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the arithmetic processing unit 13.

The arithmetic processing unit 13 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and controls the entire support apparatus 10. The arithmetic processing unit 13 functionally includes a data collection unit 131, a data evaluation unit 132, a derivation unit 133, a command unit 134, and a generation unit 135. These functions are realized by the CPU appropriately executing various programs stored in the ROM or the data storage unit 12 using the RAM as a work memory.

The data collection unit 131 controls the communication unit 11 to collect the above-described thermal image data from the air conditioner 30. For example, the data collection unit 131 instructs one of the air conditioners 30 to detect thermal image data. Then, as described above, timing adjustment is performed in all the air conditioners 30, and thermal image data at the same time is detected by each thermal image sensor 31. At that time, each thermal image sensor 31 detects a certain number (a plurality) of thermal image data in time series. Therefore, the data collection unit 131 collects a plurality of (time-series) thermal image data from all the air conditioners 30.

The data evaluation unit 132 evaluates the thermal image data collected by the data collection unit 131. For example, the data evaluation unit 132 compares the collected time-series thermal image data in units of the air conditioner 30 and deletes the thermal image data if there is thermal image data in which the position of the feature point varies. For example, the data evaluation unit 132 compares time-series thermal image data for each pixel, and generates thermal image data using data having the smallest gradation value (low temperature) among them. In other words, in the time-series thermal image data, when the reflected heat source is moving (if there is a variation in feature points), by adopting the lowest temperature data in the same pixel between the thermal image data, The temperature of the background before and after the heat source is reflected can be acquired. Also, in the time-series thermal image data, when the heat source is stationary (when there is no feature point variation), the same pixel between the thermal image data has almost the same value, so the data with the lowest temperature is used. By adopting it, it is possible to hold the value as it is.

In this way, if there is a variation in feature points in the time-series thermal image data detected by the air conditioner 30 (thermal image sensor 31), the data evaluation unit 132 deletes the thermal image data. Therefore, only the thermal image data in which the heat source does not move (still state) remains.

Based on the thermal image data collected from each air conditioner 30 (more specifically, the thermal image data after evaluation by the data evaluation unit 132), the deriving unit 133 performs relative processing of each air conditioner 30 as follows. The positional relationship is derived.

Specifically, the case where thermal image data T1 as shown in FIG. 4A is collected from the air conditioner 30a and the thermal image data T2 as shown in FIG. 4B is collected from the air conditioner 30b will be described as an example. To do. It is assumed that the thermal image data T1 and the thermal image data T2 include a feature point H indicating a heat source. Note that the feature point H has the same temperature distribution (a distribution whose values approximate) from the thermal image data T1 and T2, and usually has a certain range (width).

The deriving unit 133 determines whether or not the feature points H are matched (positions and shapes are matched) in the thermal image data T1 and the thermal image data T2, while corresponding sides (one side) partially overlap each other. judge. That is, a) the right side of the thermal image data T1 and the left side of the thermal image data T2 partially overlap, and b) the upper side of the thermal image data T1 and the lower side of the thermal image data T2 partially overlap. State c) State in which the left side of the thermal image data T1 and the right side of the thermal image data T2 partially overlap, d) Part of the lower side of the thermal image data T1 and upper side of the thermal image data T2 Whether or not the feature point H matches in the state is determined. If matching is determined during determination for all sides, the matching determination may be completed without performing determination for the remaining sides.

In such a matching determination, for example, it is determined that the feature point H matches in the state shown in FIG. 4C (a state in which the left side of the thermal image data T1 and the right side of the thermal image data T2 partially overlap). When it is done, the deriving unit 133 derives that the air conditioner 30b and the air conditioner 30a are installed adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction (X direction). In more detail, the deriving unit 133 derives the relative positional relationship between the air conditioner 30b and the air conditioner 30a in consideration of information such as the angle of view of the thermal image sensor 31 and the estimated ceiling height. .

The deriving unit 133 tries matching for other thermal image data in the same manner, and finally derives a relative positional relationship for all the air conditioners 30. In this case, it is assumed that all the air conditioners 30 are installed on the same floor.

Note that even if such matching is attempted, there may be a case where the positional relationship cannot be derived (the positional relationship cannot be derived with sufficient accuracy). For example, the derivation unit 133 cannot derive the positional relationship between the air conditioners 30 unless the feature points (feature points common to other thermal image data) are included in the thermal image data. Specifically, when the air conditioning system 1 is introduced into a newly-built building BL, there may be a situation where there are no (or extremely few) heat sources such as people or personal computers on the floor. In this case, since the feature point is not included in the thermal image data, the deriving unit 133 cannot derive the positional relationship between the air conditioners 30. Therefore, as described below, the command unit 134 restarts the collection of thermal image data in a state where the feature points can be detected by operating the air conditioner 30.

The command unit 134 commands the air conditioner 30 to perform a cooling operation or a heating operation. That is, when the above-described deriving unit 133 cannot derive the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners 30, the command unit 134 operates, for example, at least one of the air conditioners 30. Specifically, the command unit 134 selects the air conditioners 30 at random so that 30% of the air conditioners 30 are targeted, and operates the air conditioners 30. When operating the air conditioner 30, the command unit 134 may switch and command the cooling operation and the heating operation according to the room temperature, for example. For example, in order to blow out cool air or warm air having a temperature difference from the current room temperature by operating the air conditioner 30, the command unit 134 commands cooling operation in the summer (when the room temperature is high) and in the winter (room temperature If the temperature is low), command heating operation.

In addition, when the derivation unit 133 cannot derive the relative positional relationship for only some of the air conditioners 30, the command unit 134 selects at least one of the air conditioners 30 that could not be derived. One air conditioner 30 may be operated. For example, the command unit 134 may select the air conditioners 30 at random so that 30% of the air conditioners 30 that cannot be derived are targeted, and operate those air conditioners 30. .

The generating unit 135 generates location information in accordance with the relative positional relationship of the air conditioners 30 derived by the deriving unit 133 described above. For example, the generation unit 135 includes information for identifying all the air conditioners 30 installed in the floor, and information indicating what positional relationship each air conditioner 30 is in the floor. Generate location information.

Also, the generation unit 135 generates a layout image in which a figure (as an example, a symbol) indicating each air conditioner 30 is arranged in the floor plan data. Note that when there is no floor plan data in the old building BL, the generation unit 135 may automatically generate the plan view data based on the thermal image data collected from the air conditioner 30. For example, the generation unit 135 identifies the structure including the wall from the thermal image data collected by the data collection unit 131 in a state where all the air conditioners 30 are operated by the command unit 134, thereby generating a rough floor shape. Is generated. Specifically, on the floor, the boundary position between the floor surface and the wall surface can be detected in the thermal image data due to the difference in material between the floor surface and the wall surface. Therefore, the production | generation part 135 produces | generates the top view data showing a floor outline from the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner 30, and the relative positional relationship of the air conditioner 30 and a wall surface. At that time, the generation unit 135 may correct the rough floor shape by utilizing that the wall surface is generally a plane or a right angle. In addition, when the air conditioner 30 in contact with the outer edge (wall side) of the floor can be specified by the location information, the generation unit 135 determines the plane from the thermal image data collected by operating only the specified air conditioner 30. Graphic data may be generated.

Hereinafter, the operation of the support apparatus 10 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the derivation process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, the support device 10 collects thermal image data from each air conditioner 30 (step S101). That is, the data collection unit 131 instructs one of the air conditioners 30 to detect thermal image data. Then, as described above, timing adjustment is performed in all the air conditioners 30, and thermal image data at the same time is detected by each thermal image sensor 31. At that time, each thermal image sensor 31 detects a certain number (a plurality) of thermal image data in time series. Therefore, the data collection unit 131 collects a plurality of (time-series) thermal image data from all the air conditioners 30.

The support device 10 deletes the thermal image data including the moving heat source (step S102). That is, the data evaluation unit 132 compares the collected time-series thermal image data in units of the air conditioner 30 and deletes the thermal image data if there is thermal image data in which the position of the feature point varies. For example, the data evaluation unit 132 compares time-series thermal image data for each pixel, and generates thermal image data using data having the smallest gradation value (low temperature) among them. In other words, in the time-series thermal image data, when the reflected heat source is moving (if there is a variation in feature points), by adopting the lowest temperature data in the same pixel between the thermal image data, The temperature of the background before and after the heat source is reflected can be acquired. Also, in the time-series thermal image data, when the heat source is stationary (when there is no feature point variation), the same pixel between the thermal image data has almost the same value, so the data with the lowest temperature is used. By adopting it, it is possible to hold the value as it is.

The support device 10 tries to derive a relative positional relationship (step S103). That is, the deriving unit 133 derives the relative positional relationship of the air conditioners 30 based on the thermal image data from which the thermal image data including the moving heat source is deleted. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C described above, the feature points H match in the thermal image data T1 and the thermal image data T2 while the corresponding sides (one side) partially overlap each other. Determine whether or not. The deriving unit 133 derives the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners 30 in consideration of information such as the angle of view of the thermal image sensor 31 and the estimated ceiling height.

The support device 10 determines whether or not all of them can be derived (step S104). That is, the deriving unit 133 determines whether or not the relative positional relationship has been derived for all the air conditioners 30.

If it is determined that all of the support devices 10 cannot be derived (step S104; No), the support device 10 instructs the air conditioner 30 selected at random (step S105). That is, for example, the command unit 134 selects the air conditioners 30 at random so that 30% of the air conditioners 30 as a target are targeted, and operates the air conditioners 30. When operating the air conditioner 30, the command unit 134 may switch and command the cooling operation and the heating operation according to the room temperature, for example. For example, in order to blow out cool air or warm air having a temperature difference from the current room temperature by operating the air conditioner 30, the command unit 134 commands cooling operation in the summer (when the room temperature is high) and in the winter (room temperature If the temperature is low), command heating operation.

Then, the support device 10 returns the process to step S101 described above.

On the other hand, when it is determined that all can be derived (step S104; Yes), the support device 10 generates location information based on the derived positional relationship (step S106). That is, the generation unit 135 generates location information according to the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners 30 derived in step 103. For example, the generation unit 135 includes information for identifying all the air conditioners 30 installed in the floor, and information indicating what positional relationship each air conditioner 30 is in the floor. Generate location information. Further, the generation unit 135 may generate a layout image in which a figure (as an example, a symbol) indicating each air conditioner 30 is arranged in the floor plan data.

In addition, when there is no floor plan data of the floor in the old building BL, the generation unit 135 may automatically generate the plan view data based on the thermal image data collected from the air conditioner 30. For example, the generation unit 135 identifies the structure including the wall from the thermal image data collected by the data collection unit 131 in a state where all the air conditioners 30 are operated by the command unit 134, thereby generating a rough floor shape. Is generated. Specifically, on the floor, the boundary position between the floor surface and the wall surface can be detected in the thermal image data due to the difference in material between the floor surface and the wall surface. Therefore, the production | generation part 135 produces | generates the top view data showing a floor outline from the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner 30, and the relative positional relationship of the air conditioner 30 and a wall surface. At that time, the generation unit 135 may correct the rough floor shape by utilizing that the wall surface is generally a plane or a right angle. In addition, when the air conditioner 30 in contact with the outer edge (wall side) of the floor can be specified by the location information, the generation unit 135 determines the plane from the thermal image data collected by operating only the specified air conditioner 30. Graphic data may be generated.

Conventionally, location information is generated by an operator manually entering the installation positions of all the air conditioners 30. Such a method for generating location information with manual work has a high work cost and may cause an input error. On the other hand, in the support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners 30 is automatically acquired by such a derivation process, thereby greatly reducing the work cost at the time of introduction. Can be reduced. At that time, the use of the thermal image sensor 31 that the air conditioner 30 already has (used for control) eliminates the need to add a dedicated device. The relative positional relationship between the 30 can be automatically acquired.

Further, in the support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the generation unit 135 can automatically generate plan view data indicating a floor outline. For example, the building BL is old and the plan view data at the time of construction is used. When there is no leftover, it is possible to reduce the trouble of manually creating the plan view data again.

In the support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the deriving unit 133 cannot derive the positional relationship (the positional relationship cannot be derived with sufficient accuracy), the command unit 134 selects the air conditioner 30 selected at random. Make it work. That is, by operating some of the air conditioners 30, the temperature distribution is intentionally generated and the feature points can be detected, and the process is resumed from the collection of the thermal image data. For this reason, the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner 30 can be correctly derived | led-out, for example in the situation where there are few things which become heat sources like a person and a personal computer like the floor under construction.

Further, in the support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the data evaluation unit 132 compares the collected time-series thermal image data for each air conditioner 30 unit, and the thermal image data in which the position of the feature point varies is obtained. If there is, the thermal image data is deleted. For example, even when the worker moves in the floor during the execution of the derivation process, the data evaluation unit 132 deletes the thermal image data of the moving heat source. Therefore, since the deriving unit 133 derives the relative positional relationship of each air conditioner 30 using only the thermal image data of the heat source that does not move, the accuracy can be improved.

As described above, the support device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention can appropriately derive the relative positional relationship among the plurality of air conditioners 30.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, the case where all the air conditioners 30 are installed in the same floor (the same space) and the relative positional relationship can be derived for each air conditioner 30 has been described. However, the air conditioners 30 are on different floors. Sometimes it is installed. Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention characterized by grouping the air conditioners 30 in units of floors will be described.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the support device 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the support device 10 in FIG. 3, the calculation processing unit 13 further includes a group creation unit 136 in the support device 10 in FIG. 6.

The group creation unit 136 groups the air conditioners 30 installed on the same floor (same space) according to the positional relationship derived by the deriving unit 133. That is, the group creation unit 136 groups the air conditioners 30 together in units of air conditioners 30 for which the positional relationship has been derived. At that time, the group creation unit 136 may give identification information unique to the space.

And the production | generation part 135 has arrange | positioned the figure (as an example, a symbol) which shows the air conditioner 30 of a corresponding group in the top view data for every floor according to the information of the air conditioner 30 grouped in this way, for example. A layout image (for example, a layout image of the entire building BL) is generated.

In this case, for example, when setting incidental information such as the number of floors and the floor name (room name) for the air conditioner 30, it is possible to perform batch setting by grouping the air conditioners 30 in the same space in advance. Thus, the work load can be reduced.

Thus, even when the air conditioners 30 are installed on different floors, the support device 10 according to another embodiment can appropriately derive the relative positional relationship between the air conditioners 30.

In the above embodiment, the case where the data evaluation unit 132 adopts the minimum value of the gradation value for each pixel in order to delete the thermal image data in which the heat source moves is described. The thermal image data to which the heat source moves may be detected and deleted by a different method such as movement detection by.

Moreover, in said embodiment, although the instruction | indication part 134 demonstrated the case where the air conditioner 30 was selected and operated at random, in addition to this, the order of the identification information (ID number as an example) of the air conditioner 30 The air conditioner 30 may be selected and operated by another algorithm (operating one by one in ascending order or descending order).

In the above embodiment, the program executed by the arithmetic processing unit 13 is a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), MO (Magneto-Optical Disk), USB memory, memory card. It is also possible to store and distribute in a computer-readable recording medium such as the above. Then, by installing such a program on a specific or general-purpose computer, it is possible to cause the computer to function as the support apparatus 10 in the above-described embodiment.

Further, the above program may be stored in a disk device included in a server device on a communication network such as the Internet, and may be downloaded onto a computer by being superimposed on a carrier wave, for example. The above-described processing can also be achieved by starting and executing a program while transferring it via a communication network. Furthermore, the above-described processing can also be achieved by executing all or part of the program on the server device and executing the program while the computer transmits and receives information regarding the processing via the communication network.

Note that when the above functions are realized by sharing an OS (Operating System) or when the functions are realized by cooperation between the OS and an application, only the part other than the OS is stored in the recording medium and distributed. It may also be downloaded to a computer.

The present invention can be variously modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the broad sense. Further, the above-described embodiment is for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is shown not by the embodiments but by the claims. Various modifications within the scope of the claims and within the scope of the equivalent invention are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be suitably employed in a support device, an air conditioning system, and a derivation method that can appropriately derive a relative positional relationship among a plurality of air conditioners.

1 air conditioning system, 10 support device, 11 communication unit, 12 data storage unit, 13 arithmetic processing unit, 131 data collection unit, 132 data evaluation unit, 133 derivation unit, 134 command unit, 135 generation unit, 136 group creation unit, 20 (20a, 20b) Outdoor unit, 30 (30a-30d) Air conditioner, 31 (31a-31d) Thermal image sensor, 90 Air conditioning communication network

Claims

First thermal image data detected by the first air conditioner and second thermal image data detected by the second air conditioner from the first air conditioner and the second air conditioner installed in the same space. A data collection unit that collects
A derivation unit that derives a relative positional relationship between the first and second air conditioners based on the common feature points included in the first and second thermal image data;
A support device comprising:
The data collection unit collects the first and second thermal image data detected by the first and second air conditioners at the same time,
The derivation unit is configured to determine a relative positional relationship between the first and second air conditioners based on a common feature point existing at a different position between the first thermal image data and the second thermal image data. Deriving,
The support device according to claim 1.
A generator that generates plan view data representing the same space by specifying a structure including a wall from the first and second thermal image data;
The support device according to claim 1.
When the first and second thermal image data do not include the common feature point and the derivation unit cannot derive the positional relationship, at least one selected randomly from the first and second air conditioners A command unit that issues a command to operate the air conditioner;
The support device according to claim 1.
The data collection unit collects the first and second thermal image data detected in time series by the first and second air conditioners,
A data evaluation unit that deletes the thermal image data in which the position of the feature point varies from the first and second thermal image data detected in time series;
The support device according to claim 1.
The data collection unit further collects thermal image data detected by an air conditioner installed in a different space from the first and second air conditioners,
According to the positional relationship derived by the deriving unit, further comprising a group creating unit that groups for each air conditioner installed in the same space,
The support device according to claim 1.
An air conditioning system in which a first air conditioner and a second air conditioner installed in the same space, and a support device are connected via a network,
The support device includes:
A data collection unit for collecting first thermal image data detected by the first air conditioner and second thermal image data detected by the second air conditioner from the first and second air conditioners;
A derivation unit that derives a relative positional relationship between the first and second air conditioners based on a common feature point included in the first and second thermal image data,
Air conditioning system.
A derivation method executed by a support device capable of communicating with a first air conditioner and a second air conditioner installed in the same space,
A data collection step of collecting first thermal image data detected by the first air conditioner and second thermal image data detected by the second air conditioner;
A derivation step for deriving a relative positional relationship between the first and second air conditioners based on a common feature point included in the first and second thermal image data;
A derivation method comprising: