JP7526910B2 - Equipment Control System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an equipment control system.

Technology has been proposed that enables efficient energy-saving operation when operating an air conditioning unit and a ventilation fan simultaneously (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-272086 A

In recent years, supply air purifying fans have been provided that purify the air flowing from the outdoors toward the room and supply the purified air into the room. When outdoor air is taken into the room using an supply air purifying fan, the temperature or humidity of the taken-in outdoor air affects the temperature or humidity of the indoor air. In light of this, the inventor has come up with a technology that allows the supply air purifying fan and an air conditioning device to work together in an optimal manner.

The present disclosure aims to provide technology that optimally coordinates an intake air purification fan with an air conditioning unit.

In order to solve the above problems, an equipment control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room, an air conditioner that conditions the air in the room, and a control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioner. The control device sequentially executes control for ventilation of the room and control for air conditioning of the room, the control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the air in the room is relatively high and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the air in the room is relatively low, and executes the first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control in that order, and the first ventilation control includes a CO2 concentration reduction control for reducing a CO2 concentration as a pollution level of the air in the room, and a PM2.5 concentration reduction control for reducing a PM2.5 concentration as a pollution level of the air in the room,
The control device solves the above problem by, for example, prioritizing the execution of CO2 concentration reduction control and PM2.5 concentration reduction control in that order.

According to the present disclosure, the intake air purification fan and the air conditioning unit can be coordinated effectively.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device control system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional blocks of each device in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server following FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the details of the first ventilation control in S18 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing details of the temperature control in S24 of FIG. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing details of the humidity control in S30 of FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the details of the second ventilation control in S36 of FIG.

The subject of the device or method in this disclosure includes a computer. The computer executes a program to realize the function of the subject of the device or method in this disclosure. The computer includes a processor that operates according to the program as the main hardware configuration. The type of processor is not important as long as it can realize the function by executing the program. The processor is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration). Here, it is called an IC or LSI, but the name changes depending on the degree of integration, and it may be called a system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or USLI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). A field programmable gate array, which is programmed after the LSI is manufactured, or a reconfigurable logic device, which can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or set up the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be used for the same purpose. The electronic circuits may be integrated in one chip or provided in multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated in one device or provided in multiple devices. The program is recorded in a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable read only memory (ROM), an optical disk, or a hard disk drive. The program may be stored in the recording medium in advance or may be supplied to the recording medium via a wide area communication network including the Internet.

The embodiment described below shows a preferred specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, as well as the steps (processes) and the order of the steps shown in the following embodiment are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiment, those components that are not described in the independent claims that show the highest concept of the present disclosure are described as optional components. In addition, in each figure, the same reference numerals are used for substantially the same configuration, and duplicate descriptions are omitted or simplified.

Figure 1 shows the configuration of an equipment control system 1000 according to an embodiment. The equipment control system 1000 comprises an air conditioning unit 200, an outside air duct 300, an exhaust air duct 302, a heat exchanger 310, an air supply purification fan 312, an exhaust port 340, a user terminal 350, and a server 360. Of the multiple elements constituting the equipment control system 1000, all elements except for the server 360 are installed in a facility such as a home.

The equipment control system 1000 adjusts the temperature and humidity of a room 100 in a facility, and also purifies the air in the room 100. A ceiling 110 is disposed on the upper surface of the room 100. Wall surfaces 120 are disposed on the side surfaces of the room 100, and a floor surface 130 is disposed on the lower surface of the room 100.

An air conditioner 200 is installed on the wall surface 120. The air conditioner 200 conditions the air in the room 100. Specifically, the air conditioner 200 has a cooling function and a dehumidifying function, and adjusts the temperature and humidity in the room 100. The air conditioner 200 may further have a heating function. The air conditioner 200 has two airflow levels: "strong" and "weak." For example, the "strong" airflow level is an airflow set in the range of 10 to 30 m ³ /min, and the "weak" airflow level is an airflow lower than the "strong" airflow level.

Generally, an air conditioner 200 is composed of a combination of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, but here, the outdoor unit will be omitted and the indoor unit will be described as the air conditioner 200. The air conditioner has an air outlet (not shown), which blows out conditioned air 500, which is air whose temperature or humidity has been adjusted, toward the center of the room 100.

The outside of the facility having the room 100 is the outside 102, and the ducts connecting the outside 102 and the room 100 are the outside air duct 300 and the exhaust air duct 302. The outside air duct 300 and the exhaust air duct 302 are connected to a heat exchanger 310 in the middle. The heat exchanger 310 exchanges heat between the air passing through the outside air duct 300 and the air passing through the exhaust air duct 302.

In the outdoor air duct 300, an air supply purification fan 312 is provided on the indoor 100 side of the heat exchanger 310. In the embodiment, the air supply purification fan 312 is installed on the wall surface 120, but the installation position of the air supply purification fan 312 is not limited to this. As a modified example, the air supply purification fan 312 may be installed on the ceiling 110.

The supply air purification fan 312 is an supply type ventilation fan that purifies air flowing from the outside 102 toward the room 100 and supplies the purified air to the room 100, thereby ventilating the room 100. In other words, the supply air purification fan 312 ventilates and purifies the air in the room 100. In this embodiment, the supply air purification fan 312 reduces the carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) concentration and PM2.5 concentration in the room 100.

The intake air purification fan 312 includes a blower 320, an IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) remote control 322, and an intake air port with purification filter 330. The blower 320 has a fan, and by rotating the fan, air flows from the outside 102 toward the inside 100 through the outside air duct 300. In other words, the air of the outside 102 (i.e., outside air) flows into the outside air duct 300 and flows toward the inside 100.

The IAQ remote control 322 is a device that remotely controls the operation of the blower 320. The IAQ remote control 322 and the blower 320 are connected by wire or wirelessly. The airflow level of the air supply purification fan 312 (blower 320) has six levels, from "0" to "5". The airflow of each airflow level is set to six levels between 0 and 300 CMH (Cubic Meter per Hour, i.e., ^m3 /hour). However, the airflow level "0" is 0 CMH, and the higher the airflow level, the greater the airflow.

The filter-equipped air intake 330 is provided at the indoor end of the outdoor air duct 300 and incorporates a filter (not shown). An example of a filter is nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric has the function of capturing mist particles (e.g. PM2.5), bacteria, mold, viruses, allergens, and the like suspended in the air. Therefore, the filter purifies the air flowing from the outdoor air duct 300 from the outside 102 toward the room 100 by the blower 320. The filter-equipped air intake 330 flows the air purified by the filter into the room 100 as intake air 502.

An exhaust port 340 is provided at the indoor end of the exhaust air duct 302. Air present in the room 100 flows into the exhaust air duct 302 from the exhaust port 340 by being pushed out by the supply air 502. The air that flows into the exhaust air duct 302 is exhausted to the outside 102 through the exhaust air duct 302. Therefore, it can be said that the exhaust port 340 exhausts the air in the room 100 to the outside 102. A blower may be provided in the exhaust air duct 302. The blower rotates a fan to blow air from the room 100 to the outside 102 through the exhaust air duct 302.

The user terminal 350 is an information processing terminal operated by a user (e.g., a resident of the facility). The user terminal 350 may be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal. In FIG. 1, the user terminal 350 is installed inside the room 100, but there is no restriction on the installation location of the user terminal 350. For example, the user terminal 350 may be installed outside the room 102.

The server 360 is a control device having the function of controlling the air conditioning device 200 and the intake air purification fan 312. The server 360 may be, for example, an information processing device located on the cloud. The server 360 transmits and receives signals to and from the air conditioning device 200, the IAQ remote control 322, and the user terminal 350 via a communication network 370 including a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), or the Internet.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional blocks of each device in Figure 1. Each block shown in the block diagram of this disclosure can be realized in hardware terms by elements or mechanical devices such as a computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, and in software terms by a computer program or the like. However, here, functional blocks realized by the cooperation of these are depicted. Those skilled in the art will understand that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways by combinations of hardware and software.

The user terminal 350 includes a communication unit 10 and a collaborative operation instruction unit 12. The communication unit 10 communicates with an external device according to a predetermined communication protocol. The collaborative operation instruction unit 12 transmits data instructing the start or stop of the collaborative operation of the air conditioning device 200 and the supply air purification fan 312 to the server 360 via the communication unit 10 in response to a user operation. The function of the collaborative operation instruction unit 12 may be implemented in an application program. The CPU of the user terminal 350 may perform the function of the collaborative operation instruction unit 12 by executing the application program.

The air conditioning device 200 includes a communication unit 20, a control unit 22, a temperature sensor 24, and a humidity sensor 26. The temperature sensor 24 detects the temperature of the room 100, and the humidity sensor 26 detects the humidity of the room 100. Both the temperature sensor 24 and the humidity sensor 26 can be said to be sensors that detect the condition of the room 100 related to the control of the air conditioning device 200. Both the temperature sensor 24 and the humidity sensor 26 may be installed at an intake port (not shown) of the air conditioning device 200.

The communication unit 20 communicates with an external device according to a predetermined communication protocol. The control unit 22 controls the operation of the air conditioning device 200. When the air volume of the air conditioning device 200 is set to "automatic", the control unit 22 may determine the air volume of the air conditioning device 200 based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 24 and humidity information detected by the humidity sensor 26. The control unit 22 also transmits and receives various data (such as temperature information, humidity information, and control signals) to and from the server 360 via the communication unit 20.

The air supply purification fan 312 includes a blower 320 and an IAQ remote control 322. The blower 320 includes a communication unit 30 and a fan control unit 32. The communication unit 30 communicates with an external device (in the embodiment, the IAQ remote control 322) according to a predetermined communication protocol. The fan control unit 32 controls the rotation operation of the fan (not shown) of the blower 320 according to instructions from the IAQ remote control 322, thereby controlling the air volume of the blower 320.

The IAQ remote control 322 includes a communication unit 40, a control unit 42, a memory unit 44, a carbon dioxide sensor ( _CO2 sensor) 46, and a PM2.5 sensor 48. _{The CO2} sensor 46 detects the _CO2 concentration in the room 100. The PM2.5 sensor 48 detects the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100. Both the _CO2 sensor 46 and the PM2.5 sensor 48 can be said to be sensors that detect the condition of the room 100 related to the control of the supply air purification fan 312.

The communication unit 40 communicates with an external device according to a predetermined communication protocol. The control unit 42 controls the operation of the supply air purification fan 312 (blower 320). The control unit 42 also transmits and receives various data ( _CO2 concentration, PM2.5 concentration, control signals, etc.) to and from the server 360 via the communication unit 40. The control unit 42 also transmits and receives various data (control signals, etc.) to and from the blower 320 via the communication unit 40.

The memory unit 44 stores an air volume switching table (which can also be called an air volume switching standard) for automatic operation of the air supply purification fan 312 (blower 320). The air volume switching table may include a first air volume switching table and a second air volume switching table. The first air volume switching table may determine an air volume level according to the PM2.5 concentration. The setting range of the PM2.5 air volume switching concentration may be, for example, 10 μg (micrograms)/ ^m3 (cubic meters) to 300 μg/ ^m3 .

The second airflow switching table may determine the airflow level according to the _CO2 concentration. For example, the _CO2 concentration at which the airflow level is switched to "5" may be a value in the range of 500 ppm (parts per million) to 5000 ppm. The _CO2 concentration that is the switching criterion for each of the airflow levels "1" to "4" is a value smaller than the _CO2 concentration that is the switching criterion for the airflow level "5".

The server 360 includes a communication unit 50, a sensor information acquisition unit 52, an operation status acquisition unit 54, a cooperative operation control unit 56, and a memory unit 58. The communication unit 50 communicates with an external device according to a predetermined communication protocol.

The memory unit 58 stores a computer program that implements an algorithm (hereinafter referred to as the "cooperative operation algorithm") for cooperatively operating the air conditioning device 200 and the supply air purification fan 312. The computer program (in other words, the cooperative operation algorithm) may include the contents of the first air volume switching table and the second air volume switching table. The CPU of the server 360 may execute the computer program to perform the functions of the sensor information acquisition unit 52, the operation state acquisition unit 54, and the cooperative operation control unit 56.

The sensor information acquisition unit 52 acquires temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 24 and humidity information detected by the humidity sensor 26 from the air conditioning device 200 via the communication unit 50. The sensor information acquisition unit 52 also acquires _CO2 concentration information detected by the _CO2 sensor 46 and PM2.5 concentration information detected by the PM2.5 sensor 48 from the IAQ remote control 322 via the communication unit 50. The sensor information acquisition unit 52 repeatedly acquires temperature information, humidity information, _CO2 concentration information, and PM2.5 concentration information at a predetermined cycle (e.g., 5 minutes).

The operation status acquisition unit 54 acquires the operation status (on/off, set temperature, etc.) of the air conditioning unit 200 from the air conditioning unit 200 via the communication unit 50. The operation status acquisition unit 54 also acquires the operation status (on/off, air volume, etc.) of the supply air purification fan 312 from the IAQ remote control 322 via the communication unit 50.

When the user terminal 350 instructs the start of cooperative operation, the cooperative operation control unit 56 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 200 and the operation of the supply air purification fan 312 in accordance with (1) the temperature information, humidity information, _CO2 concentration, and PM2.5 concentration acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 52, (2) the operating state of the air conditioning unit 200 and the operating information of the supply air purification fan 312 acquired by the operating state acquisition unit 54, and (3) a predetermined cooperative operation algorithm.

In the embodiment, the air outside 102 is assumed to be hot and humid. In other words, the device control system 1000 is assumed to be constructed in a hot and humid region. Therefore, when the supply air purification fan 312 takes in the hot and humid air outside 102 into the room 100, the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioner 200 (i.e., cooling efficiency and dehumidification efficiency) decreases. Therefore, the cooperative operation control unit 56 in the embodiment executes control for ventilation of the room 100 (first ventilation control and second ventilation control described below) and control for air conditioning of the room 100 (temperature control and humidity control described below) sequentially rather than in parallel. This suppresses the decrease in the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioner 200, and allows efficient and rapid air conditioning and air purification of the room 100.

Furthermore, the cooperative operation control unit 56 selectively executes either control for ventilation of the room 100 or control for air conditioning of the room 100, based on the state of the room 100 ( _CO2 concentration and PM2.5 concentration in the embodiment) detected by a sensor that detects the state of the room 100 related to the control of the supply air purification fan 312, and the state of the room 100 (temperature and humidity in the embodiment) detected by a sensor that detects the state of the room 100 related to the control of the air conditioning device 200. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioning device 200, and to efficiently and quickly achieve air conditioning and air purification of the room 100.

The ventilation control includes a first ventilation control when the air pollution level in the room 100 is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the air pollution level in the room 100 is relatively low. The coordinated operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning (i.e., temperature control and humidity control), and the second ventilation control in that order. People are most sensitive to temperature, humidity, and air quality (cleanliness), in that order. According to the above configuration, the comfort of the room 100 can be quickly increased while taking into consideration the health of the people in the room 100.

In addition, in controlling air conditioning, the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines the manner of air supply by the supply air purification fan 312 based on the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200. In the embodiment, the manner of air supply by the supply air purification fan 312 is determined based on the difference between the measured temperature in the room 100 and the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioning device 200, or to efficiently realize temperature adjustment in the room 100. Note that the cooperative operation control unit 56 may stop the supply of air by the supply air purification fan 312 when the temperature of the room 100 should be lowered. On the other hand, when the temperature of the room 100 should be raised, the supply of air by the supply air purification fan 312 may be continued.

In addition, the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines the manner of air supply by the air supply purification fan 312 based on the humidity in the room 100 and a predetermined humidity reference value in the control for air conditioning. In the embodiment, the manner of air supply by the air supply purification fan 312 is determined based on the magnitude relationship between the measured humidity in the room 100 and the humidity reference value. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioning device 200, or to efficiently realize humidity adjustment in the room 100. For example, when the humidity in the room 100 should be lowered, the cooperative operation control unit 56 may stop the supply of air by the air supply purification fan 312. On the other hand, when the humidity in the room 100 should be increased, the supply of air by the air supply purification fan 312 may be continued.

In addition, the cooperative operation control unit 56, in controlling ventilation, lowers the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200 from the previous value. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature in the room 100 from rising rapidly due to the air supply operation by the air supply purification fan 312 (i.e., ventilation of the room 100 with air from the outside 102). In other words, it is possible to prevent the comfort of the room 100 from decreasing rapidly.

The operation of the device control system 1000 configured as above will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 360.

The user starts an application for setting up cooperative driving on the user terminal 350 and inputs an instruction to start cooperative driving into the application. The cooperative driving instruction unit 12 of the user terminal 350 transmits an instruction to start cooperative driving to the server 360.

The server 360 receives an instruction to start the cooperative operation transmitted from the user terminal 350 (S10). The sensor information acquisition unit 52 of the server 360 acquires the temperature information and humidity information of the room 100 from the air conditioner 200, and acquires the _CO2 concentration and PM2.5 concentration of the room 100 from the IAQ remote control 322. As described above, the sensor information acquisition unit 52 repeatedly acquires the latest temperature information, humidity information, _CO2 concentration, and PM2.5 concentration at a predetermined period (for example, 5-minute period). In addition, the operation status acquisition unit 54 of the server 360 inquires the air conditioner 200 about the operation status of the air conditioner 200 and acquires it, and inquires the IAQ remote control 322 about the operation status of the supply air purification fan 312 and acquires it (S12).

The cooperative operation control unit 56 of the server 360 checks the air pollution level in the room 100 based on the _CO2 concentration and PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 (S14). When the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines that the air pollution level is high (Y in S16), it executes the first ventilation control (S18). In the first ventilation control, the operation mode of the supply air purification fan 312 is determined according to the contents of the first air volume switching table and the contents of the second air volume switching table. The first ventilation control will be described in detail later.

In the embodiment, the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines that the air pollution level is high when at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: the _CO2 concentration is equal to or higher than a predetermined _CO2 threshold A1, and the PM2.5 concentration is greater than a predetermined PM2.5 threshold A2. If the cooperative operation control unit 56 does not determine that the air pollution level is high (specifically, when the _CO2 concentration is less than the _CO2 threshold A1 and the PM2.5 concentration is equal to or lower than the PM2.5 threshold A2) (N in S16), the process of S18 is skipped.

Next, the collaborative operation control unit 56 of the server 360 checks the difference between the temperature in the room 100 and the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200 (S20). If the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature exceeds ±1°C (N in S22), the collaborative operation control unit 56 executes temperature control (S24). Details of temperature control will be described later. If the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature is within ±1°C (Y in S22), the processing of S24 is skipped.

Next, the collaborative operation control unit 56 of the server 360 checks the humidity in the room 100 (S26). If the humidity in the room 100 is equal to or lower than 40%, which is a first predetermined humidity reference value (lower comfort limit), or equal to or higher than 60%, which is a second predetermined humidity reference value (upper comfort limit) (N in S28), the collaborative operation control unit 56 executes humidity control (S30). Details of humidity control will be described later. If the humidity in the room 100 is in the range of 40% to 60% (hereinafter also referred to as the "comfort zone") (Y in S28), the process of S30 is skipped.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 360 following Fig. 3. The cooperative operation control unit 56 checks the air pollution level in the room 100 based on the _CO2 concentration and PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 (S32). When the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines that the air pollution level is not sufficiently low (N in S34), it executes the second ventilation control (S36). In the second ventilation control, the operation mode of the supply air purification fan 312 is determined according to the contents of the first air volume switching table and the contents of the second air volume switching table. The second ventilation control will be described in detail later.

In the embodiment, the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines that the air pollution level is sufficiently low when the _CO2 concentration is less than a predetermined _CO2 threshold B1 (less than the _CO2 threshold A1) and the PM2.5 concentration is less than a predetermined PM2.5 threshold B2 (less than the PM2.5 threshold A2). When the cooperative operation control unit 56 determines that the air pollution level is sufficiently low (Y in S34), it skips the process of S36.

The cooperative operation control unit 56 returns the air conditioning unit 200 and the supply air purification fan 312 to their default settings (S38). Specifically, the cooperative operation control unit 56 sends a signal to the air conditioning unit 200 instructing it to set the operating state of the air conditioning unit 200 to cooling operation, set the air volume to automatic, and set the set temperature to the initial temperature. The "initial temperature" in the explanation of each flowchart is the set temperature set in the air conditioning unit 200 when cooperative operation begins. The cooperative operation control unit 56 also sends a signal to the supply air purification fan 312 (IAQ remote control 322) instructing it to set the air volume to automatic.

While the cooperative operation on state is maintained, the sensor information acquisition unit 52 of the server 360 repeatedly acquires, at a predetermined cycle (e.g., every 5 minutes), the temperature information, humidity information, _CO2 concentration, and PM2.5 concentration of the room 100. Similarly, the operation status acquisition unit 54 of the server 360 repeatedly acquires, at a predetermined cycle (e.g., every 5 minutes), the operation status of the air conditioning device 200 and the operation status of the supply air purification fan 312 (S40).

The cooperative operation control unit 56 of the server 360 performs the judgments of S16, S22, S28, and S34 (S42). That is, the cooperative operation control unit 56 judges whether the air pollution level is high (in other words, whether the air pollution level is high), whether the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is large (whether the temperature is out of range), whether the humidity of the room 100 is out of the comfort zone (whether the humidity is out of range), and whether the air pollution level is sufficiently low (in other words, whether the air pollution level is moderate). This judgment process may be executed in synchronization with the acquisition of each sensor information (such as temperature information), and the execution cycle may be 5 minutes.

In the case of a high air pollution state, a temperature deviation, a humidity deviation, or a moderate air pollution state (Y in S42), the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control in S18, the temperature control in S24, the humidity control in S30, or the second ventilation control in S36 (S44). In the case of multiple conditions of a high air pollution state, a temperature deviation, a humidity deviation, or a moderate air pollution state, the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control, the temperature control, the humidity control, and the second ventilation control in that order. In the case of none of a high air pollution state, a temperature deviation, a humidity deviation, or a moderate air pollution state (N in S42), the processing of S44 is skipped.

If a predetermined termination condition is met (Y in S46), the server 360 ends the coordinated operation of the air conditioning device 200 and the supply air purification fan 312, and ends the processing shown in Figures 3 to 4. Thereafter, the air conditioning device 200 and the supply air purification fan 312 operate autonomously and independently of each other. The termination condition may be, for example, a user inputting an operation to stop the coordinated operation into the user terminal 350, and the server 360 accepting an instruction to end the coordinated operation sent from the user terminal 350. If the predetermined termination condition is not met (N in S46), the processing returns to S42.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing details of the first ventilation control of S18 in Fig. 3. The cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the process of S52 when the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is equal to or higher than the _CO2 threshold A1 (Y in S50). Also, the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the process of S52 when the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is lower than the _CO2 threshold A1 (N in S50) and the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 is higher than the PM2.5 threshold A2 (Y in S54).

In processing S52, the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "4". The cooperative operation control unit 56 also sets the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 200 to cooling operation, and sets the airflow level of the air conditioning unit 200 to "high". If the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature difference threshold A3, the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the new set temperature to (initial temperature - adjustment value A4 (adjustment value A4 is greater than 0)). If the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is greater than the temperature difference threshold A3, the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the new set temperature to (initial temperature - adjustment value B4 (adjustment value B4 is greater than adjustment value A4)).

The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until five minutes have passed, that is, until new _CO2 concentration information and PM2.5 concentration information are obtained (N in S56). After five minutes have passed (Y in S56), the process returns to S50. If the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is less than the _CO2 threshold A1 and the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 is equal to or less than the PM2.5 threshold A2 (N in S54), the cooperative operation control unit 56 returns the set temperature to the initial temperature (S58).

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the details of the temperature control of S24 in Figure 3. When the temperature of the room 100 is higher than the set temperature (the temperature difference exceeds 1 ° C) (Y in S60), the cooperative operation control unit 56 turns off the supply air operation of the supply air purification fan 312 (air volume level "0"), sets the operation mode of the air conditioner 200 to cooling operation, and sets the air volume level of the air conditioner 200 to "high" (S62). This efficiently lowers the temperature of the room 100. The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is within ±1 ° C (N in S64). When the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is within ±1 ° C (Y in S64), the cooperative operation control unit 56 ends the temperature control process shown in Figure 6.

If the temperature of the room 100 is lower than the set temperature (N in S60) and the temperature difference exceeds 1°C (Y in S66), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "1", sets the operating mode of the air conditioner 200 to cooling operation, and sets the airflow level of the air conditioner 200 to "automatic" (S68). This gradually increases the temperature of the room 100. The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is within ±1°C (N in S70). When the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is within ±1°C (Y in S70), the cooperative operation control unit 56 ends the temperature control process shown in FIG. 6. If the difference between the temperature of the room 100 and the set temperature is within ±1°C in the judgment step of S66 (N in S66), the temperature control process shown in FIG. 6 ends.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the details of the humidity control of S30 in Figure 3. When the humidity in the room 100 is greater than 60% (Y in S80), the cooperative operation control unit 56 turns off the supply air purification fan 312 (air volume level "0"), sets the operation mode of the air conditioner 200 to dehumidification operation, and sets the air volume level of the air conditioner 200 to "automatic" (S82). This efficiently reduces the humidity in the room 100. The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the humidity in the room 100 falls within the range of 40% to 60% (N in S84). When the humidity in the room 100 falls within the range of 40% to 60% (Y in S84), the cooperative operation control unit 56 ends the humidity control process shown in Figure 7.

If the humidity in the room 100 is less than 40% (N in S80 and Y in S86), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "4", sets the operating mode of the air conditioning device 200 to cooling operation, and sets the airflow level of the air conditioning device 200 to "automatic" (S88). This allows the humidity in the room 100 to be efficiently increased. The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the humidity in the room 100 falls within the range of 40% to 60% (N in S90). When the humidity in the room 100 falls within the range of 40% to 60% (Y in S90), the cooperative operation control unit 56 ends the humidity control process shown in FIG. 7. If the humidity in the room 100 is in the range of 40% to 60% (N in S86) in the first place, the humidity control process shown in FIG. 7 ends.

Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing details of the second ventilation control of S36 in Fig. 4. When the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined _CO2 threshold B1 ( _CO2 threshold B1 is smaller than _CO2 threshold A1) (Y in S100), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the air volume level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "1", sets the operation mode of the air conditioner 200 to cooling operation, and sets the air volume level of the air conditioner 200 to "automatic" (S102). The cooperative operation control unit 56 proceeds to the process of S104.

When the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is greater than the _CO2 threshold B1 and less than the _CO2 threshold A1 (N in S100 and Y in S108), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the air volume level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "3", sets the operating mode of the air conditioner 200 to cooling operation, and sets the air volume level of the air conditioner 200 to "high" (S110). The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 becomes equal to or less than the _CO2 threshold B1 (N in S112), and when the _CO2 concentration becomes equal to or less than the _CO2 threshold B1 (Y in S112), proceeds to the process of S104.

If the _CO2 concentration in the room 100 is equal to or higher than the _CO2 threshold A1 (N in S108), the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control shown in Fig. 5. When the first ventilation control ends, the second ventilation control process shown in Fig. 8 may be executed again from S100.

Next, if the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined PM2.5 threshold B2 (PM2.5 threshold B2 is smaller than PM2.5 threshold A2) (Y in S104), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "1", sets the operating mode of the air conditioning device 200 to cooling operation, and sets the airflow level of the air conditioning device 200 to "automatic" (S106). The cooperative operation control unit 56 ends the processing of the second ventilation control shown in FIG. 8.

If the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 is greater than the PM2.5 threshold B2 and is equal to or less than the PM2.5 threshold A2 (N in S104 and Y in S114), the cooperative operation control unit 56 sets the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 to "2", sets the operating mode of the air conditioner 200 to cooling operation, and sets the airflow level of the air conditioner 200 to "automatic" (S116). The cooperative operation control unit 56 waits until the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 becomes equal to or less than the PM2.5 threshold B2 (N in S118), and when the PM2.5 concentration becomes equal to or less than the PM2.5 threshold B2 (Y in S118), ends the second ventilation control process shown in FIG. 8.

If the PM2.5 concentration in the room 100 is greater than the PM2.5 threshold A2 (N in S114), the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control shown in Fig. 7. When the first ventilation control ends, the second ventilation control process shown in Fig. 8 may be executed again from S100.

In the second ventilation control shown in FIG. 8, when the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 is "1" or "2" and the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is equal to or less than the temperature difference threshold A3, the cooperative operation control unit 56 may reduce the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200 by 1°C. Also, when the airflow level of the supply air purification fan 312 is "3" to "5" and the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is equal to or less than the temperature difference threshold A3, the cooperative operation control unit 56 may reduce the set temperature of the air conditioning device 200 by 2°C. Note that since the second ventilation control is performed after the temperature control, the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature is equal to or less than the temperature difference threshold A3.

According to the embodiment of the device control system 1000, the supply air purification fan 312 and the air conditioning device 200 are preferably operated in a coordinated manner based on the coordinated operation algorithm, and the comfort of the air in the room 100 can be efficiently improved. Also, as described in relation to Figures 5 to 8, in the coordinated operation algorithm, the first ventilation control, temperature control, humidity control, and second ventilation control are each made into subroutines, and the indoor environment can be efficiently improved by executing a subroutine corresponding to one of the multiple elements of the indoor environment (temperature, humidity, air quality) whose condition has deteriorated.

The present disclosure has been described above based on an embodiment. This embodiment is merely an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each processing process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

A modified example will be described. The cooperative operation control unit 56 of the server 360 may perform the judgments of S16, S22, S28, and S34 every 5 minutes. When the cooperative operation control unit 56 detects a temperature deviation, even if humidity control or second ventilation control is being executed, it may interrupt the control and execute temperature control. Also, when the cooperative operation control unit 56 detects a humidity deviation but not a temperature deviation, it may interrupt the second ventilation control and execute humidity control even if it is being executed. However, the cooperative operation control unit 56 executes the first ventilation control with the highest priority.

Another modified example will be described. The equipment control system 1000 may be constructed in a cold region (e.g., a low-temperature, dry region). In this case, when the supply air purification fan 312 takes in low-temperature, dry air from the outside 102 into the room 100, the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioning device 200 decreases. Therefore, in this modified example, the server 360 executes control for ventilation of the room 100 (first ventilation control and second ventilation control) and control for air conditioning of the room 100 (temperature control and humidity control) sequentially rather than in parallel, thereby suppressing a decrease in the efficiency of air conditioning by the air conditioning device 200 and enabling efficient and rapid air conditioning and air purification of the room 100.

Any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present disclosure. A new embodiment resulting from the combination has the combined effects of each of the combined embodiments and modifications. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that the functions to be performed by each of the constituent elements recited in the claims can be realized by each of the components shown in the embodiments and modifications alone or in combination.

An overview of one aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. An equipment control system (1000) of one aspect of the present disclosure includes an air supply purification fan (312) that purifies air flowing from the outside (102) toward the room (100) and supplies the purified air to the room (100) to ventilate the room (100), an air conditioning device (200) that conditions the air in the room (100), and a control device (360) that controls the air supply purification fan (312) and the air conditioning device (200). The control device (360) sequentially executes control for ventilation of the room (100) and control for air conditioning of the room (100).

The equipment control system (1000) may further include a first sensor (46, 48) that detects a state of the room (100) related to the control of the supply air purification fan (312), and a second sensor (24, 26) that detects a state of the room (100) related to the control of the air conditioning device (200). The control device (360) may selectively execute either control for ventilation or control for air conditioning based on the state of the room (100) detected by the first sensor (46, 48) and the state of the room (100) detected by the second sensor (24, 26).

The control for ventilation may include a first ventilation control when the air pollution level in the room (100) is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the air pollution level in the room (100) is relatively low. The control device (360) may execute the first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control in that order.

In controlling air conditioning, the control device (360) may determine the manner of air supply by the air supply purification fan (312) based on the temperature in the room (100) and the set temperature of the air conditioning device (200).

In controlling air conditioning, the control device (360) may determine the manner of air supply by the air supply purification fan (312) based on the humidity in the room (100) and a predetermined humidity reference value.

The control device (360) may lower the set temperature of the air conditioning device (200) in control for ventilation.

24 Temperature sensor 26 Humidity sensor 46 Carbon dioxide sensor ( _CO2 sensor)
48 PM2.5 sensor 100 Indoor 102 Outdoor 200 Air conditioner 312 Intake air purification fan 350 User terminal 360 Server 1000 Device control system

Claims (11)

an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room,
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
The first ventilation control includes a CO2 concentration reduction control for reducing a CO2 concentration as a pollution level of the indoor air, and a PM2.5 concentration reduction control for reducing a PM2.5 concentration as a pollution level of the indoor air,
The control device includes:
An equipment control system that prioritizes execution of the CO2 concentration reduction control and the PM2.5 concentration reduction control in that order . The control device includes:
The device control system according to claim 1 , wherein the air volume of the supply air purification fan in the second ventilation control is set to be smaller than the air volume of the supply air purification fan in the first ventilation control. The control device includes:
3. The equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein in the control for air conditioning, a mode of air supply by said supply air purification fan is determined based on the temperature in the room and a set temperature of said air conditioner. an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room,
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
In the control for the air conditioning, a mode of air supply by the air supply purification fan is determined based on the temperature in the room and a set temperature of the air conditioning device;
When the indoor temperature is lower than the set temperature and the temperature difference exceeds a predetermined value, the air volume of the supply air purification fan is set to a smaller air volume than the air volume of the supply air purification fan in the first ventilation control,
An equipment control system that turns off the air supply operation of the air supply purification fan when the indoor temperature is greater than the set temperature and the temperature difference exceeds a predetermined value. The control device includes:
5. The equipment control system according to claim 1 , wherein in the control for air conditioning, a mode of air supply by the supply air purification fan is determined based on the indoor humidity and a predetermined reference value of humidity. an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room;
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
In the control for the air conditioning, a mode of air supply by the air supply purification fan is determined based on the indoor humidity and a predetermined reference value of humidity;
When the indoor humidity is lower than a first reference value which is a lower limit of comfort, the supply air volume of the supply air purification fan is set to the air volume of the supply air purification fan in the first ventilation control;
An equipment control system that turns off the air supply operation of the air supply purification fan when the indoor humidity is greater than a second reference value that is an upper comfort limit value that is greater than the first reference value . The control device includes:
The equipment control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control for ventilation comprises lowering a set temperature of the air conditioner. The control device includes:
The device control system according to claim 7 , wherein in the first ventilation control which is control for the ventilation, the set temperature is lowered as the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature increases. an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room;
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
In the control for ventilation, a set temperature of the air conditioner is lowered,
In the second ventilation control, which is a control for the ventilation, when the difference between the temperature in the room and the set temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the equipment control system lowers the set temperature as the air volume of the supply air purification fan increases . an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room;
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
The control for air conditioning includes temperature control and humidity control,
The control device includes:
The first ventilation control, the temperature control, the humidity control, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority;
An equipment control system that interrupts the humidity control or the second ventilation control and executes the temperature control when there is a large difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature of the air conditioning device even when the humidity control or the second ventilation control is being executed . an air supply purification fan that purifies air flowing from the outside of the room toward the room and supplies the purified air to the room to ventilate the room;
An air conditioner that conditions air in the room;
A control device that controls the air supply purification fan and the air conditioning device,
The control device includes:
Sequentially executing a control for ventilation of the room and a control for air conditioning of the room,
The control for ventilation includes a first ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively high, and a second ventilation control when the pollution level of the indoor air is relatively low,
The first ventilation control, the control for air conditioning, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority ;
The control for air conditioning includes temperature control and humidity control,
The control device includes:
The first ventilation control, the temperature control, the humidity control, and the second ventilation control are executed in this order of priority;
An equipment control system that interrupts the second ventilation control and executes the humidity control when the indoor humidity is outside a predetermined comfort zone even while the second ventilation control is being executed .

Images