JP7539591B2 - Device linkage system and air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a device linkage system and an air conditioner.

Some self-propelled devices, such as autonomous mobile robots, detect the presence or absence of residents using motion sensors and perform control based on the detection results (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2020-085547 A

However, depending on the position and size of objects placed in the room where the self-propelled device travels, the position of the human presence sensor installed on the self-propelled device, or the size of the self-propelled device, it may be necessary to travel a certain range in order to detect the entire room. Also, since people may be moving around in the room, depending on the positional relationship between the self-propelled device and people, it may be determined that people are not present in the room even though they are.

For example, even if one tries to make a self-propelled device run appropriately depending on whether people are present indoors, if it takes a long time to determine whether people are present or if the determination is incorrect, it may not be possible to properly control the running of the self-propelled device.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as one object to provide a device linkage system and an air conditioner that can appropriately control the travel of self-propelled devices indoors.

The device linkage system of the present disclosure is a device linkage system comprising a self-propelled device and an air conditioner that can communicate with each other, wherein the self-propelled device is a device that can move within a room in which the air conditioner is installed, the air conditioner is equipped with a human presence sensor for detecting people present in the room, and the self-propelled device or the air conditioner is equipped with a control unit that determines the presence or absence of people in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor and allows the self-propelled device to move if it is determined that no people are present in the room, wherein the human presence sensor is an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays and detects heat sources, and the control unit distinguishes between areas in the room in which the self-propelled device can and cannot move based on position information indicating the position where the self-propelled device moved when no people are present in the room, and determines the presence or absence of people in the room by determining that a heat source detected by the infrared sensor within the area in which the self-propelled device can move is a person .

In addition, the air conditioner of the present disclosure is an air conditioner capable of communicating with self-propelled equipment, and the air conditioner is equipped with a human presence sensor for detecting people in the room in which it is installed, and a control unit that determines the presence or absence of people in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, and allows the self-propelled equipment to move if it is determined that there are no people in the room, and the human presence sensor is an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays and detects heat sources, and the control unit distinguishes between areas in the room in which the self-propelled equipment can and cannot move based on position information that indicates the position where the self-propelled equipment traveled when there are no people in the room, and determines the presence or absence of people in the room by determining that a heat source detected by the infrared sensor within the area in which the self-propelled equipment can move is a person .

In addition, the self-propelled device of the present disclosure is a self-propelled device capable of communicating with an air conditioner equipped with a human presence sensor for detecting people present in a room in which the self-propelled device is installed, and the self-propelled device is equipped with a control unit that determines the presence or absence of people in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, and controls whether or not to permit travel within the room based on the determination result.

According to the present disclosure, the movement of self-propelled equipment can be appropriately controlled indoors.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an indoor space in which an air conditioner according to a first embodiment is installed; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a thermal image of an indoor space according to the first embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a self-propelled device that travels in an indoor space according to a first embodiment; 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a device cooperation system according to a first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation timing control process according to the first embodiment. 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of a method for detecting a person in an indoor space according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a detailed example of the configuration of a device cooperation system according to a second embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a person detection process according to the second embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of area information generation processing according to the third embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
First, the first embodiment will be described.
An overview of a device linkage system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. The device linkage system 1 according to the present embodiment includes an air conditioner 100 including an indoor unit 200, an outdoor unit 300, and a remote control 400 (remote controller), and a self-propelled device 50 (see Figure 4).

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an indoor space 10 in which an air conditioner 100 according to this embodiment is installed. An indoor unit 200 of the air conditioner 100 is installed on the ceiling of the indoor space 10. An outdoor unit 300 of the air conditioner 100 is installed outside the indoor space 10. A remote control 400 for the air conditioner 100 is installed on a wall of the indoor space 10.

In the present disclosure, the air conditioner 100, which includes an indoor unit 200, an outdoor unit 300, and a remote control 400, has the function of cooling or heating an indoor space 10. In addition, in this figure, an example of the indoor unit 200 embedded in the ceiling is shown, but it may also be a ceiling-suspended type, a wall-mounted type, etc.

The indoor space 10 is an example of a typical interior space of an office or office building. For example, the indoor space 10 is provided with desks 2a and 2c that may become obstacles when the self-propelled device 50 moves. In addition, a personal computer 2b is placed on the desk 2c. By sensing the indoor space 10 at a certain regular interval using a human presence sensor 207 provided in an indoor unit 200 installed on the ceiling, it is possible to capture the indoor space 10 as a thermal image.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a thermal image of the indoor space 10 according to this embodiment. The thermal image shown in this figure is an image of a thermal image of the indoor space 10 viewed from the ceiling side where the indoor unit 200 is installed toward the floor surface. The human presence sensor 207 is a sensor represented by an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays to detect a heat source. If a person (a person indicated by the symbol 5) is present in the indoor space 10, the position of the person is detected as a heat source by the human presence sensor 207. As a result, by using the human presence sensor 207 of the indoor unit 200, a thermal image of the entire indoor space 10 can be obtained, so that the presence or absence of people can be determined for the entire indoor space 10 without spending a lot of time.

When the personal computer 2b is running, the personal computer 2b is also detected as a heat source by the human presence sensor 207, as shown in the example of the thermal image in FIG. 2. Since there may be objects other than people that can be heat sources, such as a personal computer (or a monitor, etc.), in the indoor space 10, it is necessary to increase the resolution of the human presence sensor 207 in order to distinguish between people and objects (objects other than people). For example, by using a thermo camera that captures infrared images with high resolution as the human presence sensor 207, it is possible to detect the shape of the heat source and distinguish between people and objects. In addition, by using a camera that captures visible light images with high resolution as the human presence sensor 207, it is also possible to recognize the face or shape of a person and distinguish between people and objects.

Here, if the resolution of the human presence sensor 207 is increased, the accuracy of human detection increases, but the processing power during sensing and the cost of the sensor increase. Therefore, in the present disclosure, even if an infrared sensor with a low resolution is used as the human presence sensor 207, the air conditioner 100 can accurately detect people by working in cooperation with the self-propelled device 50.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a self-propelled device 50 traveling in an indoor space 10 according to this embodiment. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the self-propelled device 50 automatically travels on the floor surface of the indoor space 10, so that the position of an obstacle on the floor surface of the indoor space 10 can be grasped. An obstacle is an object that impedes the presence of a person, and in the illustrated example, desks 2a and 2c correspond to the obstacles. By correcting or interpolating the thermal image shown in Figure 2 by assuming the position of the obstacle in this indoor space 10 as a place where a person cannot be present, it is possible to accurately detect a person even when it is difficult to distinguish between a person and an object using only the thermal image. The configuration in which the air conditioner 100 detects a person in cooperation with the self-propelled device 50 will be described in detail in the second embodiment.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the air conditioner 100 and the self-propelled device 50 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. In the air conditioner 100, the indoor unit 200, the outdoor unit 300, and the remote control 400 are also configured to be able to communicate with each other. In this figure, the outdoor unit 300 and the remote control 400 are configured to communicate with the indoor unit 200 without directly communicating with each other, but they may also be configured to be able to communicate directly with each other.

Communication between devices can be achieved using wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Note that communication between devices is not limited to the above communication means, and any communication means can be used. For example, communication within the air conditioner 100 is not limited to wireless communication, and some or all of it may be wired communication.

The air conditioner 100 determines whether or not a person is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207 provided in the indoor unit 200. For example, the control unit 402 provided in the remote control 400 determines whether or not a person is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207 provided in the indoor unit 200. Then, the control unit 402 controls whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result of the presence or absence of a person.

For example, if the self-propelled device 50 is a self-propelled cleaning robot, it is preferable to have the self-propelled device 50 run when no one is present in the indoor space 10, rather than when a person is present. Therefore, when the control unit 402 determines that no one is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, it permits the self-propelled device 50 to run. This allows the self-propelled device 50 to run without interfering with people's activities, improving the range of movement and work efficiency (e.g., cleaning work efficiency) of the self-propelled device 50.

In this way, the device linkage system 1 determines the presence or absence of people from thermal images acquired by the human presence sensor 207 conventionally installed in the indoor unit 200, and determines the timing to operate the self-propelled device 50 based on the determination result.

In the above example, the control unit 402 of the remote control 400 determines whether or not people are present in the indoor space 10 and controls whether or not to allow the self-propelled equipment 50 to move, but at least some of the functions of the control unit 402 may be provided in the indoor unit 200, the outdoor unit 300, or the self-propelled equipment 50.

Next, referring to Figure 5, the operation of the operation timing control process in the device linkage system 1, which uses the human presence sensor 207 of the air conditioner 100 to determine the presence or absence of a person and controls the timing of operating the self-propelled device 50, will be described.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation timing control process according to this embodiment. Note that at the start of this process, it is assumed that the self-propelled device 50 is prohibited from traveling.

(Step S101) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) acquires the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. Then, the process proceeds to step S103.

(Step S103) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) determines whether or not a person is present in the indoor space 10 based on the acquired detection result of the human presence sensor 207. For example, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) determines whether or not a person is present in the indoor space 10 from a thermal image of the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. Then, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) controls whether or not to allow the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result of the presence or absence of a person in the indoor space 10. For example, if the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) determines that a person is present in the indoor space 10 (YES), it maintains the state in which the self-propelled device 50 is prohibited from traveling and returns to the processing of step S101. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) determines that a person is absent in the indoor space 10 (NO), it proceeds to the processing of step S105.

(Step S105) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) permits the self-propelled device 50 to travel. As a result, the self-propelled device 50 starts traveling in the indoor space 10.

As described above, the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment comprises a self-propelled device 50 and an air conditioner 100 that are capable of communicating with each other. The self-propelled device 50 is a device that is capable of traveling in an indoor space 10 (an example of a room) in which the air conditioner 100 is installed. The air conditioner 100 is equipped with a human presence sensor 207 for detecting people present in the indoor space 10. The air conditioner 100 then determines whether or not people are present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, and controls whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result.

As a result, the device linkage system 1 can accurately determine the presence or absence of people in the indoor space 10 in a short period of time by utilizing the human presence sensor 207 provided in the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the indoor unit 200), and can appropriately control the travel of the self-propelled device 50 depending on the presence or absence of people in the indoor space 10.

For example, when the air conditioner 100 determines that no one is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, it allows the self-propelled equipment 50 to move.

As a result, the device linkage system 1 can drive the self-propelled device 50 without interfering with people's activities or being hindered by people, improving the range of motion and work efficiency of the self-propelled device 50. Therefore, the device linkage system 1 can appropriately control the driving of the self-propelled device 50 in the indoor space 10.

As an example, the self-propelled device 50 is a self-propelled cleaning robot. In this case, the device linkage system 1 causes the self-propelled cleaning robot to travel when no one is present, so that cleaning can be performed automatically without interfering with human activities, and cleaning can be performed without being disturbed by people, improving the efficiency of cleaning work.

The self-propelled device 50 may be a self-propelled guide robot that provides guidance to visitors. In this case, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) may permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel when it determines that a person is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. On the other hand, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the control unit 402) may prohibit the self-propelled device 50 from traveling when it determines that no person is present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. This allows the device linkage system 1 to efficiently provide guidance to visitors.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the air conditioner 100 cooperates with the self-propelled device 50 to detect a person will be described in detail.

6 is an explanatory diagram of a method for detecting a person in an indoor space 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 6(A) shows an example of the line of the self-propelled device 50 traveling in the indoor space 10. For example, as described in the first embodiment, the self-propelled device 50 automatically travels in the indoor space 10 when no one is present. The self-propelled device 50 generates position information indicating the position where it has traveled by traveling in the indoor space 10. The air conditioner 100 acquires this position information from the self-propelled device 50, and determines an area in the indoor space 10 in which the self-propelled device 50 can travel and an area in which it cannot travel based on the acquired position information. The area in which it cannot travel is, for example, an area other than the area in which it can travel in the indoor space 10. Hereinafter, the area in which the self-propelled device 50 can travel is referred to as a "travelable area", and the area in which the self-propelled device 50 cannot travel is referred to as a "non-travelable area".

The air conditioner 100 determines that the non-travelable area contains an obstacle where a person cannot be present. That is, the air conditioner 100 detects the location of the obstacle located in the indoor space 10 based on the position information of the self-propelled device 50 traveled.

If the obstacle is a shelf such as a locker, the self-propelled device 50 cannot enter the area of the obstacle, and so it is determined to be an area where travel is not possible. Also, if the obstacle is a desk 2a, 2c, as shown in the figure, the self-propelled device 50 may be able to enter underneath it depending on its size or height. Therefore, when the air conditioner 100 detects four or more legs based on the position information of the self-propelled device 50 as it has traveled, it recognizes it as an obstacle such as a desk (or table) and determines that it is an area where travel is not possible.

For example, in the example shown in Figure 6 (A), in the indoor space 10, the area where desk 2a is located and the area where desk 2c is located are determined to be non-drivable areas, and the rest are determined to be drivable areas.

The air conditioner 100 stores area information (region information) indicating drivable areas and non-drivable areas determined based on position information indicating the position where the self-propelled equipment 50 has traveled within the indoor space 10.

Figure 6 (B), like Figure 2, shows an example of a thermal image of the indoor space 10 obtained using the human presence sensor 207 mounted on the indoor unit 200. The air conditioner 100 detects people in the indoor space 10 based on this thermal image and the above-mentioned area information.

For example, the air conditioner 100 determines that, among the heat sources included in the thermal image shown in Fig. 6 (B), the heat source in the non-drivable area (the area where desks 2a and 2c are located) is not a person, and determines that the heat source in the drivable area is a person (the human heat source indicated by reference symbol 5). In this way, the air conditioner 100 can determine the presence or absence of a person in the indoor space 10 by determining that the heat source detected by the human presence sensor 207 in the drivable area is a person based on the thermal image from the human presence sensor 207 and the area information from the self-propelled device 50.

In addition, since a moving heat source can be recognized as the heat source of something that moves, such as a person, it is also possible to feed back the movement of the heat source into the area information to correct the distinction between a drivable area where people may be present and an undrivable area where obstacles are located. By repeatedly interpolating the thermal image and the area information, the air conditioner 100 can thoroughly learn the location of obstacles, etc. For example, when the air conditioner 100 detects a heat source other than an obstacle, it can recognize that it is the presence of something that moves, such as a person, making it possible to efficiently distinguish between people and other objects.

In addition, when the air conditioner 100 detects a person in the indoor space 10, it can send air from the indoor unit 200 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6 (C) to send air in the direction of the detected person (hereinafter referred to as the "wind blowing function"). This allows the air conditioner 100 to provide control corresponding to a user who wants to directly receive the air of cooling or heating. In addition, when the air conditioner 100 detects a person in the indoor space 10, it can also send air in a direction avoiding the direction of the detected person (hereinafter referred to as the "wind shielding function"). This allows the air conditioner 100 to provide control corresponding to a user who does not want to directly receive the air of cooling or heating. In this way, the air conditioner 100 can accurately detect a person by linking with the self-propelled device 50 and accurately perform the wind blowing function or wind shielding function, so that it can efficiently provide comfortable control to the user.

In addition, the more this series of controls is used, the more accurate it becomes, making it possible to detect people earlier. By using it more and more, it becomes possible to quickly provide the optimal environment for each user.

Next, the configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.
7 is a block diagram showing a detailed example of the configuration of the device cooperation system 1 according to the embodiment. In this Fig. 7, components corresponding to those in Fig. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The outdoor unit 300 includes an indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 301 and an outdoor dip switch (DIP-SW) 302. The indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 301 controls communication with the indoor unit 200. The outdoor dip switch 302 is an operator that sets the operation mode of the air conditioner 100.

The indoor unit 200 is equipped with an indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 201, a transmitting/receiving unit 202, an indoor control unit 203, a human presence sensor 207, an up/down air direction control unit 208, up/down vanes 209, a left/right air direction control unit 211, left/right louvers 212, etc.

The indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 201 controls communication with the outdoor unit 300. The transmitting/receiving unit 202 controls communication with the remote control 400. As described above, the human presence sensor 207 is a sensor for detecting people in the indoor space 10, and is a sensor typified by an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays and detects a heat source. The up/down air direction control unit 208 changes the direction of the air blown out from the indoor unit 200 to up or down by controlling the up/down vanes 209. The left/right air direction control unit 211 changes the direction of the air blown out from the indoor unit 200 to left or right by controlling the left/right louvers 212.

The indoor control unit 203 controls each part of the indoor unit 200. For example, the indoor control unit 203 includes a human body information management unit 204, an area management unit 205, and a wind direction control management unit 206. The human body information management unit 204 detects the position of a person present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. The area management unit 205 determines the area where a person is present among the target areas to which the indoor unit 200 blows air, based on the position detected by the human body information management unit 204.

When the wind direction control management unit 206 is enabled, it instructs the up/down wind direction control unit 208 and the left/right wind direction control unit 211 to blow air in the direction of the area where people are present. On the other hand, when the wind shield function is enabled, it instructs the up/down wind direction control unit 208 and the left/right wind direction control unit 211 to blow air in a direction other than the area where people are present.

Here, when detecting the position of a person present in the indoor space 10, the human body information management unit 204 does not detect only based on the detection result of the human sensor 207, but detects in cooperation with the self-propelled device 50. Specifically, the human body information management unit 204 acquires a thermal image of the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human sensor 207, and transmits the acquired thermal image of the indoor space 10 to the remote control 400 via the transmission/reception unit 202. Then, the human body information management unit 204 acquires position information indicating the position of a person in the indoor space 10 detected in the remote control 400 based on the thermal image of the indoor space 10 and area information stored in the storage unit 409 described later from the remote control 400 via the transmission/reception unit 202. The area information is, as described above, information indicating a drivable area and a non-drivable area determined based on the position where the self-propelled device 50 has traveled.

The human body information management unit 204 may acquire the above-mentioned area information from the remote control 400. The human body information management unit 204 may itself detect the position of a person in the indoor space 10 based on the thermal image by the human presence sensor 207 and the acquired area information.

In this way, the human body information management unit 204 detects the position of a person in the indoor space 10 based on the thermal image from the human presence sensor 207 and the area information from the self-propelled device 50. Note that if the remote control 400 cannot generate area information, the human body information management unit 204 may detect the position of a person present in the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207 without using the area information.

The remote control 400 includes a transmission/reception unit 401, a remote control control unit 402, a transmission/reception unit 406, an operation unit 407, a memory unit 409, a display unit 410, etc. The transmission/reception unit 401 controls communication with the indoor unit 200. The transmission/reception unit 406 controls communication with the self-propelled device 50. The operation unit 407 includes a plurality of hard buttons 408 that accept user operations on the air conditioner 100. By operating the operation unit 407, the user can instruct the start and stop of operation, the set temperature, the air volume, etc. The display unit 410 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and is configured to be integrated with a backlight 412, for example.

The remote control control unit 402 has a configuration corresponding to the control unit 402 shown in Figure 4. For example, the remote control control unit 402 includes an operation management unit 403, a person position information management unit 404, an adjustment area management unit 405, etc.

The adjustment area management unit 405 acquires location information indicating the location where the self-propelled device 50 has traveled from the self-propelled device 50 via the transmission/reception unit 406. Then, the adjustment area management unit 405 distinguishes between drivable areas and non-drivable areas based on the acquired location information, generates area information indicating the distinguished drivable areas and non-drivable areas, and stores it in the memory unit 409. The adjustment area management unit 405 may transmit the generated area information to the indoor unit 200 via the transmission/reception unit 401 in response to a request from the indoor unit 200.

The human position information management unit 404 acquires a thermal image of the indoor space 10 from the indoor unit 200, and detects people in the indoor space 10 based on the acquired thermal image and the above-mentioned area information. For example, the human position information management unit 404 determines that, among the heat sources contained in the thermal image, heat sources in non-drivable areas are not people, and determines that heat sources in drivable areas are people. That is, the human position information management unit 404 detects people in the indoor space 10 by determining that heat sources detected by the human presence sensor 207 in the drivable area are people. In this way, the human position information management unit 404 determines the presence or absence of people in the indoor space 10 based on the thermal image from the human presence sensor 207 and the area information from the self-propelled device 50.

In addition, when the human position information management unit 404 determines that a person is present in the indoor space 10, it transmits position information indicating the position of the heat source detected by the human presence sensor 207 within the drivable area to the indoor unit 200 via the transmission/reception unit 401 as position information indicating the position of the person detected in the indoor space 10.

The driving management unit 403 controls whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel. For example, when it is determined that no one is present in the indoor space 10, the driving management unit 403 transmits driving permission information permitting the self-propelled device 50 to travel to the self-propelled device 50 via the transmission/reception unit 406. In addition, when it is determined that a person is present in the indoor space 10, the driving management unit 403 transmits driving prohibition information prohibiting the self-propelled device 50 from traveling to the self-propelled device 50 via the transmission/reception unit 406.

The self-propelled device 50 includes a transmission/reception unit 51, a running device 52, a device control unit 53, a sensor 56, etc. The transmission/reception unit 51 controls communication with the remote control 400. The device control unit 53 includes a running control unit 54, a position information generation unit 55, etc. The running control unit 54 controls the running device 52 to control the running of the self-propelled device 50. The running device 52 includes wheels and a motor for running the self-propelled device 50.

For example, when the driving control unit 54 receives driving permission information from the remote control 400 via the transmission/reception unit 51, it controls the driving device 52 to automatically drive the self-propelled device 50. On the other hand, when the driving control unit 54 receives driving prohibition information from the remote control 400 via the transmission/reception unit 51, it controls the driving device 52 to prevent the self-propelled device 50 from driving.

The sensor 56 is configured to include a position detection sensor for detecting the traveling position of the self-propelled device 50, such as a running sensor that detects the rotation of the wheels of the running device 52 and a gyro sensor. The position information generation unit 55 generates position information indicating the position to which the self-propelled device 50 has traveled based on the detection result of the sensor 56. The position information generation unit 55 then transmits the generated position information to the remote control 400 via the transmission/reception unit 51.

Next, the operation of a human detection process in which the air conditioner 100 cooperates with the self-propelled device 50 to detect a human will be described with reference to FIG. 8 .
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a person detection process according to this embodiment.

(Step S201) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control control unit 402) acquires the detection result of the human presence sensor 207 from the indoor unit 200. Then, the process proceeds to step S203.

(Step S203) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines whether or not a heat source is present from a thermal image of the indoor space 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. If the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that there is no heat source (NO), it proceeds to processing of step S211. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that there is a heat source (YES), it proceeds to processing of step S205.

(Step S205) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) refers to the area information and determines whether the location of the heat source is in a drivable area. If the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that the location of the heat source is in a drivable area (YES), it proceeds to processing of step S207. On the other hand, if the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that the location of the heat source is in a non-drivable area (NO), it proceeds to processing of step S209.

(Step S207) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that the heat source is a person, determines that the position of the heat source is a position where a person is present, and ends the process. As a result, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) detects the presence of a person in the indoor space 10.

(Step S209) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that the position of the heat source is a position where an obstacle is present. Then, processing proceeds to step S211.

(Step S211) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control control unit 402) determines that no one is present in the indoor space 10 and terminates the processing.

As described above, in the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment, the human presence sensor 207 provided in the indoor unit 200 is an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays to detect a heat source. The air conditioner 100 distinguishes between drivable areas and non-drivable areas in the indoor space 10 based on position information indicating the position to which the self-propelled device 50 has traveled when no one is present in the indoor space 10. The air conditioner 100 then determines whether a person is present or absent in the indoor space 10 by determining that a heat source detected by the human presence sensor 207 (infrared sensor) in the drivable area is a person.

As a result, the device linkage system 1 can accurately detect people based on whether the location of the heat source is in an area where the self-propelled device 50 can travel or cannot travel, even if the heat source is a heat source for which it is difficult to determine whether it is a person using only the human presence sensor 207 (infrared sensor). Therefore, the device linkage system 1 can improve the accuracy of detecting people in the indoor space 10. Furthermore, by having the self-propelled device 50 travel when no people are present in the indoor space 10, the device linkage system 1 can accurately distinguish between areas where the self-propelled device 50 can travel and areas where the self-propelled device cannot travel.

For example, the air conditioner 100 determines that the non-travelable area contains an obstacle that prevents people from being present. This allows the device linkage system 1 to detect people separately from obstacles such as desks and shelves, and therefore to accurately detect people in the indoor space 10.

As an example, the self-propelled device 50 is a self-propelled cleaning robot. As a result, the device linkage system 1 kills two birds with one stone by moving the self-propelled device 50 in the indoor space 10, not only determining which areas can be reached and which areas cannot be reached (areas where obstacles are located), but also automatically cleaning the area.

Note that, although a detailed example of the configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment has been described with reference to FIG. 7, this configuration is only one example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, at least a part of the configuration provided in the remote control control unit 402 may be provided in the indoor unit 200, the outdoor unit 300, or the self-propelled device 50. In other words, the configuration for detecting a person in the indoor space 10 may be mainly performed by any of the indoor unit 200, the outdoor unit 300, the remote control 400, or the self-propelled device 50.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the timing of generating area information by driving the self-propelled device 50 will be described. Note that the basic configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment can be the configurations described in the first and second embodiments.

As described in the first embodiment, the air conditioner 100 may generate area information by driving the self-propelled device 50 when it determines that no one is present in the indoor space 10, but may also generate area information by driving the self-propelled device 50 at a time (such as a time of day or a time period) that is preset by the user.

The time for which the self-propelled device 50 is to travel can be set in advance, for example, by the user operating the remote control 400. The settable time may be, for example, a time of day or a time period.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the area information generating process according to the present embodiment.

(Step S301) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines whether it is a preset time (such as a time of day or a time period) or whether there is no one present in the indoor space 10. If the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that it is a preset time or that there is no one present in the indoor space 10 (YES), it proceeds to processing of step S303. On the other hand, if it is not a preset time and there is no one present in the indoor space 10 (NO), the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) performs processing of step S301 again while prohibiting the self-propelled device 50 from traveling.

(Step S303), the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) allows the self-propelled equipment 50 to travel and proceeds to processing of step S305.

(Step S305) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) acquires location information indicating the location to which the self-propelled device 50 has traveled from the self-propelled device 50. Then, the process proceeds to step S307.

(Step S307) The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) generates area information by distinguishing between drivable areas and non-drivable areas based on the position information indicating the position where the self-propelled device 50 has traveled. The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) also stores the generated area information in the memory unit 409.

As described above, in the device linkage system 1 of this embodiment, the air conditioner 100 controls whether or not to allow the self-propelled device 50 to move based on information related to a preset time and the result of determining whether or not people are present in the indoor space 10.

In this way, the device linkage system 1 can set a time, such as a time or a time period, in advance in the air conditioner 100, and can run the self-propelled device 50 at the set time. Therefore, the device linkage system 1 can plan times when no one is present and run the self-propelled device 50 during late night hours, during which time it can detect obstacles and obtain area information. Furthermore, as long as the device linkage system 1 detects that no one is present, it can run the self-propelled device 50 efficiently when no one is present, regardless of the time, and can obtain area information efficiently.

Furthermore, when the self-propelled device 50 is a cleaning robot, the device linkage system 1 can set a time, such as a time or a time period, in advance in the air conditioner 100 to plan a time when no one is present and run the self-propelled device 50 to clean during late night hours, etc. Furthermore, if the device linkage system 1 detects that no one is present, it can run the self-propelled device 50 efficiently to clean when no one is present, regardless of the time.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In offices and office buildings, the layout of the room is sometimes changed. In this embodiment, when the arrangement of an obstacle in the indoor space 10 is changed, the air conditioner 100 detects the obstacle and changes and updates the area information. Note that the basic configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment can be the configuration described in the first and second embodiments.

As described in the second and third embodiments, the air conditioner 100 generates area information indicating drivable areas and non-drivable areas determined based on position information indicating the position where the self-propelled equipment 50 has traveled within the indoor space 10, and stores the area information in the memory unit 409.

Furthermore, when the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) determines that there has been a change in at least a portion of the drivable area or non-drivable area with respect to the area information previously stored in the memory unit 409, it generates and updates the area information by again causing the self-propelled device 50 to drive through the indoor space 10. Specifically, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) again causes the self-propelled device 50 to drive through the indoor space 10, thereby determining whether the area is drivable or non-drivable, and updates the area information stored in the memory unit 409 based on the determination result.

The process of updating area information may be a process of replacing existing area information with newly generated area information, or a process of leaving the existing area information and adding and storing the newly generated area information.

This enables the device linkage system 1 to also accommodate occasional layout changes in offices, office buildings, etc. For example, when the device linkage system 1 detects that a layout change has occurred in the indoor space 10 based on the running position of the self-propelled device 50 or the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, it can reset the previous area information as necessary and run the self-propelled device 50 again to generate area information, reducing the difficulty in using the layout of the office or office building.

Depending on the amount of layout change or the content of the layout change, the device linkage system 1 may use the area information from the previous time as is without resetting it.

Fifth embodiment
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the self-propelled device 50 is equipped with a camera will be described. Note that the basic configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment can be the configurations described in the first and second embodiments.

For example, the self-propelled device 50 may be equipped with a camera that captures visible light images or a thermo camera that captures infrared images. The self-propelled device 50 may detect the position of an obstacle located in the indoor space 10 based on the images captured by these cameras.

The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) acquires from the self-propelled device 50 position information indicating an image captured by the camera of the self-propelled device 50 or the position of an obstacle detected from the image. The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) then generates area information by determining drivable areas in the indoor space 10 where the self-propelled device 50 can travel and non-drivable areas where the self-propelled device 50 cannot travel, based on the position information indicating the position of the obstacle detected based on the image captured by the camera.

In addition, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) may generate area information by determining drivable areas in the indoor space 10 where the self-propelled equipment 50 can travel and non-drivable areas where the self-propelled equipment 50 cannot travel, based on either or both of position information indicating the position where the self-propelled equipment 50 has traveled within the indoor space 10 and position information indicating the position of an obstacle detected based on an image captured by a camera.

In this way, the self-propelled device 50 can quickly detect obstacles located in the indoor space 10 by mounting a camera or a thermal camera. In addition, the self-propelled device 50 can also interpolate the thermal image captured by the human presence sensor 207 by mounting a thermal camera. This makes it possible to increase the resolution of the thermal image itself.

Sixth embodiment
Next, a sixth embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the self-propelled device 50 is equipped with a temperature sensor will be described. Note that the basic configuration of the device linkage system 1 according to this embodiment can be the configurations described in the first and second embodiments.

For example, the self-propelled device 50 includes a temperature sensor and a temperature detection unit that generates temperature data that associates the temperature detected by the temperature sensor with the detection position while traveling in the indoor space 10. The air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) may acquire the temperature data generated by the self-propelled device 50 and use it for air conditioning control. For example, the air conditioner 100 (e.g., the remote control unit 402) may acquire the position of the heat source in the indoor space 10 or the temperature distribution of the indoor space 10 based on a thermal image of the heat source detected by the human presence sensor 207 (infrared sensor) and the temperature data acquired from the self-propelled device 50.

This allows the device linkage system 1 to check the map of floor surface temperatures in the area where the self-propelled device 50 is traveling, and by interpolating the thermal image of the human presence sensor 207, it is possible to more accurately check how warm the floor is. This makes it possible to achieve, for example, power saving during heating.

Each embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and it is possible to combine the embodiments or modify or omit the embodiments as appropriate.

In the above embodiment, a configuration example in which the air conditioner 100 and the self-propelled device 50 communicate directly has been described, but the air conditioner 100 and the self-propelled device 50 may also communicate via a mobile terminal. A mobile terminal is a general-purpose mobile device used by a user, such as a smartphone or a tablet PC. This mobile terminal may display location information indicating the location where the self-propelled device 50 has traveled, or drivable areas and non-drivable areas.

In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 100 determines whether or not a person is present in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, and controls whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result, but this is not limited to the configuration. For example, the self-propelled device 50 may control whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result of the air conditioner 100 determining whether or not a person is present in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207. The self-propelled device 50 may also determine whether or not a person is present in the room based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 207, and control whether or not to permit the self-propelled device 50 to travel based on the determination result.

In addition, the air conditioner 100 in the above embodiment has been shown as an example of a configuration in which one indoor unit 200 is connected to one outdoor unit 300, but it may also be configured in such a way that multiple indoor units 200 are connected to one outdoor unit 300.

In addition, a program for realizing the functions of the control units of each device of the air conditioner 100 or the self-propelled device 50 (e.g., the indoor control unit 203, the remote control unit 402, the device control unit 53) may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to process the control units of each device. Note that the term "computer system" here includes hardware such as the OS and peripheral devices.

Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" includes those that dynamically hold a program for a short period of time, such as a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, and those that hold a program for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory inside a computer system that serves as a server or client in such cases. The above program may be one that realizes part of the above-mentioned functions, or one that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. The above program may also be stored in a specified server, and the program may be distributed (downloaded, etc.) via a communication line in response to a request from another device.

In addition, some or all of the functions of the control units of each device (e.g., the indoor control unit 203, the remote control unit 402, the device control unit 53) may be realized as an integrated circuit such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration). Each function may be individually processed, or some or all of the functions may be integrated into a processor. The integrated circuit method is not limited to LSI, and may be realized using a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology, an integrated circuit using that technology may be used.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Device linkage system 10 Indoor space 50 Self-propelled device 51 Transmitting/receiving unit 52 Traveling device 53 Device control unit 54 Traveling control unit 55 Position information generation unit 56 Sensor 100 Air conditioner 200 Indoor unit 201 Indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 202 Transmitting/receiving unit 203 Indoor control unit 204 Human body information management unit 205 Area management unit 206 Air direction control management unit 207 Human presence sensor 208 Up/down air direction control unit 209 Up/down vane 211 Left/right air direction control unit 212 Left/right louver 300 Outdoor unit 301 Indoor/outdoor transmitting/receiving unit 302 Outdoor dip switch 400 Remote control 401 Transmitting/receiving unit 402 Remote control control unit 403 Operation management unit 404 Human position information management unit 405 Adjusted area management unit 406 Transmitting/receiving unit 407 Operation unit 408 Hard button 409 Memory unit 410 Display unit 412 Backlight

Claims (8)

A device linkage system including a self-propelled device and an air conditioner that can communicate with each other,
The self-propelled device is a device capable of traveling within a room in which the air conditioner is installed,
The air conditioner includes a human presence sensor for detecting a person present in the room,
The self-propelled equipment or the air conditioner is
a control unit that determines whether a person is present in the room based on a detection result of the human presence sensor, and when it determines that a person is absent in the room, allows the self-propelled device to travel ;
Equipped with
The human presence sensor is an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays to detect a heat source,
The control unit is
determining whether a person is present or absent in the room by determining whether an area in the room is travellable by the self-propelled device and an area in the room where the self-propelled device cannot travel based on position information indicating a position where the self-propelled device has traveled when no person is present in the room, and determining whether a heat source detected by the infrared sensor in the area in which the self-propelled device can travel is a person;
Device linkage system. The control unit is
determining that an obstacle that does not allow a person to be present is present in an area in which the self-propelled device cannot travel;
The device linkage system according to claim 1 . The control unit is
storing area information indicating an area in which the self-propelled device can travel and an area in which the self-propelled device cannot travel, the area information being determined based on position information indicating a position in which the self-propelled device has traveled within the room, in a storage unit;
when it is determined that there has been a change in the area information stored in the storage unit to an area in which the self-propelled device can travel or an area in which the self-propelled device cannot travel, the self-propelled device is caused to travel within the room again to determine whether the self-propelled device can travel or an area in which the self-propelled device cannot travel, and the area information stored in the storage unit is updated based on the determination result;
The device linkage system according to claim 1 or 2 . the self-propelled device is equipped with a camera for capturing visible light images or infrared images;
Detecting a position of an obstacle disposed in the room based on an image captured by the camera;
The control unit is
determining an area within the room where the self-propelled device can travel and an area where the self-propelled device cannot travel based on either or both of position information indicating a position where the self-propelled device has traveled within the room and position information indicating a position of an obstacle detected based on an image captured by the camera;
The device linkage system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The self-propelled device comprises:
A temperature sensor;
a temperature detection unit that generates temperature data in which the temperature detected by the temperature sensor while the vehicle is traveling in the room is associated with a detection position;
Equipped with
The control unit is
acquiring a position of the heat source in the room or a temperature distribution in the room based on the heat source detected by the infrared sensor and the temperature data;
The device linkage system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The control unit is
controlling whether or not to permit the self-propelled device to travel based on information relating to a preset time and a result of determining whether a person is present or absent in the room;
The device linkage system according to claim 1 . The self-propelled device is a self-propelled cleaning robot.
The device linkage system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . An air conditioner capable of communicating with a self-propelled device,
The air conditioner includes:
A human presence sensor for detecting a person present in a room in which the sensor is installed;
a control unit that determines whether a person is present in the room based on a detection result of the human presence sensor, and when it is determined that a person is absent in the room, allows the self-propelled device to travel ;
Equipped with
The human presence sensor is an infrared sensor that receives infrared rays to detect a heat source,
The control unit is
determining whether a person is present or absent in the room by determining whether an area in the room is travellable by the self-propelled device and an area in the room where the self-propelled device cannot travel based on position information indicating a position where the self-propelled device has traveled when no person is present in the room, and determining whether a heat source detected by the infrared sensor in the area in which the self-propelled device can travel is a person;
Air conditioner.

Images