Operational conditioning based on environmental components

• US 10,054,328 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kobori, Hiroko, Gyota, Tomoaki, Nakata, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US14/759,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A control device controls a plurality of equipment items for conditioning the environment in a room. The control device comprises an installation information memory and a space information memory configured to store information regarding the space the environment in which can be conditioned by each of the plurality of equipment items; a target setter configured to set a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location; a unit identifier configured to identify the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location; and a controller configured to select one control pattern based on the power consumption when the control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and control the equipment item with the selected control pattern.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, comprising:

a first storage configured to associate and store as installation information identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

a setter configured to set a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

an identifier configured to identify the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on the installation information; and

a controller configured to select one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the equipment item identified by the identifier so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and control the equipment item identified by the identifier with the selected control pattern;

a second storage configured to associate and store, for each of the plurality of control patterns, a priority rank given in an ascending order of increase in the power consumption when the control according to the control pattern is executed and an execution condition defining a state of the equipment item as a condition for executing the control according to the control pattern; and

a detector configured to detect the state of the equipment item identified by the identifier, wherein

the controller selects from among the plurality of control patterns the control pattern having the highest priority rank among the control patterns the control according to which becomes executable when the state detected by the detector satisfies the execution condition.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

the equipment items are air-conditioning units discharging air-conditioned air to condition the environment, and

the controller selects a control pattern for executing the control minimizing increase in the power consumption from among the plurality of control patterns.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

the controller selects the equipment item based on the power consumption when each of the equipment items is controlled so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier and controls the selected equipment item.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

the controller selects the equipment item of which distance from the target location is the shortest from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier and controls the selected equipment item.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

the second storage associates and stores the priority rank, the control pattern having the priority rank, and an associated pattern presenting details of control executed in association with the control according to the control pattern, and

the controller controls the equipment item according to the control pattern and the associated pattern associated with the control pattern.

6. A control device for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, comprising:

a first storage configured to associate and store as installation information identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

a setter configured to set a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

an identifier configured to identify the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on the installation information; and

a controller configured to select one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the equipment item identified by the identifier so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and control the equipment item identified by the identifier with the selected control pattern;

a second storage configured to store the target locations and target environments set by the setter in the past, wherein

the controller comprises;

a first selector configured to select from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier the equipment item for which the smallest number of target environments contradictory to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items, and

a second selector configured to select from among the plurality of equipment items selected by the first selector the equipment item for which the largest number of target environments agreeing to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items, and

the equipment item selected by the first selector and second selector is controlled.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein

the third storage stores the target locations and target environments set in a given time period of the past, and

the controller controls the equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment only when the target location and target environment that will newly be stored in the third storage are set by the setter.

8. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of equipment items for conditioning the environment in a room; and

a control device for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room comprising

a first storage configured to associate and store as installation information identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item,

a setter configured to set a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location,

an identifier configured to identify the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on the installation information,

a controller configured to select one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the equipment item identified by the identifier so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and control the equipment item identified by the identifier with the selected control pattern,

a second storage configured to associate and store, for each of the plurality of control patterns, a priority rank given in an ascending order of increase in the power consumption when the control according to the control pattern is executed and an execution condition defining a state of the equipment item as a condition for executing the control according to the control pattern, and

a detector configured to detect the state of the equipment item identified by the identifier, wherein

the controller selects from among the plurality of control patterns the control pattern having the highest priority rank among the control patterns the control according to which becomes executable when the state detected by the detector satisfies the execution condition.

9. A control method for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, comprising:

setting a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

identifying the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on installation information for associating identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

selecting one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the identified equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and controlling the identified equipment item with the selected control pattern;

associating, and storing, for each of the plurality of control patterns, a priority rank given in an ascending order of increase in the power consumption when the control according to the control pattern is executed and an execution condition defining a state of the equipment item as a condition for executing the control according to the control pattern;

detecting the state of the identifying of the equipment item; and

selecting from among the plurality of control patterns the control pattern having the highest priority rank among the control patterns the control according to which becomes executable when the state detected by the detector satisfies the execution condition.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, causing a computer to execute procedures of:

setting a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

identifying the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on installation information for associating identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

selecting one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the identified equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and controlling the identified equipment item with the selected control pattern;

associating, and storing, for each of the plurality of control patterns, a priority rank given in an ascending order of increase in the power consumption when the control according to the control pattern is executed and an execution condition defining a state of the equipment item as a condition for executing the control according to the control pattern;

detecting the state of the identifying of the equipment item; and

selecting from among the plurality of control patterns the control pattern having the highest priority rank among the control patterns the control according to which becomes executable when the state detected by the detector satisfies the execution condition.

11. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of equipment items for conditioning the environment in a room; and

a control device for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, comprising;

a first storage configured to associate and store as installation information identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

a setter configured to set a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

an identifier configured to identify the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on the installation information; and

a controller configured to select one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the equipment item identified by the identifier so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and control the equipment item identified by the identifier with the selected control pattern;

a second storage configured to store the target locations and target environments set by the setter in the past, wherein

the controller comprises;

a first selector configured to select from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier the equipment item for which the smallest number of target environments contradictory to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items, and

a second selector configured to select from among the plurality of equipment items selected by the first selector the equipment item for which the largest number of target environments agreeing to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items, and

the equipment item selected by the first selector and second selector is controlled.

12. A control method for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, comprising:

setting a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

identifying the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on installation information for associating identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

selecting one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the identified equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and controlling the identified equipment item with the selected control pattern;

storing the target locations and target environments set by the setter in the past;

selecting from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier the equipment item for which the smallest number of target environments contradictory to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items;

selecting, from among the plurality of equipment items selected, the equipment item for which the largest number of target environments agreeing to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items; and

controlling the equipment item selected.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling a plurality of equipment items for conditioning environment in a room, causing a computer to execute procedures of:

setting a target location in the room and a target environment at the target location;

identifying the equipment item that can condition the environment at the target location based on installation information for associating identification information for identifying the equipment items, a position in the room at which the equipment item is installed, a direction in which the equipment item is installed, and a class for classifying the space in which the environment can be conditioned by the equipment item;

selecting one control pattern based on power consumption when control according to each control pattern is executed from among a plurality of control patterns for controlling the identified equipment item so as to condition the environment at the target location to the target environment and controlling the identified equipment item with the selected control pattern;

storing the target locations and target environments set by the setter in the past;

selecting from among the plurality of equipment items identified by the identifier the equipment item for which the smallest number of target environments contradictory to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items;

selecting, from among the plurality of equipment items selected, the equipment item for which the largest number of target environments agreeing to the current target environment were set in the past among the target environments in the space in which the environment can be conditioned by each of the equipment items; and

controlling the equipment item selected.