Air-conditioning control system using sound waves

• US 10,072,867 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Isono, Taku, Miyajima, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruby, Travis
• Application Number:
  US14/610,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20150219353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 236 1 B, 165237
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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: H01L 2224/14 of a plurality of bump connectors

Abstract

An air-conditioning control system, which controls a central-type air-conditioning system, includes a plurality of auxiliary controllers respectively set in a plurality of areas and a main controller capable of communicating with each auxiliary controller. Each auxiliary controller includes a sound wave receiving unit, which receive sound waves that are outputted from a portable apparatus capable of outputting sound waves, and a sound wave strength information transmitting unit which transmits, to the main controller, sound wave strength information indicating sound wave reception strength. By the main controller, a first operating mode is set for at least a single area in which the auxiliary controller of a transmission source for specific sound wave strength information, which indicates a sound wave strength that is a predetermined threshold or higher is set, and a second operating mode is set for at least one of the remaining areas.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning control system for controlling a central-type air-conditioning system capable of performing conditioning in a first operating mode and conditioning in a second operating mode having lower energy consumption than the first operating mode, for each of a plurality of areas of which at least a portion of boundaries is partitioned by an object, the air-conditioning control system comprising:

a plurality of auxiliary controllers that are set in respective areas of the plurality of areas; and

a main controller that is capable of communicating with each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers;

each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers comprising;

a sound wave receiving unit that receives sound waves that are outputted from a portable apparatus that is capable of outputting sound waves;

a sound wave strength information transmitting unit that transmits sound wave strength information to the main controller, the sound wave strength information indicating sound wave reception strength; and

a processor that receives a time synchronization command transmitted from the main controller and sets a time of a clock so as to be synchronized among the plurality of auxiliary controllers, based on the time synchronization command,

the main controller comprising;

a storage unit that stores therein a predetermined threshold;

an operating mode setting unit that sets the first operating mode for at least a single area in which each of the auxiliary controllers that is a transmission source for specific sound wave strength information indicating a sound wave strength that is the threshold or higher is located, and sets the second operating mode for at least one of any remaining areas; and

a processor that transmits the time synchronization command to each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers.

2. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein

the operating mode setting unit sets an air-conditioning operating mode to the first operating mode for all areas in which each of the auxiliary controllers that is the transmission source of the specific sound wave strength information is set, and sets the air-conditioning operating mode to the second operating mode for any remaining areas.

3. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 2, wherein:

each of the auxiliary controllers repeatedly performs reception of the sound waves by the sound wave receiving unit and transmission of the sound wave strength information to the main controller by the sound wave strength information transmitting unit, at a common timing; and

the operating mode setting unit repeatedly performs setting of the air-conditioning operating mode for each of the plurality of areas.

4. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the auxiliary controllers includes a storage unit that stores therein an area identifier (ID) that identifies an area in which each of the auxiliary controllers is set; and

the sound wave strength information transmitting unit transmits the sound wave strength information, together with the area ID, to the main controller.

5. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 4, wherein the portable apparatus is a mobile phone.

6. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the auxiliary controllers repeatedly performs reception of the sound waves by the sound wave receiving unit and transmission of the sound wave strength information to the main controller by the sound wave strength information transmitting unit, at a common timing; and

the operating mode setting unit repeatedly performs setting of the air-conditioning operating mode for each of the plurality of areas.

7. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the auxiliary controllers includes a storage unit that stores therein an area identifier (ID) that identifies an area in which each of the auxiliary controllers is set; and

the sound wave strength information transmitting unit transmits the sound wave strength information, together with the area ID, to the main controller.

8. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus is a mobile phone.

9. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the sound wave receiving unit receives the sound waves having a predetermined frequency and the sound waves are outputted at a predetermined timing from the portable apparatus that is capable of outputting sound waves.

10. An air-conditioning control system for controlling a central-type air-conditioning system capable of performing conditioning in a first operating mode and conditioning in a second operating mode having lower energy consumption than the first operating mode, for each of a plurality of areas of which at least a portion of boundaries is partitioned by an object, the air-conditioning control system comprising:

a plurality of auxiliary controllers that are set in respective areas of the plurality of areas; and

a main controller that is capable of communicating with each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers,

each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers comprising;

a sound wave receiving unit that receives sound waves that are outputted from an apparatus that is wearable and is capable of outputting sound waves; and

a sound wave strength information transmitting unit that transmits sound wave strength information to the main controller, the sound wave strength information indicating sound wave reception strength; and

a processor that receives a time synchronization command transmitted from the main controller and sets a time of a clock so as to be synchronized among the plurality of auxiliary controllers, based on the time synchronization command,

the main controller comprising;

a storage unit that stores therein a predetermined threshold;

an operating mode setting unit that sets the first operating mode for at least a single area in which each of the auxiliary controllers that is a transmission source for specific sound wave strength information indicating a sound wave strength that is the threshold or higher is located, and sets the second operating mode for at least one of any remaining areas; and

a processor that transmits the time synchronization command to each of the plurality of auxiliary controllers.

11. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 10, wherein the sound wave receiving unit receives the sound waves having a predetermined frequency and the sound waves are outputted at a predetermined timing from the apparatus that is wearable and that is capable of outputting sound waves.