Air-conditioning system and controller

• US 10,295,209 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yabunouchi, Nobuaki, Takahashi, Hayato, Muro, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zerphey, Christopher R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weiland, Hans R
• Application Number:
  US14/783,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 165248, 165250, 62262
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/58 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: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption

Abstract

The air-conditioning system includes: an opening/closing device opening and closing an openable portion in an opening of a building; an air-conditioning device performing air-conditioning inside the building by consuming energy for operation; a monitoring device monitoring environmental information regarding the inside and outside of the building; and a controller controlling the opening/closing device and the air-conditioning device based on the environmental information from the monitoring device, date and time information representing a current date and time, building information representing a location condition of the building, and draft information determined by parameters including an opening area and an opening shape in the openable portion. The controller opens the openable portion and stops the air-conditioning device when the outside is more favorable in air environment than the inside, and closes the openable portion and starts the air-conditioning device when the inside is more favorable in air environment than the outside.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning system comprising:

an opening/closing device configured to cause an openable portion provided in an opening formed in a part of a building to switch between an open state of allowing movement of air between an inside and an outside of the building, and a closed state;

an air-conditioning device, separate from the opening/closing device, configured to perform air-conditioning inside the building by consuming energy for operation;

a monitoring device configured to monitor environmental information regarding the inside and the outside of the building; and

a controller configured to control the opening/closing device and the air-conditioning device based on the environmental information obtained from the monitoring device, date and time information representing a current date and time, building information representing a location condition of the building, or draft information for calculating a draft amount of ventilation passing through the opening of the building determined by parameters including an opening area and an opening shape in the openable portion,

the controller being configured to, when a first condition is met, select an energy saving mode of setting the openable portion to the open state and stopping the air-conditioning device,

the controller being configured to, when a second condition is met which is different than the first condition, select an air-conditioning mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state and starting the air-conditioning device, and

the controller further having a cooperation mode of setting the openable portion to the open state and starting the air-conditioning device.

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

the controller includes a clock configured to indicate a current time and a storage device configured to store a time slot determined as a security time slot, and is configured to, while the current time is in the security time slot, select a security mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state, instead of the energy saving mode.

3. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a second detector configured to determine whether a person is present in a lookout region that is set in an area surrounding the building,

the controller being configured to, while determining that a person is present in the lookout region based on a determination result of the second detector, select a security mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state, instead of the energy saving mode.

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

the air-conditioning device includes a function of adjusting temperature inside the building; and

the monitoring device is configured to monitor the environmental information including temperature.

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

the controller is configured to, when selecting the energy saving mode, adjust an opening degree of the openable portion based on the environmental information.

6. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a first detector configured to determine whether a person is present inside the building,

the controller being configured to, in response to determining that a person is absent inside the building based on a determination result of the first detector, select a security mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state, instead of the energy saving mode.

7. The air-conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein

the controller is configured to continue selecting the security mode until the first detector detects a person inside the building.

8. A controller comprising:

a first control unit configured to control an opening/closing device configured to cause an openable portion provided in an opening formed in a part of a building to switch between an open state of allowing movement of air between an inside and an outside of the building, and a closed state;

a second control unit configured to control an air-conditioning device, which is separate from the opening/closing device, configured to perform air-conditioning inside the building by consuming energy for operation;

a first obtaining unit configured to obtain, from a monitoring device configured to monitor environmental information regarding the inside and the outside of the building, the environmental information; and

a processing unit configured to instruct the first control unit and the second control unit to control the opening/closing device and the air-conditioning device based on the environmental information, date and time information representing a current date and time, building information representing a location condition of the building, or draft information for calculating a draft amount of ventilation passing through the opening of the building,

the processing unit being configured to, when a first condition is met, select an energy saving mode of setting the openable portion to the open state and stopping the air-conditioning device, and

the processing unit being configured to, when a second condition is met which is different than the first condition, select an air-conditioning mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state and starting the air-conditioning device, and

the processing unit further having a cooperation mode of setting the openable portion to the open state and starting the air-conditioning device.

9. The controller according to claim 8, wherein

the processing unit is configured to, in response to determining that a person is absent inside the building based on a determination result of a first detector configured to determine whether a person is present inside the building, select a security mode of setting the openable portion to the closed state, instead of the energy saving mode.

10. The controller according to claim 9, wherein

the processing unit is configured to continue selecting the security mode until the first detector detects a person inside the building.