CONTROL APPARATUS AND PROGRAM

• US 20150233594A1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mise, Atsushi, Abe, Yuka
• Granted Patent: US 10,072,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0006 using low temperature external supply air to assist cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

A comparison unit compares the outside air temperature in outside air temperature information acquired by an outside air temperature acquisition unit with an outside air temperature threshold that has been set by a threshold setting unit. A first information acquisition unit acquires ON operation information. A device control unit performs passive control when the outside air temperature is in a temperature range on a comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold. Where the outside air temperature is in a temperature range on an uncomfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold, the device control unit performs passive control until an ON operation is performed and performs active control once the ON operation is performed. The passive control involves performing OFF control of the active device and natural environment usage control of a passive device. The active control involves performing ON control of the active device.

Claims

1. A control apparatus configured to control an active device and a passive device which change a room temperature in a target space inside a building, the control apparatus comprising:

an outside air temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire outside air temperature information indicating an outside air temperature outside the building;

a threshold setting unit configured to set an outside air temperature threshold;

a comparison unit configured to compare the outside air temperature in the outside air temperature information acquired by the outside air temperature acquisition unit with the outside air temperature threshold that has been set by the threshold setting unit;

a device control unit configured to selectively perform, based on a comparison result of the comparison unit, first control by which OFF control is performed on the active device and natural environment usage control which changes the room temperature by using at least one of outside air and external light is performed on the passive device, or second control by which ON control is performed on the active device; and

an operation information acquisition unit configured to acquire ON operation information indicating that an ON operation for setting ON the active device has been performed, wherein

the device control unit is configured to perform the first control when the outside air temperature is within a temperature range on a comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold, and perform the first control until the ON operation information is acquired by the operation information acquisition unit and perform the second control upon acquisition of the ON operation information by the operation information acquisition unit when the outside air temperature is in a temperature range on an uncomfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to set the outside air temperature threshold based on an environment evaluation value including at least one of a thermal insulation evaluation value, a light utilization evaluation value, and a ventilation evaluation value relating to the building.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to determine the environment evaluation value by using at least one of a heat loss coefficient and an equivalent gap surface area of the building, and sets the outside air temperature threshold based on the environment evaluation value.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to determine the environment evaluation value by using a ratio of a surface area of an opening to a surface area of an outer wall in the building, and set the outside air temperature threshold based on the environment evaluation value.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the outside air temperature reaches the temperature range on the comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold while the second control is performed, the device control unit is configured to switch from the second control to the first control with a time delay determined according to the environment evaluation value.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the ON operation is performed while the first control is performed, the device control unit is configured to switch from the first control to the second control, and return to the first control after a predetermined time elapses since the second control has been started.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to reset the outside air temperature threshold to a temperature on a comfortable side when the ON operation is performed a first specified number of times or more, in a first predetermined period of time while the first control is performed.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the passive device is an automatic window and an external light shielding device installed in an opening of the building, and

the device control unit is configured to perform opening control on the automatic window and the external light shielding device when a person is present in the target space, but performs closing control on the automatic window and the external light shielding device when a person is not present in the target space, while the first control is performed.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the passive device is an external light shielding device installed in an opening of the building, and

the device control unit is configured to perform opening-closing control corresponding to a time slot on the external light shielding device in wintertime.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the passive device performs an operation, which is different from control contents of the first control, a second specified number of times or more, within a second predetermined period of time while the first control is performed, the device control unit is configured to stop the control of the passive device with the control contents in a time slot in which the different operation has been performed.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the passive device performs an operation, which is different from control contents of the first control, while the first control is performed,

the device control unit is configured to perform return control for returning to the operation with the control contents after a return time elapses since the different operation has been performed, and

when the passive device performs the different operation a third specified number of times or more, within a third predetermined period of time,

the device control unit is configured to set the return time such as to include a time slot in which the different operation has been performed.

12. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the active device is configured to change the room temperature by cooling or warming air inside the target space by using energy, and

the passive device is configured to change the room temperature by using at least one of outside air and external light.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the active device is configured to change the room temperature by cooling or warming the air inside the target space such that the room temperature becomes a set temperature.

15. The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to determine the environment evaluation value by using a ratio of a surface area of an opening to a surface area of an outer wall in the building, and set the outside air temperature threshold based on the environment evaluation value.

16. The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the outside air temperature reaches the temperature range on the comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold while the second control is performed, the device control unit is configured to switch from the second control to the first control with a time delay determined according to the environment evaluation value.

17. The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the outside air temperature reaches the temperature range on the comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold while the second control is performed, the device control unit is configured to switch from the second control to the first control with a time delay determined according to the environment evaluation value.

18. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the ON operation is performed while the first control is performed, the device control unit is configured to switch from the first control to the second control, and return to the first control after a predetermined time elapses since the second control has been started.

19. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold setting unit is configured to reset the outside air temperature threshold to a temperature on a comfortable side when the ON operation is performed a first specified number of times or more, in a first predetermined period of time while the first control is performed.

20. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the passive device is an automatic window and an external light shielding device installed in an opening of the building, and

the device control unit is configured to perform opening control on the automatic window and the external light shielding device when a person is present in the target space, but performs closing control on the automatic window and the external light shielding device when a person is not present in the target space, while the first control is performed.

14. A program that causes a computer to control an active device and a passive device which change a room temperature in a target space inside a building, the program causing the computer to function as:

an outside air temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire outside air temperature information indicating an outside air temperature outside the building;

a threshold setting unit configured to set an outside air temperature threshold;

a comparison unit configured to compare the outside air temperature in the outside air temperature information acquired by the outside air temperature acquisition unit with the outside air temperature threshold that has been set by the threshold setting unit;

an operation information acquisition unit configured to acquire ON operation information indicating that an ON operation for setting ON the active device has been performed; and

a device control unit that has a function of selectively performing, based on a comparison result of the comparison unit, first control by which OFF control is performed on the active device and natural environment usage control which changes the room temperature by using at least one of outside air and external light is performed on the passive device, or second control by which ON control is performed on the active device, the device control unit being configured to perform the first control when the outside air temperature is within a temperature range on a comfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold, and perform the first control until the ON operation information is acquired by the operation information acquisition unit and perform the second control upon acquisition of the ON operation information by the operation information acquisition unit when the outside air temperature is in a temperature range on an uncomfortable side with respect to the outside air temperature threshold.