Apparatus control device, apparatus control system, and program for updating apparatus control content based on a skin temperature

• US 9,727,065 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mise, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/388,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 11/58 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 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

An apparatus control system includes a skin temperature measurement device configured to measure a skin temperature, and an apparatus control device that controls a heating-cooling combination apparatus. In the apparatus control device, a storage unit stores a correspondence table (correspondence relationship) between skin temperatures and control contents of the heating-cooling combination apparatus. The apparatus control unit controls the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to a control content stored in the storage unit in association with a first skin temperature that is inputted to an input unit. Thereafter, if a second skin temperature that is newly inputted to the input unit is not included in a comfortable temperature range, the update unit updates the correspondence table stored in the storage unit. In this case, the update unit changes the control content in the correspondence table such that over-control or under-control according to the control content is reduced.

Claims

1. An apparatus control device comprising a processor and a memory for controlling a heating-cooling combination apparatus, the apparatus control device is used together with a skin temperature measurement device, the apparatus control device comprising:

a storage unit configured to store correspondence relationships between skin temperatures and control contents of the heating-cooling combination apparatus;

an input unit configured to receive input of the skin temperature;

an apparatus control unit configured to control the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to a control content stored in the storage unit associated with a first skin temperature that is inputted to the input unit; and

an update unit configured to update the control content associated with the first skin temperature stored in the storage unit,

wherein, when a second skin temperature that is newly inputted to the input unit after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to the control content associated with the first skin temperature is not included in a predetermined comfortable temperature range, the update unit updates the control content associated with the first skin temperature stored in the storage unit such that over-control or under-control of the heating-cooling combination apparatus is reduced when the apparatus control unit controls the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to the updated control content stored in the storage unit associated with the second skin temperature.

2. The apparatus control device according to claim 1, further comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire the correspondence relationships that are to be initially stored in the storage unit from a server.

3. The apparatus control device according to claim 2, further comprising a recognition unit configured to recognize a type of user out of a plurality of predetermined types relating to a thermal sensation, wherein the server is configured to store the correspondence relationships by type, and wherein the acquisition unit is configured to acquire the correspondence relationship corresponding to the type recognized by the recognition unit from the server.

4. The apparatus control device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is configured to store a correspondence relationship for each weather condition.

5. The apparatus control device according to claim 1, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

6. An apparatus control system comprising:

the apparatus control device according to claim 1; and

the skin temperature measurement device configured to measure the skin temperature.

7. The apparatus control system according to claim 1, wherein the skin temperature measurement device is provided in a terminal separate from the apparatus control device.

9. The apparatus control device according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit is configured to store a correspondence relationship for each weather condition.

10. The apparatus control device according to claim 3, wherein the storage unit is configured to store a correspondence relationship for each weather condition.

11. The apparatus control device according to claim 2, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

12. The apparatus control device according to claim 3, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

13. The apparatus control device according to claim 4, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

14. The apparatus control device according to claim 9, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

15. The apparatus control device according to claim 10, wherein the control content is a control width designating a temperature width that is to be added to or subtracted from a set temperature of the heating-cooling combination apparatus, and the update unit:

increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than an upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than a lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to lower the set temperature, increases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a greater width than before, when the second skin temperature is lower than the lower limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature, and decreases the control width associated with the first skin temperature in the correspondence relationship to a lesser width than before, when the second skin temperature is higher than the upper limit value of the comfortable temperature range after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus so as to raise the set temperature.

16. An apparatus control system comprising:

the apparatus control device according to claim 2; and

the skin temperature measurement device configured to measure the skin temperature.

17. An apparatus control system comprising:

the apparatus control device according to claim 3; and

the skin temperature measurement device configured to measure the skin temperature.

18. An apparatus control system comprising:

the apparatus control device according to claim 4; and

the skin temperature measurement device configured to measure the skin temperature.

19. An apparatus control system comprising:

the apparatus control device according to claim 5; and

the skin temperature measurement device configured to measure the skin temperature.

20. The apparatus control system according to claim 16, wherein the skin temperature measurement device is provided in a terminal separate from the apparatus control device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a program for causing a computer to function as:

a storage unit configured to store correspondence relationships between skin temperatures and control contents of a heating-cooling combination apparatus;

an input unit configured to receive input of a skin temperature;

an apparatus control unit configured to control the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to a control content stored in the storage unit associated with a first skin temperature that is inputted to the input unit; and

an update unit configured to update the control content associated with the first skin temperature stored in the storage unit, wherein when a second skin temperature that is newly inputted to the input unit after the apparatus control unit has controlled the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to the control content associated with the first skin temperature is not included in a predetermined comfortable temperature range, the update unit updates the control content associated with the first skin temperature stored in the storage unit such that over-control or under-control of the heating-cooling combination apparatus is reduced when the apparatus control unit controls the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to the updated control content stored in the storage unit associated with the second skin temperature.