ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL DEVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL METHOD, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL PROGRAM

Abstract

An environmental control device of the invention includes a learning processing unit configured to create a control model by collecting relationships between past examples of changes in temporal or spatial happiness of a person who is subjected to environmental control and past examples of changes in a temporal or spatial environmental indicator regarding the person, and an environmental control unit configured to, based on the created control model, determine a temporal or spatial environmental indicator for boosting happiness of a person who is newly subjected to the environmental control and perform the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an environmental control device, an environmental control method, and an environmental control program.

BACKGROUND ART

In a space such as a residence, a commercial facility, an air conditioner secures comfort of a person. Of energy consumed in such a space, energy consumed by the air conditioner reaches approximately 30% to 50%. In recent years, a technique has been widely used in which a computer automatically sets an air-conditioning temperature and the like to optimize energy efficiency.

A sleep environment control system in PTL 1 sets an air-conditioning temperature or the like during sleep of a person. For example, in summer, the system sets a set temperature to “T0” which makes it easy for a person to fall asleep, and then when the system determines that a sleep depth of the person is deep and brain waves of the person indicate “not hot”, the system changes the set temperature to “T2” (T2>T0) to save consumed energy while keeping the person sound asleep.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

• • PTL 1: JP2016-87072A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The sleep environment control system in PTL 1 is assumed to be used during sleep of a person, and does not refer to a time-series change in a physiological state (happiness) when the person is awake and is active. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to save energy consumed for controlling an environment while maintaining happiness of a person in an activity period of the person.

Solution to Problem

An environmental control device of the invention includes a learning processing unit configured to create a control model by collecting relationships between past examples of changes in temporal or spatial happiness of a person who is subjected to environmental control and past examples of changes in a temporal or spatial environmental indicator regarding the person, and an environmental control unit configured to, based on the created control model, determine a temporal or spatial environmental indicator for boosting happiness of a person who is newly subjected to the environmental control and perform the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator. Other units will be described in an embodiment for carrying out the invention.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the invention, it is possible to save energy consumed for controlling an environment while maintaining happiness of a person in an activity period of the person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a PMV and happiness.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and the like of an environmental control device.

FIG. 3 is an example of control pattern information.

FIG. 4 is an example of happiness and environmental information.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating processing of step S206.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a PMV and happiness (application to space).

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the invention (referred to as “present embodiment”) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is an example in which an air conditioner is controlled in a living room and a commercial facility in which a person is active. In the present embodiment, when movement of the person is small, the air conditioner is controlled in time series, and when the movement of the person is large, the air conditioner is controlled by a spatial axis along a movement line.

(Environmental Indicator)

An environmental indicator is generally an indicator that indicates properties (air conditioning, illumination, smell, sound, design, or the like) of a space where a person exists. Examples of the environmental indicator related to the air conditioning include a PMV (immediately described later). Examples of the environmental indicator related to the illumination include illuminance. Examples of the environmental indicator related to the smell include a concentration of a specific chemical component in air. Examples of the environmental indicator related to the sound include volume of background music. Examples of the environmental indicator related to the design include a hue to be projected by a projector onto the space.

(Predicted Mean Vote)

In the present embodiment, a known predicted mean vote (PMV) is used as an environmental indicator. The PMV is calculated for each individual based on a temperature, a humidity, a wind speed, heat radiation from a wall surface and the like, an activity amount, and a clothing amount, and takes a value in a range of “−3≤PMV≤+3”. When the PMV is “0”, a person feels neither hot nor cold. When the PMV is “−3”, a person feels the coldest, and when the PMV is “+3”, a person feels the hottest.

(Happiness)

In the present embodiment, a “depression value” or a “stress value” in a period in which a person is awake is used as happiness indicating a degree of happy of the person. The depression value is a value obtained by normalizing a blood flow in a cerebral cortex of a person to an appropriate range. The blood flow in the cerebral cortex can be noninvasively measured by, for example, an optical photography method. The stress value is a value obtained by normalizing a reciprocal of a concentration of amylase in saliva to an appropriate range. The concentration of amylase in the saliva can be measured by bringing the saliva into contact with an analyzer. The happiness may be defined based on a heart rate or a change (fluctuation) in the heart rate measured by an electrocardiograph or the like. The happiness greatly depends on a context (context, before-after relationship, and the like) over time than on a physiological state at every moment (described in detail later).

When an example of the happiness described above is measured, time and effort are imposed on a subject. The happiness may be an “alternative value” measured by a noninvasive or noncontact method. A body motion imaged by a camera, vibration measured by an acceleration sensor provided on a floor surface or the wall surface, a heart rate or a change thereof measured by a millimeter wave transmitter or the like may be the alternative value. The happiness may be defined based on a result of hearing or a result of questionnaire for the person.

(Relationship Between PMV and Happiness)

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the PMV and the happiness. In FIG. 1, a horizontal axis represents a time, and a vertical axis represents the happiness and the PMV. Attention is drawn to graphs 41a and 41b. In a room in winter, initially the PMV is “−2 (cool)”. Now, a “stimulus” of increasing the temperature of the room by the air conditioner is given to a person. Then, the PMV increases to “+2 (warm)”. At the same time, for example, the blood flow of the cerebral cortex of the person increases (released from depression), and the happiness also increases. As a result of the air conditioner continuing to operate at the same temperature, the PMV is maintained at a level of “+2” for a while. However, the person is habituated to warmth, and the happiness gradually decreases.

Attention is drawn to graphs 42a and 42b. The air conditioner gives a “stimulus” to the person again at a timing when the happiness and the PMV are sufficiently decreased. Then, the PMV returns from “−2” to “+2”, and the happiness increases again. Thereafter, the air conditioner reduces an output to save energy consumption. The PMV is slightly lowered and is stabilized at about “+1 (slightly warm)”. At this time, although the happiness is decreased, a shape and a level of the graph 42a are almost the same as those of the graph 41a. That is, the air conditioner saves the energy consumption skillfully in anticipation of habituation of the person. A saving amount corresponds to an area between the graph 42b and a broken line 42c.

Attention is drawn to graphs 43a and 43b. The air conditioner returns the energy consumption to an original level at the timing when the happiness and the PMV are sufficiently lowered, and gives a “stimulus” to the person again. Then, the PMV returns from about “+1 (slightly warm)” to “+2”, and the happiness increases again. Thereafter, the air conditioner reduces an output to save the energy consumption. The PMV is slightly lowered and is stabilized at about “+1 (slightly warm)”. At this time, although the happiness is lowered, a shape and a level of the graph 43a are almost the same as those of the graph 41a. In this case, the air conditioner also saves the energy consumption skillfully in anticipation of the habituation of the person. The saving amount corresponds to an area between the graph 43b and a broken line 43c.

(Configuration and the Like of Environmental Control Device)

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and the like of an environmental control device 1. The environmental control device 1 is a general computer, and includes a central control unit 11, an input unit 12 such as a mouse and a keyboard, an output unit 13 such as a display, a main storage unit 14, an auxiliary storage unit 15, and a communication unit 16. These units are connected to each other via a bus. The auxiliary storage unit 15 stores control pattern information 31, happiness and environmental information 32, and a control model 33 (described in detail later).

A learning processing unit 21 and an environmental control unit 22 in the main storage unit 14 are programs. The central control unit 11 reads these programs from the auxiliary storage unit 15 and loads the programs into the main storage unit 14, thereby implementing functions (described in detail later) of the respective programs. The auxiliary storage unit 15 may be independent of the environmental control device 1.

In a living room 7, a person 5 is doing desk work. The person 5 wears a measuring unit 3 on a head. An air conditioner 6 air-conditions the living room 7. A sensor 8 attached to the air conditioner 6 measures a temperature, a humidity, and a wind speed in a vicinity of the person 5, and heat radiation from a floor surface, a wall surface, and a ceiling surface. The air conditioner 6 measures its own energy consumption.

Although not illustrated in FIG. 2, a unit that controls an environmental indicator other than the PMV, such as an illumination unit, a smell generator, a speaker, or a projector, may be provided in the living room. These units measure an illuminance, a smell, a sound, and a projection hue by themselves or sensors attached thereto, and measure their own energy consumption.

A camera 2 is provided on the wall surface or the like of the living room 7, and observes (acquires) an activity amount and a clothing amount of the person 5. The camera 2 can measure the body motion as the alternative value described above, and can also measure the heart rate as the alternative value by transmitting and receiving millimeter waves. The measuring unit 3 measures a blood flow of a cerebral cortex of the person 5 in FIG. 2. Although not illustrated here, the other portable measuring unit 3 may measure a concentration of amylase in saliva of the person 5. The environmental control device 1 receives data acquired by the camera 2, the measuring unit 3, the air conditioner 6, and the sensor 8 via a network 4.

(Control Pattern Information)

FIG. 3 is an example of the control pattern information 31. In the control pattern information 31, in association with a pattern ID stored in a pattern ID column 101, an initial PMV is stored in an initial PMV column 102 and a control target value is stored in a control target value column 103.

A pattern in the pattern ID column 101 is an identifier that uniquely specifies a pattern. The pattern is a time-series environmental indicator (PMV) as a control target value, and corresponds to the graphs 41b, 42b, and 43b in FIG. 1.

The initial PMV in the initial PMV column 102 is a PMV value at a time (initial) immediately before a person feels an air-conditioning effect. When the initial PMV is a negative value, the air conditioner 6 sends warm air to the person 5 to raise the PMV to a positive value. When the initial PMV is a positive value, the air conditioner 6 sends cold air to the person 5 to lower the PMV to a negative value. The PMV here is an example of the environmental indicator.

In the control target value column 103, values of the environmental indicator (PMV) at the time of the stimulus and saving described above (t₁<t₂<t₃<t₄) are stored. Here, the time is a relative time starting from the initial time.

The following can be seen from FIG. 3.

• • Patterns P01, P02, and P03 are patterns for the person 5 whose initial PMV is “−3 (cold)”.
  • In the pattern P01, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “+3” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is decreased to “+2” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • In the pattern P02, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “+3” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is decreased to “+1” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • In the pattern P03, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “+2” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is decreased to “+1” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • The energy consumption in the times t₁ to t₄ is smaller in the pattern P02 than in the pattern P01, and smaller in the pattern P03 than in the pattern P02.
  • Patterns P11, P12, and P13 are patterns for the person 5 whose initial PMV is “+3 (hot)”.
  • In the pattern P11, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “−3” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is increased to “−2” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • In the pattern P12, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “−3” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is increased to “−1” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • In the pattern P13, although the PMV is maintained in principle at “−2” after the air conditioning is started, the PMV is increased to “−1” at an appropriate time in anticipation of the “habituation” of the person, and the energy consumption is saved.
  • The energy consumption in the times t₁ to t₄ is smaller in the pattern P12 than in the pattern P11, and smaller in the pattern P13 than in the pattern P12.

There are many patterns other than the six patterns described above. For example, there are patterns in which the initial PMV is “+2”, “−2”, and the like. However, it is preferable that positive and negative signs of the PMV at the initial time and positive and negative signs of the PMV at each time of the control target value are opposite to each other. As described above, the numbers appended to “t” at the respective times of the control target value indicate an order. A time from the initial time to “t”, a time from “t₁” to “t₂”, and a time from “t₂” to “t₃” may be different for each pattern. As a result, it is desirable for the pattern to repeatedly invert the environmental indicator once decreased or increased.

(Happiness and Environmental Information)

FIG. 4 is an example of the happiness and environmental information 32. In the happiness and environmental information 32, in association with an individual ID in an individual ID column 111, a time is stored in a time column 112, happiness is stored in a happiness column 113, an environmental indicator is stored in an environmental indicator column 114, and energy consumption is stored in an energy consumption column 115.

The individual ID in the individual ID column 111 is an identifier that uniquely identifies the person 5.

The time in the time column 112 is a time at which the happiness or the like of a record (row) is measured (t₁<t₂< . . . <t₁₀). In this case, t₁ and the like are not consistent with t₁ and the like in FIG. 3. A “distance from a starting point” and “d₁” and the like will be described later.

The happiness in the happiness column 112 is the happiness described above, and here, the depression value (column 113a), the stress value (column 113b), and the alternative value (column 113c) are stored. “#” abbreviates different values (the same applies hereinafter).

The environmental indicator in the environmental indicator column 114 is a PMV (column 114a) as a representative environmental indicator, and a temperature (column 114b), a humidity (column 114c), a wind speed (column 114d), heat radiation (column 114e), activity amount (114f), and clothing amount (114g), which are elements of the PMV.

The energy consumption in the energy consumption column 115 is an amount of power consumed by the air conditioner 6.

The happiness and environmental information 32 is time-series data acquired when a certain person 5 is placed in the living room 7 of FIG. 2 as a subject (learning subject) and the air conditioner 6 is controlled by a certain pattern of FIG. 3. Even in the living room 7 having the same environmental indicator, if the person 5 changes, the happiness will change. If the person 5 is the same but the pattern is different, the happiness will change. As will be described later in detail, the environmental control device 1 creates a plurality of pieces of happiness and environmental information 32 for each combination of the person 5 and the pattern.

The environmental control device 1 can narrow down a large set of happiness and environmental information 32 by using the initial PMV (PMV at the time “t₁”) as a search condition. In addition, the environmental control device 1 can extract an appropriate one from the set of the happiness and environmental information 32 by using another condition (the happiness is larger than a predetermined threshold value, or the energy consumption is smaller than a predetermined threshold value) as the search condition. Further, the environmental control device 1 can add the individual ID to the search condition. In this sense, the set of the happiness and environmental information 32 can be said to be a “control model” that outputs an appropriate time-series environmental indicator (described in detail later).

The environmental indicator (PMV) in FIG. 4 simply illustrates a time-series level. However, in general, a change in the environmental indicator can be indicated by at least one of a change width of the environmental indicator, a change speed of the environmental indicator, a maintaining time at the same level of the environmental indicator, and a time integration value of a deviation from a predetermined value of the environmental indicator. Similarly, the happiness in FIG. 4 simply illustrates a time-series level thereof. However, in general, a change in the happiness can be indicated by at least one of a level of a maximum value of the happiness, a time integration value of a deviation from a predetermined value of the happiness, and a period of the happiness.

(Processing Procedure)

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the present embodiment. The flowchart is an example in which the environmental control device controls the air conditioning in the living room.

In step S201, the learning processing unit 21 of the environmental control device 1 receives the control pattern information 31 (FIG. 3). Specifically, the learning processing unit 21 receives an input of the control pattern information 31 by the user via the input unit 12. The number of records of the control pattern information 31 received here is much larger than that in the example in FIG. 3. The user inputs the initial PMV and the PMV and the time of the control target value in FIG. 3 after variously changing the above.

In step S202, the learning processing unit 21 receives the learning subject. Specifically, the learning processing unit 21 receives an input of any individual ID by the user via the input unit 12. Here, it is assumed that “M01” is input.

In step S203, the learning processing unit 21 creates the happiness and environmental information 32 (FIG. 4). Specifically, first, the learning processing unit 21 acquires any unprocessed record from the control pattern information 31. The record acquired here is also called a “target record”.

Second, the learning processing unit 21 operates the air conditioner 6 according to a control target value of the target record in a state where the person 5 (individual M01) is placed in the living room 7 in FIG. 2. Then, the learning processing unit 21 acquires time-series happiness, a time-series environmental indicator, and time-series energy consumption. As a matter of course, the time-series environmental indicator acquired here reflects the control target value of the target record.

Third, the learning processing unit 21 creates the happiness and environmental information 32 in FIG. 4 by using the acquired data, and stores (collects) the happiness and environmental information 32 in the auxiliary storage unit 15.

The learning processing unit 21 repeats the “first to third” processings in step S203 for each unprocessed target record (inner loop not illustrated). In addition, after receiving any new individual ID, the learning processing unit 21 repeats the processings in steps S202 and S203 a sufficiently large number of times (outer loop not illustrated). At a stage of exiting the outer loop, the learning processing unit 21 creates a set of the happiness and environmental information 32 of “the number of the persons 5×the number of the patterns” (also referred to as a “control model”), and stores the set in the auxiliary storage unit 15.

The processing so far is a “learning phase”. In the learning phase, the learning processing unit 21 collects past examples of changes in temporal happiness, changes in temporal environmental indicators, and changes in temporal or spatial energy consumption. In the learning phase, it is not considered what the time-series happiness actually looks like and whether a part of the energy consumption becomes useless as a result. The subsequent processing is an “execution phase”. In the execution phase, the environmental control unit 22 minimizes the energy consumption within a range in which happiness of a person to be newly subjected to the environmental control (air conditioning) is secured.

In step S204, the environmental control unit 22 of the environmental control device 1 receives the control subject. Specifically, the environmental control unit 22 receives an input of an individual ID of any person (control subject) to be newly subjected to the air conditioning by the user via the input unit 12. It is desirable for the control subject to be the learning subject in step S202. Otherwise, the environmental control unit 22 may convert the received individual ID of the control subject into an individual ID of a learning subject who is physically similar to the control subject by any method, or may omit step S204. Here, it is assumed that “M01” is input.

In step S205, the environmental control unit 22 acquires an initial value of an environmental indicator of the control subject. Specifically, after the individual M01 enters the living room 7, the environmental control unit 22 calculates a current PMV by using the data acquired from the camera 2 and the sensor 8. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed here that “−3” is obtained by the calculation.

In step S206, the environmental control unit 22 acquires an optimal happiness and environmental information 32. Specifically, the environmental control unit 22 acquires, from the set of the happiness and environmental information 32 (control model 33) stored in the auxiliary storage unit 15, one that satisfies all the following conditions.

• • <Condition 1> The individual ID is “M01”.
  • <Condition 2> The initial PMV (time t₁) is “−3”.
  • <Condition 3> A sum of the time-series energy consumption is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.
  • <Condition 4> A total of the time-series happiness is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

When step S204 is omitted (the control subject is not included in the learning subject), the environmental control unit 22 ignores the condition 1. Although the process is in a middle of FIG. 5, the description will temporarily proceed to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating processing of step S206. The environmental control unit 22 draws a coordinate plane 51 in which a horizontal axis represents the energy consumption (time-series integration value) and a vertical axis represents the happiness (time-series integration value). The environmental control unit 22 draws the control model 33 on a coordinate plane 51a. The control model 33 is a set of a plurality of “•”, and each • corresponds to the individual happiness and environmental information 31 (FIG. 4) when the PMV at the time t₁ of the individual M01 is “−3”. Usually, the larger the energy consumption is, the larger the happiness is, and therefore, the control model 33 has a rightward rising elliptical shape.

Now, the environmental control unit 22 defines a straight line equation “p=αy−(1−α)x” on the coordinate plane 51a. x is the energy consumption. y is the happiness. α is a weight (0<α<1). “p” is a concept such as happiness including an energy cost, but is not so important here. The larger a value of α is, the more emphasis is placed on the happiness and the less emphasis is placed on the saving of the energy consumption. Now, it is assumed that the user specifies “α₁” as a specific value of α. For ease of understanding, the straight line equation is transformed into “y=[(1−α)/α]x+p/α”. The environmental control unit 22 substitutes “α₁” into “α” in this equation, and then draws a straight line 52a on the coordinate plane 51a. The straight line 52a is in contact with an upper left of the control model 33 at a contact point • 53a. The contact point • 53a is the happiness and environmental information 32 that satisfies the conditions 1 to 4.

It is assumed that the user specifies “α₂” as another specific value of α. It is assumed that “0<α₁<α₂<0” is satisfied. The environmental control unit 22 draws the same control model 33 as described above on the same coordinate plane 51b as described above. The environmental control unit 22 substitutes “α₂” into “α” in the equation “y=[(1−α)/α]x+p/α”, and then draws a straight line 52b on the coordinate plane 51b. A slope “(1−α₂)/α₂” of the straight line 52b is smaller than a slope “(1−α₁)/α₁” of the straight line 52a. The straight line 52b is in contact with the upper left of the control model 33 at a contact point 53b. The contact point • 53b is the happiness and environmental information 32 that satisfies the conditions 1 to 4.

When a position of the contact point • 53a and a position of the contact point • 53b are compared, the contact point • 53b obtains larger happiness by consuming much energy. Equivalently, the contact point • 53a obtains less happiness by consuming less energy. The happiness and the saving of the energy consumption are originally in a trade-off relationship. The user determines a balance with the value of α. The description returns to FIG. 5.

In step S207, the environmental control unit 22 performs air conditioning control. Specifically, first, the environmental control unit 22 controls the air conditioner 6 by transmitting, to the air conditioner 6, “temperature”, “humidity”, and “wind speed” among the time-series environmental indicators of the happiness and environmental information 32 acquired in step S206. Then, the air conditioner 6 executes energy saving operation while securing the happiness of the individual M01 using the time-series environmental indicators as control targets.

Second, the environmental control unit 22 acquires the time-series happiness, the time-series environmental indicator, and the time-series energy consumption. Unlike in the learning phase, in the execution phase, it is desirable that a load on which the measuring unit 3 is mounted is not imposed on the person 5. Therefore, the environmental control unit 22 may acquire the happiness (alternative value) by a noninvasive or noncontact method.

In step S208, the environmental control unit 22 feeds back an execution result. Specifically, the environmental control unit 22 creates, based on data acquired in “second” in step S208, information (referred to as “execution result information”) having the same configuration as that of the happiness and environmental information 32 in FIG. 4, and stores (collects) the information in the auxiliary storage unit 15 as a part of the control model 33.

Thereafter, the processing procedure is ended. The execution phase in steps S204 to S208 is repeated for each control subject. Then, each time, the execution result information is additionally collected in the control model 33, and the control model 33 is enhanced.

(Application to Space)

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the PMV and the happiness (application to space). In FIG. 7, an event venue (not illustrated) is assumed instead of the living room 7 in FIG. 2. A vertical axis of FIG. 7 is the happiness and the PMV as in FIG. 1. A horizontal axis of FIG. 7 is a distance along the movement line of the person 5, and corresponds to the “distance from the starting point”, “d₁”, and the like in the time column 112 in FIG. 4. The starting point of the distance is, for example, a port of a premise of the event venue.

• • A certain person 5 is outdoors in winter. The PMV is about “−1”. The happiness is also at a low level.
  • The person 5 enters an entrance. An air conditioner in the entrance air conditions to warm the entrance to create a sense of relief. As a result, the PMV is temporarily increased to about “+2” at the entrance. The happiness also increases.
  • The person 5 enters a passage. In order to improve a flow of the person 5, an air conditioner in the passage hardly air conditions the passage and keeps the passage in ventilation. At this time, the air conditioner saves the energy consumption. As a result, in the passage, the PMV is decreased to a level slightly below “0”, and is stabilized at the level. The happiness returns to a low level.
  • The person 5 enters the event venue. An air conditioner in the event venue air conditions to warm positions immediately after entering the event venue in order to create excitement, and saves the energy consumption while keeping only ventilation in anticipation of retention (also “habituation”) of the excitement of the person 5 at other positions. As a result, the PMV is increased to about “+2” at the positions immediately after entering, and is gradually decreased to a level of about “−1” at other positions. The happiness is changed from an increase to a decrease, but is maintained at a substantially high level. This is because the person 5 is satisfied with contents of an event (exhibitions or the like).
  • The person 5 enters a souvenir shop. An air conditioner in the souvenir shop air conditions to warm again a middle of a movement line in order to prompt sales of souvenirs. As a result, the PMV is temporarily increased to about “+2”. The happiness increases again.

In FIG. 3, the “time” is replaced with a “distance”, and “t₁” or the like is replaced with “d₁” or the like. In FIG. 4, “t₁” or the like is replaced with “d₁” or the like. Then, the happiness, the environmental indicator, and the energy consumption in FIG. 4 are changed by the spatial axis. After performing such replacement, the environmental control device 1 executes the processing procedure in FIG. 5. In step S207, the environmental control unit 22 transmits “temperature”, “humidity”, and “wind speed” among the environmental indicators of the spatial axis of the happiness and environmental information 32 acquired in step S206, to the air conditioners disposed at various locations along the movement line. Each air conditioner secures the happiness of the person, and performs the energy saving operation by using the environmental indicators of the spatial axis as control targets.

(Modification: Group and Representative)

When a plurality of persons 5 are in the living room 7, it is difficult for the air conditioner 6 to air condition each individual based on zoning. Therefore, the environmental control unit 22 determines a representative for a group of the persons 5 according to any one of the following methods 1 to 3. Now, in step S204, it is assumed that the environmental control unit 22 simultaneously receives “M01”, “M02”, and “M03” as control subjects.

• • <Method 1> The environmental control unit 22 sets, among “M01”, “M02”, and “M03”, a person whose gravity center position of the control model 33 for an individual is located at a rightmost position in the coordinate plane 51a or 51b in FIG. 6 as the “representative”. In the method 1, a person who is most difficult to save energy consumption is taken as the representative.
  • <Method 2> The environmental control unit 22 sets, among “M01”, “M02”, and “M03”, a person whose gravity center position of the control model 33 for an individual is located at a lowermost position on the coordinate plane 51a or 51b in FIG. 6 as the “representative”. In the method 2, a person having the lowest happiness is taken as the representative.
  • <Method 3> The environmental control unit 22 creates a virtual character “Mol to 03” in which “M01”, “M02”, and “M03” are combined. The environmental control unit 22 creates a virtual control model 33 for “Mol to 03”. Each of a plurality of • included in the virtual control model 33 is present at an average coordinate position of three • of the same pattern for “M01”, “M02”, and “M03”.

Processing after the representative is determined is the same as that in steps S205 to S208 in FIG. 5. In the case of method 3, the initial value (current PMV) in step S205 is an average value of “M01”, “M02”, and “M03”.

(Number of Living Rooms or the Like)

The number of the living rooms 7 in FIG. 2 may be plural, and the number of the event venues described above may be plural. In this case, the learning processing unit 21 executes the processing in steps S201 to S203 in parallel or continuously for the plurality of spaces. The environmental control unit 22 executes the processing in steps S204 to S208 in parallel or continuously for the plurality of spaces.

Effects of Present Embodiment

Effects of the environmental control device according to the present embodiment are as follows.

• • (1) The environmental control device can maintain happiness of a person.
  • (2) The environmental control device can save energy consumption.
  • (3) The environmental control device can use an environmental indicator according to preference of a user.
  • (4) The environmental control device can accurately measure the happiness by an established method.
  • (5) The environmental control device can create a pattern of a change in a typical environmental indicator.
  • (6) The environmental control device can use various values according to the preference of the user as a change in the environmental indicator.
  • (7) The environmental control device can use various values according to the preference of the user as a change in the happiness.
  • (8) The environmental control device can use noninvasiveness or noncontact happiness.
  • (9) The environmental control device can periodically give a “stimulus” to a person.
  • (10) The environmental control device can determine a representative for a plurality of subjects to be air conditioned.
  • (11) The environmental control device can feed back a result of air conditioning control.
  • (12) The environmental control device can balance the happiness and the energy consumption savings according to an instruction of the user.
  • (13) The environmental control device can perform environmental control in a plurality of spaces.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiment described above is described in detail for easy understanding of the invention, and the invention is not necessarily limited to those including all configurations described above. In addition, a part of a configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with a configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of the other embodiment can be added to the configuration of the one embodiment. A part of the configuration of each embodiment may be added to, deleted from, or replaced with another configuration.

Configurations, functions, processing units, processing methods and the like described above may be partially or entirely implemented by hardware by, for example, designing with an integrated circuit. Each of the configurations, functions, and the like described above may be implemented by software by interpreting and executing a program for implementing each function by a processor. Information such as a program, a table, and a file for implementing each function can be stored in a recording device such as a memory, a hard disk, and a solid state drive (SSD), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, and a DVD.

Control lines and information lines show those considered to be necessary for the description, and not all the control lines and the information lines are necessarily shown on the product. In practice, it may be considered that almost all configurations are connected to each other.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

• • 1: environmental control device
  • 2: camera
  • 3: measuring unit
  • 4: network
  • 5: person
  • 6: air conditioner
  • 7: living room
  • 11: central control unit
  • 12: input unit
  • 13: output unit
  • 14: main storage unit
  • 15: auxiliary storage unit
  • 16: communication unit
  • 21: learning processing unit
  • 22: environmental control unit
  • 31: control pattern information
  • 32: happiness and environmental information
  • 33: control model

Claims

1. An environmental control device comprising:

a learning processing unit configured to create a control model by collecting relationships between past examples of changes in temporal or spatial happiness of a person who is subjected to environmental control and past examples of changes in a temporal or spatial environmental indicator regarding the person, and create the control model by collecting relationships among past examples of changes in the happiness, past examples of changes in the environmental indicator, and past examples of changes in temporal or spatial energy consumption related to the environmental control; and an environmental control unit configured to based on the created control model, determine the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for boosting happiness of a person who is newly subjected to the environmental control and perform the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator, and

determine the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for saving the energy consumption in a period in which the person is habituated to an indicator of the happiness.

2. (canceled)

3. The environmental control device according to claim 1, wherein

the environmental indicator includes at least one of a predicted mean vote, illuminance, a smell, a sound, and a design of a space.

4. The environmental control device according to claim 3, wherein

the happiness includes values based on a cerebral blood flow, components of saliva, or a heart rate.

5. The environmental control device according to claim 4, wherein

the learning processing unit is configured to create a pattern of changes in the temporal or spatial environmental indicator.

6. The environmental control device according to claim 5, wherein

the changes in the environmental indicator include at least one of a change width of the environmental indicator, a change speed of the environmental indicator, a maintaining time at a same level of the environmental indicator, and a time integration value of a deviation from a predetermined value of the environmental indicator.

7. The environmental control device according to claim 6, wherein

the changes in the happiness include at least one of a level of a maximum value of the happiness, a time integration value of a deviation from a predetermined value of the happiness, and a period of the happiness.

8. The environmental control device according to claim 7, wherein

the happiness includes a noninvasive or noncontact alternative value.

9. The environmental control device according to claim 8, wherein

the pattern repeatedly inverts the environmental indicator once lowered or raised.

10. The environmental control device according to claim 9, wherein

the environmental control unit is configured to determine one representative when there are a plurality of persons who are newly subjected to the environmental control.

11. The environmental control device according to claim 10, wherein

the environmental control unit is configured to collect, as a part of the control model, a result of performing the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator.

12. The environmental control device according to claim 11, wherein

the environmental control unit is configured to determine a balance between the happiness and the saving of the energy consumption according to a weight specified by a user.

13. The environmental control device according to claim 12, wherein

the learning processing unit is configured to create the control model for a plurality of different spaces, and

the environmental control unit is configured to perform the environmental control for the plurality of different spaces.

14. An environmental control method of an environmental control device, the environmental control method comprising:

by a learning processing unit of the environmental control device, creating a control model by collecting relationships between past examples of changes in temporal or spatial happiness of a person who is subjected to environmental control and past examples of changes in a temporal or spatial environmental indicator regarding the person, and creating the control model by collecting relationships among past examples of changes in the happiness, past examples of changes in the environmental indicator, and past examples of changes in temporal or spatial energy consumption related to the environmental control; and

by an environmental control unit of the environmental control device, based on the created control model, determining the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for boosting happiness of a person who is newly subjected to the environmental control and performing the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator, and determining the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for saving the energy consumption in a period in which the person is habituated to an indicator of the happiness.

15. An environmental control program for causing a computer to function as:

a learning processing unit configured to create a control model by collecting relationships between past examples of changes in temporal or spatial happiness of a person who is subject to environmental control and past examples of changes in a temporal or spatial environmental indicator regarding the person, and create the control model by collecting relationships among past examples of changes in the happiness, past examples of changes in the environmental indicator, and past examples of changes in temporal or spatial energy consumption related to the environmental control; and an environmental control unit configured to based on the created control model, determine the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for boosting happiness of a person who is newly subjected to the environmental control and perform the environmental control while targeting the determined environmental indicator, and determine the temporal or spatial environmental indicator for saving the energy consumption in a period in which the person is habituated to an indicator of the happiness.