AIR CONDITIONER

Abstract

 When a set angle of a wind direction changing blade is changed, even if a portion of the wind direction changing blade moves within a detection field of view of a human body detecting means, in which infrared rays are received, to cause a change in the amount of the infrared rays, which in turn causes erroneous detection of the human body detecting means, detection information obtained during the movement of the wind direction changing blade is not temporarily utilized for a determination of a human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, position and amount of activity of a person) by a human body situation determining means, thereby preventing detection information other than a human body, which may be obtained in changing the angle of the wind direction changing blade, from being erroneously determined as a person.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner provided with a human body detecting means.

Background Art

[0002] As shown in Fig. 11, a conventional air conditioner provided with a human body detecting means includes an indoor unit 1, a discharge opening 2 defined in the indoor unit 1 at a lower portion thereof, and wind direction changing blades 3 mounted on the indoor unit 1 at the lower portion thereof. A human body detecting means 4 is disposed adjacent to a right-side edge of the discharge opening 2 and right-side edges of the wind direction changing blades 3. Operation of the air conditioner is controlled based on detection information of the human body detecting means 4 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). · Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-187682

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the Invention

[0003] In the above-described conventional air conditioner, however, when a set angle of the wind direction changing blades is changed, if a portion of the wind direction changing blades enters and moves within a detection field of view in which the human body detecting means receives infrared rays, the amount of the infrared rays changes, thus posing a problem of erroneous detection of the wind direction changing blades.

[0004] The present invention has been developed to overcome the above-described disadvantage. It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to provide an air conditioner provided with a human body detecting means capable of preventing the erroneous detection of the human body detecting means in changing the wind direction to thereby more correctly determine the situation of a human body such as, for example, the presence or absence, the position or the amount of activity of a person.

Means to Solve the Problems

[0005] In accomplishing the above objective, an air conditioner according to the present invention includes a discharge opening for discharging an air current therethrough to air-condition an interior of a room, a wind direction changing blade operable to change a direction in which the air current is discharged, a wind-direction-changing-blade control means operable to drive the wind direction changing blade to change an angle thereof, a human body detecting means disposed adjacent to the discharge opening to detect a human body upon receipt of infrared rays, a human body situation determining means operable to determine a human body situation including at least one of the presence or absence, a position and an amount of activity of a person based on detection information of the human body detecting means, and an operation setting changing means operable to change an operation setting based on a determination result of a human body situation obtained from the human body situation determining means. Detection information of the human body detecting means outputted in a time zone including a period of time from when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means starts changing a set angle of the wind direction changing blade to when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means terminates changing the set angle of the wind direction changing blade and a subsequent period of time until a predetermined period of time elapses from the termination of the change is not utilized for the determination of the human body situation by the human body situation determining means.

[0006] By this construction, when the set angle of the wind direction changing blade is changed, even if a portion of the wind direction changing blade moves within a detection field of view of the human body detecting means, in which infrared rays are received, to cause a change in the amount of the infrared rays, which in turn causes erroneous detection of the human body detecting means, detection information obtained during the movement of the wind direction changing blade is not temporarily utilized for the determination of the human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, the position and the amount of activity of a person) by the human body situation determining means, thereby preventing detection information other than a human body, which may be obtained in changing the angle of the wind direction changing blade, from being erroneously determined as a person.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] The air conditioner according to the present invention can prevent, when the air conditioner is in operation, the erroneous detection of the human body detecting means and accordingly enables a more accurate determination of the human body situation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] 

Fig. 1 is a front view of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 depicts cross-sections of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (a) being a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (a), (b) being a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (b), and (c) being a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (c).

Fig. 3 is a control block diagram of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a timing chart of a control action of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a front view of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 depicts cross-sections of the air conditioner according to the second embodiment of the present invention, (a) being a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (a) and (b) being a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (b).

Fig. 7 is a timing chart of a control action of the air conditioner according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a front view of an air conditioner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a view indicating a detection area of a human body detecting means in the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a timing chart of a control action of the air conditioner according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a front view of a conventional air conditioner.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0009] An air conditioner according to a first invention includes a discharge opening through which an air current is discharged to air-condition an interior of a room; a wind direction changing blade operable to change a direction in which the air current is discharged; a wind-direction-changing-blade control means operable to drive the wind direction changing blade to change an angle thereof; a human body detecting means disposed adjacent to the discharge opening to detect a human body upon receipt of infrared rays; and a human body situation determining means operable to determine a human body situation including at least one of presence or absence, a position and an amount of activity of a person based on detection information of the human body detecting means; wherein an operation setting is changed based on a determination result of a human body situation obtained from the human body situation determining means; and wherein detection information of the human body detecting means outputted in a time zone including a period of time from when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means starts changing a set angle of the wind direction changing blade to when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means terminates changing the set angle of the wind direction changing blade and a subsequent period of time until a predetermined period of time elapses from the termination of the change is not utilized for a determination of the human body situation by the human body situation determining means.

[0010] By this construction, when the set angle of the wind direction changing blade is changed, even if a portion of the wind direction changing blade moves within a detection field of view of the human body detecting means, in which infrared rays are received, to cause a change in the amount of the infrared rays, which in turn causes erroneous detection of the human body detecting means, detection information obtained during the movement of the wind direction changing blade is not temporarily utilized for the determination of the human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, the position and the amount of activity of a person) by the human body situation determining means, thereby preventing detection information other than a human body, which may be obtained in changing the angle of the wind direction changing blade, from being erroneously determined as a person. Accordingly, the human body situation can be more accurately determined using only the detection information of a human body.

[0011] Also, even if the human body detecting means is located in proximity to the discharge opening, the erroneous detection can be avoided, thus making it possible to further enhance the degree of freedom in arrangement or design of an indoor unit with a human body detecting means. Further, even if the detection field of view of the human body detecting means is widened without any limit, the erroneous detection can be avoided and, hence, a human body can be detected over a wider range in a room.

[0012] An air conditioner according to a second invention is characterized in that the wind direction changing blade comprises a vertical wind direction changing blade operable to vertically change the air current discharged through the discharge opening. By this construction, even if the vertical wind direction changing blade is enlarged or disposed so as to protrude from the discharge opening, the erroneous detection can be avoided, thus making it possible to further enhance the degree of freedom in arrangement or design of the vertical wind direction changing blade.

[0013] An air conditioner according to a third invention, in the second invention further includes horizontal wind direction changing blades operable to horizontally change the air current discharged through the discharge opening, wherein the human body detecting means comprises a plurality of human body detecting means to be controlled based on a position of a person that is determined by the human body situation determining means based on detection information of the plurality of human body detecting means. This construction can realize comfortable air conditioning based on the position of a person while avoiding the erroneous detection.

[0014] An air conditioner according to a fourth invention is characterized in that the detection information of only some of the plurality of human body detecting means is not utilized for the determination of the human body situation by the human body situation determining means, thereby making it possible to maximize the detection information of the human body detecting means to realize comfortable air conditioning.

[0015] An air conditioner according to a fifth invention is characterized in that an operation mode for continuously changing the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade is provided, and when the air conditioner is operated in the operation mode, the change of the set angle is stopped for every predetermined cycles, and wherein the human body situation is determined based on the detection information of the human body detecting means during a stoppage period of the change of the set angle. Accordingly, even in a swing motion in which the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade is continuously changed, the human body situation can be determined, while avoiding the erroneous detection.

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited by the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)

[0017] Fig. 1 is a front view of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (a), Fig. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (b), and Fig. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner at an elapsed time (c). That is, Figs. 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) depict cross-sections of the air conditioner when different wind directions are set at respective elapsed times during operation of the air conditioner.

[0018] As shown in each figure of Fig. 2, the air conditioner 1 includes a heat exchanger 5, a fan 6 for circulating air throughout a room, a diffuser 7 communicating with a discharge opening 2 defined in the air conditioner 1, a water pan 8, a vertical wind direction changing blade 3a mounted in the discharge opening 2 to vertically change a direction of wind blown out from the discharge opening 2, and a human body detecting means 4 mounted on the air conditioner 1 in proximity to the discharge opening 2 to detect a human body upon receipt of infrared rays. The air conditioner 1 also includes a plurality of horizontal wind direction changing blades for horizontally changing the direction of wind blown out from the discharge opening 2, an indoor temperature detector, a heat exchanger temperature detector, a microcomputer, and the like.

[0019] Operation and function of the air conditioner 1 of the above-described construction are explained hereinafter. Fig. 3 is a control block diagram of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A basic control flow for changing operation settings of the air conditioner 1 based on human body detection information is first explained with reference to Fig. 1. A human body situation determining means 9 determines a human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, position, and amount of activity of a person) based on detection information of one or more human body detecting means 4. Based on information of the human body situation so determined, an operation setting changing means 10 outputs control signals for change of the operation settings to a wind-direction-changing-blade control means 11 operable to change a set angle of the vertical wind direction changing means 3a and that of the horizontal wind direction changing means 3b using respective rotary drive means such as, for example, stepping motors, to a set temperature control means 12 operable to change a temperature set as a target room temperature, and to an air volume control means 13 operable to control a speed of the fan 7 for change of a set speed of the fan 6.

[0020] By way of example, if the human body situation determining means 9 determines that no person is present, the operation setting changing means 10 outputs a control signal to the set temperature control means 12 to shift a target temperature set by, for example, a remote controller in an energy-saving direction by a predetermined temperature width. Also, if the human body situation determining means 9 determines that the amount of activity of a person is large, the operation setting changing means 10 outputs a control signal to the set temperature control means 12 to shift the target temperature in a temperature-reducing direction by a predetermined temperature width. Further, if the human body situation determining means 9 determines the position of a person, the operation setting changing means 10 outputs a control signal to the wind-direction-changing-blade control means 11 to change the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a and that of the horizontal wind direction changing blades 3b so that those blades 3a, 3b may face to the position of the person.

[0021] It is to be noted here that the operation setting changing means 10 also outputs to the control means control signals required to change the operation settings in response to information of a change in operation settings from an operating means such as, for example, a remote controller, that of a change in operation settings based on an automatic control, or the like.

[0022] Fig. 4 depicts an example of a timing chart of a control action of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) depict set positions of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a with respect to a detection field of view 14 of the human body detecting means 4 at elapsed times (a), (b) and (c) in Fig. 4, respectively.

[0023] The control action and function at each timing when the wind direction setting of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed in order of the elapsed time (a) → (b) → (c) in Fig. 4 are explained hereinafter. In a period of time until the elapsed time (a), the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is set to an angle a1 close to an upper limit in an upward direction. At the elapsed time (a), when the operation setting changing means 10 changes the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a from the angle a1 to an angle b1 close to a lower limit, a drive motor for driving the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed from an off-state indicating a stopped state to an on-state indicating an operating state to change the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a in a downward direction at a predetermined speed. At the elapsed time (b), the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a reaches the target angle b1. In this period of time, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is positioned above and outside the detection field of view 14 of the human body detecting means 4 at the elapsed time (a), as shown in Fig. 2(a), but the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a moves downward from the elapsed time (a) to the elapsed time (b), and the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is stopped at the elapsed time (b) at a location where a portion of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is positioned inside the detection field of view 14.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 4, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a passes across the detection field of view 14 from when the portion of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a begins to enter the field of view 14 in the course of the movement thereof to the elapsed time (b) at which the movement terminates, and because the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is cooled or heated by air blown out from the discharge opening 2 in this period of time, the human body detecting means 4 receives a change in the amount of infrared rays greater than a predetermined value and accordingly continuously outputs pulse signals. Further, immediately after the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a has been stopped, the pulse signals are also continuously outputted for several seconds until the change in the amount of infrared rays detected by the human body detecting means 4 stabilizes.

[0025] The above-described phenomenon in changing the wind direction setting of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a results in an erroneous detection of the human body detecting means 4. A control action for avoiding an erroneous determination of the human body situation, which may be caused by information of such erroneous detection, is explained hereinafter with reference to the control block diagram of Fig. 3.

[0026] When the operation setting changing means 10 changes the target angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a, the wind-direction-changing-blade control means 11 outputs to the human body situation determining means 9 a control signal indicating start-stop (on/off) of the drive motor that drives the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a. Because it is likely that the erroneous detection occurs in a period of time for which the drive motor is in operation (on-state) and in a subsequent predetermined period of time (several seconds) from when the drive motor is brought to a stop (switched from an on-state to an off-state), the human body situation determining means 9 does not utilize, upon receipt of the output information from the wind-direction-changing-blade control means 11, information outputted from the human body detecting means 4 in a time zone including at least both the aforementioned periods of time in determining the human body situation (the presence or absence, position, amount of activity of a person, and the like).

[0027] By way of example, this time zone is so set as to be sufficiently longer than an estimated maximum period of time of a sum of both the periods of time from the start of the change in the target angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a, thus making it possible to positively avoid the erroneous detection. As best shown in Fig. 4, the human body situation determining means 9 outputs a determination of absence (0) despite the presence of an output from the human body detecting means 4 in the time zone so set. As a result, it is possible to prevent the human body detecting means 4 from erroneously detecting a movement of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a as a human body.

[0028] Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the operation setting changing means 10 does not change the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a in a period of time from the elapsed time (b) to the elapsed time (c) and, hence, the drive motor for the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is kept in a stopped state and the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is accordingly kept constant. In this period of time, the human body detecting means 4 outputs a pulse signal and a control signal for the drive motor outputted from the wind-direction-changing-blade control means 11 indicates a stopped state (off). Under such situation, the human body situation determining means 9 determines this pulse signal as a result of having detected a human body and outputs a determination of presence (1).

[0029] At a time close to the elapsed time (c), when the operation setting changing means 10 changes the target angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a from b1 to c1, the drive motor for driving the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed from the stopped state or off-state to the operating state or on-state to change the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a upward at a predetermined speed before the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a reaches the target angle c1 at the elapsed time (c). In a period of time from the elapsed time (b) to (c), as shown in Fig. 3(b) at the start of the movement and as shown in Fig. 3(c) at the end of the movement, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a moves upward with a portion thereof positioned inside the detection field of view 14. Accordingly, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is cooled or heated by air blown out from the discharge opening 2 and passes across the detection field of view 14. As such, the human body detecting means 4 receives a change in the amount of infrared rays greater than the predetermined value and accordingly continuously outputs pulse signals from the elapsed time (b) to (c), as shown in Fig. 4. Further, immediately after the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a has been stopped, the pulse signals are also continuously outputted for several seconds until the change in the amount of infrared rays detected by the human body detecting means 4 stabilizes.

[0030] As best shown in Fig. 4, the human body situation determining means 9 outputs a determination of absence (0) despite the presence of an output from the human body detecting means 4 in this time zone, thus making it possible to prevent the human body detecting means 4 from erroneously detecting the movement of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a as a human body.

[0031] According to the above-described embodiment, when the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed, even if a change in the amount of infrared rays causes an erroneous detection of the human body detecting means 4 in the event that a portion of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a moves within the detection field of view 14 where the human body detecting means 4 receives infrared rays, detection information during the movement is not temporarily used for the determination of the human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, position, amount of activity of a person) by the human body situation determining means 9. Accordingly, it becomes possible to prevent detection information other than a human body, which may be obtained in changing the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a, from being erroneously determined as a human body, thus resulting in a more accurate determination of the human body situation with the use of only the detection information of a human body.

[0032] Also, even if the human body detecting means 4 is located in proximity to the discharge opening 2, the erroneous detection can be avoided, thus making it possible to further enhance the degree of freedom in arrangement or design of the indoor unit with the human body detecting means. Further, even if the detection field of view of the human body detecting means 4 is widened without any limit, the erroneous detection can be avoided and, hence, a human body can be detected over a wider range in a room.

[0033] In addition, even if the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is enlarged or disposed so as to protrude from the discharge opening 2, the erroneous detection can be avoided, thus making it possible to further enhance the degree of freedom in arrangement or design of the vertical wind direction changing blade.

[0034] In applications where the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is caused to swing to intermittently change the angle thereof (swing mode) during, for example, cooling, it is only necessary to determine the human body situation by temporarily stopping the swing motion for every predetermined cycles. By doing so, the human body situation can be properly determined while avoiding the erroneous detection and realizing comfort with the swing motion during air conditioning.

[0035] Also, if the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed in a movable range thereof without obscuring the field of view of the human body detecting means 4, the situation may be determined using detection information of the human body detecting means 4, thereby enabling effective utilization of the detection information.

[0036] As described above, the present invention can provide an air conditioner capable of more accurately determining the human body situation by avoiding an erroneous detection of the human body detecting means.

(Embodiment 2)

[0037] Fig. 5 depicts an air conditioner provided with a human body detecting means 4 mounted above a discharge opening 2 defined therein. The human body detecting means 4 is positioned at a center of the air conditioner 1, but this arrangement shows the same effect as in the first embodiment.

[0038] Fig. 6 depicts cross-sections of the air conditioner 1 of Fig. 5. Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) depict positions of a vertical wind direction changing blade 3a with respect to a detection field of view 14 of the human body detecting means 4 at elapsed times (a) and (b), respectively.

[0039] Where the human body detecting means 4 is positioned as shown in Fig. 5 due to constrains on the design or arrangement of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a may interfere with the field of view 14 of the human body detecting means 4.

[0040] In view of this, as in the first embodiment, detection information from the human body detecting means 4 is not used for the determination by the human body situation determining means 9 in a time zone including a period of time from start to finish of a change in angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a and a subsequent period of time until a predetermined period of time elapses from the termination of the change.

[0041] More specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, even if a signal is detected by the human body detecting means 4 in a time zone from (a) to (b) during which the direction of the vertical wind direction changing means 4 is being changed, an output from the human body detecting means 4 is not used for the determination by the human body situation determining means 9. Accordingly, the output of the human body situation determining means 9 indicates a determination of absence (0).

[0042] As described above, when the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed, even if a change in the amount of infrared rays causes an erroneous detection of the human body detecting means 4 in the event that a portion of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a moves within the detection field of view 14 where the human body detecting means 4 receives infrared rays, detection information during the movement is not temporarily used for the determination of the human body situation (for example, the presence or absence, position, amount of activity of a person) by the human body situation determining means 9. Accordingly, it becomes possible to prevent detection information other than a human body, which may be obtained in changing the angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a, from being erroneously determined as a human body, thus resulting in a more accurate determination of the human body situation with the use of only the detection information of a human body.

(Embodiment 3)

[0043] Fig. 8 depicts an air conditioner provided with a plurality of human body detecting means 4 mounted above a discharge opening 2 defined therein. As shown in Fig. 9, each of the plurality of human body detecting means 4 can detect the presence or absence of a person in one of a plurality of areas. In the illustrated embodiment, there are provided three human body detecting means 4 having respective fields of view that are different in a widthwise direction of the air conditioner. Accordingly, the presence or absence of a person in each of three areas, i.e., a left-side area, a central area and a right-side area is determined depending on an output from a corresponding one of the three human body detecting means 4.

[0044] However, as in the case of one human body detecting means 4, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a may interfere with the fields of view 14 of the three human body detecting means 4, as shown in Fig. 6.

[0045] Fig. 10 is a timing chart of a control action of the air conditioner according to this embodiment.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 10, when the direction of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is changed in between the elapsed times (a) and (b), the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a may pass across the fields of view 14 of the human body detecting means 4, which may cause an erroneous response. Accordingly, outputs from the human body detecting means 4 are not used for a determination of the presence or absence of a person when the wind direction is being changed by the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a and for a subsequent predetermined period of time after the wind direction has been changed. As shown in Fig. 10, an output of the human body situation determining means 9 indicates a determination of absence (0) despite the presence of the outputs of the human body detecting means 4.

[0047] On the other hand, if the human body detecting means 4 reacts with the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a fixed, horizontal wind direction changing blades (not shown) 3b are caused to face in a direction of an area that has been determined that a person is present there, so that an air current may reach the person. In the example shown in Fig. 10, the right-side human body detecting means 4 reacts in between the elapsed times (c) and (d), and a determination of presence (1) is outputted as a result of a determination that the person is present in the right-side area. At this moment, the direction of the horizontal wind direction changing blades 3b is changed to the right side to change the wind direction to the right-side area where the person is present (fixed at an angle b2).

[0048] If a determination of absence is made with respect to all the areas, the horizontal wind direction changing blades 3b are directed to an area (left-side area in Fig. 9) that has been determined, based on, for example, accumulated data regarding the presence or absence of a person, that a person is frequently present there. Although in this embodiment an air current control has been described as controlling the horizontal wind direction changing blades 3b to face in a direction in which a person is present, another air current for controlling the horizontal wind direction changing blades 3b to face in a direction in which no person is present is also possible in order to avoid a wind from directly impinging on a person.

[0049] In applications where a plurality of human body detecting means 4 are used, the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a may interfere with the field of view of only some of the plurality of human body detecting means 4 depending on the installation positions of the human body detecting means 4. In this case, detection information of only the some of the human body detecting means 4, with the field of view of which the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a interferes, is not used for a determination of the human body situation when the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade 3a is being changed, and detection information of only the remaining human body detecting means 4 is used for the determination, thus making it possible to realize comfortable air conditioning.

[0050] As in this embodiment, the plurality of human body detecting mean 4 may be provided at the center of the indoor unit 1, but they may be provided at one end of the indoor unit 1 as in the first embodiment.

[0051] Although a wall-mounted air conditioner has been discussed in the above-described embodiments of the present invention, any other air conditioners such as, for example, floor-installed or ceiling-embedded ones show the same action and effect if a change in the set angle of the wind direction changing blade causes a portion thereof to interfere with the field of view of the human body detecting means. Also, the wind direction changing blade is not limited to the vertical wind direction changing blade, and even if the present invention is applied to the horizontal wind direction changing blades, the same action and effect are exerted.

Industrial Applicability

[0052] The air conditioner according to the present invention can more accurately determine the human body situation by reducing erroneous detections of the human body detecting means and realize an air-conditioning environment superior in comfort and energy saving depending on the human body situation. Accordingly, the air conditioner according to the present invention can be used as an air conditioner for general home use and also as an air conditioner for business use as used in, for example, offices.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0053] 

1

air conditioner

2

discharge opening

3

wind direction changing blade

3a

vertical wind direction changing blade

3b

horizontal wind direction changing blade

4

human body detecting means

5

heat exchanger

6

fan

7

diffuser

8

water pan

9

human body situation determining means

10

operation setting changing means

11

wind-direction-changing-blade control means

12

set temperature control means

13

air volume control means

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising:

a discharge opening through which an air current is discharged to air-condition an interior of a room;

a wind direction changing blade operable to change a direction in which the air current is discharged;

a wind-direction-changing-blade control means operable to drive the wind direction changing blade to change an angle thereof;

a human body detecting means disposed adjacent to the discharge opening to detect a human body upon receipt of infrared rays; and

a human body situation determining means operable to determine a human body situation including at least one of presence or absence, a position and an amount of activity of a person based on detection information of the human body detecting means;

wherein an operation setting is changed based on a determination result of a human body situation obtained from the human body situation determining means; and

wherein detection information of the human body detecting means outputted in a time zone including a period of time from when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means starts changing a set angle of the wind direction changing blade to when the wind-direction-changing-blade control means terminates changing the set angle of the wind direction changing blade and a subsequent period of time until a predetermined period of time elapses from the termination of the change is not utilized for a determination of the human body situation by the human body situation determining means.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the wind direction changing blade comprises a vertical wind direction changing blade operable to vertically change the air current discharged through the discharge opening.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, further comprising horizontal wind direction changing blades operable to horizontally change the air current discharged through the discharge opening, wherein the human body detecting means comprises a plurality of human body detecting means to be controlled based on a position of a person that is determined by the human body situation determining means based on detection information of the plurality of human body detecting means.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the detection information of only some of the plurality of human body detecting means is not utilized for the determination of the human body situation by the human body situation determining means.

5. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an operation mode for continuously changing the set angle of the vertical wind direction changing blade is provided, and when the air conditioner is operated in the operation mode, the change of the set angle is stopped for every predetermined cycles, and wherein the human body situation is determined based on the detection information of the human body detecting means during a stoppage period of the change of the set angle.

Drawing