# US 2020/0400337 A1 · Infrared sensor module, air conditioner, and air conditioner control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0400337 A1 - Document ID: US20200400337A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/977,913 - Filed: 2019-03-14 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-28 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takaaki HIRAMATSU; Takanori SUGIYAMA; Hiroshi YAMANAKA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200400337A1 ## CPC - F24F 11/79: for controlling the direction of the supplied air - G01J 5/0025: {Living bodies (ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00)} - F24F 11/74: for controlling air flow rate or air velocity - G01J 5/04: Casings - G01J 5/061: by controlling the temperature of the apparatus or parts thereof, e.g. using cooling means or thermostats - G01J 5/064: {Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof} - G01J 5/10: using electric radiation detectors - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24F 2120/12: Position of occupants - G01J 5/485: {Temperature profile} - G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging} - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract The present disclosure includes: an infrared sensor configured to detect an infrared ray and output a thermal image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the infrared sensor; and a processor configured to process output signals of the infrared sensor and the temperature sensor, and the processor is configured to estimate a temperature distribution in a space between the infrared sensor and a background in a detection direction of the infrared sensor from a background temperature of the thermal image and the temperature of the infrared sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An infrared sensor module, comprising: an infrared sensor configured to detect an infrared ray and output a thermal image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the infrared sensor; and at least one processor configured to process output signals of the infrared sensor and the temperature sensor, the at least one processor being configured to estimate a temperature distribution in a space between the infrared sensor and a background in a detection direction of the infrared sensor from a background temperature of the thermal image and the temperature of the infrared sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An air conditioner, comprising: the infrared sensor module of claim 1; an air blower configured to blow air; and a controller configured to control at least one of an air direction or an air volume of the air from the air blower based on an output of the infrared sensor module, the controller being configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the temperature distribution in the space between the infrared sensor and the background. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An air conditioner configured to be connected to the infrared sensor module of claim 1, the air conditioner comprising: an air blower configured to blow air; and a controller configured to control at least one of an air direction or an air volume of the air from the air blower based on an output of the infrared sensor module, the controller being configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the temperature distribution in the space between the infrared sensor and the background. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The air conditioner of claim 2, further comprising: an outputter configured to output the temperature distribution in the space between the infrared sensor and the background. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air conditioner of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to estimate a head level of a person as a measurement target from the thermal image, and the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on a temperature at the head level of the person. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the background temperature and the temperature at the head level of the person. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The air conditioner of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the temperature distribution such that a temperature in a space having a height of a prescribed height from the background is adjusted to a prescribed set temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The air conditioner of claim 2, wherein the infrared sensor module includes a plurality of the infrared sensors connected to the at least one processor including only one processor. ### Claim 9 An air conditioner control system, comprising: an infrared sensor module; an information processing device configured to process an output result of the infrared sensor module; and an air conditioner, the air conditioner including: an air blower configured to blow air; and a controller configured to control at least one of an air direction or an air volume of the air from the air blower based on a process result of the information processing device, the infrared sensor module including: an infrared sensor configured to detect an infrared ray and output a thermal image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the infrared sensor; and at least one processor configured to process output signals of the infrared sensor and the temperature sensor, the infrared sensor module being configured to output a background temperature of the thermal image and a temperature of the infrared sensor from the at least one processor to the information processing device, the information processing device being configured to estimate a temperature distribution in a space between the infrared sensor and a background in a detection direction of the infrared sensor, the controller being configured to control at least one of an air direction or an air volume of the air from the air blower based on the temperature distribution. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air conditioner control system of claim 9, further comprising: an outputter configured to output the temperature distribution in the space between the infrared sensor and the background. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The air conditioner control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to estimate a head level of a person as a measurement target from the thermal image, and the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on a temperature at the head level of the person. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air conditioner control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the background temperature and the temperature at the head level of the person. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The air conditioner control system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the air direction or the air volume of the air from the air blower based on the temperature distribution such that a temperature in a space having a height of a prescribed height from the background is adjusted to a prescribed set temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The air conditioner control system of claim 9, wherein the infrared sensor module includes a plurality of the infrared sensors connected to the at least one processor including only one processor.