Bed system having controller for an air mattress

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11896139-B2
Application number	US-202117561150-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2021
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A system can include a bed having a mattress, a sensor, and the data processing device. The sensor is configured to sense a feature of the mattress and transmit readings to a data processing device. The data processing device includes a processor and is configured to receive the readings from the sensor and determine if the readings i) indicate a user presence on the mattress and ii) indicate the user intends to sleep. The data processing device is configured to transmit a command to a peripheral controller responsive to determining that the readings i) indicate user presence on the mattress and ii) indicate the user intends to sleep.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bed system comprising:
a controller for an air mattress, the controller comprising:
a first pump;
a motherboard comprising a processor, memory, and pressure sensors all mounted on the motherboard;
a pump daughterboard communicatively coupled to the motherboard;
a plurality of valves;
at least one valve solenoid communicatively coupled to the motherboard and controlled by the processor on the motherboard;
at least one manifold; and
a housing containing each of the first pump, the motherboard, the pump daughterboard, the valves, the valve solenoid, and the manifold; and

the air mattress, wherein the air mattress comprises a plurality of air chambers and foam, wherein the plurality of air chambers are fluidly connected to the controller via a plurality of air tubes
wherein the first pump is configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress, wherein the controller further comprises a second pump configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress.

2. The bed system of claim 1 , where the plurality of air chambers comprise a first air chamber on a left side of the air mattress extending from a head of the air mattress to a foot of the air mattress and a second air chamber on a right side of the air mattress extending from a head of the air mattress to a foot of the air mattress.

3. The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air chambers comprise more than two air chambers, wherein the pressure sensors are in fluid communication with the plurality of air chambers and configured to determine pressure within the plurality of air chambers.

4. The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
responsive to determining that sensor readings i) indicate a user presence on the air mattress and ii) indicate the user intends to sleep, transmit a command to a user interface device.

5. The bed system of claim 4 , wherein the command includes instructions to change a temperature of a peripheral device.

6. The bed system of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply with a capacitor bank and at least one interface all contained in the housing.

7. The bed system of claim 6 , wherein the power supply is mounted on the pump daughterboard.

8. The bed system of claim 6 , wherein the power supply is mounted on the motherboard.

9. The bed system of claim 1 , and further comprising a power supply, an AC to DC converter, a power conditioner, a capacitor bank, and an interface all contained in the housing.

10. The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the pump daughterboard is separate from the motherboard and is replaceable without replacing the motherboard.

11. The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the motherboard is configured to operate with the pump daughterboard and is also configured to operate with a replacement daughterboard that replaces the pump daughterboard.

12. A bed system comprising:
a controller for an air mattress, the controller comprising:
a first pump;
a second pump;
a motherboard comprising a processor, memory, and pressure sensors all mounted on the motherboard;
a pump daughterboard comprising a power supply with a capacitor bank and at least one interface and communicatively coupled to the motherboard;
a plurality of valves;
a plurality of valve solenoids communicatively coupled to the motherboard and controlled by the processor on the motherboard;
at least one manifold; and
a housing containing the first and second pumps, the motherboard, the pump daughterboard, the valves, the valve solenoids, and the manifold; and

the air mattress, wherein the air mattress comprises a plurality of air chambers and foam, wherein the plurality of air chambers are fluidly connected to the controller via a plurality of air tubes
wherein the first pump is configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress, wherein the controller further comprises a second pump configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress.

13. A bed system comprising:
an air mattress comprising:
a plurality of air chambers; and
foam;

a pump controller fluidly connected to the plurality of air chambers via a plurality of air tubes, the pump controller comprising:
a first pump;
a second pump;
a motherboard comprising a processor, memory, and pressure sensors all mounted on the motherboard;
a pump daughterboard comprising a power supply with a capacitor bank and at least one interface and communicatively coupled to the motherboard;
a plurality of valves;
a plurality of valve solenoids communicatively coupled to the motherboard and controlled by the processor on the motherboard;
at least one manifold; and
a housing containing the first and second pumps, the motherboard, the pump daughterboard, the valves, the valve solenoids, and the manifold

wherein the first pump is configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress, wherein the pump controller further comprises a second pump configured to be connected to more than one of the plurality of air chambers of the air mattress.

Assignees

• Sleep Number Corp

Inventors

• Palashewski Wade Daniel
• Erko Robert
• Nunn Robert
• Redzic Gordan

Classifications

• A47C31/00 Primary

  Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets · CPC title

• A61B5/4809

  Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not · CPC title

• A61B5/6892

  Mats · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G05B2219/2608

  Hospital bed · CPC title