Partner snore feature for adjustable bed foundation

• US 10,632,032 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2020
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Inventors: Stusynski, Stacy, Chen, Yi-ching, McGuire, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US16/733,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20200138653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 117 Days
• Field of Search: 340 431
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms

Abstract

A sleep system comprises at least one mattress including a first sleep area for a first occupant, the first sleep area including a first section for a portion of a body of the first occupant, and a second sleep area adjacent to the first sleep area for a second occupant, the second sleep area including a second section for a portion of a body of the second occupant, an articulation system for articulating the first section and the second section, a first user controller configured to communicate with the articulation system in order to control articulation of the first section, and a second user controller configured to communicate with the articulation system in order to control articulation of the second section, wherein the first user controller is further configured to communicate with the articulation system in order to move the second section into a predetermined position.

Claims

1. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep surface for a first occupant, the first sleep surface including a first head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the first occupant and a first leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the first occupant;

a second sleep surface adjacent to the first sleep surface for a second occupant, the second sleep surface including a second head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the second occupant and a second leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the second occupant, each of the first head section, the first leg section, the second head section, and the second leg section being separately articulable;

an articulation system for articulating at least the first head section and the second head section; and

a controlling device configured to communicate with the articulation system, the controlling device having a user interface comprising a touch screen configured to display a plurality of virtual buttons, the virtual buttons including a flat preset position button, an additional preset position button, and an anti-snore button;

wherein, in response to selection of the flat preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a flat position;

wherein, in response to selection of the additional preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a preset inclined position;

wherein, in response to selection of the anti-snore button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the second head section to a preset snore-reducing position; and

wherein selection of the anti-snore button comprises selection of a sequence of two or more virtual buttons on the touch screen.

2. The sleep system of claim 1, wherein the additional preset position button is a reading preset position button and wherein the preset inclined position is a preset reading inclined position.

3. The sleep system of claim 1, wherein the additional preset position button is a television preset position button and wherein the preset inclined position is a preset television viewing inclined position.

4. The sleep system of claim 1, wherein an angle of incline of the preset inclined position to which the first head section is adjusted in response to selection of the additional preset position button is always greater than an angle of incline of the preset snore-reducing position.

5. The sleep system of claim 1, wherein the controlling device is further configured to transmit a unique identifier for the controlling device to the articulation system, wherein the articulation system is further configured to use the unique identifier to determine that one or more articulation control signals originated at the controlling device, and wherein articulation of the first head section to the preset inclined position is conditioned upon determining that one or more articulation control signals originated at the controlling device.

6. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep surface for a first occupant, the first sleep surface including a first head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the first occupant and a first leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the first occupant;

a second sleep surface adjacent to the first sleep surface for a second occupant, the second sleep surface including a second head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the second occupant and a second leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the second occupant, each of the first head section, the first leg section, the second head section, and the second leg section being separately articulable;

an articulation system for articulating at least the first head section and the second head section; and

a controlling device configured to communicate with the articulation system, the controlling device having a user interface comprising a touch screen configured to display a plurality of virtual buttons, the virtual buttons including a flat preset position button, an additional preset position button, and an anti-snore button;

wherein, in response to selection of the flat preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a flat position;

wherein, in response to selection of the additional preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a preset inclined position;

wherein, in response to selection of the anti-snore button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the second head section to a preset snore-reducing position;

wherein, the articulation system is further configured to articulate the first leg section and the second leg section;

wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of the additional preset position button cause the articulation system to articulate the first leg section to a preset inclined leg position; and

wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of the anti-snore button cause the articulation system to articulate the second leg section to a flat position.

7. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep surface for a first occupant, the first sleep surface including a first head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the first occupant and a first leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the first occupant;

a second sleep surface adjacent to the first sleep surface for a second occupant, the second sleep surface including a second head section for supporting a first portion of a body of the second occupant and a second leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the second occupant, each of the first head section, the first leg section, the second head section, and the second leg section being separately articulable;

an articulation system for articulating at least the first head section and the second head section; and

a controlling device configured to communicate with the articulation system, the controlling device having a user interface comprising a touch screen configured to display a plurality of virtual buttons, the virtual buttons including a flat preset position button, an additional preset position button, and an anti-snore button;

wherein, in response to selection of the flat preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a flat position;

wherein, in response to selection of the additional preset position button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the first head section to a preset inclined position;

wherein, in response to selection of the anti-snore button, the controlling device transmits one or more signals to the articulation system to cause the articulation system to articulate the second head section to a preset snore-reducing position;

wherein the articulation system comprises first and second head articulation motors and first and second leg articulation motors, wherein the first head articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the first head section, wherein the first leg articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the first leg section, wherein the second head articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the second head section, and wherein the second leg articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the second leg section;

wherein the articulation system comprises first and second articulation controllers, wherein the first articulation controller is in communication with the controlling device, the first head articulation motor, and the first leg articulation motor, wherein the second articulation controller is in communication with the controlling device, the second head articulation motor, and the second leg articulation motor; and

wherein the first articulation controller comprises one or more first processors, first memory, and a first communication bus with a plurality of first physical ports, wherein first cables connect the first physical ports to the first head articulation motor and the first leg articulation motor, wherein the second articulation controller comprises one or more second processors, second memory, and a second communication bus with a plurality of second physical ports, wherein second cables connect the second physical ports to the second head articulation motor and the second leg articulation motor.

8. The sleep system of claim 7, wherein the preset snore-reducing position is between about 5°

to about 15°

from horizontal.

9. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep area for a first occupant, the first sleep area including a first section for a portion of a body of the first occupant;

a second sleep area adjacent to the first sleep area for a second occupant, the second sleep area including a second section for a portion of a body of the second occupant, the second section being separately articulable from the first section; and

an articulation system for articulating the first section and the second section, the articulation system configured to receive a first set of one or more articulation control signals, the articulation system further configured to articulate the first section to a first preset position in response to receiving the first set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the articulation system is further configured to receive a second set of one or more articulation control signals and to articulate the second section to a snore-reducing position in response to receiving the second set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals and the second set of one or more articulation control signals are generated and transmitted by a controlling device;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of a first preset position button of the controlling device;

wherein the second set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of an anti-snore button of the controlling device; and

wherein the second set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of a sequence of two or more buttons of the controlling device, the sequence of two or more buttons including the anti-snore button.

10. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein the first preset position button and the anti-snore button are virtual buttons displayed on a touch screen of the controlling device, wherein the controlling device is a handheld remote control configured to communicate with the articulation system via a wireless communication link.

11. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein an angle of incline of the first preset position is always greater than an angle of incline of the snore-reducing position.

12. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein an angle of incline of the first preset position is always less than an angle of incline of the snore-reducing position.

13. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein the first preset position and the snore-reducing position are not user alterable.

14. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein the sleep system further comprises a support frame configured to support at least one mattress,

wherein the first section of the first sleep area comprises a first head section of the first sleep area;

wherein the first sleep area further includes a first leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the first occupant;

wherein the second section of the second sleep area comprises a second head section of the second sleep area;

wherein the second sleep area further includes a second leg section for supporting a second portion of the body of the second occupant;

wherein the articulation system comprises first and second head articulation motors and first and second leg articulation motors, wherein the first head articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the first head section, wherein the first leg articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the first leg section, wherein the second head articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the second head section, and wherein the second leg articulation motor is positioned and configured to articulate the second leg section;

wherein the articulation system comprises first and second articulation controllers, wherein the first articulation controller is in communication with the controlling device, the first head articulation motor, and the first leg articulation motor, wherein the second articulation controller is in communication with the controlling device, the second head articulation motor, and the second leg articulation motor; and

wherein the first articulation controller comprises one or more first processors, first memory, and a first communication bus with a plurality of first physical ports, wherein first cables connect the first physical ports to the first head articulation motor and the first leg articulation motor, wherein the second articulation controller comprises one or more second processors, second memory, and a second communication bus with a plurality of second physical ports, wherein second cables connect the second physical ports to the second head articulation motor and the second leg articulation motor.

15. The sleep system of claim 14, wherein the first articulation controller is configured to ignore a movement control signal addressed to the second articulation controller when the first articulation controller receives a movement control signal addressed to the second articulation controller.

16. The sleep system of claim 9:

wherein the first preset position is a flat position;

wherein the first preset position button is a flat preset position button;

wherein the articulation system is further configured to receive a third set of one or more articulation control signals and to articulate the first section to a preset inclined position in response to receiving the third set of one or more articulation control signals; and

wherein the third set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of a second preset position button of the controlling device.

17. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein the buttons in the sequence of two or more buttons are virtual buttons displayed on a touch screen of the controlling device.

18. The sleep system of claim 9, wherein the articulation system comprises a first articulation controller for controlling articulation of the first section and a second articulation controller for controlling articulation of the second section, wherein the first articulation controller configured to communicate with the controlling device, and wherein the first articulation controller is configured to ignore a movement control signal addressed to the second articulation controller when the first articulation controller receives a movement control signal addressed to the second articulation controller.

19. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep area for a first occupant, the first sleep area including a first section for a portion of a body of the first occupant;

a second sleep area adjacent to the first sleep area for a second occupant, the second sleep area including a second section for a portion of a body of the second occupant, the second section being separately articulable from the first section; and

an articulation system for articulating the first section and the second section, the articulation system configured to receive a first set of one or more articulation control signals, the articulation system further configured to articulate the first section to a first preset position in response to receiving the first set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the articulation system is further configured to receive a second set of one or more articulation control signals and to articulate the second section to a snore-reducing position in response to receiving the second set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals and the second set of one or more articulation control signals are generated and transmitted by a controlling device;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of a first preset position button of the controlling device;

wherein the second set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of an anti-snore button of the controlling device; and

wherein a first speed of inclination change at which the articulation system articulates the first section to the first preset position is greater than a second speed of inclination change at which the articulation system articulates the second section to the snore-reducing position.

20. A sleep system comprising:

a first sleep area for a first occupant, the first sleep area including a first section for a portion of a body of the first occupant;

a second sleep area adjacent to the first sleep area for a second occupant, the second sleep area including a second section for a portion of a body of the second occupant, the second section being separately articulable from the first section; and

an articulation system for articulating the first section and the second section, the articulation system configured to receive a first set of one or more articulation control signals, the articulation system further configured to articulate the first section to a first preset position in response to receiving the first set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the articulation system is further configured to receive a second set of one or more articulation control signals and to articulate the second section to a snore-reducing position in response to receiving the second set of one or more articulation control signals;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals and the second set of one or more articulation control signals are generated and transmitted by a controlling device;

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of a first preset position button of the controlling device;

wherein the second set of one or more articulation control signals is generated and transmitted by the controlling device in response to selection of an anti-snore button of the controlling device; and

wherein the first set of one or more articulation control signals includes a unique identifier for the controlling device, wherein the articulation system is further configured to use the unique identifier to determine that the first set of one or more articulation control signals originated at the controlling device, and wherein the articulation system articulates the first section to the first preset position in response to determining that the first set of one or more articulation control signals originated at the controlling device.