Inflatable air mattress with integrated control

• US 10,674,832 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Inventors: Brosnan, Aran Patrick, Chen, Yi-ching, McGuire, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hare, David R
• Application Number:
  US15/687,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/04 with adjustable inclination A47C20/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/042 for ventilating or cooling A47C21/028 and A47C27/007 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/048 for heating
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/082 with non-manual inflation, e.g. with electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/083 with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls

Abstract

An air bed system including a plurality of peripheral devices and a pump unit configured to adjust a firmness of an air mattress, the pump unit including a pump. The system further includes a controller configured to execute instructions that cause the pump unit to wirelessly pair with at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices. The pump unit is configured to receive at least one control signal addressed to the at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices, and transmit the at least one control signal to the addressed device.

Claims

1. A pump comprising:

a pump encasement that physically houses the pump;

a pressure transducer configured to sense pressure within a fluidically connected air chamber of an air mattress of a bed;

wherein the pump is configured to execute instructions that cause the pump to;

form a wireless network with a plurality of controllable peripheral devices of the bed, each of the controllable peripheral devices comprising a peripheral device controller configured to

     1) form the wireless network with the pump unit and

     2) control behavior of the associated controllable peripheral device in accordance with a control signal received from the pump device over the wireless network;

transmit at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network;

detect a new controllable peripheral device comprising a peripheral device controller configured to

     1) form the wireless network with the pump and

     2) control behavior of the associated controllable peripheral device in accordance with a control signal received from the pump over the wireless network; and

add the new controllable peripheral device to the wireless network,

wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices are external to the pump encasement and the air chamber.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the pump to receive a data update configured to modify a user interface to include features specific to the new controllable peripheral device.

3. The pump of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the pump to receive a data update from the new controllable peripheral device.

4. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to receive user commands from a control device comprising buttons pressed by a user, wherein the control device is different than the controllable peripheral devices, and wherein the instructions cause the pump to transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network in response to receiving the user commands from the control device.

5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the control device is a smartphone.

6. The pump of claim 4, wherein the control device is a remote control device.

7. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to receive user commands from a voice activated control comprising voice-spoken commands by a user.

8. The pump of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprises an adjustable foundation having an adjustable foundation controller in communication with the pump to receive one or more control signals transmitted by the pump such that the pump controls the adjustable foundation.

9. The pump of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices are physically separated from the pump.

10. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a controller in the pump encasement.

11. The pump of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the pump to transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network in response to receiving a user command from a control device that is different than the controllable peripheral devices.

12. The pump of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the pump, in response to receiving a control signal, to either act on the control signal to adjust air pressure or transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network.

13. The pump of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprise at least one controllable peripheral device motor, and wherein the at least one control signal comprises a control signal to operate the motor.

14. The pump of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprise at least one air controller.

15. A system comprising:

the pump of claim 1; and

an air controller, wherein the air controller is one of the plurality of peripheral devices, wherein the air controller is configured to receive the at least one control signal from the pump to control operation of the air controller.

16. The system of claim 15, and further comprising:

a control device comprising one of a remote control device or a smartphone, wherein the control device is configured to send first and second control signals to the pump, wherein the first control signal is designated for the pump, wherein the second control signal is designated for the air controller, and wherein the pump is configured to transmit the second control signal to the air controller.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the air controller comprises a thermoelectric engine in communication with an air mattress pad.

18. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to act as a hub between a control device and the plurality of peripheral device controllers.