SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE

• US 20080262657A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Long, Thomas P., Kline, Kevin J., Hacker, Darren W., Tsigolaroff, Nicholas S., Howell, Phil, Diehl, Timothy M.
• Application Number:
  US12/103,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls

Abstract

A system and methods for controlling adjustable furniture 60. The adjustable furniture 60 may be controlled by a control unit 34 in communication with a remote controller 40. A user may input commands to the remote controller 40 through a manual input device 42 or a microphone 43. The control unit 34 may be operable to adjust at least one actuable device element 28a-d, 32a-d, 52a, 52b in response to the commands. The adjustments of actuable device elements 28a-d, 32a-d, 52a, 52b may be measured by a sensor 58 that generates a sensor signal operable to be analyzed by the control unit 34 to determine an execution status of the command. The execution status may be indicated on the remote controller 40 by a speaker 44 or a display 45. The control unit 34 may also be operable to send signals for the remote controller 40 to make a noise.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a piece of adjustable furniture of the type that includes an adjustable configuration parameter, the system comprising:

a remote controller operable to receive a command from a user to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter;

a control unit in communication with the remote controller, the control unit operable to receive the command from the remote controller, the control unit further operable to control the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter;

an actuable device element in electrical communication with the control unit, the actuable device element operable to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter; and

a sensor electrically connected to the actuable device element and the control unit, the sensor operable to measure the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter and to generate a sensor signal,

wherein the control unit is operable to receive the sensor signal and determine an execution status of the command, and

wherein the control unit is further operable to send the execution status of the command to the remote controller, and

wherein the remote controller is operable to indicate the execution statues of the command.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller and control unit are in wireless communication through a wireless communication selected from the group consisting of:

radio frequency communication, infrared communication, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is bi-directional between the control unit and the remote controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a light operable to illuminate in response to a command received from the remote controller at the control unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable configuration parameter is an elevation of a portion of a surface of the piece of adjustable furniture, and wherein the actuable device element is an elevation unit that further comprises:

a motor in electrical communication with the control unit;

a linear actuator coupled to the motor, the linear actuator operable to expand and contract in response to a rotary motion of the motor, wherein the elevation unit is operable to adjust the elevation of the portion of the surface of the piece of adjustable furniture.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable configuration parameter is a massaging characteristic of the piece of adjustable furniture, and wherein the actuable device element is a massaging unit operable to adjust the massaging characteristic of the piece of adjustable furniture.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable configuration parameter is a pressure of a surface of the piece of adjustable furniture, and wherein the actuable device element is a pump operable to adjust the pressure of the piece of adjustable furniture.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the command includes program code operable to be executed by the control unit to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller further comprises:

a manual input device operable to receive the command.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller further comprises:

a microphone operable to convert a voice of the user into an electrical signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote controller is operable to convert the electrical signal into the command.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote controller is operable to communicate the electrical signal to the control unit, and wherein the control unit is operable to convert the electrical signal into the command.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller receives the execution status, and wherein the remote controller further comprises:

a speaker to indicate the execution status.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller receives the execution status, and wherein the remote controller further comprises:

a display to indicate the execution status.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a status indicator operable to indicate the execution status of the command.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a processing unit; and

a memory in electrical communication with the processing unit, the memory operable to store a preprogrammed routine, the control unit operable to execute the preprogrammed routine to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter in compliance with the preprogrammed routine.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of adjustable furniture is an adjustable bed, wherein the adjustable bed further comprises:

a right side that further comprises a head and a foot portion; and

a left side the further comprises a head and a foot portion, wherein the control unit is operable to independently control the left and right sides.

18. The system of claim 1, the control unit further comprising:

a remote controller location button electrically connected to the control unit, the remote controller location button operable to cause the control unit to send a signal to the remote controller to make a noise.

19. A method for controlling a piece of adjustable furniture of the type that includes an adjustable configuration parameter, the method comprising:

receiving a command from a user at a remote controller to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter;

communicating the command from the remote controller to a control unit, the control unit operable to control the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter;

adjusting the adjustable configuration parameter with an actuable device element in electrical communication with the control unit;

measuring the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter with a sensor electrically connected to the actuable device element and the control unit;

in response to measuring the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter with the sensor, generating a sensor signal with the sensor operable to be received by the control unit;

determining from the sensor signal an execution status of the command at the control unit; and

indicating the execution status of the command on the remote controller.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the remote controller and control unit wirelessly communicate through a wireless communication selected from the group consisting of:

radio frequency communication, infrared communication, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless communication is bi-directional between the control unit and the remote controller.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

illuminating a light on the control unit in response to a command received at the control unit and from the remote controller.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the command is program code, the method further comprising:

executing the program code with the control unit to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing the program code in a memory of the control unit.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the control unit comprises a processing unit and a memory in electrical communication with the processing unit, the method further comprising:

storing a program code in a memory; and

executing, with the control unit, the preprogrammed routine to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the piece of adjustable furniture is an adjustable bed with a right side and a left side that each comprise a head and a foot portion, the method further comprising:

independently controlling the left and right sides.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a depression of a remote controller location button configured on the control unit; and

in response to detecting the depression of the remote controller location button, sending a signal from the control unit to the remote controller, wherein the signal instructs the remote controller to make a noise.

28. A method for controlling a piece of adjustable furniture with a control unit, wherein the piece of adjustable furniture is of the type that includes an adjustable configuration parameter, the method comprising:

receiving a command from a remote controller in communication with the control unit to adjust the adjustable configuration parameter;

adjusting the adjustable configuration parameter by selectively energizing an actuable device element in electrical communication with the control unit;

in response to adjusting the adjustable configuration parameter, receiving a sensor signal generated by a sensor, wherein the sensor is operable to measure the adjustment of the adjustable configuration parameter;

analyzing the sensor signal to determine an execution status of the command; and

sending the execution status to the remote controller.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the control unit and remote controller wirelessly communicate through a wireless communication selected from the group consisting of:

radio frequency communication, infrared communication, and combinations thereof.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the wireless communication is bi-directional between the control unit and the remote controller.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

detecting a depression of a remote controller location button configured on the control unit; and

in response to detecting the depression of the remote controller location button, sending a signal from the control unit to the remote controller, wherein the signal instructs the remote controller to make a noise.

32. A method for controlling a piece of adjustable furniture of the type that includes a first and second side, wherein the first side includes a first adjustable configuration parameter and is controlled by a first control unit, and wherein the second side includes an adjustable configuration parameter and is controlled by a second control unit, the method comprising:

configuring a first remote controller to bi-directionally and wirelessly communicate with the first control unit, wherein the first remote controller and first control unit communicate through radio frequency communication;

configuring a second remote controller to bi-directionally and wirelessly communicate with the second control unit, wherein the second remote controller and second control unit communicate through radio frequency communication;

detecting a first command from the first remote controller to adjust the first adjustable configuration parameter at both the first and second control unit; and

detecting a second command from the second remote controller to adjust the second adjustable configuration parameter at both the first and second control unit,

wherein the first command is ignored by the second control unit and the second command is ignored by the first control unit such that the first control unit is independently controlled by the first remote controller and the second control unit is independently controlled by the second remote controller.

33. A method for locating a remote controller configured to bi-directionally and wirelessly communicate with a control unit through radio frequency communication, wherein the control unit is operable to control a piece of adjustable furniture of the type that includes an adjustable configuration parameter, the method comprising:

detecting a depression of a remote controller location button; and

in response to detecting the depression of the remote controller location button, sending a signal from the control unit to the remote controller, wherein the signal instructs the remote controller to make a noise on a speaker.