Interactive air bed

• US 6,763,541 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: Select Comfort Corporation
• Inventors: Mahoney, Paul J., Bils, Peter S., Lanz, Troy C. Sr., Ostman, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Teri Pham
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONLEY, FREDRICK C
• Application Number:
  US10/165,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 571/3, 565/53, 590/4, 594/0, 571/0, 564/4, 594/4
• US Class Current: 5/713
• 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 31/123 for beds or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/904 with sound emitting means

Abstract

An air bed having a pump and a relief valve is operably connected with a control box. The control box is capable of being programmed or receiving scripted information from a media file such that timed pressure changes may be made in the air bed by operation of the pump and the relief valve. These changes are synchronized with a message being played by a media player. Thus the air bed interacts with a person lying on the bed. This interaction is used, preferably in a sales setting, to convey information to the person about the operation and features of the air bed.

Claims

1. An interactive air bed comprising:

an inflatable bladder;

a fluid pump in fluid communication with the bladder;

a relief valve in fluid communication with the bladder;

a control box, operably connected to the fluid pump, the control box having;

at least one microprocessor;

a power supply;

a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the bladder;

a relay operably connected to the pressure relief valve;

a manual remote control operably connected with the control box;

an audio player operably connected to the control box;

at least one speaker operably connected to the audio player.

2. The air bed of claim 1 further comprising a video player operably connected to the control box.

3. The air bed of claim 2 wherein the video player and the audio player comprise a single audio/video device.

4. The air bed of claim 3 wherein the audio/video device comprises a digital video disc player.

5. The air bed of claim 1 wherein said speaker is operably disposed within a foam border surrounding the bladder.

6. The air bed of claim 1 wherein the manual remote control comprises a wireless manual remote control.

7. The air bed of claim 1 wherein the manual remote control comprises a tethered remote control.

8. The air bed of claim 1 further comprising:

a second inflatable bladder in fluid communication with the fluid pump;

a second manual remote control operably connected with the control box for use in adjusting a fluid pressure in the second inflatable bladder; and

,

wherein the control box further has a second pressure transducer in fluid communication with the second bladder.

9. The air bed of claim 1 further comprising:

a second inflatable bladder;

a second fluid pump in fluid communication with the second bladder and operably connected to the control box;

a second manual remote control operably connected with the control box for use in adjusting a fluid pressure in the second inflatable bladder; and

,

wherein the control box further has a second pressure transducer in fluid communication with the second bladder.

10. The air bed of claim 1 further comprising at least one data file read by the microprocessor, commanding the control box to change a fluid pressure in the bladder.

11. The air bed of claim 10 wherein said data file is stored in media played by said audio player.

12. The air bed of claim 10 wherein said data file is stored in media played by a video player operably connected to the control box.

13. The air bed of claim 10 further comprising local memory and wherein said data file is stored thereon.

14. A method of communicating a message to a person laying on an air bed comprising:

providing an audio player operably connected to a control box of the air bed;

playing the message with the audio player upon sensing that the person is laying on the air bed;

synchronizing the message with changes in fluid pressure in the air bed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein sensing that the person is laying on the air bed comprises detecting a sudden change in fluid pressure in the air bed due to the weight of the person.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein sensing that the person is laying on the air bed comprises receiving a signal from a manual hand held remote control operably connected to the control box.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein synchronizing the message with changes in the fluid pressure in the air bed comprises providing media, played by the audio player, that includes at least one data file read by the control box.

18. An interactive air bed comprising:

an inflatable bladder;

an first means for increasing a fluid pressure inside of said bladder;

a second means for decreasing said fluid pressure inside of said bladder;

a third means for controlling said first means and said second means;

a fourth means for communicating a message to a person lying on said mattress, said fourth means operably connected to said third means such that said third means is capable of operating said first means and said second means in correspondence with said message.

19. The interactive air bed of claim 18 wherein said first means comprises a fluid pump in fluid communication with said bladder.

20. The interactive air bed of claim 19 wherein said second means comprises a relief valve in fluid communication with said bladder.

21. The interactive air bed of claim 19 wherein said third means comprises a control box having:

at least one microprocessor;

a power supply;

a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the bladder; and

,

a relay operably connected to the second means.

22. The interactive air bed of claim 19 wherein said fourth means comprises an audio player.

23. The interactive air bed of claim 19 wherein said fourth means comprises a digital video disc player operably connected to a video display and at least one speaker.

24. The interactive air bed of claim 19 wherein said third means comprises a microprocessor and memory and said fourth means comprises a data file stored in said memory and at least one speaker operably attached to said microprocessor.