Two-way communication between a bed facility controller and a remote control for the bed facility

• US 8,078,336 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin B. Rawls-Meehan
• Original Assignee: Martin B. Rawls-Meehan
• Inventors: Rawls-Meehan, Martin B
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, DOUGLAS S
• Application Number:
  US11/875,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,515 Days
• Field of Search: 700/13, 700/64, 700/66, 700/302, 560/0, 561/3, 561/6, 318/16, 340/573
• US Class Current: 700/302
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/12 Folding bedsteads travelling or camp beds A47C17/64
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/08 with means for adjusting two or more rests simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/003 Lighting, radio, telephone or the like connected to the bedstead
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/006 Oscillating, balancing or vibrating mechanisms connected to the bedstead for children's beds A47D9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/04 Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/081 of pneumatic type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/082 with non-manual inflation, e.g. with electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0142 Beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/50 Control means thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0443 substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A remote control communicates via two-way communication with a controller for a bed facility to allow a user of the remote control to control a function of the bed facility. Adjustable features of an adjustable bed can be controlled through the two-way communication. Inflation or other features of an air mattress can be controlled through the two-way communication. Two-way communication is supported by either a wired connection or a wireless connection such as Bluetooth, USB, ultra wideband, and the like. The two-way communication also supports the remote control controlling a second system that is associated with the adjustable bed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a two-way communication between a remote control and a controller for an adjustable bed, wherein the two-way communication is wireless and wherein a skeleton of the adjustable bed is used as an antenna for the two-way communication;

establishing a second two-way communication between the controller and an air purification system, wherein the second two-way communication is wireless; and

transmitting a control signal from the remote control to the air purification system using the two-way communication between the remote control and the controller and the second two-way communication between the controller and the air purification system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control is Internet-connected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a second system from the remote control, wherein the second system includes one or more of a lighting system, a CD player, an MP3 player, a DVD player, a lamp, an alarm clock, a music player, a telephone, a video system, an air mattress, and an audio system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control is adapted to operate on a cell phone.