Control of an adjustable bed through a network

• US 8,078,337 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US11/875,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115280A1
• 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

An adjustable bed is controlled through a network. When controlled through a telephone network, a phone provides communication with a control box for the adjustable bed, and optionally a second system associated with the bed and controlled through the control box. When controlled through an internetwork such as the Internet, functions of the adjustable bed and optionally functions of a second system associated with the adjustable bed can be controlled. The network can be wired, wireless, near field, or wide band.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, on a wireless device having a touch screen, both a first control for an articulating adjustment that is supported by a controller of an articulating, adjustable bed and a second control for a second system that is supported by the controller of the articulating, adjustable bed, wherein the second system is selected from the group consisting of a lighting system, an air purification system, an audio system, a CD player, an MP3 player, a DVD player, a lamp, and alarm clock, a music player, a telephone and a video system;

presenting, on the touch screen, a first visual representation of the first control and a second visual representation of the second control, the first visual representation graphically depicting a physical state of the articulating adjustment;

receiving a user input via the touch screen for at least one of the first control and the second control; and

in response to the user input, communicating a signal from the wireless device to the controller to change a state of the articulating, adjustable bed in accordance with the user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second system is the lighting system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second system is the air purification system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second system is the telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

presenting the first and second visual representations includes presenting a plurality of functions for each of the first and second controls, the plurality of functions including an increase function, a decrease function, and a store function.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the functions are presented in a circular arrangement along with functions of other controls supported by the controller, and wherein the circular arrangement is divided into sections, each of which corresponds to a control supported by the controller.

7. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer code that, when run on a wireless device having a touch screen, performs the following steps:

identifying both a first control for an articulating adjustment that is supported by a controller of an articulating, adjustable bed and a second control for a second system that is supported by the controller of the articulating, adjustable bed, wherein the second system is selected from the group consisting of a lighting system, and air purification system, an audio system, a CD player, an MP3 player, a DVD player, a lamp, an alarm clock, a music player, a telephone and a video system;

presenting, on the touch screen, a first visual representation of the first control and a second visual representation of the second control, the first visual representation graphically depicting a physical state of the articulating adjustment;

receiving a user input via the touch screen for at least one of the first control and the second control; and

in response to the user input, communicating a signal from the wireless device to the controller to change a state of the articulating, adjustable bed in accordance with the user input.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the second system is the lighting system.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the second system is the air purification system.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the second system is the telephone.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein:

presenting the first and second visual representations includes presenting a plurality of functions of reach of the first and second controls, the plurality of functions including an increase function, a decrease function, and a store function.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the functions are presented in a circular arrangement along with functions of controls supported by the controller, and wherein the circular arrangement is divided into sections, each of which corresponds to a control supported by the controller.

13. A system, comprising:

a wireless device having;

a touch screen;

a first control for an articulating adjustment that is supported by a controller of an articulating, adjustable bed; and

a second control for a second system that is supported by the controller of the articulating, adjustable bed, wherein

the second system is selected from the group consisting of;

a lighting system, an air purification system, an audio system, a CD player, and MP3 player, a DVD player, a lamp, an alarm clock, a music player, a telephone and a video system, and wherein

the wireless device is adapted to perform the following steps;

presenting, on the touch screen, a first visual representation of the first control and a second visual representation of the second control, the first visual representation graphically depicting a physical state of the articulating adjustment;

receiving a user input via the touch screen for at least one of the first control and the second control; and

in response to the user input, communicating a signal from the wireless device to the controller to change a state of the articulating, adjustable bed in accordance with the user input.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second system is the lighting system.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second system is the air purification system.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second system is the telephone.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein:

presenting the first and second visual representations includes presenting a plurality of functions for each of the first and second controls, the plurality of functions including an increase function, a decrease function, and a store function.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein presenting the plurality of functions includes presenting the plurality of functions in a circular arrangement along with functions of other controls supported by the controller, and wherein the circular arrangement is divided into sections, each of which corresponds to a control supported by the controller.