Personally customized electronic furniture and method of implementing the same

• US 8,738,183 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Woo-young, Lim, Hyung-kyu, Kim, Dong-wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/349,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 600/26, 600/27, 368/10, 700/275
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0119 Support for the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0134 Cushion or similar support
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0142 Beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/102 with aromatherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5002 Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5012 using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/502 Card operated, e.g. pre-paid card, credit card or ID card
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. E.G.C., blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/207 partial O2-value
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/30 Blood pressure A61H2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An apparatus which provides various functions for physical and/or mental relaxation, as well as for health care of a user, and a method of implementing the apparatus, include downloading personal data of the user from a user terminal to a personally customized bed and controlling one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on the personal data.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a personally customized bed, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed;

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed, personal data of a user from the portable user terminal to the personally customized bed connected to the portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

connecting the personally customized bed to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized bed is based on a physical state of the user represented by the personal data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the physical state of the user comprises at least one of a biological signal of the user measured by a measurement device of the portable user terminal, and a biological signal of the user measured by a measurement device of the personally customized bed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving remote control information, through a network, from a health care system located in a remote place,

wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized bed is based on the remote control information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving the remote control information comprises connecting to the network by using a wireless communication function of the portable user terminal and receiving the remote control information through the network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the user is authorized to use the personally customized bed by checking a personal identification code of the personal data of the user,

wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized bed is based on a result of the determining whether the user is authorized to use the personally customized bed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions comprise an environment adjustment function, an instrument operation adjustment function and an audio/visual content output adjustment function of the personally customized bed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting at least one of humidity, temperature, illumination level, noise level, vibration level, dust amount and oxygen amount proximate to the personally customized bed, by controlling the environment adjustment function.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the personally customized bed comprises at least one device which separately adjusts humidity, temperature, illumination level, noise level, vibration level, dust amount and oxygen amount proximate to the personally customized bed.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting an operation of at least one of a mechanical frame and a plurality of air cells included in a mattress of the personally customized bed by controlling the instrument operation adjustment function.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting at least one of an image output of a display panel of the personally customized bed and a speech output of a speaker of the personally customized bed by controlling the audio/visual content output adjustment function.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable user terminal comprises one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, a notebook computer and a palm top computer.

13. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable program code for executing a method of implementing a personally customized bed, and instructions for causing a computer to implement the method, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed,

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed, personal data of a user from the portable user terminal to the personally customized bed connected to the portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

connecting the personally customized bed to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

14. A personally customized bed comprising:

a terminal interface which downloads, when a portable user terminal is connected thereto, personal data of a user from the connected portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user; and

a control unit which controls one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal, and connects the personally customized bed to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

15. The personally customized bed of claim 14, wherein

the terminal interface comprises a connector connected to the portable user terminal, and

the personal data is downloaded when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed by the connector.

16. A method of implementing personally customized electronic furniture, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized electronic furniture;

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized electronic furniture, personal data of a user from the portable user terminal to the personally customized electronic furniture connected to the portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

connecting the personally customized electronic furniture to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture is based on a physical state of the user represented by the personal data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical state of the user comprises at least one of a biological signal of the user measured by a measurement device of the portable user terminal and a biological signal of the user measured by a measurement device of the personally customized electronic furniture.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving remote control information, through a network, from a health care system located in a remote place,

wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture is based on the remote control information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving the remote control information comprises connecting to the network by using a wireless communication function of the portable user terminal and receiving the remote control information through the network.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining whether the user is authorized to use the personally customized electronic furniture by checking a personal identification code of the personal data,

wherein the controlling the one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture is based on a result of the determining.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture comprise an environment adjustment function, an instrument operation adjustment function and an audio/visual content output adjustment function of the personally customized electronic furniture.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising adjusting at least one of humidity, temperature, illumination level, noise level, vibration level, dust amount and oxygen amount proximate to the personally customized electronic furniture by controlling the environment adjustment function.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising adjusting an operation of at least one of a mechanical frame and a plurality of air cells included in a mattress of the personally customized electronic furniture by controlling the instrument operation adjustment function.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising adjusting at least one of an image output of a display panel of the personally customized electronic furniture and a speech output of a speaker of the personally customized electronic furniture by controlling the audio/visual content output adjustment function.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the portable user terminal comprises one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, a notebook computer and a palm top computer.

27. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable program code for executing a method of implementing personally customized electronic furniture, and instructions for causing a computer to implement the method, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized electronic furniture;

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized electronic furniture, personal data of a user from the portable user terminal connected to the personally customized electronic furniture, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

connecting the personally customized electronic furniture to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

28. Personally customized electronic furniture comprising:

a terminal interface which downloads, when a portable user terminal is connected thereto, personal data of a user from the connected portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

a control unit which controls one or more functions of the personally customized electronic furniture based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

connects the personally customized electronic furniture to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

29. The personally customized electronic furniture of claim 28, wherein

the terminal interface comprises a connector connected to the portable user terminal, and

the personal data is downloaded when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized electronic furniture by the connector.

30. A method of managing sleep of a user on a personally customized bed, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed;

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed, personal data of the user from the portable user terminal connected to the personally customized bed, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

monitoring a sleeping state of the user based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on a result of the monitoring; and

connecting the personally customized bed to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

31. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable program code for executing a method of managing sleep of a user on a personally customized bed, and instructions for causing a computer to implement the method, the method comprising:

detecting whether a portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed;

downloading, when the portable user terminal is connected to the personally customized bed, personal data of the user from the portable user terminal connected to the personally customized bed, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

monitoring a sleeping state of the user based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

controlling one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on a result of the monitoring; and

connecting the personally customized bed to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface, and performing consultation with an expert about health care,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.

32. An apparatus for managing sleep of a user on a personally customized bed, the apparatus comprising:

a terminal interface which, when a portable user terminal is connected thereto, downloads personal data of the user from the connected portable user terminal, the personal data including at least one of physical state information of the user, private information of the user, health care history information of the user and audio/video content preference information of the user;

a sensor unit which monitors a sleeping state of the user based on the personal data downloaded from the portable user terminal; and

a control unit which controls one or more functions of the personally customized bed based on a result of the monitoring, and connects the personally customized electronic furniture to a health care system through a network when the connection to the health care system is selected through user interface,

wherein the personal data is not directly measured from the user but downloaded from the portable user terminal, and includes non-sleep related private personal information.