Inflatable air mattress system with detection techniques

• US 9,510,688 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: Select Comfort Corporation, SleepIQ Labs Inc. (Sleep Number Corporation)
• Inventors: Nunn, Rob, Palashewski, Wade Daniel, Tilstra, Matthew Wayne, Young, Steven, Hewitt, Carl, Zhovnirovsky, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): CONLEY, FREDRICK C
• Application Number:
  US14/209,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20140259434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 570/6, 5710-713
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/083 with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/10 with two or more independently-fillable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/123 for beds or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 13/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring differences of two or more fluid pressure values

Abstract

In one example, this disclosure describes a method including receiving, at a central controller of an air mattress system, a plurality of air pressure value, determining a plurality of average values using the plurality of the received air pressure values, calculating a difference value between a first one of the plurality of average values and a second one of the plurality of average values, comparing the difference value to a threshold value, determining, based on the comparison, whether a user of the air mattress system moved.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a central controller of an air mattress system, a plurality of air pressure values;

determining a plurality of average values using the plurality of the received air pressure values;

calculating a difference value between a first one of the plurality of average values and a second one of the plurality of average values;

comparing the difference value to a threshold value;

determining, based on the comparison, whether a user of the air mattress system moved;

initiating a timer upon determining that the user of the air mattress system moved;

stopping the timer upon determining that the user of the air mattress system has stopped moving; and

wherein an accumulated time in the timer represents a total amount of time that the user has moved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the average values are rolling average values.

3. The method of claim 1, determining a sleep quality index based on the accumulated time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon determining the sleep quality index, displaying the index to the user.

5. A bed system comprising:

an inflatable air mattress having at least a first bladder;

and

a central controller comprising;

a processor configured to;

receive a plurality of air pressure values of the first bladder;

determine a plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder using the plurality of the received air pressure values of the first bladder;

calculate a difference value between a first one of the plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder and a second one of the plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder;

compare the difference value to a threshold value;

determine, based on the comparison, whether a user of the air mattress system moved;

calculate a pressure change value using a difference between a first one of the plurality of the air pressure values of the first bladder received prior to the user movement beginning and a second one of the plurality of the air pressure values of the first bladder received after the user movement has terminated;

compare the calculated pressure change value to a threshold value; and

determine, based on the comparison, a position of the user of the air mattress system.

6. The bed system of claim 5, wherein the first bladder is sized and positioned to support the user on a first side of the bed system, and further comprising a second bladder sized and positioned to support a second user on a second side of the bed system.

7. The bed system of claim 5, wherein the central controller further comprises a pump.

8. A bed system comprising:

an inflatable air mattress;

and

a central controller comprising;

a processor configured to;

receive a plurality of air pressure values;

determine a plurality of average values using the plurality of the received air pressure values;

calculate a difference value between a first one of the plurality of average values and a second one of the plurality of average values;

compare the difference value to a threshold value;

determine, based on the comparison, whether a user of the air mattress system moved;

initiate a timer upon determining that the user of the air mattress system moved;

stop the timer upon determining that the user of the air mattress system has stopped moving; and

wherein an accumulated time in the timer represents a total amount of time that the user has moved.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the average values are rolling average values.

10. The bed system of claim 8, and further comprising a pump fluidically connected to the inflatable air mattress.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine a sleep quality index based on the accumulated time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

upon determining the sleep quality index, display the index to the user.

13. The bed system of claim 8, and further comprising an adjustable foundation sized and configured to adjustably supporting the inflatable air mattress and a pump fluidically connected to the inflatable air mattress.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, at a central controller of an air mattress system, a plurality of air pressure values of a first bladder;

determining a plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder using the plurality of the received air pressure values of the first bladder;

calculating a difference value between a first one of the plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder and a second one of the plurality of rolling average values of the first bladder;

comparing the difference value to a threshold value;

determining, based on the comparison, whether a user of the air mattress system moved;

calculating a pressure change value using a difference between a first one of the plurality of the air pressure values of the first bladder received prior to the user movement beginning and a second one of the plurality of the air pressure values of the first bladder received after the user movement has terminated;

comparing the calculated pressure change value to a threshold value; and

determining, based on the comparison, a position of the user of the air mattress system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first bladder is sized and positioned to support the user along a length of the air mattress system.