Methods and systems of adjustable bed position control

• US 7,321,811 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• 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): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US11/740,661
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 700/302, 700/13, 700/64, 700/66, 560/0, 561/3, 561/6, 318/16
• 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

Aspects of this invention relate to an adjustable bed that may include providing a plurality of values that may define a range of available positions for an adjustable bed; receiving a request to save a position of the adjustable bed as a user selected position; determining which of the plurality of values may represent a current position of the adjustable bed to provide a current position value; storing an association of the current position value with the user selected position, forming a store position value; receiving a request to return the adjustable bed to the user selected position; adjusting the adjustable bed to a position corresponding to the store position value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of values that define a range of available positions for an adjustable bed, wherein storing a plurality of values includes storing a table having a plurality of entries, each one of the plurality of entries specifying one of the range of available positions for the adjustable bed;

receiving a request to save a position of the adjustable bed as a user selected position;

determining which of the plurality of values represents a current position of the adjustable bed to provide a current position value; and

storing an association of the current position value with the user-selected position, wherein storing an association of the current position value with the user-selected position includes adding a store indication to each one of the plurality of entries of the table except for the one of the plurality of entries representing the current position value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the available positions for the adjustable bed are referenced to a base value.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to move the adjustable bed to the user-selected position; and

determining the one of the plurality of values corresponding to the user-selected position.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising adjusting the adjustable bed to a bed position specified by the one of the plurality of values.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of adjusting the adjustable bed to a bed position specified by the one of the plurality of values includes:

searching the table for one of the entries that does not include the indication; and

selecting the one of the plurality of values in the one of the entries as the one of the plurality of values corresponding to the user-selected position.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein adjusting the adjustable bed includes operating a controller to control adjustment hardware for moving one or more adjustable portions of the bed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the table includes storing the table in a memory.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request to save a position includes receiving an input from a user input device and sending responsive control signals to the controller.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a request from the user input device to change a current one of the available positions and sending responsive control signals to the controller.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a request from the user input device to move the adjustable bed to one of the available positions previously selected as a user-selected position and sending responsive control signals to the controller.