Touch screen control of an adjustable bed

• US 8,565,934 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2007
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• 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): Shechtman, Sean P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLAND, STEVEN R
• Application Number:
  US11/875,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,194 Days
• Field of Search: 700/302, 700/17, 700/83, 560/0, 561/6, 561/8, 345/173
• 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 control command is received via a touch screen from a user. The control command is directed to recalling a user-selected bed position of an adjustable bed. Recalling includes: identifying a row in a data table representing a user-selected bed position and retrieving an increment value from the row. The increment value specifies one of a range of available positions for the adjustable bed. A component of the adjustable bed is controlled to meet the increment value The component includes at least one of an actuator and a vibration motor.

Claims

1. A method for recalling a position of an adjustable bed comprising:

establishing a unique communication link between a receiver and a remote control that includes a touch screen;

receiving, at the receiver via the touch screen and the unique communication link, a control command from a user, the control command directed to recalling a user-selected bed position of the adjustable bed;

identifying a row in a data table, the row representing the user-selected bed position;

identifying an increment value within the row that specifies one of a range of positions for an actuator mechanically coupled to a movable section of the adjustable bed, the increment value representing a number of increments of the actuator from a base value for the movable section; and

controlling the actuator to meet the increment value by moving the actuator a number of increments from a current value to the increment value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a controller of the component of the adjustable bed is Internet-connected.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the controller is a microcontroller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the microcontroller is embedded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control command is a user command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustable bed includes one or more articulating portions mechanically controlled by the actuator.

8. A method for recalling a position of an adjustable bed comprising:

establishing a unique communication link between a receiver and a remote control that includes a touch screen;

receiving at the receiver, via the touch screen and the unique communication link, a first control command, a second control command, and a third control command;

storing, in response to the first control command, a user-selected bed position into a memory associated with the adjustable bed;

recalling, in response to the second control command, the user-selected bed position; and

controlling, in response to the third control command, a system associated with the adjustable bed, wherein the system is selected from a group consisting of a lighting system, an 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, wherein recalling the user-selected bed position includes;

identifying a row in a data table, the row representing the user-selected bed position;

within the row, identifying an increment value, wherein the increment value specifies one of a range of positions for an actuator mechanically coupled to a movable section of the adjustable bed, the increment value representing a number of increments of the actuator from a base value for the movable section; and

controlling the actuator to meet the increment value by moving the actuator a number of increments from a current value to the increment value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a controller of a component of the adjustable bed is Internet-connected.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the lighting system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the air purification system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the audio system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the alarm clock.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the telephone.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the system is the video system.

16. A system comprising:

a receiver learn facility to establish a unique communication link between a receiver and a controller that includes a touch screen;

the touch screen adapted to receive touch inputs from a user, each of the touch inputs corresponding to one of a set of control commands that includes a first control command, a second control command, and a third control command; and

the controller operatively coupled to the touch screen, the controller adapted to receive each one of the set of control commands from the touch screen and to perform an action in response to each one of the control commands, the action selected from the following group of actions;

in response to the first control command, causing a user-selected bed position to be stored into a memory associated with an adjustable bed;

in response to the second control command, causing the user-selected bed position to be recalled; and

in response to the third control command, causing a second system associated with the adjustable bed to be controlled, wherein the second system is selected from a group of systems that includes a lighting system, an 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, and wherein

causing the user-selected bed position to be recalled includes;

identifying a row in a data table, the row representing the user-selected bed position;

within the row, identifying an increment value, wherein the increment value specifies one of a range of positions for an actuator mechanically coupled to a movable section of the adjustable bed, the increment value representing a number of increments of the actuator from a base value for the movable section; and

controlling the actuator to meet the increment value by moving the actuator a number of increments from a current value to the increment value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is Internet-connected.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second system is the lighting system.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the second system is the air purification system.