IP Library Granted Patent US 8,620,615
Granted Patent B2
US 8,620,615 · App. 12/867,740 · Granted Dec 31, 2013

Apparatuses and methods for evaluating a person for a sleep system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,620,615
App. No.
12/867,740
Granted
Dec 31, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for evaluating a person for a sleep system, the method including: while the person is not positioned on an evaluating member, adjusting a pressure of a comfort layer inflatable member disposed within a comfort layer of the evaluating member to an initial comfort value; positioning the person on the evaluating member in a first position; while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a first measured comfort value; calculating a difference between the first measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as comfort pressure 1; calculating a first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using comfort pressure 1; and recommending a sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member and using data measuring quality of sleep.

Claims (88)

1. A method for evaluating a person for a sleep system, the method comprising:

while the person is not positioned on an evaluating member, adjusting a pressure of a comfort layer inflatable member disposed within a comfort layer of the evaluating member to an initial comfort value;

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a first position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a first measured comfort value;

calculating a difference between the first measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating, using at least one processor, a first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending, using the at least one processor, a sleep support member for the person using both the calculated first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member and data measuring quality of sleep.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the comfort layer inflatable member to the calculated first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while the person is not positioned on the evaluating member, adjusting a pressure of a support layer inflatable member disposed within a support layer of the evaluating member to an initial support value;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure of the support layer inflatable member as a first measured support value;

calculating a difference between the first measured support value and the initial support value as Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating a first optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member using Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adjusting the support layer inflatable member to the calculated first optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while the person is not positioned on the evaluating member, measuring a pressure at a first region of a foundation layer of the evaluating member as an initial foundation value;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure at the first region of the foundation layer as a first measured foundation value;

calculating a difference between the first measured foundation value and the initial foundation value as Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating a first optimal pressure level for the first region of the foundation layer using Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the foundation layer.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the support layer inflatable member is disposed below a layer of upper coils and is disposed above a layer of lower coils.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

acquiring a digital size image of the person's body; and

calculating the first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using the acquired digital size image.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the support layer is disposed below the comfort layer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first position comprises a preferred sleeping position of the person.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a second position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a second measured comfort value;

calculating a difference between the second measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member.

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a second position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a second measured comfort value;

calculating a difference between the second measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member.

12. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a second position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure of the support layer inflatable member as a second measured support value;

calculating a difference between the second measured support value and the initial support value as Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member using Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure of the support layer inflatable member as a second measured support value;

calculating a difference between the second measured support value and the initial support value as Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member using Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member.

14. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a second position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure at the first region of the foundation layer as a second measured foundation value;

calculating a difference between the second measured foundation value and the initial foundation value as Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the first region of the foundation layer using Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the foundation layer.

15. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

while the person is not positioned on the evaluating member, measuring a pressure at a first region of a foundation layer of the evaluating member as an initial foundation value;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure at the first region of the foundation layer as a first measured foundation value;

calculating a difference between the first measured foundation value and the initial foundation value as Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating a first optimal pressure level for the first region of the foundation layer using Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the foundation layer.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

while the person is not positioned on the evaluating member, measuring a pressure at a first region of a foundation layer of the evaluating member as an initial foundation value;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure at the first region of the foundation layer as a first measured foundation value;

calculating a difference between the first measured foundation value and the initial foundation value as Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating a first optimal pressure level for the first region of the foundation layer using Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the foundation layer.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the second position, measuring a pressure at the first region of the foundation layer as a second measured foundation value;

calculating a difference between the second measured foundation value and the initial foundation value as Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 2 ;

calculating a second optimal pressure level for the first region of the foundation layer using Δ FOUNDATION PRESSURE 2 ; and

recommending the sleep support member for the person using the calculated second optimal pressure level for the foundation layer.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comfort layer inflatable member is disposed in a region of the evaluating member corresponding to at least one of the person's head, neck and upper back; and

wherein the method further comprises recommending a head support member.

19. A method for evaluating a person for a sleep system, the method comprising:

while the person is not positioned on an evaluating member:

adjusting a pressure of a comfort layer inflatable member disposed within a comfort layer of the evaluating member to a initial comfort value; and

adjusting a pressure of a support layer inflatable member disposed within a support layer of the evaluating member to an initial support value;

positioning the person on the evaluating member in a first position;

while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position:

measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a first measured comfort value; and

measuring a pressure of the support layer inflatable member as a first measured support value;

calculating a difference between the first measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating a difference between the first measured support value and the initial support value as Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating, using at least one processor, a first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using Δ COMFORT PRESSURE 1 ;

calculating, using the at least one processor, a first optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member using Δ SUPPORT PRESSURE 1 ; and

recommending, using the at least one processor, a sleep support member for the person using both the calculated first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member and the calculated first optimal pressure level for the support layer inflatable member.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 30, 2018
From: KINGSDOWN, INCORPORATED
To: BANK OF MONTREAL, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045788/0294 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2014
From: BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY
To: KINGSDOWN, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 033500/0678 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2014
From: KINGSDOWN, INCORPORATED
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 033279/0562 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 24, 2012
From: KINGDOWN, INCORPORATED
To: BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028274/0789 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2010
From: OEXMAN, ROBERT D.; SCOTT, DAVID B.
To: KINGSDOWN, INC.
Reel/Frame 024837/0069 →