IP Library Granted Patent US 10,674,832
Granted Patent B2
US 10,674,832 · App. 15/687,796 · Granted Jun 9, 2020

Inflatable air mattress with integrated control

Inventors: Aran Patrick Brosnan (Minneapolis, MN); Yi-ching Chen (Maple Grove, MN); John McGuire (New Hope, MN)
Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
A47C27/082A47C20/04A47C21/042A47C21/048A47C27/083A47C31/008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,674,832
App. No.
15/687,796
Granted
Jun 9, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An air bed system including a plurality of peripheral devices and a pump unit configured to adjust a firmness of an air mattress, the pump unit including a pump. The system further includes a controller configured to execute instructions that cause the pump unit to wirelessly pair with at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices. The pump unit is configured to receive at least one control signal addressed to the at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices, and transmit the at least one control signal to the addressed device.

Claims (29)

1. A pump comprising:

a pump encasement that physically houses the pump;

a pressure transducer configured to sense pressure within a fluidically connected air chamber of an air mattress of a bed;

wherein the pump is configured to execute instructions that cause the pump to:

form a wireless network with a plurality of controllable peripheral devices of the bed, each of the controllable peripheral devices comprising a peripheral device controller configured to 1) form the wireless network with the pump unit and 2) control behavior of the associated controllable peripheral device in accordance with a control signal received from the pump device over the wireless network;

transmit at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network;

detect a new controllable peripheral device comprising a peripheral device controller configured to 1) form the wireless network with the pump and 2) control behavior of the associated controllable peripheral device in accordance with a control signal received from the pump over the wireless network; and

add the new controllable peripheral device to the wireless network,

wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices are external to the pump encasement and the air chamber.

2. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the pump to receive a data update configured to modify a user interface to include features specific to the new controllable peripheral device.

3. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the pump to receive a data update from the new controllable peripheral device.

4. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to receive user commands from a control device comprising buttons pressed by a user, wherein the control device is different than the controllable peripheral devices, and wherein the instructions cause the pump to transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network in response to receiving the user commands from the control device.

5. The pump of claim 4 , wherein the control device is a smartphone.

6. The pump of claim 4 , wherein the control device is a remote control device.

7. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to receive user commands from a voice activated control comprising voice-spoken commands by a user.

8. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprises an adjustable foundation having an adjustable foundation controller in communication with the pump to receive one or more control signals transmitted by the pump such that the pump controls the adjustable foundation.

9. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices are physically separated from the pump.

10. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a controller in the pump encasement.

11. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the pump to transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network in response to receiving a user command from a control device that is different than the controllable peripheral devices.

12. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the pump, in response to receiving a control signal, to either act on the control signal to adjust air pressure or transmit the at least one control signal to one of the plurality of peripheral device controllers over the wireless network.

13. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprise at least one controllable peripheral device motor, and wherein the at least one control signal comprises a control signal to operate the motor.

14. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of controllable peripheral devices comprise at least one air controller.

15. A system comprising:

the pump of claim 1 ; and

an air controller, wherein the air controller is one of the plurality of peripheral devices, wherein the air controller is configured to receive the at least one control signal from the pump to control operation of the air controller.

16. The system of claim 15 , and further comprising:

a control device comprising one of a remote control device or a smartphone, wherein the control device is configured to send first and second control signals to the pump, wherein the first control signal is designated for the pump, wherein the second control signal is designated for the air controller, and wherein the pump is configured to transmit the second control signal to the air controller.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the air controller comprises a thermoelectric engine in communication with an air mattress pad.

18. The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to act as a hub between a control device and the plurality of peripheral device controllers.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2018
From: SLEEP NUMBER CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 044943/0560 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 29, 2018
From: SELECT COMFORT CORPORATION
To: SLEEP NUMBER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045177/0591 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2018
From: BROSNAN, ARAN PATRICK; CHEN, YI-CHING; MCGUIRE, JOHN
To: SELECT COMFORT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044684/0401 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 14586694 · Dec 30, 2014
Provisional Application 61921615 · Dec 30, 2013
Related Publication 20170354268A1 · Dec 14, 2017
Cited By (31)
US 1,057,672 US 1,105,142 US 12,185,839 US 12,186,102 US 12,186,241 US 12,193,576 US 12,226,021 US 12,233,009 US 12,274,369 US 12,279,698 US 12,279,999 US 12,290,181 US 12,303,033 US 12,364,342 US 12,369,848 US 12,376,686 US 12,408,763 US 12,440,037 US 12,490,835 US 12,514,376 US 12,514,379 US 12,527,411 US 12,557,916 US 12,635,808 US 12,660,914 US 12,660,937 US 12,663,094 US 12,677,959 US 12,702,236 US 12,702,606 US 12,708,220