Smart Mattress

Abstract

A personalized, interactive and flexible sleep posture correction system is provided for use with large surface area bedding (100) including mattresses, and can measure and process sleep posture related data such as different pressure points and changes in pressure distribution over sleep cycles, while specific adjustments to one or more parameters of the bedding (100) in response to the user's instantaneous sleep posture are performed automatically by the system incorporating artificial intelligence or by the user depending on the response action preference. The system also incorporates a sleep posture image capture module for capturing the user's previous and instantaneous sleep postures to improve the accuracy of posture prediction and provide the user with more information before deciding on a response action.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a personal sleep posture correction system in bedding having multiple pressure-sensing and adjustable zones that correspond to the momentary sleep posture or according to the user's decision. [Background technology]

[0002] Mattresses are an essential part of a civilized human lifestyle. A good mattress supports our entire body, especially from the spine to the lower back, so that it can rest and relax during sleep. However, if you sleep in an improper sleeping position, some parts of your body may be strained during sleep, resulting in poor quality sleep. Ordinary mattresses cannot prevent this situation and sometimes even make it worse.

[0003] Many researchers and mattress manufacturers are focusing on how to improve mattress materials or how to distribute the force that supports the body during sleep. Mattresses on the market are broadly divided into two types: spring coil and all-foam (or hybrid). Some materials, such as memory foam, can conform to the shape of our body when body pressure is applied and relieve body pressure, but some users may find them too soft. On the other hand, innerspring mattresses are relatively firm and can relieve body pressure better, but may be too firm for some users.

[0004] In recent years, sleeping products equipped with some sort of pressure sensing mechanism have appeared on the market. Although there are mattress products that can monitor the distribution of body pressure while sleeping, it seems that there are no products on the market yet that actively adjust based on the signal from the sensor.

[0005] US Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0372866 discloses a pressure sensor array having a pressure-sensing substrate including a piezoresistive material printed by spray onto the filled portion of the fabric, and a number of pressure-sensing columns separated by the unfilled portion of the fabric. Each of the pressure-sensing columns has upper and lower electrodes fixed (by adhesive or stitching) to form periodic rows and columns of electrodes between the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate. However, this pressure sensor array does not provide a responsive action to a sensing pressure applied thereto, nor does it provide independent zones customized to fit the anatomy of the human body.

[0006] China Patent Publication No. 107744304 discloses an air-inflatable pillow including a first and a second pressure sensor with an air pump and a control mechanism, and claims to adjust the air inflated or deflated in different airbags in the pillow body in response to the pressure exerted by the head and neck on the first and second pressure sensors to optimize the pillow height. However, the patent disclosure does not provide details on how the height is optimized in response to different pressure distributions exerted by the user's head and neck. The patent disclosure only describes how the inflation and deflation of the airbags are controlled, which is believed to be known in the art.

[0007] China Utility Model No. 208371375 discloses a seat pad and device for detecting sitting posture. A pressure sensor array is provided that includes two layers of conductive wires, where a set of conductive wires (M) in one layer is arranged perpendicular to a set of conductive wires (N) in the other layer, and the two conductive wire layers sandwich a portion of a conductive fiber layer made of piezoelectric fibers that have a large resistance when uncompressed. The pressure sensor array has M×N sensing points on the pad, but only M+N signal outputs. The device also includes a microprocessor unit for adjusting the voltages output from the two conductive wire layers and converting the voltages into digital signals before sending them to the CPU. A pressure distribution map was the final product in the patent disclosure after processing these voltage output data by the CPU to suggest what sitting posture the user of the seat pad was in during the measurement. However, no details of interactive / corrective functions or response mechanisms for the user to adjust the height of the seat pad were provided in the patent disclosure.

[0008] In a co-pending PCT application with application number PCT / CN2021 / 122537, a sensory mat for use with a pillow incorporating a piezoresistive fabric layer sandwiched between two electrode layers, each electrode layer having conductive and non-conductive portions arranged alternately with one another, with the conductive portions of one electrode layer arranged perpendicular to the conductive portions of the other electrode. The pillow also includes multiple airbags arranged differently in various embodiments to provide a multi-zone response corresponding to different pressure distributions resulting from different sleeping positions of the user during sleep. The disclosure of this co-pending application also briefly describes an interactive control and response mechanism for adjusting the height of actuators of different zones of the pillow in response to contact pressure distributions exerted by different head and neck positions during sleep. However, when the same mechanism is applied to bedding with a larger contact surface such as a mattress, it may involve a relatively larger pressure sensing mechanism and actuation means to counter improper sleeping positions.

[0009] Therefore, a need exists for a personalized sleep posture correction system for bedding that overcomes or at least mitigates the shortcomings of the prior art. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention provides a system incorporating pressure sensing and imaging technology to more accurately map the pressure distribution exerted by a user and provide more personalized posture correction instructions to multiple actuators of the system depending on the user's sleep posture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a personal system for use on bedding, particularly bedding having a relatively large contact surface area such as a mattress, comprising: a three-dimensional body for a user to lie on, separated by different pressure-sensing and response zones; In each of the pressure sensing and response zones, one or more pressure sensing mechanisms evenly or non-uniformly distributed within each pressure sensing and responsive zone of the three-dimensional body; one or more actuators distributed evenly or unevenly within each of the pressure sensing and response zones of the three-dimensional body; one or more signal transceivers for receiving signals from the pressure sensing mechanism, transmitting signals to the actuators, and / or communicating with one or more devices external to the system; A pressure sensing and response module is provided, the module including: A central processing device receives pressure data from the one or more signal transceivers and transmits commands to the one or more actuators.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the system further includes an image processing module including one or more image capture devices, one or more image processors, and a data transmission device. In those embodiments, the central processing device may further receive image data from the data transmission device, and process and analyze the image data together with the pressure data to ultimately provide the user with one or more suggestions for pressure level adjustment in one or more pressure sensing and response zones.

[0013] In one embodiment, the one or more image capture devices include one or more motion sensors.

[0014] In one embodiment, the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms include at least one pressure sensing layer and one or more electrodes having both conductive and non-conductive parts arranged to substantially cover all pressure points on the contact surface of the bedding with the user. In order to substantially cover all pressure points on the contact surface area of ​​the bedding, the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms are configured to be manufactured as thin as possible, for example in a sheet shape, to maximize the surface area that overlaps with the contact surface of the bedding with the user. It should be understood that the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms are not limited to a specific form, as long as they can accurately measure the contact point pressure that the user exerts on the contact surface of the bedding.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pressure sensing layer is not a continuous single layer. In those embodiments, the pressure sensing layer may be comprised of a plurality of pressure sensors, each with a corresponding electrode. In some embodiments, each pressure sensor, its corresponding electrode, and corresponding actuator define a pressure sensing and response zone of the system.

[0016] In one embodiment, the one or more actuators include one or more airbags, with the flow direction, flow rate and / or speed of air into and out of each of the airbags being controlled by an associated valve disposed between the airbag and an air pump. Each airbag or set of airbags in the same zone can be inflated by one or more air pumps. Each valve and / or air pump can be automatically controlled electrically or digitally by a central processor or manually by a user. One or more zone pressure sensors can be incorporated into each or set of airbags forming a pressure sensing zone to monitor the overall internal pressure of that zone.

[0017] Pressure data received by either the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms and the one or more zone pressure sensors can be transmitted to a central processor, processed by the central processor, and further provided to a user terminal that is fully controllable by the user.

[0018] In one embodiment, the central processor includes pressure data presets including, but not limited to, pressure distribution mapping data for one or more populations categorized by height, weight, gender, age and / or confidence, etc. The pressure data presets can include data recorded by the system during different sleep positions including, but not limited to, back, lateral, and abdominal positions.

[0019] In one embodiment, the system may also be trained with different data sets obtained from users having different backgrounds, physical fitness, and sleep posture related characteristics received by the system or received from a peer system or database.

[0020] In one embodiment, a user can select the data sets that are fed into the system.

[0021] In one embodiment, a user can select which pressure sensing and response zones to activate / deactivate and / or which airbags to inflate or deflate and / or adjust the flow rate / velocity of air pumped into / out of one or more airbags.

[0022] In one embodiment, the central processor includes multiple integrated circuits, microprocessors, and chips to receive and process any signals and / or data obtained from the pressure sensing mechanisms, the zone pressure sensors, and / or any external devices or systems, and provide instructions to one or more actuators in response to the sensed signals / data, either automatically or according to actuation preferences selected manually by the user.

[0023] In one embodiment, the central processor is built based on a multi-layer artificial neural network structure to provide machine learning capabilities.

[0024] In one embodiment, a user terminal allows a user to obtain data from the system, adjust different parameters of the system, and control the operation of the system. User terminals may include, but are not limited to, computer terminals, remote control devices, and handheld devices.

[0025] In one embodiment, the system further comprises a power source and / or an energy storage element, hi other embodiments, the system is rechargeable by an external power source.

[0026] Bedding may include, but is not limited to, pillows, mattresses, any support elements for humans, shock absorbing and responsive pads, and the like.

[0027] This Summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects of the invention are disclosed as exemplified by the following embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] The accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements, include views of several embodiments to further describe and clarify the above and other aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention. It will be understood that the drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit its scope. The present invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of bedding incorporating the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a structure of a pressure sensing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a structure of a pressure sensitive layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates generally a set of actuators configured to operate with multiple pressure sensing and response zones, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A illustrates generally how actuation in pressure sensing and response zones is controlled according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B illustrates generally the individual actuation of each of the pressure sensing and responsive zones, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates diagrammatically the interaction between different modules of the system according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0036] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates, in schematic form, different combinations of actuators in pressure sensing and response zones according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating how the expansion and contraction of air in a set of actuators is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates generally how different pressure sensing and responsive zones operate in response to different sleep positions, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0039] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

[0040] [Definition] References herein to "one embodiment," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and the like indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not all embodiments necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0041] The terms "a" or "an" are used to include one or more, and the term "or" is used to refer to a non-exclusive "or" unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, phrases or terms used herein and not otherwise defined are to be understood as being for purposes of description only and not of limitation. Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent documents referred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if individually incorporated by reference. In the event of a conflict in usage between this document and those documents incorporated by reference, the usage of the incorporated reference documents shall be considered as supplementary to the usage of this document, and in the event of irreconcilable conflicts, the usage of this document shall take precedence.

[0042] Numerical values ​​in range format should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values ​​expressly recited as the limits of the range, but also all individual numerical values ​​and subranges subsumed within the range, as if each numerical value and subrange were expressly recited. For example, a concentration range of "about 0.1% to about 5%" should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited concentration of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, but also the individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%) and subranges (e.g., 0.1% to 0.5%, 1.1% to 2.2%, 3.3% to 4.4%) within the recited range.

[0043] In the methods of making described herein, unless a time or order of operations is explicitly stated, steps may be performed in any order without departing from the principles of the invention. A statement in a claim that a step is performed first, followed by several other steps, is to be taken to mean that the first step is performed before any of the other steps, but the other steps may be performed in any suitable order unless further order is stated among the other steps. For example, a claim element recited as "step A, step B, step C, step D, and step E" is to be interpreted to mean that step A is performed first and step E is performed last, and steps B, C, and D may be performed in any order between step A and step E, and the order still falls within the literal scope of the claimed process. A given step or subset of steps may be repeated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications, including additions and / or substitutions, can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Specific details may be omitted so as not to obscure the present invention. However, the disclosure is written to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings herein without undue experimentation.

[0045] The present invention incorporates the pressure sensing and response mechanisms and actuator systems disclosed in the co-pending PCT application under Application No. PCT / CN2021 / 122537 into the present system to provide a larger pressure sensing and response surface area and user experiential learning mechanisms, allowing for a more interactive, personalized sleeping experience depending on the user's background, strength, and preferences.

[0046] Accordingly, Figure 1 shows an example of bedding 100, which is a mattress or large area pad incorporating the system according to certain embodiments of the present invention. In this example, bedding 100 includes a topping layer 110, which is the layer closest to the user's body. The topping layer 110 is typically soft and has a certain elasticity. The top surface of the topping layer 110 is the surface that contacts the user's body, and the bottom surface is the surface that contacts one or more layers or structures of the system.

[0047] The pressure sensor mat 120, disposed under the topping layer 110, is flexible and includes multiple pressure sensors and electrodes that convert pressure signals into electrical currents and then digital signals that are further analyzed and processed by the system. To provide a flexible and sensitive pressure sensing mat 120, the pressure sensing layer is preferably made of a conductive flexible material, such as a conductive fabric, with piezoelectric or piezoresistive materials deposited in specific areas across the surface. Figure 3 shows an example of a pressure sensing layer with piezoresistive materials deposited in designated areas according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. The pressure sensing mat 120 can be a continuous sheet structure or can include multiple sensing assays that are communicated with each other to form a sensing structure.

[0048] The actuator system 130, located under the pressure-sensing mat 120, is separated into a number of compartments (represented by dotted lines), each housing one or more actuators, one or more valves, and / or optionally a zone pressure sensor (one example of an actuator system is shown in FIG. 5A). In FIG. 1, an external port 150 is provided for connecting the actuator system with an external power source or any external device. In some embodiments, power can be supplied to the actuators via other possible means, including but not limited to wireless charging via conductive coils or electromagnetic fields. Optionally, a padding layer can be placed between the pressure-sensor mat 120 and the actuation system 130 to provide additional comfort to the user.

[0049] The bottom layer 140, disposed below the actuation system 130, provides support for the loading of the bedding 100 as well as protects the actuation system 130. Because it is the load-bearing and backing of the bedding 100, the material or mechanism used to form the bottom layer 140 can be relatively stiffer than the material or mechanism for the topping layer 110. In some embodiments, the bottom layer 140 can also be a flexible layer that is expandable by any possible medium, such as air or water.

[0050] Turning to Figure 2, there is shown a pressure sensing mechanism fabricated into a pressure sensor mat 120 that includes a pressure sensing layer 24 sandwiched between an upper electrode 20 and a lower electrode 21. Each of the upper electrode 20 and the lower electrode 21 includes a plurality of non-conductive regions 22 and conductive regions 23 arranged in an interwoven fashion. Each of the conductive regions 23 includes one or more conductive columns 13 and one or more conductive rows 14 in the upper electrode 20 and the lower electrode 21, respectively. The conductive columns 13 in the upper electrode 20 and the conductive rows 14 in the lower electrode sheet 21 extend in the vertical and longitudinal directions, respectively.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the width of the conductive columns 13 and conductive rows 14 is in the range of approximately 1 mm to 100 mm, preferably in the range of 5 mm to 0 mm, or the width can be adjusted based on application requirements. Furthermore, the conductive columns 13 or conductive rows 14 are typically spaced apart by non-conductive regions 22 at intervals of approximately 1 mm to 100 mm, or preferably 5 mm to 50 mm, depending on the resolution requirements of the pressure sensor mat. The intersections or overlapping areas where each of the conductive columns 13 intersects with each of the conductive rows 14 are characterized as one sensor.

[0052] In certain embodiments, the pressure sensing layer is not a continuous single layer. In those embodiments, the pressure sensing layer may be composed of multiple pressure sensors, each of which has a corresponding electrode. In some embodiments, each pressure sensor, its corresponding electrode, and the corresponding actuator define a pressure sensing and response zone of the system. In other words, the corresponding electrode of each pressure sensor can operate independently from adjacent electrodes of other pressure sensors. Such a configuration can avoid failure or interruption of electrical connections between a series of sensors, as in conventional pressure sensing mats and pillows, where there is only one single electrode electrically connecting multiple pressure sensors along either the longitudinal or vertical axis. Also, by providing a discontinuous pressure sensing layer under the multiple pressure sensing and response zones, pressure sensitivity and response specificity to a particular sleep position can be increased.

[0053] Turning to FIG. 3, the pressure sensitive layer 24 includes a non-conductive fabric 30 and a piezoresistive ink coated in several predefined areas 31 .

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the pressure sensing layer 24 is made of a piezoelectric material with high initial resistivity, such as a piezoresistive ink, sandwiched between the top electrode 20 and the bottom electrode 21. In a particular embodiment, the conductive material in the piezoresistive ink can include one or more of a conductive polymer, a nanomaterial, and a binder to provide piezoresistance as well as enhance adhesion to the fabric. The sheet resistance of the pressure sensing layer 24 is about 50 KΩ / □ or more to minimize crosstalk with adjacent sensors, especially in a large area pressure sensor mat where multiple sensors can be pressed simultaneously. In another embodiment, the sheet resistance of the pressure sensing layer 24 can be adjusted by adjusting the concentration of the conductive material to adjust the overall resistance of the piezoresistive ink. The viscosity of the ink can also be adjusted depending on the printing / coating method selected, such as spray coating or dispensing. To maintain a soft feel upon touch, it is preferable to apply the ink partially to the designated sensing area 31, rather than to the entire fabric.

[0055] In other embodiments, the pressure sensing layer 24 can be a fabric made of piezoresistive yarns. The piezoresistive yarns have high resistivity and can be woven or knitted into a blank fabric without a pattern. The resistivity of the piezoresistive layer can limit the sensitivity and detection range of the sensor. The piezoresistive fabrics used to form the pressure sensing layer of the present invention can include, but are not limited to, cotton fabrics, blended fabrics, and synthetic fabrics such as polyester and lycra, or any fabric that can provide a certain elasticity to the pressure sensor mat.

[0056] To establish a complete circuit for each sensor, the designated areas 31 where the piezoresistive ink is deposited on the pressure sensing layer 24 are preferably aligned with the intersections between the conductive columns 13 of the top electrode 20 and the corresponding conductive rows 14 of the bottom electrode 21. Additionally, the pressure sensing layer 24 is optimized to achieve a uniform conductive path between the top electrode 20 and the bottom electrode 21 for each sensor on the pressure sensor mat 120.

[0057] With continuous pressure data collected over time through the pressure sensor mat 11, an actuator system 130 is provided to adjust support through instantaneous changes in the shape of the bedding in response to significant changes in pressure from a previous time to a current time. The actuator system 40 in the present invention includes one or more airbags, each of which is preferably made from a flexible material, including but not limited to rubber, to form multiple actuation zones in the bedding.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a set of airbags arranged in an actuator system 130 that includes two layers, a top layer containing three airbags and a bottom layer. The bottom layer 44 can be a layer of flexible material including, but not limited to, an airtight, liquid-tight, or soft material filled pad / cushion layer made of flexible polymer. The actuation system is configured to adjust the inflation / deflation state and / or volume of the airbags (41, 42, 43) individually or in any combination to achieve a certain overall height adjustment of the actuation system 130, and thus adjust the overall height or a specific zone of the bedding. In an exemplary embodiment, the airbags (41, 42, 43) may be arranged under a topping layer (not shown in FIG. 4), such as a memory foam or a fibrous cover sheet, and the pressure sensor mat 11 may be arranged on top of the topping layer and the actuator system 40. A pressure-sensing mechanism in the pressure sensor mat 120 can monitor the pressurized state and the contact state of the actuator system 130. Optionally, the actuation system 40 may include one or more internal pressure sensors for monitoring pressure in or on one or a set of airbags, separate from the pressure sensing mechanism in the pressure sensor mat 11. Furthermore, each airbag or set of airbags in the same pressure sensing and response zone is configured to seal air in an inflated state to avoid air leakage. In one embodiment, the lift displacement of each airbag is approximately 0 mm to 500 mm, preferably 1 to 100 mm, more preferably 10 to 50 mm.

[0059] Turning to FIG. 5A, the airbags in each pressure sensing and response zone are connected to a relay valve 51 and a T-shaped connector tube fitting 52 via flexible silicone tubing. Together with other necessary components such as a micro pump 50 and an internal pressure sensor 53, the airbags can be individually controlled to switch between an inflated configuration corresponding to an increase in the volume of the airbag and a deflated configuration corresponding to a decrease in the volume of the airbag. According to the contact pressure distribution, the control unit gives an opening / closing command to the relay valve 51, either manually or based on an automatic adjustment by an algorithm. Each relay valve 51 located at a different position of the actuation system can perform individual or total control of the pressure in each airbag or a set of airbags (41, 42, 43) of the actuation system. FIG. 5B shows that the corresponding actuation in terms of controlling the pressure level of the airbags is performed individually in different pressure sensing and response zones. FIG. 8 shows as a flow diagram how the pressurization and depressurization of the airbags are determined and performed according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the different components / modules of the present invention and how they interact with each other. In one embodiment, the central processor includes a set of integrated circuits (ICs) such as Op-AMP and MUX circuits for reading the voltage output signals of the voltage-to-current conversion amplifiers probed to each sensor on the pressure sensor mat 120. In another embodiment, a MEMS IC is also provided for reading the internal pressure data from the actuator system 40. All these voltage signals are converted to digital signals by a multi-channel ADC converter built into a 16-bit / 32-bit MCU IC. A set of IC (motor driver) circuits is also provided for driving the micro pump 50 and the relay valve 51.

[0061] Turning to FIG. 7, different embodiments of the present invention are depicted with respect to how the airbags are arranged in the bedding. FIG. 7 illustrates mattresses divided into 2, 3, and 12 compartments, respectively, to accommodate one or more airbags and pressure sensing mechanisms, but this should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, each airbag is arranged independently of the other, resulting in a 12×1 compartment arrangement. In another embodiment, two airbags are arranged in each compartment, resulting in a 6×2 compartment arrangement. In another embodiment, three airbags are arranged in each compartment, resulting in a 4×3 compartment arrangement. The number of compartments and / or the number of airbags in each compartment can be adjusted according to the user's preferences.

[0062] Turning to FIG. 8, a user of a bedding incorporating the present system can control the air to be inflated or deflated in each of the individual airbags of the same pressure sensing and response zone on a simple user interface of a connected user terminal such as a mobile device. First, when the user switches on the corresponding user interface, the user is prompted to select whether to inflate / depressurize a designated airbag of the bedding, for example a mattress. If the answer is yes, all valves arranged between the air micro-pump and the corresponding airbag are closed. Then, the valve corresponding to the designated airbag is opened and the air pressure is measured by the zone pressure sensor to determine the internal pressure of the designated airbag. After reading the pressure value of the designated airbag, the user can decide whether to send an instruction to open another valve of an adjacent airbag, close all valves, or activate the micro-pump to deflate the designated airbag. The internal pressure of the designated airbag (and adjacent airbags) is measured again and the data is sent to the user's mobile device. If the user decides to end the inflation / deflation cycle, all valves related to the designated airbag are closed.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating how different pressure sensing and response zones can be adjusted to accommodate different sleep postures. In FIG. 9, the three most common sleep postures, supine, side, and prone, are taken as illustrative examples. 901 represents the posture sensing and recording stage, and 902 represents the response stage. It should be noted that the posture sensing, recording, and response cycle can be repeated, and the two stages may or may not be consecutive throughout a sleep process or session.

[0064] In Example 1, when the user's sleeping position is supine (lying down), according to the curvature of the user's back and the corresponding detected pressure levels at different pressure sensing points of the pressure sensing mat, the system suggests which part of the user's body should be more supported, and allows the user to determine the state and / or degree of inflation / deflation of a particular or zone of inflatable actuators (i.e., airbags in various embodiments). Alternatively, the user may select an automatic adjustment mode and allow the system to determine the state and / or degree of inflation / deflation of one or more airbags depending on various factors including, but not limited to, instantaneous pressure data from the pressure sensing mat, a trained model stored in a corresponding database / network, and the user's experience / preference. In Example 1, after sensing and analyzing the pressure applied to different pressure sensing points of the pressure sensing mat, the pressure levels of the corresponding actuators of the pressure sensing and response zones adjacent to the shoulders, waist, and buttocks of the user's back are adjusted.

[0065] Example 2 of FIG. 9 illustrates how the system counters another sleeping position, side sleeping. When the user sleeps in this position, the zone adjacent to the head portion may require more support, while the shoulders and buttocks may require less support. In this example, one of the thighs (in this illustration, the left thigh, if the user is on the right side of the body) that is more distal to the bedding contact surface requires more support than the other. Thus, the corresponding pressure sensing and response zone and its associated actuator are activated / inflated to increase the overall height of that zone and provide additional support to that thigh. In one embodiment, the corresponding activation of the associated actuator in a particular pressure sensing and response zone is performed automatically by the system after detecting a pressure distribution according to the user's sleeping position for a sufficiently long period of time. In other embodiments, the pressure level of the corresponding actuator is adjusted automatically by the system or manually by the user via a user terminal or a device in communication with the system.

[0066] Example 3 in Figure 9 illustrates the sensing and response mechanism of the system for a third common sleep position, the prone position. In this example, the least supported areas of the body compared to the rest of the body appear to be the head and abdomen areas, and therefore the system activates / adjusts the corresponding actuators in the zones adjacent to these areas of the user's body, either automatically or as directed by the user after obtaining pressure information from the system.

[0067] For ease of illustration, only one row of actuators is shown from a side view of the mattress in each embodiment of FIG. 9, but this should not be understood as limiting the change of state and / or degree of inflation / deflation to the actuators shown.

[0068] In summary, the system includes multiple sensors that can operate independently of each other, including but not limited to pressure sensors, motion sensors, light sensors, temperature sensors, and humidity sensors. The system also includes multiple actuators, such as inflatable airbags controlled by corresponding air valves, to respond to a sleep posture captured at one moment. Data obtained from the multiple sensors is received and processed by a central processor or processing unit. The central processor or processing unit can be a computer system or a network of computers with or without machine learning or deep learning capabilities. The corresponding central processor or processing unit can also provide the received data or proposed actions to one or more external devices, including a user terminal under the control of the user. The central processor or processing unit can also directly send instructions based on its own analysis or upon further instructions from the user to act on the inflation or deflation of the corresponding actuator in response to the sleep posture captured at the moment. The system can sense and respond in real time to a series of sleep postures during a sleep process or session, or until active termination by the user. The system may optionally connect to a cloud computing system or server to store or retrieve data received from the sensors or from equivalent authenticated systems or devices. The system may also include automatic termination mechanisms in the event of an emergency that could harm the user, such as a short circuit, overcurrent, or certain system failures. Such automatic termination mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, load switches, integrated power MUX devices, electronic fuses, hot swap controllers, ideal diodes, ORing controllers, smart high-side switches, or smart low-side switches.

[0069] Although the present invention has been described in terms of certain embodiments, other embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention, and it is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention be defined solely by the claims which follow. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] The present invention applies not only to specialized bed pads and mattresses for sports training, medical and rehabilitation purposes, but also to general bedding, because the system provides the general user with easy-to-understand pressure data analysis and suggested corrective actions, instead of the complex pressure distribution maps that many of the conventional systems / devices aim to generate.

Claims

1. A sleep posture correction system for personal bedding, comprising: a three-dimensional body for a user of the sleeping device to sleep on, the three-dimensional body being divided into a plurality of compartments defining a plurality of pressure sensing and response zones; a pressure sensing and response module disposed in each of the pressure sensing and response zones, the pressure sensing and response module comprising one or more pressure sensing mechanisms and one or more actuators, each of the pressure sensing mechanisms and actuators having respective sensor circuits and actuator circuits in each of the pressure sensing and response zones, the sensor circuits and actuator circuits being configured to generate pressure sensing signals and execute actuation commands, respectively; a central processor that receives pressure sensing signals from the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms, processes the same, sends actuation commands to one or more actuators, supplies the processed pressure sensing signals to one or more external devices, and receives corresponding commands from the one or more external devices.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pressure sensing mechanisms are one or more multi-layer structures comprising at least one pressure sensing layer and two electrode layers.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one pressure sensitive layer is made from a plurality of conductive fibers.

4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein a first of the two electrode layers comprises a plurality of first conductive portions and a plurality of first non-conductive portions interwoven with each other.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one pressure sensing layer comprises a plurality of sensing spots evenly or non-uniformly distributed across each of the contact surface areas with the corresponding electrode layer.

6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of interwoven second conductive portions and a plurality of second non-conductive portions, the second conductive portions being oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the first conductive portions of the first electrode layer.

7. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein there are a plurality of sensing spots disposed on each of the contact surfaces of the at least one pressure sensing layer where the first conductive portion of the first electrode layer intersects with the second conductive portion of the second electrode layer, and wherein each of the sensing spots has a piezoresistive ink deposited thereon.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the actuators comprises one or more inflatable enclosures, one or more valves, a zone air pressure sensor, and an air pump.

9. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow rate, velocity, and direction of flow into and out of each of the inflatable enclosures are controlled separately from one another by each of the valves, while air pressure in each of the actuators is regulated by the zone air pressure sensor and the air pump.

10. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional body comprises at least an upper layer and a lower layer that sandwich the pressure sensing and response module to provide flexibility to the bedding and comfort to the user without affecting normal performance of the pressure sensing and response module.

11. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processor comprises a plurality of integrated circuits, microprocessors, and chips for receiving and processing signals and / or data obtained from pressure sensing mechanisms, zone pressure sensors, and / or external devices, and providing instructions to one or more actuators automatically in response to the sensed signals / data or according to actuation preferences manually selected by a user.

12. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processor is connected to user terminals and / or one or more of the external devices for exchanging data between the central processor and any of the user terminals and / or external devices, the user terminals and / or the external devices comprising mobile communication devices, portable electronic devices, remote controls, computer gateways, network and / or data servers, cloud computing systems, and peer systems thereof, within the same network or from different networks.

13. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein after processing pressure sensing data obtained from the pressure sensing and response module and before sending actuation commands to the actuators, the central processor is configured to provide the user, via the user terminal and / or external device, with one or more suggested actuation procedures.

14. 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an image capture module for capturing one or more images of the user's instantaneous sleeping posture, wherein the central processor receives, analyzes, and processes image data obtained from the image capture module along with the pressure sensing data obtained from the pressure sensing and response module to provide the user with the suggested operating procedure.

15. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the image capture module comprises one or more image capture devices, one or more image processors, and a data transmission device, the one or more image capture devices comprising one or more motion sensors.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processor is trained with a plurality of data sets relating to pressure distributions on comparable bedding resulting from different sleeping postures of humans comparable to a user having a corresponding sleep posture correction procedure, and / or is predefined with a set of operating parameters according to user preferences.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the central processor is constructed based on a multi-layer artificial neural network.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bedding is selected from a mattress or a large area pad for the user to sleep on.

19. Bedding comprising a system according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. 20. A method for correcting the sleep posture of a user of a sleeping device, comprising using a system according to any one of claims 1 to 17 on said sleeping device, said sleeping device being selected from a mattress or a large area pad for said user to sleep on.

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