Air Mattress Wake-Up Control Using Position and Firmness Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air mattress systems lack advanced control mechanisms for adjusting firmness and position, and do not effectively integrate biometric signals or remote monitoring for enhanced user experience and wake-up methods.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable air mattress system with a control box, pump, and remote control that allows for independent adjustment of air chamber pressure, bed position, and temperature, using biometric signals to optimize wake-up times and incorporating remote monitoring for alerting other users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two separate remote controls are used to adjust position and firmness, then control functions are separated, but device complexity and user operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines position control and firmness control into a single remote control unit. The controller includes buttons for both position adjustment (head elevation, foot elevation) and firmness adjustment (air chamber pressure), eliminating the need for separate remote controls and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The single remote control is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple control tasks. It includes a comprehensive button set that enables users to adjust bed position (head section, foot section) and firmness (air chamber pressure) from one device, making the remote control a multi-functional tool that replaces what would otherwise require separate specialized controllers
2Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of air chamber pressure is used, then firmness control is achieved, but precision and automation level are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates pressure sensors in each air chamber that continuously monitor the actual pressure and provide feedback to the controller. The controller compares the sensed pressure with the desired pressure (from user input) and automatically adjusts the pump operation to achieve and maintain the target pressure, ensuring precise control without requiring manual trial-and-error adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of air chamber pressure through automated pump control. When the user selects a desired firmness level, the controller automatically activates the pump to inflate or deflate the air chambers until the target pressure is reached, as determined by the pressure sensors. This eliminates the need for manual intervention and achieves precise pressure control through the system's own automated mechanisms
3Reliability
If traditional alarm methods are used, then wake-up function is provided, but user comfort and minimal invasiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic adjustment of bed position and firmness to create a gentle wake-up process. Instead of a sudden alarm, the controller gradually elevates the head section and adjusts air chamber pressure over time, creating a progressive and comfortable transition from sleep to wakefulness. This dynamic, gradual change reduces the harmful impact of waking while maintaining reliable wake-up functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up function is achieved by changing physical parameters of the bed (position and firmness) rather than using auditory or visual alarms. The controller modifies the elevation angle of the head section and the pressure in the air chambers to create a physically gentle wake-up experience. This parameter-based approach eliminates the invasiveness of traditional alarms while ensuring the user reliably wakes up
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes, among other things, techniques for waking a user by changing the user's sleep environment. In one example, a method includes receiving, at a central controller of an air mattress system, at least one user alarm setting, generating, via the central controller, at least one instruction based on the received user alarm setting, and transmitting, from the central controller, the at least one instruction to a first component of the air mattress system to adjust a feature of the first component.