Airbed Pump Dynamic Pressure Calibration for Fast Quiet Inflation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbed systems struggle to accurately control and measure pressure in multi-zone chambers, leading to slow, frustrating, and noisy operations, especially in medical and consumer applications, due to reliance on static pressure measurements that are slow and counterintuitive.
Innovation Solution
An airbed system with a pressure sensor and control unit that obtains dynamic pressure measurements during inflation and deflation, using constants to determine dynamically-obtained static pressure values, allowing for accurate pressure control and monitoring while the pump is operating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If static pressure measurements are used to control airbed pressure, then measurement accuracy can be achieved, but the system becomes slow and requires multiple stop-and-check iterations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs calibration measurements in advance to establish the relationship between dynamic manifold pressure and static chamber pressure. During operation, pre-determined constants (M and B) are used to calculate static chamber pressure from dynamic manifold pressure readings, eliminating the need for stop-and-check iterations and enabling continuous fast operation while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from static pressure measurement (requiring pump stops) to dynamic pressure measurement (continuous during operation). By measuring manifold pressure dynamically during pump operation and using calibration constants to determine corresponding chamber pressure, the system achieves both speed and accuracy without requiring the system to be stationary
2Measurement precision
If static pressure measurements are used, then accurate pressure control is achieved, but the system generates noise during operation
Solution Approach 1:
Calibration is performed in advance to establish the pressure relationship model. During actual inflation/deflation operations, the system uses this pre-established model to calculate chamber pressure from manifold pressure readings without stopping, thereby eliminating the noise generated by repeated pump start-stop cycles required in conventional static measurement systems
3Device complexity
If a single low-cost pressure transducer is used in the manifold, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot accurately determine pressure in distant chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs calibration operations where it measures both manifold pressure and chamber pressure at various pressure points, then uses this feedback to determine calibration constants (M and B) that characterize the specific system configuration. These constants enable accurate chamber pressure calculation from manifold pressure readings under normal operation, allowing a single low-cost transducer to achieve precise multi-zone pressure control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the pressure measurement problem by changing from direct chamber pressure measurement to indirect calculation via manifold pressure. By establishing a mathematical relationship (P_chamber = M × P_manifold + B) through calibration, the system enables accurate determination of chamber pressure using only a single manifold pressure sensor, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision
Data Source
AI summary
An airbed system, connectable to an air mattress chamber of an air mattress, includes: a pressure sensor, configured to obtain pressure measurements corresponding to the air mattress chamber; and a control unit, configured to operate a pump and valves of the airbed system to inflate and deflate the air mattress chamber, and to determine first and second constants corresponding to inflation of the air mattress chamber and third and fourth constants corresponding to deflation of the air mattress chamber.