Bed Pump Pressure Sensing for Accurate Occupancy Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bed systems lack accurate methods to determine user occupancy and biological activity, leading to inefficiencies in triggering events or displaying user data, as simple pressure threshold comparisons are noisy and influenced by external factors.
Innovation Solution
A bed system with a pressure sensor and controller that calculates a trailing average of pump pressure readings, identifying user presence by comparing instant readings to a threshold value, and accounting for seasonality and user growth, while also monitoring biological activity to distinguish between users and inanimate objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If simple pressure threshold comparison is used to detect user presence, then the system is simple and fast, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to noise and external factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating trailing average pressure values and determining pressure change rates before making the final occupancy determination. This preprocessing of pressure data allows the system to filter out noise and external factors, improving measurement precision without requiring complex hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary calculations (trailing average pressure and pressure change rate) that act as mediators between the raw pressure sensor data and the final occupancy decision. These intermediary values help smooth out noise and provide a more reliable basis for detection, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
2Measurement precision
If trailing average pressure calculation is used to filter noise, then measurement precision improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by using a limited number of trailing readings (N readings) to calculate the average, rather than processing all historical data. This selective approach provides sufficient noise filtering while maintaining real-time responsiveness, balancing precision improvement with time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailing average calculation serves multiple functions simultaneously: it filters noise, provides a baseline for comparison, and enables detection of both occupancy and biological activity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate processing steps, minimizing time loss while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pressure threshold is fixed, then the system is simple to operate, but adaptability deteriorates due to seasonality and user growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic threshold adjustment where the occupancy threshold is no longer fixed but adapts based on trailing average pressure values. This dynamic approach allows the system to automatically adjust to seasonal changes and user growth, improving adaptability while keeping the underlying mechanism relatively simple through continuous baseline updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically updating its own threshold based on observed pressure patterns and trailing averages. This eliminates the need for manual threshold reconfiguration, and the system adapts to changing conditions (seasonality, user growth) without external intervention, balancing adaptability with operational simplicity.
4Reliability
If only pressure readings are used for occupancy detection, then the system is simple, but reliability deteriorates due to false positives from inanimate objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the occupancy detection into two distinct analyses: pressure magnitude (occupancy detection) and pressure variation patterns (biological activity detection). This segmentation allows the system to differentiate between inanimate objects and living users by examining different characteristics of the pressure signal, improving reliability without requiring a completely new detection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds another dimension to pressure analysis by examining not just the magnitude but also the temporal variations and patterns of pressure changes. This dimensional expansion from static pressure values to dynamic pressure patterns enables biological activity detection, distinguishing living users from inanimate objects and improving detection reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Accurately determines user occupancy and biological activity, reducing false positives and enabling precise control of peripheral devices and user interface updates, such as displaying user weight and sleep patterns.
Implementation Method 1
A bed system with a pressure sensor and controller that calculates a trailing average of pump pressure readings
Data Source
AI summary
If a user enters a bed, a sensor in the pump of the bed can detect the user's presence in the bed.