System and method for bed height adjustment

Abstract

There is provided a control system for an adjustable height bed, the adjustable height bed having a raised position and a lowered position, the control system comprising an input for receiving signals from a sensor located in the adjustable height bed; and a processor for processing the received signals to determine the status of a user relative to the bed and for generating control signals for adjusting the bed to the raised position or to the lowered position on the basis of the determined status.

1 . A control system for an adjustable height bed, the adjustable height bed having a raised position and a lowered position, the control system comprising:
 an input for receiving signals from a sensor located in the adjustable height bed; and   a processor for processing the received signals to determine the status of a user relative to the bed and for generating control signals for adjusting the bed to the raised position or to the lowered position on the basis of the determined status.   
     
     
         2 . A control system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the event that the processor determines the status to be that the user has got or is getting out of the bed, or is sat on the edge of the bed, the processor is configured to generate control signals for adjusting the bed to the raised position, or for maintaining the bed in the raised position, if the bed is already in the raised position. 
     
     
         3 . A control system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the user has got or is getting out of the bed, or is sat on the edge of the bed, in the event that the amplitude of the received signals is below an amplitude threshold. 
     
     
         4 . A control system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the event that the processor determines the status to be that the user is on the bed lying down, the processor is configured to generate control signals for adjusting the bed to the lowered position, or for maintaining the bed in the lowered position, if the bed is already in the lowered position. 
     
     
         5 . A control system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the user is in bed lying down in the event that the amplitude of the received signals is above an or the amplitude threshold and a variance of the received signals is below a variance threshold. 
     
     
         6 . A control system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a user-operable control that is configured to cause the processor to generate control signals for adjusting the bed to the raised position or to the lowered position in response to a user input. 
     
     
         7 . An adjustable height bed, comprising:
 a bed or mattress portion;   a sensor associated with the bed or mattress portion;   an adjustable height mechanism for adjusting the height of the bed or mattress portion to the raised position or to the lowered position; and   a control system as claimed in any preceding claim coupled to the sensor and the adjustable height mechanism, the control system being configured to generate control signals for the adjustable height mechanism.   
     
     
         8 . A method of operating an adjustable height bed, the adjustable height bed having a raised position and a lowered position, the method comprising:
 receiving signals from a sensor located in the adjustable height bed;   processing the received signals to determine the status of a user relative to the bed; and   adjusting the bed to the raised position or to the lowered position on the basis of the determined status.   
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein, in the event that it is determined that the status is that the user has got or is getting out of the bed, or is sat on the edge of the bed, the step of adjusting comprises:
 adjusting the bed to the raised position or maintaining the bed in the raised position if the bed is already in the raised position.   
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the step of processing determines that the user has got or is getting out of the bed, or is sat on the edge of the bed, in the event that the amplitude of the received signals is below an amplitude threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein, in the event that it is determined that the status is that the user is on the bed lying down, the step of adjusting comprises:
 adjusting the bed to the lowered position or maintaining the bed in the lowered position if the bed is already in the lowered position.   
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the step of processing determines that the user is in bed lying down in the event that the amplitude of the received signals is above an or the amplitude threshold and a variance of the received signals is below a variance threshold.