Controller for multi-zone fluid chamber mattress system

Abstract

A sleep system comprises a mattress comprising a plurality of zones, each zone comprising at least one fluid inflatable bladder, a controller configured to control a fluid pressure within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each of the plurality of zones, and a user controlling device in communication with the controller, the user controlling device being configured to display a firmness identifier, the firmness identifier comprising a plurality of symbols, each symbol corresponding to a pressure setting within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of a corresponding one of the plurality of zones.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sleep system comprising:
 a mattress comprising a plurality of zones, each zone comprising at least one fluid inflatable bladder;   a controller configured to control a fluid pressure within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each of the plurality of zones; and   a user controlling device in communication with the controller, the user controlling device configured to display a firmness identifier, the firmness identifier comprising a plurality of symbols, each symbol corresponding to a pressure setting within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of a corresponding one of the plurality of zones.   
     
     
         2 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of zones comprises a first zone comprising at least one first fluid inflatable bladder and a second zone comprising at least one second fluid inflatable bladder, wherein the firmness identifier comprises a first symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder, and a second symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one second fluid inflatable bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The sleep system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a first value of the first symbol corresponds to a first predefined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone;   a second value of the first symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone.   
     
     
         4 . The sleep system of  claim 3 , further wherein:
 a third value of the first symbol corresponds to a third predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone;   a fourth value of the first symbol corresponds to a fourth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone; and   a fifth value of the first symbol corresponds to a fifth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone.   
     
     
         5 . The sleep system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a first value of the second symbol corresponds to a first predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone; and   a second value of the second symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone.   
     
     
         6 . The sleep system of  claim 5 , further wherein:
 a third value of the second symbol corresponds to a third predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone;   a fourth value of the second symbol corresponds to a fourth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone; and   a fifth value of the second symbol corresponds to a fifth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone.   
     
     
         7 . The sleep system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of zones further comprises a third zone comprising at least one third fluid inflatable bladder, wherein the firmness identifier further comprises a third symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one third fluid inflatable bladder. 
     
     
         8 . The sleep system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a first value of the third symbol corresponds to a first predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone; and   a second value of the third symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone.   
     
     
         9 . The sleep system of  claim 8 , further wherein:
 a third value of the third symbol corresponds to a third predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone;   a fourth value of the third symbol corresponds to a fourth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone; and   a fifth value of the second symbol corresponds to a fifth predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone.   
     
     
         10 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory accessible by at least one of the controller and the user controlling device, the memory including a plurality of predetermined pressure settings for the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each zone, each predetermined pressure setting being assigned to one of a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbols of the firmness identifier can comprise only one of the plurality of assigned symbol values at any one time. 
     
     
         11 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fluid pump controllable by the controller, wherein the at least one fluid pump is configured to inflate or deflate the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each of the plurality of zones. 
     
     
         12 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , wherein each symbol of the firmness identifier comprises a single digit integer selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. 
     
     
         13 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , wherein each single digit integer is associated with a corresponding discrete pressure setting within the at least one inflatable bladder of a corresponding zone. 
     
     
         14 . The sleep system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of symbols of the firmness identifier are positioned in close proximity to each other so that the firmness identifier appears as a single unit. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a multi-zone mattress, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a user controlling device, an input firmness identifier comprising plurality of symbols;   formulating, at the user controlling device or at a central controller in communication with the user controlling device, at least one control signal for at least one fluid pump, the at least one fluid pump configured to inflate or deflate fluid inflatable bladders of a multi-zone mattress, the mattress comprising a plurality of zones, each zone comprising at least one fluid inflatable bladder,   wherein each symbol of the firmness identifier corresponds to a pressure setting within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of a corresponding one of the plurality of zones;   transmitting the at least one control signal from the user controlling device or the central controller to the at least one fluid pump; and   adjusting, with the at least one fluid pump, the pressure within the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each of the plurality of zones to correspond to the pressure setting of the corresponding one of the plurality of symbols.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of zones comprises a first zone comprising at least one first fluid inflatable bladder and a second zone comprising at least one second fluid inflatable bladder, wherein the firmness identifier comprises a first symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder, and a second symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one second fluid inflatable bladder. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a first value of the first symbol corresponds to a first predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone;   a second value of the first symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one first inflatable fluid bladder of the first zone.   
     
     
         18 . The sleep system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a first value of the second symbol corresponds to a first predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone; and   a second value of the second symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one second inflatable fluid bladder of the second zone.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of zones further comprises a third zone comprising at least one third fluid inflatable bladder, wherein the firmness identifier further comprises a third symbol corresponding to a fluid pressure setting within the at least one third fluid inflatable bladder. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 a first value of the third symbol corresponds to a first predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone; and   a second value of the third symbol corresponds to a second predetermined pressure setting within the at least one third inflatable fluid bladder of the third zone.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising storing a plurality of predetermined pressure settings for the at least one fluid inflatable bladder of each zone in a memory accessible by at least one of the controller and the user controlling device, each predetermined pressure setting being assigned to one of a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbols of the firmness identifier can comprise only one of the plurality of assigned symbol values at any one time. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of symbols of the firmness identifier are positioned in close proximity to each other so that the firmness identifier appears as a single unit.