Controlling a mattress climate-control system based on thermal event gradient

Abstract

A bed system having a mattress, a mattress climate-control system, a thermal sensor, and a controller. The mattress climate-control system controls a climate at the mattress. The thermal sensor is positioned in the mattress climate-control system. A condition of the thermal sensor changes in response to a thermal event in the mattress climate-control system. The controller is connected to the mattress climate-control system and performs operations including detecting the condition of the thermal sensor indicating the thermal event and based on the condition of the thermal sensor, operating the mattress climate-control system. The thermal event is a change in temperature with respect to time equal to or greater than a threshold change in temperature with respect to time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bed system comprising:
 a mattress;   a mattress climate-control system configured to control a climate at the mattress;   a thermal sensor positioned in the mattress climate-control system, a condition of the thermal sensor being configured to change in response to a thermal event proximate to the mattress climate-control system; and   a controller connected to the mattress climate-control system, the controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 detecting the condition of the thermal sensor indicating the thermal event; and 
 based on the condition of the thermal sensor, operating the mattress climate-control system, 
 wherein the thermal event comprises a change in temperature with respect to time equal to or greater than a threshold change in temperature with respect to time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold change in temperature with respect to time is 0.5° F./s. 
     
     
         3 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sensor is positioned in an exhaust air flow of the mattress climate-control system. 
     
     
         4 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sensor comprises at least one of a thermocouple, a resistance temperature device, or a thermistor. 
     
     
         5 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress climate-control system includes a fan coupled to the mattress and configured to supply or draw air to a top of the mattress. 
     
     
         6 . The bed system of  claim 5 , wherein operating the mattress climate-control system comprises disabling the fan. 
     
     
         7 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress climate-control system defines an air flow path. 
     
     
         8 . The bed system of  claim 7 , wherein the air flow path passes from a core of the mattress to a thermal layer positioned above the core and out the thermal layer. 
     
     
         9 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress further comprises a core configured to pass a flow of air. 
     
     
         10 . The bed system of  claim 8 , wherein the mattress climate-control system comprises:
 the thermal layer coupled to the core, the thermal layer configured to receive a flow of air from the core and conduct the flow of air;   an extended thermal layer coupled to the thermal layer, the extended thermal layer configured to receive a flow of air from the thermal layer and conduct the flow of air; and   a fan housing comprising a fan inlet, a fan, and a fan outlet, the fan inlet coupled to the extended thermal layer, wherein the fan is configured to draw air from a space outside the mattress into the core, through the thermal layer, through the extended thermal layer, through the fan inlet, through the fan housing, and out the fan outlet back into another space outside the mattress away from the core.   
     
     
         11 . The bed system of  claim 10 , wherein the fan is positioned proximate a foot portion of the bed system, and the extended thermal layer extends from the thermal layer to the foot portion. 
     
     
         12 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to sample the condition of the thermal sensor at a rate of between 1 and 5 Hz. 
     
     
         13 . The bed system of  claim 1 , wherein operating the mattress climate-control system comprises generating an alarm notifying a user of the thermal event. 
     
     
         14 . A mattress assembly comprising:
 a thermal sensor configured to:   sense a condition of air in an exhaust of a fan configured to cool the mattress assembly; and
 transmit a signal representing the condition of air in the exhaust; and 
   a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving the signal representing the condition of air in the exhaust, the condition of air in the exhaust of the fan comprising a change in temperature with respect to time equal to or greater than a threshold change in temperature with respect to time; 
   comparing the condition of air in the exhaust to a threshold condition of the condition of air in the exhaust to obtain a comparison result; and
 based on the comparison result, operating the mattress assembly. 
   
     
     
         15 . The mattress assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a thermal layer; and   the fan configured to draw air from the thermal layer.   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 detecting a thermal event in a mattress with a thermal sensor, the thermal event comprising a change in temperature with respect to time equal to or greater than a threshold change in temperature with respect to time; and   based on detecting the thermal event, disabling a mattress climate-control system positioned in the mattress.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising transmitting a signal indicating an occurrence of a thermal event to a user computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disabling the mattress climate-control system comprises disabling at least a fan of the mattress climate-control system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disabling the mattress climate-control system comprises disabling at least a fan and a heater of the mattress climate-control system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disabling the mattress climate-control system comprises disabling all of the mattress climate-control system.