# US 11,439,248 B2 · Adjustable sleeping system with massage function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,248 B2 - Document ID: US11439248B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/713,759 - Filed: 2019-12-13 - Published: 2020-06-18 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-14 - Assignees: Sleep Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Sleep Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Robert B Duncan; Matthew Hayward; Heather D. Benoit; Mark W. Foohey; J. Kevin Gentry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439248B2 ## CPC - A47C 27/061: {of adjustable resiliency} - A61H 1/00: Apparatus for passive exercising (A61H5/00 takes precedence); Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones - A47C 23/002: {with separate resilient support elements, e.g. elastomeric springs arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern} - A47C 27/045: Attachment of spring inlays to coverings; Use of stiffening sheets, lattices or grids under spring inlays - A47C 27/065: {of special shape} - A47C 31/123: {for beds or mattresses} - A61H 23/004: {With mechanical drive, e.g. spring mechanism or vibrating unit being hit for starting vibration and then applied to the body of a patient} - A61H 23/0254: {with rotary motor} - A47C 23/04: using springs in compression, e.g. coiled - A47C 27/064: {Pocketed springs} - A61B 5/6891: {Furniture} - A61H 2201/0146: Mattresses - A61H 2201/1207: with electric or magnetic drive - A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled - A61H 2201/5061: Force sensors - A61H 2201/5097: wireless - A61H 2203/0443: substantially horizontal - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Adjustable sleeping system with massage function. At least one example embodiment is a method of operating a sleeping system, the method including massaging a person residing on a sleeping surface of the sleeping system, the massaging by driving a plurality of adjustable spring assemblies, the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies part of an array of adjustable spring assemblies arranged such that a top of each adjustable spring assembly defines an upper surface parallel to the sleeping surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a sleeping system, the method comprising: massaging a person residing on a sleeping surface of the sleeping system, the sleeping system comprising a plurality of adjustable spring assemblies that are part of an array of adjustable spring assemblies arranged such that a top of each adjustable spring assembly defines an upper surface parallel to the sleeping surface, the massaging comprising driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies so as to effectuate a travelling wave front across the sleeping surface, the travelling wave front being driven from an initial position to an end position on the sleeping surface at a speed that is based on an initial vertical position of each of the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies and a quantity of the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: sensing an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides, the sensing configured to be achieved by a bed controller communicatively coupled to the array of adjustable spring assemblies; and wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies being the adjustable spring assemblies beneath the area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: sensing, by a bed controller, an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides by reading a force value from the array of adjustable spring assemblies, each adjustable spring assembly comprising a force sensor configured to measure an amount of force carried by the respective adjustable spring assembly; and wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies being the adjustable spring assemblies beneath the area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies in a predetermined pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined pattern is based at least on a parameter associated with at least one of a shape of the wave front, the speed of the wave front, a direction of travel and distance between wave fronts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the travelling wave front comprises a wave front with increased force in a direction of travel relative to the person on the sleeping surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by a bed controller, an indication of a selected body portion of the person, the selected body portion being less than all body portions of the person; sensing, by a bed controller, an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides; determining a location of the selected body portion on the sleeping surface; and wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies beneath the selected body portion and refraining from driving adjustable spring assemblies beneath non-selected body portions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving a first adjustable spring assembly to carry more force than a nearest neighbor adjustable spring assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein driving the first adjustable spring assembly further comprises increasing compression of a main spring of the first adjustable spring assembly by at least one inch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising: driving the nearest neighbor adjustable spring assembly to carry less force. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises driving the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies with each adjustable spring assembly comprising a massage spring concentrically disposed within a main spring, and the driving such that each massage spring carries more force than the respective main spring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the array of adjustable spring assemblies further comprises at least one selected from a group comprising: 100 or greater adjustable spring assemblies; 100 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a cot size bed; 120 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a twin size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a twin size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a queen size bed; 400 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a queen size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a king size bed; and 400 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a king size bed. ### Claim 13 An adjustable sleeping system comprising: an array of adjustable spring assemblies arranged such that a top of each adjustable spring assembly defines an upper surface parallel to a sleeping surface of the adjustable sleeping system, each adjustable spring assembly having a main spring with an un-laden compression that is adjustable; and a bed controller communicatively coupled to each of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller configured to drive a plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies to massage a person residing on the adjustable sleeping system so as to effectuate a travelling wave front across the sleeping surface, the travelling wave front being driven from an initial position to an end position on the sleeping surface at a speed that is based on an initial vertical position of each of the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies and a quantity of the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13 wherein, the bed controller is configured to sense an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides; and wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller is further configured to drive the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies beneath the area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13 wherein, each adjustable spring assembly further comprises a force sensor associated with the main spring, the force sensor configured to measure an amount of force carried by the respective adjustable spring assembly, and the bed controller configured to read a value indicative of the amount of force carried from each adjustable spring assembly; the bed controller configured to sense, by way of the force sensor of each adjustable spring assembly, an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides; and wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller is further configured to drive the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies being the adjustable spring assemblies beneath the area. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13, wherein the travelling wave front comprises a wave front with increased force in a direction of travel relative to the person. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13, wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller is further configured to drive the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies in a predetermined pattern. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined pattern is based at least on a parameter associated with at least one of a shape of the wave front, the speed of the wave front, a direction of travel and distance between wave fronts. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13 wherein, the bed controller is configured to receive an indication a selected body portion of the person, the selected body portion being less than all the body portions of the person; and the bed controller configured to sense an area of the sleeping surface upon which the person resides, and configured to determine a location of the selected body portion within the area, wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller is further configured to drive the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies beneath the selected body portion and configured to refrain from driving adjustable spring assemblies beneath non-selected body portions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13, wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies to massage the person, the bed controller is configured to drive a first adjustable spring assembly to carry more force than a nearest neighbor adjustable spring assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 20, wherein when the bed controller drives the first adjustable spring assembly, the bed controller is configured to increase compression of the main spring of the first adjustable spring assembly by at least one inch. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 20, wherein the bed controller is further configured to drive the nearest neighbor adjustable spring assembly to carry less force. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13 wherein, each adjustable spring assembly further comprises a massage member concentrically disposed within the main spring of each adjustable spring assembly, wherein when the bed controller drives the plurality of the adjustable spring assemblies, the bed controller is further configured to drive the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies such that the respective massage members carry at least some of a force carried by each of the plurality of adjustable spring assemblies. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 23, wherein each massage member is a massage spring with a spring constant higher than the main spring within which the massage spring is concentrically disposed. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The adjustable sleeping system of claim 13, wherein the adjustable spring assemblies further comprise at least one selected from a group comprising: 100 or greater adjustable spring assemblies; 100 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a cot size bed; 120 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a twin size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a twin size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a queen size bed; 400 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a queen size bed; 200 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a king size bed; and 400 or greater adjustable spring assemblies arranged as a king size bed.