Patent Publication Number: US-2021162163-A1

Title: Sleep suite

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CA2019/051078, filed on Aug. 6, 2019, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/714,891, titled “SLEEP SUITE” and filed Aug. 6, 2018. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to enclosed chambers, and more particularly to a sleeping chamber in which humans may sleep. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
     Various chambers for sleeping individuals have been designed. The chambers may not have room conditions tailored for a particular user. The chambers may be limited to certain functions. For example, the chambers may be designed for sleep only. These issues associated with sleeping chambers are addressed by the present disclosure. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one form, a sleep suite is provided, which includes a main structure defining a sleep chamber, a plurality of sensors for monitoring conditions of the sleep chamber, a plurality of devices for changing the conditions of the sleep chamber, and a control panel. The control panel automatically controls the plurality of devices to change the conditions of the sleep chamber based on predetermined settings for the plurality of devices and the conditions monitored by the plurality of sensors. 
     In other features, the plurality of devices include at least one of a noise cancellation device, a lighting device, an aromatherapy device, a speaker, a fan, a chromotherapy device, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, an air filter, a ventilation device, and a water filter. The plurality of sensors include at least one of temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an audio sensor, an aroma sensor, a motion sensor, an infrared sensor, an insect detector, a weight sensor, a dust sensor, a light sensor, a gas sensor, and a brainwave sensor. The plurality of sensors are arranged in an array throughout the sleep suite. 
     The sleep suite may further include a computer connected to the plurality of sensors, the computer configured to process and analyze information acquired by the plurality of sensors and related to the conditions of the sleep chamber. Alternatively, instead of a computer, the plurality of sensors may be in communication with a cloud server. The information acquired by the plurality of sensors may be processed and analyzed by a cloud server. The control panel is configured to access data relating to the predetermined settings of the plurality of devices from a group consisting of a computer, a hand-held device, a network server, and a cloud server. 
     The control panel may be configured to be activated by at least one of voice, passcodes, or key FOB. The control panel may further include at least one of a thumb print reader and a face reader. 
     The control panel includes a connection interface configured to connect to a hand-held device. The hand-held device stores settings for the plurality of devices. The control panel controls the plurality of devices simultaneously according to the settings stored in the hand-held device when the hand-held device is connected to the connection interface. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a sleep suite constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the sleep suite of  FIG. 1 , showing an arrangement of a plurality of sensors in the sleep suite; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a control panel, a plurality of devices, and a plurality of sensors disposed in a sleep suite constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a communication between a control interface and a plurality of devices; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a communication between a control interface and a plurality of sensors. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a sleep suite  10  constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure includes a main structure  12  defining a sleeping chamber  14 . The main structure  12  may include rigid or soft walls  16  and may be made of a material selected from a group consisting of wood, composite, glass, drywall and metal, intelligent/dynamic surface, and fabric. In one form, one or more of the walls  16  of the main structure  12  may use an existing wall or floor, such as a floor or a wall of a room or a divider wall  19  or a limo wall (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ) of a motor vehicle. The main structure  12  may include an access door (not shown) to allow access into the sleeping chamber  14 . The access door may be, for example, a hinged door, a zipper fabric door, a sliding door, or a clam shell door, among others. 
     The sleep suite  10  further includes a mattress or a sleeping surface  18 , on which a blanket and pillow set (not shown) may be disposed, a cabinet  20  (or a side table), a control panel  22  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) mounted on the cabinet  20 , a foot board  24 , a plurality of devices  25  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) in communication with the control panel  22 , and a plurality of sensors  26  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) configured to monitor the conditions of the sleeping chamber  14 . A plurality of speakers  36  may be mounted on the walls  16  of the main structure  12 . In one form of the present disclosure, the plurality of speakers may be mounted at upper portions of the walls  16 . Optional components of the sleep suite  10  may also include, by way of example, appliances such as a refrigerator, microwave, or coffee maker, among others. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the plurality of sensors  26  may be mounted on one or more walls  16  of the main structure  12  throughout the sleep suite  10  or outside the sleep suite  10  and in communication with the control panel  22 , the plurality of sensors  26  configured to continuously monitor the conditions of the sleeping chamber  14 . The plurality of sensors  26  may be arranged in an array. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the mattress or the sleeping surface  18  may be a typical mattress, a customized mattress specific for the sleep suite  10 , or a smart mattress with sensors inside. The blanket and pillow set is provided in the sleep suite  10  and may include a bed sheet, pillows and a blanket. The bed sheet, pillows, and blanket may be cohesive or customizable, may or may not be utilizing sensors (e.g., “smart” sheets, pillow, blankets), may be organic, self-cleaning, and/or may have transparent properties. 
     The cabinet  20  may include a plurality of customizable compartments including a medicine cabinet and a compartment for a mini fridge. The control panel  22  is mounted on a surface of the cabinet  20 . The control panel  22  may be activated by voice, passcodes, or key FOB, among others. The foot board  24  may provide an additional storage space. Further, the features as set forth herein may be activated by gesture control. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the plurality of devices  25  that may be installed in the sleep suite  10  include, but are not limited to, multiple noise cancellation devices  30 , a lighting device  32 , an aromatherapy device  34 , a plurality of speakers  36  (also shown in  FIG. 1 ), a fan  38 , a chromotherapy device  40 , a humidifier  42 , a dehumidifier  44 , an air filter  46 , a ventilation device  48 , a water filter  50 , a computer  52 , and a hard drive  54 . The multiple noise cancelling devices  30  may be mounted inside or outside the sleep suite  10 . Other devices may include a water tank and inlet, along with batteries to power the various devices. 
     The lighting device  32  may include at least one strip LED lighting provided in the frame of the main structure  12  and may be controlled as a whole or in zones. Other forms of lighting may also be employed and thus the use of LED lighting is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The computer  52  may be provided under the mattress, in a headboard  29  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), or at any location within or near the sleep suite  10  and its various components, and may be provided to process and/or analyze some or all of data received from the plurality of sensors  26 . The computer  52  may include a sleep tracker reporting app and an interface for full data display. In addition to the computer  52 , some of the other devices may also be disposed under the mattress  18 , including but not limited to, the humidifier, the water tank for the humidifier/dehumidifier, the hard drive, the air filter, and the water filters. 
     The control panel  22  includes a thumb print reader  56 , a face reader  58 , and a connection interface  60  for data synchronization of a hand-held device (not shown), such as a smart phone, tablet, smart watch, or other portable electronic device, whether a wearable or non-wearable. The plurality of devices  25  may be connected to the control panel  22 , through wireless communications or through wire connections. The connection interface  60  allows a user to control the plurality of devices  25  simultaneously by connecting a hand-held device to the connection interface  60 . The hand-held device may store the settings for some or all of the plurality of devices  25 . In one form, the settings for the plurality of devices  25  may be saved in a phone application of the hand-held device. When the hand-held device is plugged into another sleep suite, or wirelessly connected to another sleep suite, the settings saved in the phone application may be synchronized such that one or more of the plurality of devices  25  can be automatically turned on and adjusted according to the saved settings without the need to turn on and adjust the plurality of devices  25  individually. 
     Alternatively, the control panel  22  may include a plurality of control buttons or knobs corresponding to the plurality of devices  25 , the plurality of control buttons or knobs configured to control the plurality of devices  25  individually. Alternatively, the control panel  22  may be activated by voice, passcodes, or key FOB, among others. For example, the voice activated commands may be received by a voice recognition software of the control panel  22  to carry out control of one or more of the plurality of devices  25  in the sleep suite  10 . Alternatively, instead of using a hand-held device, the control panel  22  may be configured to access data relating to settings for the plurality of devices  25  from a cloud server. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the plurality of sensors  26  may be mounted on one or more walls  16  of the main structure  12  throughout the suite or outside the sleep suite  10 , the plurality of sensors  26  configured to continuously monitor the conditions of the sleeping chamber  14 . The plurality of sensors  26  include, but are not limited to, a temperature sensor  62 , a humidity/moisture sensor  64  configured to detect the water/sweat content in the air, one or more audio sensors  66  (including an internal audio sensor and an external audio sensor) configured to detect noises inside and external of the sleep suite  10 , an aroma sensor  68  configured to measure aroma ppm levels and the odor, one or more motion sensors  70  (including an internal motion sensor and an external motion sensor) configured to detect motion inside and outside the sleep suite  10 , an infrared sensor  72 , an insect detector  74 , a weight/pressure sensor  76  installed on bed and configured to detect the weight on bed, a dust sensor  78  configured to detect bacteria/allergen/dust inside the sleep suite  10 , one or more light sensors  80  (including an internal light sensor and an external light sensor) configured to detect brightness inside and outside the sleep suite  10 , a gas sensor  82  configured to detect the level of oxygen and CO 2  or any gases besides oxygen and CO 2 , and a brainwave sensor  84  configured to detect brainwaves. Any one of the plurality of sensors  26  may be configured to work with other devices inside the sleep suite  10  to form Internet of Things (IOT) in the sleep suite  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the plurality of sensors  26  may transmit signals relating to various measurements of the conditions of the sleep suite  10  to a processor  90  through a wireless transmitter  92  and a wireless receiver  94 . More specifically, the plurality of sensors  26  may be connected to a wireless transmitter  92 , which in turn transmits signals relating to various measurements of the conditions of the sleep suite  10  by the sensors  26  to a wireless receiver  94  on the side of the control panel  22 . The wireless receiver  94  receives the signals and sends the signals to a processor  90 . The processor  90  may process the received signals, compare the various measurements by the sensors  26  against the stored predetermined or desired settings, determine a desired change of operation of at least one of the plurality of devices  25 , and send a command regarding the desired change of operation to a control interface  96 . The control interface  96  is installed in the control panel  22  and is configured to control the operation of the plurality of devices  25 . The processor  90  may be installed in the control panel  22 , or may be located in a network server or a cloud server. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , after receiving the commands from the processor  90  regarding the determined change of operation of at least one of the plurality of devices  25 , the control interface  96  may send the determined command to another processor  98 , which converts the determined command into appropriate signals that can be sent by another wireless transmitter  100  to another wireless receiver  102  connected to the plurality of devices  25 . The operation of one or more of the devices  25  may be adjusted accordingly. 
     The sleep suite  10  may define different zones. Data from the sensors  26  may be used for one or more than one purpose. The data acquired by the plurality of sensors  26  may be stored in the sleep suite  10  as raw data or may be transmitted to network for further analysis and/or processing. The data acquired by the plurality of sensors  26  may be transmitted to an external device (such as the processor  90  shown in  FIG. 4 ) through the control panel  22  for analysis for determining the comfort level inside the sleep suite  10 . The external device may transmit a signal back to the control panel  22  suggesting preferred settings for the plurality of devices  25  or automatically control the plurality of devices  25  accordingly to achieve an optimum comfort level for the user. In another variation, an external control center (not shown) may be employed to monitor and control the sleep suite  10  remotely. The data and/or process data may be stored in the cloud. 
     The sleep suite  10  constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure can automatically and simultaneously control the plurality of devices in the sleep suite according to the predetermined settings saved in a hand-held device, a computer, a network server, or a cloud server. Therefore, the plurality of devices are controlled and adjusted to provide an optimum comfort level tailored for a particular user. In addition to providing a place to sleep, the sleep suite  10  can be used to provide aromatherapy, chromotherapy, meditation, intimacy, or recovery, among other treatments/environments. 
     The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. For example, it should be understood that the sleep suite  10  may be configured as set forth herein for human use, canine or feline use, or use by any subject for which improved sleeping conditions are desired. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.