Patent ID: 8181290

Claim:
A climate controlled bed comprising: an upper portion comprising: a core having a top core surface and a bottom core surface, said core comprising at least one passageway extending through the core from the top core surface to the bottom core surface; at least one fluid distribution member positioned above the core, said fluid distribution member being in fluid communication with the at least one passageway of the core, wherein said fluid distribution member is configured to at least partially distribute fluid within said fluid distribution member; and at least one comfort layer positioned adjacent to the fluid distribution member; and a lower portion configured to support the upper portion; and at least one fluid module configured to selectively transfer air to or from the fluid distribution member of the upper portion; wherein said fluid module comprises a fluid transfer device and a thermoelectric device for selectively thermally conditioning fluids being transferred by the fluid transfer device; wherein the fluid distribution member is divided into at least two hydraulically isolated zones, each of said zones comprising a spacer material; at least one temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a fluid being transferred by the fluid module; at least one humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity of a fluid being transferred by the fluid module; and a main controller configured to control at least one operational parameter of the at least one fluid module according to an operational scheme and based, at least in part, on the temperature detected by the at least one temperature sensor and the humidity detected by the at least one humidity sensor; wherein a level of heating or cooling delivered by a building HVAC system in a room containing the climate controlled bed can be reduced, while a desired comfort level is maintained, resulting in an increase in overall energy efficiency; wherein, based on the operational scheme, the main controller is configured to automatically operate the climate controlled bed within a desired comfort zone; wherein the desired comfort zone is based on, at least in part, the temperature and relative humidity of fluid being transferred by the at least one fluid module; and wherein the main controller is configured to automatically modify at least one operational parameter of the at least one fluid module so that fluid transferred by the fluid module permits the climate controlled bed to operate within the desired comfort zone.