Patent ID: 8087113

Claim:
A method for inflating a patient support pad having inflatable cells therein, the method including the steps of: a. providing fluid to the cells of the pad, each cell having successive inflation/deflation cycles wherein each cycle includes: (1) a period over which fluid is supplied to the cell, and (2) a period over which fluid is released from the cell, with the successive inflation/deflation cycles: i. defining a supply frequency, and ii. being out of phase between different cells; b. accumulating a count of a number of pressure changes in the pad which are representative of successive movements of the patient on the pad, the count being accumulated over at least the period over which fluid is supplied to the pad; c. adjusting the supply frequency in response to both: (1) the number of pressure changes representative of patient movements, and (2) the time over which the number of pressure changes representative of patient movements occur.