Person support apparatus with position monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018055418-A1
Application number	US-201715793599-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2017
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A person support apparatus includes one or more thermal image sensors whose outputs are analyzed to perform one or more functions. Such functions include automatically turning on a brake, automatically turning on one or more lights, detecting when a patient associated with the person support apparatus has fallen, enabling a propulsion system of the patient support apparatus to be used, automatically controlling one or more environmental controls, and/or automatically arming an exit detection system after entry of a patient onto the person support apparatus. Multiple thermal images may be generated from multiple sensors to generate stereoscopic thermal images of portions of the person support apparatus and its surroundings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A person support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person thereon; a sensor adapted to detect a presence of the person when the person is not positioned on the support surface but within a vicinity of the person support apparatus; and a controller adapted to automatically carry out at least one of the following functions in response to detecting the presence of the person: (1) change an illumination intensity of a display supported on the person support apparatus; (2) determine whether to change a state of a brake of the person support apparatus; (3) enable a user input of the person support apparatus; and (4) disable a user input of the person support apparatus.

2 . The person support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller carries out function (1) and automatically illuminates the display when the presence of the person is detected.

3 . The person support apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an ambient light sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the controller changes the illumination intensity of the display based upon a signal from the ambient light sensor.

4 . The person support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises one or more of the following: an infrared sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a radio frequency sensor, and a sonar sensor.

5 . The person support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller carries out function (2) and automatically activates the brake if the person subsequently leaves the vicinity of the person support apparatus without having manually activated the brake.

6 . The person support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller carries out function (3) and the user input controls movement of a component of the person support apparatus.

7 . The person support apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user input controls a powered wheel of the person support apparatus that is adapted to assist in moving the person support apparatus to different locations.

8 . A person support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person thereon; a sensor adapted to detect electromagnetic waves emanating from a floor on which the person support apparatus is supported; and a controller adapted to process outputs from the sensor to detect at least one of the following: (1) a person has fallen, and (2) a fluid is present on the floor.

9 . The person support apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller detects if a fluid is present on the floor.

10 . The person support apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an infrared emitter adapted to emit infrared light onto the floor, and wherein the sensor comprises an infrared light sensor adapted to detect infrared light emitted by the infrared emitter and reflected back to the sensor.

11 . The person support apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is further adapted to issue an alert in response to detecting fluid on the floor.

12 . The person support apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller detects if the person has fallen.

13 . The person support apparatus of claim 12 wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor adapted to detect first infrared waves emanating from the person that are above a threshold height and second infrared waves emanating from the person that are below the threshold height.

14 . The person support apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller determines if the person has fallen based upon a comparison of the first infrared waves and the second infrared waves.

15 . A person support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person thereon; a thermal image sensor adapted to capture thermal images of a region adjacent the person when the person is supported on the support surface; and a controller adapted to process the thermal images to determine a temperature of ambient air in the region and to compare the temperature of the ambient air to a desired temperature value.

16 . The person support apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is further adapted to send a message to an environmental controller if the temperature of the ambient air differs from the desired temperature value.

17 . The person support apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is further adapted to send another message to the environmental controller when the temperature of the ambient air in the region reaches the desired temperature value.

18 . The person support apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is further adapted to process the thermal images to determine when the person enters the support surface.

19 . The person support apparatus of claim 18 wherein the controller is further adapted to automatically arm an exit detection system when the person enters the support surface.

20 . The person support apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a footboard, and wherein the thermal image sensor is positioned on the footboard.

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Kostic Marko N
• Greenbank Jonathan Mark
• Cummings Christopher J

Classifications

• A61B5/11 Primary

  Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} · CPC title

• G01J5/00

  Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry · CPC title

• A61G7/0527

  Weighing devices · CPC title

• G01G19/445

  in a horizontal position · CPC title

• A61G13/10

  Parts, details or accessories (surgical drape sheets A61B46/00) · CPC title