Patient support apparatuses with location/movement detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019150737-A1
Application number	US-201816193150-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	May 23, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver of a headwall interface that is positioned off of the patient support apparatus. A communication link is automatically established between the first and second transceivers without requiring a user of the patient support apparatus to activate a designated control and without requiring the user to identify the headwall interface. The first transceiver includes a unique identifier assigned to the headwall interface in its messages to the headwall interface. The first transceiver may also automatically transmit a disconnect signal to the headwall interface indicating the termination of the communication link is not accidental. The disconnect signal is sent based on one or more of the following: (1) a brake being off, (2) an A/C power cord being unplugged; and/or (3) a signal strength between the transceivers decreasing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A patient support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person; a first transceiver adapted to establish first wireless communication with a first headwall unit positioned at a fixed location in a room; a second transceiver adapted to establish second wireless communication with a second headwall unit positioned at a fixed location in the room; and a controller adapted to automatically determine from the first and second wireless communications at least one of the following: (1) when the patient support apparatus is leaving the room, and (2) when the patient support apparatus is entering the room.

2 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller automatically determines when the patient support apparatus is leaving the room, and the controller does so by monitoring an order in which the first and second transceivers discontinue communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

3 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller automatically determines when the patient support apparatus is entering the room, and the controller does so by monitoring an order in which the first and second transceivers establish communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

4 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver is an infrared transceiver and the second transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver.

5 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver communicates first periodic heartbeat messages with the first headwall unit, the second transceiver communicates second periodic heartbeat messages with the second headwall unit, and the controller is adapted to forward information to a remote device indicative of successful communication of the first and second heartbeat messages.

6 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a nurse call cable interface for connecting a nurse call cable between the patient support apparatus and a nurse call outlet of a nurse call system;
a nurse call connection detector adapted to detect when the nurse call cable is in communication with the nurse call system; and
wherein the controller is further adapted to alert a caregiver to couple the nurse call cable between the patient support apparatus and the nurse call outlet if the caregiver fails to do so and the first and second transceivers have established communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

7 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a patient presence detector adapted to detect when a patient is present on the support surface and when a patient is not present on the support surface; and wherein the controller is further adapted to automatically deactivate at least one function of the patient support apparatus if the controller determines the patient support apparatus is leaving the room and the patient is not present on the support surface.

8 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is further adapted to send a message to a remote device in response to determining the patient support apparatus is leaving the room, the message including an instruction to perform at least one of the following: (1) turn off a room light; (2) turn off a radio; (3) turn off a television; and (4) change a temperature setting in the room.

9 . A patient support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person; a first transceiver adapted to establish first wireless communication with a first headwall unit positioned at a fixed location in a room; a second transceiver adapted to establish second wireless communication with a second headwall unit positioned at a fixed location in the room; and a controller adapted to automatically send a first message to a remote device indicating the patient support apparatus is not in the room if the first and second transceivers are unable to establish first and second wireless communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

10 . The patient support apparatus of claim 9 wherein the controller is further adapted to send a second message to the remote device indicating the patient support apparatus is in a particular bay of the room if the first and second transceivers are able to establish first and second wireless communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

11 . The patient support apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is further adapted to send a third message to the remote device indicating the patient support apparatus is in the room and an error condition exists if only one of the first and second transceivers is able to establish communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

12 . The patient support apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first transceiver is an infrared transceiver and the second transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver.

13 . The patient support apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller is further adapted to automatically determine from the first and second wireless communications when the patient support apparatus is leaving the room, and the controller does so by monitoring an order in which the first and second transceivers discontinue communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively.

14 . The patient support apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a patient presence detector adapted to detect when a patient is present on the support surface and when a patient is not present on the support surface; and wherein the controller is further adapted to automatically deactivate at least one function of the patient support apparatus if the controller determines the patient support apparatus is leaving the room and the patient is not present on the support surface.

15 . The patient support apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller automatically determines when the patient support apparatus is entering the room, and the controller does so by monitoring an order in which the first and second transceivers establish communication with the first and second headwall units, respectively; and wherein the controller is further adapted to send a message to a remote device in response to determining the patient support apparatus is entering the room, the message including an instruction to perform at least one of the following: (1) turn on a room light; (2) turn on a radio; (3) turn on a television; (4) change a temperature setting in the room; and (5) alert a caregiver to couple a power cable between the patient support apparatus and an electrical outlet.

16 . A patient support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a person; a movement detector adapted to detect if the patient support apparatus is moving into or out of a room; and a controller adapted to automatically perform a first action if the movement detector detects the patient support apparatus is moving out of the room and to automatically perform a second action if the movement detector detects the patient support apparatus is moving into the room.

17 . The patient support apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first action is sending an instruction to perform at least one of the following: (1) turn off a room light; (2) turn off a radio; (3) turn off a television; and (4) change a temperature setting in the room; and wherein the second action is sending an instruction to perform at least one of the following: (1) turn on a room light; (2) turn on a radio; (3) turn on a televis

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Bodurka Alexander Josef
• Bhimavarapu Krishna Sandeep
• Trepanier Jerald A

Classifications

• A61B5/7465

  Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network (telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002) · CPC title

• H04L43/10

  Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route · CPC title

• A61B5/1115

  Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair · CPC title

• A61B5/002 Primary

  Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61G7/018 Primary

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title