Person support apparatuses with motion monitoring
First Claim
1. A person support apparatus comprising:
- a support surface configured to support thereon an occupant of the person support apparatus;
a plurality of force sensors configured to determine a position of the occupant of the support surface; and
an exit detection system configured to repetitively perform the following steps (a) through (e);
(a) determine a distance moved by the occupant by determining a difference between a current position of the occupant determined from the plurality of force sensors and a previous position of the occupant determined from the plurality of force sensors;
(b) calculate a motion parameter different from, but based on, the distance moved;
(c) compare the motion parameter to a first threshold and increment a counter if the motion parameter exceeds the first threshold;
(d) decrement the counter each time a predetermined amount of time passes; and
(e) compare the counter to a second threshold;
wherein the exit detection system is further configured to issue an exit alert if the counter exceeds the second threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A person support apparatus, such as a bed, cot, stretcher, or the like, includes an exit detection system that utilizes an occupant motion parameter to determine whether to issue an alert or not. The motion parameter may be based on the weight and motion of the occupant. Successive positions of the occupant are determined in order to calculate a velocity of the occupant. In some embodiments, the kinetic energy of the occupant is used to determine if an alert should be issued. Objects positioned on the person support apparatus may also be detected and tracked. Auto-zeroing of a built-in scale, as well as automatic recognition of the removal, movement, and/or addition of objects is also provided.
60 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A person support apparatus comprising:
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a support surface configured to support thereon an occupant of the person support apparatus; a plurality of force sensors configured to determine a position of the occupant of the support surface; and an exit detection system configured to repetitively perform the following steps (a) through (e); (a) determine a distance moved by the occupant by determining a difference between a current position of the occupant determined from the plurality of force sensors and a previous position of the occupant determined from the plurality of force sensors; (b) calculate a motion parameter different from, but based on, the distance moved; (c) compare the motion parameter to a first threshold and increment a counter if the motion parameter exceeds the first threshold; (d) decrement the counter each time a predetermined amount of time passes; and (e) compare the counter to a second threshold; wherein the exit detection system is further configured to issue an exit alert if the counter exceeds the second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A person support apparatus comprising:
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a support surface configured to support thereon an occupant of the person support apparatus; a plurality of sensors configured to detect a position of the occupant while positioned on the support surface; and an exit detection system configured to determine a distance traveled by the occupant on the support surface based on multiple readings of the occupant'"'"'s position, the exit detection system further configured to determine an elapsed amount of time between position readings of the occupant and to use the distance and elapsed amount of time to determine a motion parameter, the exit detection system further configured to utilize a leaky bucket algorithm for processing the motion parameter and deciding whether to issue an exit alert wherein the leaky bucket algorithm increments a counter when the motion parameter exceeds a first threshold and repetitively decrements the counter at predetermined time intervals, and the leaky bucket algorithm issues the exit alert when the counter exceeds a second threshold, the exit alert providing an indication that the occupant of the support surface is about to exit the support surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification