Person support apparatuses with virtual control panels
First Claim
1. A person support apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
a support adapted to support a person thereon;
an actuator adapted to move a component of the person support apparatus when actuated;
an external surface defined on a component of the person support apparatus;
a control panel including a lockout control for locking out movement of the actuator;
an image projector positioned externally of the component and adapted to project a first control image or a second control image onto the external surface such that a reflection of the first or second control image from the external surface is visible to a user positioned externally of the component, the first control image including an actuator control image for controlling movement of the actuator and the second control image not including the actuator control image, the image projector further adapted to project the first control image only when the lockout control is not activated and to project the second control image when the lockout control is activated;
an image sensor positioned externally of the component and adapted to capture images of a user'"'"'s finger when positioned near the external surface; and
a controller adapted to analyze images from the image sensor and determine if the user has moved a finger within a threshold distance of a location on the external surface at which the actuator control image is located and, if so, the controller is adapted to actuate the actuator when the first control image is projected but not when the second control image is projected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual control panel for a person support apparatus includes at least one image sensor that monitors a movement of a user'"'"'s finger(s) relative to a control surface. The control surface includes one or more control images thereon. When the user'"'"'s finger(s) move within a threshold distance of the control image, a controller reacts as if the user had pushed an actual control button for the function that corresponds to the control image. The control image may be projected by a projector, and may have static or dynamic content. Alternatively, the control image may be printed on the surface, adhered thereto, or otherwise physically present. In some embodiments, ancillary devices may connect to the person support apparatus and forward images for projection on the control surface, thereby allowing the control surface of the person support apparatus to be used to control the ancillary devices.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A person support apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
a support adapted to support a person thereon;
an actuator adapted to move a component of the person support apparatus when actuated;
an external surface defined on a component of the person support apparatus;
a control panel including a lockout control for locking out movement of the actuator;
an image projector positioned externally of the component and adapted to project a first control image or a second control image onto the external surface such that a reflection of the first or second control image from the external surface is visible to a user positioned externally of the component, the first control image including an actuator control image for controlling movement of the actuator and the second control image not including the actuator control image, the image projector further adapted to project the first control image only when the lockout control is not activated and to project the second control image when the lockout control is activated;
an image sensor positioned externally of the component and adapted to capture images of a user'"'"'s finger when positioned near the external surface; and
a controller adapted to analyze images from the image sensor and determine if the user has moved a finger within a threshold distance of a location on the external surface at which the actuator control image is located and, if so, the controller is adapted to actuate the actuator when the first control image is projected but not when the second control image is projected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- a frame;
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14. A person support apparatus comprising:
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a frame; a support adapted to support a person thereon; a first external surface defined on a component of the person support apparatus; a second external surface; a first image projector positioned externally of the component and adapted to project a first image onto the first external surface such that a reflection of the first image from the first external surface is visible to a user positioned externally of the component; a second image projector positioned externally of the component and adapted to project a second image onto the second external surface such that a reflection of the second image from the second external surface is visible to the user, the second external surface different from the first external surface; a first image sensor positioned externally of the component and adapted to capture images of a user'"'"'s finger when positioned near the first external surface; a second image sensor positioned externally of the component and adapted to capture images of a user'"'"'s finger when positioned near the second external surface; a first controller adapted to analyze images from the first image sensor and determine if the user has moved a finger within a threshold distance of the first image; and a second controller adapted to analyze images from the second image sensor and determine if the user has moved a finger within a threshold distance of the second image; wherein the first and second controllers are in communication with each other, a content of the first image is received by the person support apparatus from a remote computer network, and the second image projector stops projecting the second image onto the second external surface when the user moves his or her finger within the threshold distance of a first point on the first external surface over which the first image is projected. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification