Patient care and communication system
First Claim
1. A patient care and communication system which comprises:
- a central station having means for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care; and
a plurality of remote stations linked to said central station and having a processor for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care and having a display for displaying said visual communications; and
a private branch exchange connected to a telephone exchange and to a plurality of telephones for facilitating telephone communication between said telephones and said exchange;
wherein said central station facilitates said visual and data communications between said plurality of remote stations, and includes means for determining which of said plurality of remote stations are transmitting said visual and data communications and which of said plurality of remote stations are to receive said visual and data communications, and includes means for establishing a communication link between said transmitting stations and said receiving stations;
wherein each of said plurality of remote stations includes telephone circuitry connected to said private-branch exchange for telephone communications therebetween.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a patient care and communication system which utilizes a central processing system and a plurality of remote stations electrically connected to the central processing system to facilitate visual and data communications. Each remote station includes telephone circuitry which is connected to a private branch exchange for telephone communications between stations. In addition, the private branch exchange is connected to a telephone exchange and a plurality of telephones for facilitating telephone communication therebetween. The central processing system facilitates the visual and data communications between the plurality of remote stations, and includes a system for determining which of the plurality of remote stations are transmitting the visual and data communications and which of the plurality of remote stations are to receive the visual and data communications. The central processing system also includes a system which establishes a communication link between the transmitting stations and the receiving stations. The remote stations include a processing system which also facilitates the visual, data and telephone communications and a display for displaying the visual communications. The present invention also includes a staff and/or patient locator system, in which each remote station includes an infrared receiver that receives infrared transmissions from a portable transmitter worn by a staff member or patient The infrared transmissions include identity information associated with the person wearing the transmitter. The identity information is then transferred to the central processing system which determines the identity and location of each person wearing a portable transmitter.
357 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A patient care and communication system which comprises:
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a central station having means for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care; and
a plurality of remote stations linked to said central station and having a processor for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care and having a display for displaying said visual communications; and
a private branch exchange connected to a telephone exchange and to a plurality of telephones for facilitating telephone communication between said telephones and said exchange;
wherein said central station facilitates said visual and data communications between said plurality of remote stations, and includes means for determining which of said plurality of remote stations are transmitting said visual and data communications and which of said plurality of remote stations are to receive said visual and data communications, and includes means for establishing a communication link between said transmitting stations and said receiving stations;
wherein each of said plurality of remote stations includes telephone circuitry connected to said private-branch exchange for telephone communications therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A patient care and communication system which comprises:
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a central station having a processor for facilitating visual and data signal communications relating to patient care;
a private-branch exchange coupled to said central station;
at least one patient station having a processor which facilitates visual and data signal communications relating to patient care, a display to display text received from said data signal communications and telephone circuitry coupled to said private branch exchange for telephone communications between stations; and
at least one control station having a processor which facilitates visual and data signal communications relating to patient care, a display for displaying text received from said data signal communications and a PBX interface coupled to said private-branch exchange for telephone communications between stations;
wherein said processor of said central station facilitates said visual and data signal communications between said at least one patient station, and said at least one control station, and determines which of said at least one patient station or said at least one control station is transmitting said visual and data signals and which of said stations are to receive said visual and data signals, and establishes a communication link between said transmitting stations and said receiving stations. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A patient care and communication system which comprises:
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a central station having means for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care; and
a plurality of remote stations linked to said central station and having processing means for facilitating visual and data communications relating to patient care and having display means for displaying said visual communications, each of said plurality of remote stations includes a receiver adapted to receive transmitted signals for data communication to said central station;
a private branch exchange connected to a telephone exchange and to a plurality of telephones for facilitating telephone communication between said telephones and said exchange;
wherein each of said plurality of remote stations includes telephone circuitry connected to said private-branch exchange for telephone communications therebetween; and
at least one portable transmitter adapted to be worn by personnel in a facility, said transmitter being adapted for transmission of signals including the identity of the personnel;
wherein said central station includes means for determining the identity and location of the personnel associated with said at least one transmitter in response to said transmitted signals. - View Dependent Claims (23, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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24. A method of providing patient care and communication between patient rooms and nurse stations in a health care facility comprising:
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connecting a plurality of remote stations to a central processor so as to facilitate visual and data communications therebetween, said plurality of remote stations having processing means for facilitating said visual and data communications and having display means for displaying said visual communications, and said central processor having means for determining which of said plurality of remote stations are transmitting said visual and data communications and which of said plurality of remote stations are to receive said visual and data communications, and having means for establishing a communication link between said transmitting stations and said receiving stations;
connecting said plurality of remote stations and said central processor to a private-branch exchange for audio communications between said stations. positioning at least one of said plurality of remote stations in each patient room located within the health care facility;
positioning at least one of said plurality of remote stations in each nurse station of said health care facility;
attending said remote station in each nurse station to receive said visual and data signals from said central processor and audio signals from said private-branch exchange; and
responding to said audio, visual and data signals.
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25. Apparatus for remotely controlling environmental facilities within a room of a health care facility, which comprises:
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a wireless receiver positioned within said room having environmental facilities therewithin;
a wireless transmitter located within said room, said wireless transmitter having a housing, a processor within said housing and a patient select member connected to said processor, such that activation of said patient select member causes said wireless transmitter to transmit control data to said wireless receiver; and
a controller connected to said wireless receiver and said environmental facilities, said controller being configured to receive said control data from said wireless receiver and to control said environmental facilities in response to said control data.
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30. A method for controlling environmental facilities within rooms of a health care facility, comprising:
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positioning a wireless receiver within rooms having environmental facilities therewithin;
positioning a portable wireless transmitter within the rooms;
connecting said wireless receiver and said environmental facilities to a controller, said controller being configured to receive control data from said wireless receiver and to control said environmental facilities in response to said control data; and
activating said wireless transmitter to transmit said control data.
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Specification