Apparatus for lighting a patient monitor front panel

• US 20030197614A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bed-Check Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bed-Check Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Toby E., Cooper, Craig L., Taylor, Trevor L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,864,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/04 Constructional details of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/05 Splash shields for protection of the surgeon, e.g. splash guards connected to the apparatus A41D13/11 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided herein an electronic patient monitor that includes indirect lighting of its control panel. Preferably, a splash guard is affixed to the monitor in a position proximate to one or more light sources, none of which directly illuminate the control panel. Light from the light sources is received by the splash guard and transmitted internally to the control panel, where the light that is emitted from the splash guard provides illumination for the user. In another variation, there is provided an electronic patient monitor with one or more light sources affixed thereto, which light sources are used to signal the operating characteristics of the monitor including its alarm volume setting, whether or not it is sounding an alarm, etc. In another variation, there is provided an electronic patient monitor that uses an environmental sensor to adapt its operating characteristics based on conditions proximate to the patient.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a changing status of a patient, comprising:

(a) an electronic patient monitor, said electronic patient monitor having an exterior case, said exterior case

(i) having at least two sides,

(ii) having a monitor control panel positioned on a first side of said exterior case, and,

(iii) having at least one light source positioned on a second side of said exterior case, said at least one light source being oriented so that light emitted therefrom does not fall directly on said control panel when said at least one light source is activated; and

,

(b) a splash guard positionable to enclose at least a portion of said monitor control panel and proximate to said at least one light source, said splash guard being made of a light conducting material and positionable to receive and internally transmit at least a portion of the light emitted from said at least one light source so as to indirectly illuminate said control panel.

2. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 1, further comprising:

(c) a patient sensor positionable to be in electronic communication with said electronic patient monitor and positionable to be proximate to the patient, said patient sensor for detecting the changing status of the patient.

3. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 2 wherein said patient sensor is selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensitive mat, a wetness sensor, and an activity sensor.

4. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one light source penetrates at least partially into said light conducting material of said splash guard.

5. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 1, wherein said light conducting material is polycarbonate.

6. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 1,

wherein there are a plurality of light sources positioned on said second side of said exterior case, and

wherein said plurality of light sources are oriented so that light emitted from said plurality of light sources does not fall directly on said control panel when said light sources are activated.

7. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 2, wherein said electronic patient monitor, comprises:

(a1) a microprocessor, said microprocessor being in electronic communication with said at least one light source, with said patient sensor, and with said control panel,

(i) said microprocessor being responsive to a program resident therein,

(ii) said microprocessor at least for receiving user input from said control panel,

(iii) said microprocessor at least for controlling said at least one light source, and,

(iv) said microprocessor at least for for synthesizing at least one alarm sound,

(a2) a speaker in electronic communication with said microprocessor, said speaker for emitting alarms synthesized by said microprocessor.

8. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 7, wherein said program resident within said microprocessor comprises computer instructions to at least perform the steps of:

(a) reading a value representative of a day alarm volume and a value representative of a night alarm volume;

(b) determining a current alarm volume by selecting between said day alarm volume and said night alarm volume according to the desires of a user;

(c) determining an initial status of the patient using said patient sensor;

(d) determining a current status of the patient using said patient sensor;

(e) repeating step (d) at least until said current status of the patient is different from said initial status of the patient;

(f) sounding an alarm through said speaker at a volume level approximately equal to said current alarm volume if said current status of the patient is different from said initial status of the patient;

(g) automatically activating at least one of said at least one light source while said alarm is sounded; and

,

(h) deactivating said at least one of said at least one light source when said alarm is ended.

9. The device for monitoring a changing status of a patient according to claim 7, wherein said program resident within said microprocessor comprises computer instructions for performing at least the steps of:

(a) reading a value representative of a day alarm volume level and a value representative of a night alarm volume level, said day alarm volume level being greater than said night alarm level,

(b) determining a current speaker volume by selecting between said day speaker volume and said night speaker volume according to the desires of a user;

(c) automatically activating at least one of said at least one light source if said current speaker volume is less than or equal to said night speaker volume; and

,

(d) automatically deactivating at least one of said at least one light source if said current speaker volume is greater than or equal to said day speaker volume.

10. A method of alerting a caregiver when a status of a patient has changed, wherein is provided a patient sensor positionable to be proximate to said patient, and a patient monitor in electronic communication with said patient sensor, wherein

said patient monitor is at least for monitoring the status of a patient and for sounding an alarm in response to the status of the patient,

said patient monitor has an enclosing case, and,

said patient monitor has at least one light source positioned on said enclosing case,

comprising the steps of:

(a) using said patient sensor to determine an initial status of the patient;

(b) setting said at least one light source to an initial illuminative state;

(c) determining a current status of the patient;

(d) repeating step (c) until said current status of the patient is different from said initial status of the patient;

(e) sounding said alarm if said current status of the patient is different from said initial status of the patient;

(f) contemporaneously with said step (e), changing said illuminative state of said light source to an illuminative state different from said initial illuminative state, thereby providing a visual indication that said alarm is being sounded.

11. The method according claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

(b1) selecting one or more of said at least one light source,

(b2) deactivating said selected one or more light source, and wherein step (f) comprises the step of;

(f1) contemporaneously with said step (e) activating said selected one or more light sources, thereby providing a visual indication that said alarm is being sounded.

12. The method according claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises the step of powering on one or more of said at least one light source, and wherein step (f) comprises the step of contemporaneously with said step (e), flashing said one or more powered-on light sources, thereby providing a visual indication that said alarm is being sounded.

13. The method according claim 10,

wherein at least one of said at least one light source is a multi-color light source, wherein step (b) comprises the step of activating one or more of said multi-color light sources in a first color, and

wherein step (f) comprises the step of, contemporaneously with said step (e), activating said one or more multi-color light sources in a second color different from said first color, thereby providing a visual indication that said alarm is being sounded.

14. A method of indicating a current alarm volume level of an electronic patient monitor to a user,

wherein said patient monitor is at least for monitoring a status of a patient and for sounding an audible alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient,

said alarm having at least two user-specifiable alarm volume levels,

wherein said patient monitor has an enclosing case, and,

wherein said patient monitor has at least one light source positioned on said enclosing case,

each of said at least one light source having at least two different illuminative states,

each of said at least two user-specifiable alarm volume levels corresponding to at least one of said at least two illuminative states of said at least one light source,

comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a value representative of an initial alarm volume level;

(b) choosing a current alarm volume level from among said at least two alarm volume levels based on said value representative of said initial alarm volume level;

(c) determining an initial illuminative state corresponding to said initial alarm volume level;

(d) automatically setting said current illuminative state of said at least one light source to match said initial illuminative state;

(e) reading from the user a value representative of a modified alarm volume level;

(f) changing said current alarm volume level of said electronic patient monitor to at least approximately equal said modified alarm volume level;

(e) determining a current illuminative state of said at least one light source corresponding to said value representative of said modified alarm; and

,

(f) automatically setting said at least one light source to match said current illuminative state, thereby indicating said current alarm volume level of an electronic patient monitor to a user.

15. The method according claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least two illuminative states corresponds to “

power on” and

another of said at least two illuminative states corresponds to “

power off”

.

16. The method according claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least one light source is a multi-color light source, and wherein one of said at least two illuminative states corresponds to activation of a first color and another of said at least two illuminative states corresponds to activation of a second color.

17. A method of modifying the operating characteristics of an electronic patient monitor in response to changes in the environment of the patient, wherein is provided a patient sensor positionable to be proximate to said patient, and a patient monitor in electronic communication with said patient sensor,

wherein said patient monitor is at least for monitoring a status of a patient and for sounding an alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient,

wherein said patient monitor has an enclosing case,

wherein said patient monitor has a microprocessor therein,

wherein said patient monitor has at least one light source positioned on said enclosing case,

said at least one light source being capable of displaying a plurality of illuminative states, and

said at least one light source being in electronic communication with said microprocessor and being at least partially controlled thereby, and,

wherein said patient monitor has at least one environmental sensor therein, said at least one environmental sensor being in electronic communication with said microprocessor and readable by said microprocessor to yield a value of an environmental variable,

comprising the steps of:

(a) reading said environmental sensor to determine an initial state of a patient environment;

(b) setting said at least one light source to a first illuminative state corresponding to said initial state of the patient environment;

(c) reading said environmental sensor, thereby determining a current state of the patient environment;

(d) performing step (c) until said current state of the patient environment is different from said initial state of the patient environment;

(e) if said current state of the patient environment is different from said initial state of the patient environment,

(1) determining a second illuminative state corresponding to said current state of the patient environment, and,

(2) setting said at least one light source to said second illuminative state corresponding to said current state of the patient environment, thereby modifying the operating characteristics of said electronic patient monitor in response to a change in the environment of the patient.

18. The method according claim 17, wherein said environmental sensor is a photo-electric sensor and step (e)(2) comprises the step of:

(e2) powering up said at least one light sources if said current state of the patient environment is a reduced level of illumination compared with said initial state of the patient environment, and, powering down said at least one light sources if said current state of the patient environment is an increased level of illumination compared with said initial state of the patient environment.

19. The method according claim 18, wherein said electronic patient monitor is for sounding an audible alarm, and wherein said electronic patient monitor has at least two different alarm volumes, further comprising the step of:

(f) if said current state of the patient environment is different from said initial state of the patient environment,

(1) decreasing said alarm volume if said current state of the patient environment is a reduced level of illumination compared with said initial state of the patient environment, and, increasing said alarm volume if said current state of the patient environment is an increased level of illumination compared with said initial state of the patient environment.

20. An electronic patient monitor for monitoring a changing status of a patient, comprising:

(a) a patient sensor positionable to be proximate to the patient, said patient sensor for measuring the changing status of the patient when so positioned;

(b) an environmental sensor, said environmental sensor for determining a value representative of an environmental condition proximate to said electronic patient monitor;

(c) at least one light source, said at least one light source having at least two different illuminative states;

(d) a microprocessor in electronic communication at least with said environmental sensor, with said patient sensor, and with said at least one light source, said microprocessor being responsive to a computer program resident therein, said computer program at least containing commands for

(i) sounding an alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient, and,

(ii) automatically changing between said at least two illuminative states of said at least one light sources depending on said value representative of said environmental condition; and

,

(e) an audio speaker in electronic communication with said microprocessor, said audio speaker at least for emitting alarm sounds at a plurality of different volume levels under control of said microprocessor.

21. The electronic patient monitor according to claim 20, wherein step (i) comprises the step of sounding an alarm through said audio speaker in response to a change in the status of the patient.

22. The electronic patient monitor according to claim 20, wherein the environmental sensor is selected from the group consisting of a time circuit, a photo-sensitive circuit, a microphone, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

23. The electronic patient monitor according to claim 20, wherein step (i) comprises the step of sounding an alarm through said audio speaker in response to a change in the status of the patient.

24. The electronic patient monitor according to claim 20, wherein said environmental sensor is a photo-electric sensor integral to said electronic patient monitor, said photo-electric sensor for determining at least approximately a value representative of a level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor.

25. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 24, wherein at least one of said illuminative states of said at least one light source corresponds to “

activation”

, and wherein another of said at least one illuminative states of said at least one light source corresponds to “

deactivation”

, and wherein said computer program at least contains commands for;

(i) sounding an alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient, and,

(ii) automatically changing between said at least two illuminative states of said at least one light sources according to said value representative of the level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor, wherein at least one of said at least one light sources is activated when said level of light decreases, and wherein at least one of said at least one light sources is deactivated when said level of light increases.

26. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 25, wherein step (i) comprises:

(i1) determining an alarm volume based on said value representative of said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor,

(i2) sounding an alarm through said audio speaker at a volume at least approximately equal to said determined alarm volume.

27. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 26, wherein the step of determining an alarm volume based on said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor comprises the steps of determining to increase said alarm volume if said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor increases, and determining to decrease said alarm volume if said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor decreases.

28. An electronic patient monitor for monitoring a changing status of a patient, wherein is provided a patient sensor positionable to be proximate to the patient, said patient sensor measuring the changing status of the patient when so positioned, comprising:

(a) a photo-electric sensor integral to said electronic patient monitor, said photo-electric sensor for determining at least approximately a level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor;

(b) a microprocessor at least in electronic communication with said photo-electric sensor and with said patient sensor, said microprocessor being responsive to a program resident therein, said program at least containing commands for

(i) sounding an alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient, and,

(ii) automatically varying an alarm volume in response to a measurement of light obtained from said photo-electric sensor; and

,

(c) an audio speaker in electronic communication with said microprocessor, said audio speaker at least for emitting alarm sounds at a plurality of different volume levels under control of said microprocessor.

29. An electronic patient monitor according to claim 28, wherein said program at least contains commands comprising:

(i) sounding an alarm in response to a change in the status of the patient, and,

(ii) automatically varying an alarm volume in response to a measurement of light level obtained from said photo-electric sensor, wherein said alarm volume is increased when said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor increases, and wherein said alarm volume is decreased when said level of light proximate to said electronic patient monitor decreases.