Wireless lan architecture for integrated time-critical and non-time-critical services within medical facilities
First Claim
1. A system for supporting both realtime and non-realtime wireless access to a hardwired network within a medical facility, the system comprising:
- at least one of a first type of access point connected to the hardwired network to provide wireless access to the hardwired network, the at least one of the first type of access point providing a first communication channel, the first communication channel implemented with a realtime wireless protocol to transfer time-critical data from wireless patient monitoring devices to the hardwired network with a known maximum latency;
at least one of a second type of access point connected to the hardwired network to provide wireless access to the hardwired network, the at least one of the second type of access point providing a second communication channel, the second communication channel implemented with a non-realtime protocol to provide general purpose wireless access to the hardwired network; and
at least one wireless patient transceiver that implements the realtime protocol to transfer realtime patient data to the hardwired network via the at least one of a first type of access point.
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Abstract
A wireless local area network (WLAN) system comprises multiple access points that are distributed throughout a medical facility to provide wireless access to a hardwired network. The access points implement multiple WLAN protocols, including a realtime protocol for realtime patient monitoring (telemetry) and a standard WLAN protocol (such as IEEE 802.11 within an ISM band) for providing general-purpose wireless access. Some or all of the access points preferably implement both WLAN protocols such that the different WLANs and wireless device types share network access resources. Some or all of the access points may also include RF location-tracking modules which may be used to track locations of patients, hospital personnel, capital equipment, and/or disposable medical supplies. Also disclosed are an antenna design which may be used with the access points to improve reception (particularly for patient monitoring), and a TDMA timeslot rotation method for avoiding lockstep interference between access points that operate on the same channel.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system for supporting both realtime and non-realtime wireless access to a hardwired network within a medical facility, the system comprising:
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at least one of a first type of access point connected to the hardwired network to provide wireless access to the hardwired network, the at least one of the first type of access point providing a first communication channel, the first communication channel implemented with a realtime wireless protocol to transfer time-critical data from wireless patient monitoring devices to the hardwired network with a known maximum latency;
at least one of a second type of access point connected to the hardwired network to provide wireless access to the hardwired network, the at least one of the second type of access point providing a second communication channel, the second communication channel implemented with a non-realtime protocol to provide general purpose wireless access to the hardwired network; and
at least one wireless patient transceiver that implements the realtime protocol to transfer realtime patient data to the hardwired network via the at least one of a first type of access point. - 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. An access point for providing wireless access to a hardwired network of a medical facility, comprising:
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a first transceiver module which implements a realtime wireless protocol to transfer time-critical wireless data to the hardwired network with a known maximum latency; and
a second transceiver module which implements a non-realtime protocol to provide non-realtime wireless access to the hardwired network. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for providing wireless connectivity within a medical facility, comprising:
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a hardwired computer network;
at least one multi-protocol access point connected to the hardwired computer network to provide wireless access to the hardwired computer network, the multi-protocol access point comprising a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver that operates according to a first wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol;
a plurality of remote transceiver devices that communicate with the first RF transceiver according to the first WLAN protocol to convey real time physiologic data of patients to the hardwired computer network; and
a plurality of wireless computing devices that communicate with the second RF transceiver according to the second WLAN protocol to access at least one non-realtime application running on the hardwired computer network. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification