Interactive system

• US 20050125255A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Wandsworth Group Limited
• Original Assignee: The Wandsworth Group Limited
• Inventors: Mockett, Richard John
• Application Number:
  US10/981,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A digital system for providing services to a patient in a health care environment, such as a hospital, includes a display element to display data, a control element operable by a user to select desired data and activate the display element, and a remote data store means such as servers adapted to provide data digitally to the display element when accessed by the user. The overall system can provide patient access to entertainment, communication, and medical data relating to that patient and held by or on a hospital database. The medical condition of each patient, in other words an inventory of medical data, is thus accessible.

Claims

1. A digital system for providing services to a patient in a health care environment, comprising:

(i) a means to display data;

(ii) means operable by a user to select desired data and activate the display means; and

(iii) remote data store means adapted to provide data digitally to the display means when accessed by the user.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the user is a patient and wherein the display means comprises a visual display console.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the console comprises a touch screen console.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the console is operable by a keyboard.

5. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the console is a touch screen console and wherein there is a the keyboard comprising a portable keyboard.

6. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the console is activated by an electronic key means.

7. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein there is key means selected from the group consisting of an electronic USB smart key and a smart card for activating the console.

8. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the data comprises medical data relating to a particular patient user of the system.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the medical data is part of the medical inventory of a hospital comprising said health care environment.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein access to the medical data of a particular patient is limited to a group consisting of that patient, a doctor, a paramedic and a nurse caring for that patient.

11. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein there is security means comprising an electronic fire-wall and security server.

12. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein there is security means comprising an electronic fire wall and security server, wherein there are core switches of the system, hospital core switches and at least one hospital server, and wherein the fire wall is interposed between the system server and core switches and the hospital core switches and the hospital server.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the system core switches are in series with a fibre optic carrier, edge switches, and a server connected with the patient console.

14. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the system core switches are in series with a fibre optic carrier, edge switches and a server connected with the patient console, and wherein the console server comprises part of mounting means of the console.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the edge switches and patient console server are connected by data cabling.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the mounting means of the console comprises a bracket mountable on a substrate, such a part of a building.

17. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein there is a digital network having means selected from the group comprising a data content delivery satellite system, a terrestrial data transmitter, and a combination satellite system and terrestrial data transmitter remote from a health care environment.

18. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein there is a head end having a server comprising a plurality of discrete data servers and the fire wall.

19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the discrete data servers comprises a plurality of TV servers.

20. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the discrete data servers comprise a plurality of radio servers.

21. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the head end is adapted to serve a plurality of floors in a health care environment such as a hospital.

22. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein said system is adapted to provide access via the network to data for each individual patient in a particular bed in the hospital.

23. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein the network comprises edge switches and wireless LAN per USB port.

24. A system as defined in claim 23, wherein the edge switches provide 96 ports with 10.2 Mbits per port.

25. A system as defined in claim 23, wherein the wireless LAN includes an 802.11 wireless LAN.

26. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein there is an ADSL connection to each health care environment.

27. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein there is means to provide content streaming from the remote data store means.

28. A system as defined in claim 27, wherein there is means providing remote monitoring and on-line support for the patient/user.

29. A system as defined in claim 27, wherein there is means providing a web hosting facility.

30. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein there is an elongate support means for supporting the console.

31. A system as defined in claim 30, wherein the elongate support means comprises a swivel means.

32. A system as defined in claim 30, wherein there is an elongate support means comprising a swivel means for supporting the console, and wherein the swivel means comprises an arm which is telescopic.

33. A system as defined in claim 32, wherein the swivel arm mounts the console for substantially 360°

movement.

34. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the bracket comprises a PC.

35. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the network comprises a single fast Ethernet network.

36. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein the network is compatible with hospital data systems.

37. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said system is modular.

38. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said system is digital and interactive at the console whereby to provide services to a patient/user.

39. A system as defined in claim 38, wherein services comprise internet and e-mail services.

40. A system as defined in claim 38, wherein the services comprise access to hospital data systems.

41. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said system comprises an integral patient billing system for paying for services selected from a group consisting of multimedia entertainment and telephony services of the system.

42. A data display means, adapted to be mounted for viewing by a particular patient/user in a health care environment, and comprising mounting means, including a PC for receiving data to be displayed on the data display means.

43. A data display means as defined in claim 42, wherein there is a console mounted and the mounting means having an arm projecting from a bracket housing the PC.

44. A data display means as defined in claim 43, wherein the arm is adjustable.