Medical facility information management apparatus and method

• US 20050206505A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GE Security Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Edwards Systems Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Arcaria, Angelo S.
• Application Number:
  US10/901,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/286.10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/003 replying the identity and the state of the sensor

Abstract

A master controller for medical staff management indicators has a central data collection and display facility located at a nurse'"'"'s station or equivalent facility and includes any number of satellite devices located in examining rooms or the equivalent. Each satellite can respond to master controller polling by sending one of a multiplicity of possible messages that are received and processed to generate a displayed satellite status summary at the nurse'"'"'s station. Interconnection between the nurse'"'"'s station and the satellites preferably uses a single twisted pair of wires in a bus configuration compatible with bus standard RS-485. Data rates and message structure are selectable according to system size, environmental noise, and data confidence requirements.

Claims

1. A monitor system, comprising:

a master controller;

a satellite controller distal to said master controller;

a bused communications interconnect that links said master controller and said satellite controller; and

a message protocol configured to transmit data over said bused communications interconnect.

2. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said master controller is one of a medical staff management annunciator, a nurse'"'"'s station annunciator, and an examining room service status annunciator.

3. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said master controller further comprises a communication transceiver that transmits messages and receives messages.

4. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said satellite controller further comprises a communication transceiver that receives messages and transmits messages.

5. The monitor system of claim 1, further comprising a master display whereon information regarding at least one satellite controller is displayed.

6. The monitor system of claim 1, further comprising a satellite control panel wherein commands are input by sensors selected from the group consisting of electrical, mechanical, and acoustical.

7. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said bused communications interconnect further comprises one selected from the group consisting essentially of a single shielded twisted pair of controlled-impedance wires, a single pair of wires, a single coaxial line, and a fiber optic data line.

8. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said bused communications interconnect is branched as required to provide a common connection to all of a set of terminal devices including a master controller and at least one satellite controller.

9. The monitor system of claim 8, wherein said bused communications interconnect further comprises an electrical signal line termination device.

10. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said bused communications interconnect further comprises one of a wireless nonradiative communication interconnect using bidirectional power line modulation message transmission and reception, and a multiplicity of radio transceivers operating on one of a single, common frequency and a multiplicity of frequencies, wherein said bused communications interconnect provides signal connectivity to all of a set of terminal devices including a master controller and at least one satellite controller.

11. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said master controller further comprises at least one Ethernet®

compatible communications port.

12. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein content to be displayed on said master display is provided by said master controller, and wherein said master display displays a status indication for at least one satellite controller.

13. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said bused communications interconnect performs interchange of data between said master controller and said satellite controller.

14. The monitor system of claim 1, wherein said message protocol further comprises a polling system wherein a master controller periodically transmits a separate polling message addressed to each possible address in a system.

15. The monitor system of claim 14, wherein said polling system further comprises a response to said separate polling message by said satellite controller assigned to each physically present unit address, wherein said response further comprises transmission of a response message comprising a satellite controller system status report by said satellite controller.

16. The monitor system of claim 15, wherein said response message further comprises a check sum data string associated with at least one of said unit address, said command received from said master controller, and a satellite control panel status report compiled by said satellite controller.

17. A monitor system, comprising:

means for polling a satellite controller with a master controller over a common bused communication medium, wherein the bused communication medium is configured to be linked to a plurality of satellite controllers;

means for transmitting a response from the satellite controller in response to the polling; and

means for determining a status of the satellite controller based upon the response.

18. The monitor system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for recognizing positional significance of individual message elements within a digital message communicated via said electromagnetic communication means.

19. The monitor system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for signaling emergency status using a lanyard-style human interface means; and

means for canceling emergency status using a reset control input means located within a distal station.

20. The monitor system of claim 17, further comprising means for verifying message integrity using checksum computation means.

21. A method for operating a remote indicator, comprising:

transmitting data from a master controller to a satellite controller over a common bused communication medium, wherein the bused communications medium is configured to be linked from a master controller to a plurality of satellite controllers;

receiving the data at the satellite controller;

analyzing the data at the satellite controller; and

responding in a predetermined manner in response to the analyzed data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data transmitted by the master controller comprises at least one of a start-of-transmission symbol, a satellite address, a polling command symbol, an end-of-transmission symbol, and a check sum block.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the data transmitted by the satellite controller comprises at least one of a start-of-transmission symbol, a satellite address, an echo of a polling command symbol, a status data block, an end-of-transmission symbol, and a check sum block.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting of data from a master controller further comprises:

transmitting a start-of-transmission symbol;

transmitting a satellite address;

transmitting a polling command symbol;

transmitting an end-of-transmission symbol; and

transmitting a check sum block.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting of data from a satellite controller further comprises:

transmitting a start-of-transmission symbol;

transmitting a satellite address;

transmitting a polling command symbol;

transmitting a status block;

transmitting an end-of-transmission symbol; and

transmitting a check sum block.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving a status response from the satellite controller at the master controller.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the status of the satellite controller at the master controller.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising polling the satellite controller upon activation of the master controller.