Computerized encounter notification system (CENS)

• US 20060112064A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian Keith Ellerby
• Original Assignee: Brian Keith Ellerby
• Inventors: Ellerby, Brian Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/983,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112064A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

CENS (Computerized Encounter Notification System) is an automated visitor tracking and notification system. Using existing technology in a new format, the system tracks and notifies an organization'"'"'s staff of visitors and whom the visitor is there to see. CENS maintains a database of all visitors and their times of arrivals and departures. CENS using output devices to print a visitor'"'"'s name, arrival time, the person who they are visiting and the time they signed out of the facility. CENS can be linked to existing data applications and systems to combine information; as decided by the user, to the visitor'"'"'s information that prints off on the notification devices. In its simplest form, the CENS system consist of: (1) Hand recognition and input device (HRID) (2) Printing Output Device (POD) (3) Card scanner and printer (CSP) (4) Application and Database Server (ADS) All of the CENS components mentioned above are readily available on the open market. CENS is a new way of using existing software and hardware for tracking encounter information in a multitude of settings/environments. The system can be configured to send output from the HCID to the POD wirelessly or connections can be hardwired, depending on the desires of the end user. Organizations can use the CSP with duplexing capability to make copies of driver licenses, insurance cards and other patient identification media by simply asking the patient to insert their card into the CSP. The CSP will accept the media, copy, print and store it and eject the media back to its owner/visitor.

Claims

1. Computerized encounter notification system is a method for electronically obtaining handwriting signatures and other information on persons or visitors who are required to sign in as part of the notification process used by companies, organizations and other entities in order to notify the end user of the person, their arrival time.

2. Using existing technology and hardware currently in use in retail point of service environments including electronic signature pads, receipt output printer devices, card recognition devices and storage and server related hardware.

3. System can be hardwired or programmed to send output over a wireless network from the HRID units to the output devices.

4. Output will consist of visitor'"'"'s name;

sign in time, person who they are visiting, and the sign out time. Output will also include free text the user can determine to provide more information to the end user regarding the nature of the encounter.

5. All encounters will be electronically stored on the database server (DS) and can be retrieved as needed by the end user.