Bed occupant monitoring system
First Claim
1. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
- (a) a pressure sensitive member coupled to a support member for supporting a bed occupant, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors, each of the pressure sensors configured to provide an optical pressure signal having an intensity which varies with a pressure applied thereto;
(b) at least one wave energy source coupled to the plurality of pressure sensors for providing wave energy to the plurality of pressure sensors; and
, (c) at least one wave energy detector coupled to the plurality of pressure sensors for converting the optical pressure signals into electrical pressure signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a bed occupant monitoring system comprising a pressure sensitive member attached to a support member for supporting a bed occupant, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors. Each of the pressure sensors is configured to provide a reflected wave energy pressure signal by reflecting incident wave energy with an intensity which varies with a pressure applied to the sensor. A pair of fibres are coupled to each pressure sensor, each pair of fibres comprising an input fibre and an output fibre. The fibres are coupled to interface electronics comprising a wave energy source coupled to the input fibre of each of the pairs of fibres for providing the applied light energy, and, a wave energy detector coupled to the output fibre of each of the pairs of fibres for converting the scattered light energy into an electrical signal.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a pressure sensitive member coupled to a support member for supporting a bed occupant, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors, each of the pressure sensors configured to provide an optical pressure signal having an intensity which varies with a pressure applied thereto;
(b) at least one wave energy source coupled to the plurality of pressure sensors for providing wave energy to the plurality of pressure sensors; and
, (c) at least one wave energy detector coupled to the plurality of pressure sensors for converting the optical pressure signals into electrical pressure signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of monitoring a bed occupant occupying a bed with a pressure sensitive member coupled thereto, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors, each of the pressure sensors configured to provide a reflected wave energy pressure signal by reflecting incident wave energy with an intensity which varies with a pressure applied thereto, the method comprising:
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(a) applying wave energy to the pressure sensors; and
,(b) measuring pressure signals received from the pressure sensitive member. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a pressure sensitive member coupled to a support member for supporting a bed occupant, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors;
(b) interface electronics coupled to the pressure sensors for producing at least one pressure signal; and
,(c) threshold circuitry for comparing the pressure signals to a predetermined threshold.
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39. (canceled)
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40. (canceled)
Specification