Wireless terminal

• US 20060163360A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intellidot Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Steusloff, Patrick M., Swenson, David D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,344,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system is described for managing data and information in a healthcare environment, such as a hospital. A handheld code scanner reads codes and either accepts data, or performs instructions based on the read code. The code scanner wirelessly transmits the codes or data to a central server which acts on the read code to carry out necessary functions. The system is useful for tracking patient data, such as for delivery of medicine. In addition, since the system can carry out instructions, it is useful for allowing healthcare workers to quickly and conveniently perform their duties without the necessity of sitting at a computer terminal.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal for use in medical care administration management system, comprising:

a code scanner configured to read scan codes;

a processor configured to determine whether said scan codes correspond to patient data or to an instruction; and

a wireless transceiver, configured to transmit said codes to a system computer.

2. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said system computer initiates a process in response to receipt of a code corresponding to an instruction.

3. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to determine whether said instruction may be performed locally.

4. The wireless terminal of claim 3, wherein said wireless terminal is further configured to execute said instruction.

5. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said terminal is configured to store user information and transmit said user information with said codes read by said code scanner to said system computer.

6. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising a display for displaying messages to a user.

7. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising an input button for receiving input from a user.

8. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said transceiver is configured to communicate with said system computer over a computer network.

9. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said code scanner is configured to read two-dimensional machine readable codes.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein said code scanner is configured to read barcodes.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising an additional code scanner.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of indicators.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein said plurality of indicators includes at least one of a visual indicator and an audio indicator.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein a scan code corresponds to a binary number comprising a plurality of bits, and wherein one of said plurality of bits indicates whether the scan code corresponds to data or an instruction.

15. A terminal for use in a medical care administration system, the terminal comprising:

a code scanner configured to read a two-dimensional data dot encoding a scan code, wherein the scan code corresponds to data or an instruction; and

a data processing module configured to determine whether said scan code corresponds to data or to an instruction and further configured to wirelessly transmit said scan code to a server computer.

16. The terminal of claim 15 further comprising an instruction processing module configured to process scan codes corresponding to instructions.

17. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the code scanner is configured to read the two-dimensional data dot from an array of data dots having a center to center spacing between adjacent data dots of less than about 30 mm.

18. A wireless terminal for use in medical care administration management system, comprising:

a code scanner, configured to read scan codes;

a processor; and

a wireless transceiver, configured to transmit said codes to a system computer, wherein said wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate with a server periodically.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 18, wherein said processor is configured to determine whether said scan code is data or an instruction.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 19, wherein said processor is further configured to determine whether to wait for a periodic communication session with said server before executing an instruction.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 18, wherein said wireless transceiver is further configured to transfer at least one of said data and said instruction to said server without waiting for a periodic communication session with said server.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 18 wherein said wireless terminal is configured for one-handed use.