Telemetry sensing system for infant care apparatus
First Claim
1. A patient care apparatus, said patient care apparatus comprising a base having a patient platform on which a patient is adapted to be positioned, at least one patient sensor adapted to be affixed to or located in close proximity to a patient to sense data related to the patient and to produce analog signals representative of that data, a transmitter module located in close proximity to a patient and adapted to receive the analog signals from the at least one patient sensor, the transmitter module having an analog to digital converter to convert the analog signal for the at least one sensor to digital signals and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the digital signals, a receiver module incorporated into the patient care apparatus, the receiver module comprising a receiver to receive the wirelessly transmitted digital signals from the transmitter and a digital to analog converter to convert the digital signals to analog signals for providing the analog signal to a monitor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An infant warming apparatus for supporting an infant upon an infant bed. The apparatus has a sensor affixed to the skin of the infant to detect one or more physiological functions of the infant. A transmitter module is located within the sensor enclosure that includes an analog to digital converter and a transmitter to transmit digital information indicative of the physiological functions to a receiver located on the infant care apparatus and which can convert the digital signals into analog signals recognizable or usable by a monitor. An alternative embodiment includes the transmitter module located proximate to the infant within an infant scale located beneath the infant. The sensor is hardwired to the transmitter in the infant scale and signals relating to weight and/or a condition of the infant are transmitted by wireless telemetry to a monitor or other display device to display that information to the caregiver.
34 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A patient care apparatus, said patient care apparatus comprising a base having a patient platform on which a patient is adapted to be positioned, at least one patient sensor adapted to be affixed to or located in close proximity to a patient to sense data related to the patient and to produce analog signals representative of that data, a transmitter module located in close proximity to a patient and adapted to receive the analog signals from the at least one patient sensor, the transmitter module having an analog to digital converter to convert the analog signal for the at least one sensor to digital signals and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the digital signals, a receiver module incorporated into the patient care apparatus, the receiver module comprising a receiver to receive the wirelessly transmitted digital signals from the transmitter and a digital to analog converter to convert the digital signals to analog signals for providing the analog signal to a monitor.
- 12. A sensor for sensing at least one physiological characteristic of a patient, said sensor comprising an enclosure, said enclosure containing at least one sensing element for sensing the at least one physiological characteristic, a analog to digital converter and a transmitter for transmitting by wireless means digital data detected by said at least one sensing element to a remote location.
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15. A method of monitoring an infant contained within an infant warming apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an infant warming apparatus having a heater and a housing having a monitor; providing an infant sensor that is adapted to be affixed to the skin of a patient positioned within the infant warming apparatus and creates analog signals indicative of a physiological condition of an infant; providing a transmitter module located in close proximity to the infant sensor, the transmitter module having an analog to digital converter and a transmitter; using the transmitter module to convert the analog signals from the infant sensor to digital signals and wirelessly transmit the digital signals; providing a receiver module built into the infant warming apparatus, the receiver module having a receiver and a digital to analog converter; using the receiver and digital to analog converter to receive the signals from the transmitter module and convert the digital signals to analog signals indicative of the physiological condition of an infant; and making the analog signals available to an infant monitor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification