Bed apparatus and method of determining body movement

• US 20090119841A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: M.I. Laboratories
• Original Assignee: M.I. Laboratories
• Inventors: Takashima, Mitsuru
• Application Number:
  US12/149,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119841A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/600
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08

Abstract

A bed apparatus includes a connecting frame of a bed, a detecting unit, a determining unit, and an output unit. The detecting unit is provided on a part of the connecting frame, and detects an amount of deformation of the connecting frame continuously. The determining unit determines a body movement of a person on the bed based on a result of detection by the detecting unit. The output unit outputs a result of determination made by the determining unit.

Claims

1. A bed apparatus comprising:

a frame of a bed;

a deformation-amount detecting unit that is disposed on a part of the frame and continuously detects an amount of deformation of the frame;

a determining unit that determines a body movement of a person on the bed based on a result of detection by the deformation-amount detecting unit; and

an output unit that outputs a result of determination made by the determining unit.

2. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines whether the person is getting on or off the bed.

3. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines whether the person is changing body position.

4. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines whether the person is awake or asleep.

5. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines a heartbeat state of the person.

6. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the frame includes a plurality of legs and connecting members that connect the legs, and

the deformation-amount detecting unit is disposed on the connecting members and detects deformation of the connecting members.

7. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deformation-amount detecting unit includes

a disc-shaped piezoelectric device that is deformed as a result of an external force applied to the frame, and

an impedance conversion device that performs impedance conversion on a voltage output from the piezoelectric device.

8. The bed apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame is a metallic frame.

9. A body movement determining method for a bed apparatus that includes a frame of a bed and a deformation-amount detecting unit disposed on a part of the frame, the body movement determining method comprising:

detecting continuously an amount of deformation of the frame;

determining a body movement of a person on the bed based on a result of detection at the detecting; and

outputting a result of determination made by the determining unit.