Patient Monitoring System Using an Active Mattress or Chair System

• US 20100225488A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telehealth Sensors LLC
• Original Assignee: Telehealth Sensors LLC
• Inventors: Hinterlong, Stephen Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/399,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.400
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A patient monitoring system uses a mattress or chair sensor enclosed within a flexible protective envelope that allows radio frequency signals to pass through the envelope. Information such as person'"'"'s presence or absence, humidity or liquids inside the envelope, are wirelessly transmitted to a nearby receiver, which forwards the information via a network to a remotely located monitor.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system comprised of:

a flexible envelope;

a sensor within the envelope;

an electronic device within the envelope and coupled to the pressure sensor, the electronic device generating an information-bearing output signal representative of the state of the sensor;

a transmitter within the envelope and coupled to the electronic device to receive said information-bearing output signal, the transmitter broadcasting signals carrying the information-bearing output signal, the information carried in the output signal being recoverable by a corresponding receiver.

2. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is one of:

a Bluetooth transmitter;

an 802.11-compliant transmitter;

a Zigbee®

-compliant transmitter;

an amplitude modulated (AM) transmitter operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band; and

a frequency modulated (FM) transmitter operating in the ISM band.

3. The patient monitoring system of claim 2, further including a receiver compliant with the transmitter and which receives the information-bearing signals, the receiver being one of:

a cellular telephone having a Bluetooth receiver; and

a computer having at least one of;

a Bluetooth receiver and an 802.11-compliant receiver;

a Zigbee®

®

-compliant receiver;

an amplitude modulated (AM) receiver operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band; and

a frequency modulated (FM) receiver operating in the ISM band.

4. The patient monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter and wherein the receiver is a Bluetooth receiver comprised of a network interface, said network interface being configured to couple the computer to a data network.

5. The patient monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of:

a short message service (SMS) text message;

an e-mail message; and

a telephone call with a pre-recorded message.

6. The patient monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the receiver is configured to receive at least one of:

a short message service (SMS) text message;

an e-mail message; and

a telephone call with a pre-recorded message.

7. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured to detect a sensor state change and to determine from the sensor, at least one of:

a capacitance,

a resistance,

a temperature,

a pressure,

an inductance,

a spatial orientation;

a vibration;

a stress;

an audible sound;

as a sensor state, and in response thereto, output an information-bearing signal representative of the detected sensor state.

8. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to sense moisture in the envelope.

9. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is at least one of:

a processor;

a memory device;

an indicator light;

capacitance converter;

resistance converter;

a piezoelectric device; and

a piezoresistive device.

11. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is inside the envelope.

13. The monitoring system of claim 9, further including a receiver that is one of:

a cellular telephone having a Bluetooth receiver; and

a computer having at least one of;

a Bluetooth receiver and an 802.11-compliant receiver;

a Zigbee®

-compliant receiver;

an amplitude modulated (AM) receiver operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band; and

a frequency modulated (FM) receiver operating in the ISM band.

10. A patient monitoring system, the system comprised of at least one of a bed or chair sensor, which is comprised of:

a sensor comprised of first and second conductive panels;

an envelope configured to enclose the sensor and through which radio frequency signals can be transmitted;

an electronic device within the envelope and coupled to the sensor, the electronic device evaluating the sensor and generating an information-bearing output signal representative of the state of the sensor;

a transmitter coupled to the electronic device to receive said information bearing output signal from the electronic device, the transmitter broadcasting signals carrying the information-bearing output signal; and

a receiver receiving information-bearing signals from the transmitter.

12. The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is one of:

a Bluetooth transmitter;

an 802.11-compliant transmitter;

a Zigbee®

-compliant transmitter;

an amplitude modulated (AM) transmitter operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band; and

a frequency modulated (FM) transmitter operating in the ISM band.