Wireless Tracking System And Method For Backhaul Of Information

• US 20110084809A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centrak Incorporated (Halma PLC)
• Original Assignee: Awarepoint Corporation
• Inventors: Perkins, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,040,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6889 Rooms
• 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: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution to backhauling health information. The present invention utilizes a mesh network to backhaul the health information. The system includes a plurality of first tags, a mesh network, and an information engine. Each of the tags represents a first object. The mesh network preferably includes a plurality of plug-in sensors located within the facility. At least one node in the mesh network operates as healthcare device. The information engine is in communication with the mesh network and determines a position location of the healthcare device and an operation of the healthcare device.

Claims

1. An Enhanced-Accuracy Enterprise-Wide RTLS System, the system comprising:

a plurality of first tags, each of the plurality of first tags representing a first object;

a mesh network comprising a plurality of sensors located within the facility; and

a plurality of end points in the mesh network that operate as healthcare devices using one of ultrasound, infrared, and a radiofrequency medium, wherein each of the plurality of end points transmit to at least one of a plurality of sensors in the mesh network;

wherein the mesh network routes RTLS information from each of the plurality of end points to a predetermined destination.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the healthcare devices are at least one of a fluid pump, heart monitor, ventilation pump, weight scale, blood pressure monitor, glucose monitor and electrocardiogram.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mesh network routes healthcare information from at least one of the healthcare devices.