METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DOOR ACCESS AND PATIENT MONITORING

• US 20110128145A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellicare Network, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intellicare Network, LLC
• Inventors: Hollinger, Thomas, Todd, James D., Fangrow, Christopher F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/625 Operation and control

Abstract

Methods and systems for door access and patient monitoring are described. The patient monitoring system includes a door access control system coupled to one or more doors of a facility for monitoring and controlling the access of patients coupled to a patient monitoring device. Whenever a patient coupled to a patient monitoring device comes within a predetermined distance of a particular door the door access control system transmits a first signal encoded with the door location data to the patient monitoring device. The patient monitoring device then transmits a second signal encoded with the door location data and patient identification data of the patient coupled to the monitoring device to the door access control system and a monitoring system that controls the door access and monitoring of patient within the facility. If the door coupled to the door access control system is in the open position when the patient is detected, the door access control system transmits a third signal encoded with the door location data to the monitoring system. The monitoring system then compares the door location data encoded in the second signal with the door location data encoded in the third signal before displaying that data at a master station for alerting facility staff.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a first source indicating when a person is detected within a predetermined distance from a door, the first signal being encoded with door location data that identifies the door;

receiving the first signal at a second source, the second source being coupled to the person;

transmitting a second signal from the second source to the first source and a third source, the second signal being encoded with the door location data and identification data of the person coupled to the second source;

receiving the second signal at the first source and the third source and transmitting from the first source a third signal to the third source if the door is in an open position, wherein the third signal is encoded with the door location data of the door and identification data of the person coupled to the second source;

determining whether the door location data encoded in third signal matches the door location data encoded in the first signal; and

displaying the door location data and the identification data of the second signal if the door location data encoded in the third signal matches the door location data encoded in the second signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the second signal to the third source by the second source in response to receiving the first signal from the first source.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

locking down the door when the second source coupled to the person comes within a predetermined distance of the door.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the door is locked down for a predetermined time period.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the display of the door location data and identification data encoded in the second signal if the door location data encoded in the third signal does not match the door location data encoded in the second signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the third signal for display on one or more pagers if the door location data encoded in the third signal matches the door location data encoded in the second signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more pagers display the door location data and the identification data encoded in the second signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source is a door access control system that controls and monitors access to the door and the second source is a monitoring device coupled to the person, wherein the monitoring device includes the identification data of the person coupled to the monitoring device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

clearing the second signal from the display after the door location data and the identification data are displayed.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resetting the second source at the first source after the door location data and identification data are displayed, wherein resetting the second source permits the second source to transmit another second signal in response to receiving another first signal from the first source.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating an antenna prior to transmitting the first signal from the first source, wherein the antenna is activated if the person is detected within the predetermined distance from the door and wherein the antenna permits the first source to transmit the first signal and receive the second signal.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source is a door access control system that controls and monitors access to the door and the second source is a monitoring device coupled to the person, wherein the monitoring device includes the identification data of the person coupled to the monitoring device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

clearing the second signal from the display after the door location data and the identification data are displayed.

12. A method comprising:

determining whether a door is in the open or closed position;

transmitting a first signal from a first source if the door is in the open position, the first signal being encoded with door location data identifying the door that is in the open position;

receiving the first signal at a second source if a person is within a predetermined distance of the door and the person is coupled to the second source;

encoding a second signal with an identification data identifying the person coupled to the second source and the door location data encoded in the first signal;

transmitting the second signal to the first source and a third source in response to receiving the second signal by the second source from the first source;

encoding a third signal with the identification data encoded in the second signal and the door location data of the door in the open position;

transmitting the third signal to the third source;

determining at the third source whether the door location data encoded in the second signal matches the door location data encoded in the third signal; and

displaying the door location data and the identification data if the door location data encoded in the first signal matches the door location data encoded in the third signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the second signal to the third source by the second source in response to receiving the first signal from the first source.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

locking down the door when the second source coupled to the person comes within a predetermined distance of the door.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the door is locked down for a predetermined time period.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

preventing the display of the door location data and identification data encoded in the second signal if the door location data encoded in the third signal does not match the door location data encoded in the second signal.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the third signal for display on one or more pagers if the door location data encoded in the third signal matches the door location data encoded in the second signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more pagers display the door location data and the identification data encoded in the second signal.

21. A system for door access and patient monitoring comprising:

door access control system coupled to a door operable between an open position and a closed position, the door access control system including a means for detecting a person within a predetermined distance from the door, the door access control system further including an antenna for transmitting a first signal encoded with door location data when the person comes within a predetermined distance from the door, wherein the door location data identifies the location of the door;

monitoring device coupled to the person, the monitoring device including a receiver for receiving the first signal transmitted by the door access control system and a transmitter for transmitting a second signal encoded with the door location data and identification data that identifies the person coupled to the monitoring device, wherein the antenna of the door access control system receives the second signal transmitted by the monitoring device, and wherein the door access control system transmits a third signal encoded with the door location data and the identification data upon receiving the second signal from the monitoring device; and

monitoring system for receiving the second signal transmitted by the monitoring device and the third signal transmitted by the door access control system, the monitoring system including a processor for executing an application stored on a computer-readable storage medium that compares the door location data encoded in the second signal with the door location data encoded in the third signal for determining whether to display the door location data and the identification data encoded in the second signal.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a wireless network in communication with the monitoring device for communicating the second signal to the monitoring system, the wireless network including a master station in communication with one or more slave units.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the antenna is actuated upon detection of a person within the predetermined distance from the door.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the antenna is actuated upon the door being in the open position.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the monitoring system locks down the door upon detection of the person within the predetermined distance of the door.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the door access control system further comprises:

door access control unit having a door transmitter electronically coupled to the antenna for generating the first signal for transmission by the antenna and a relay controller for receiving the second signal from the antenna, wherein upon receiving the second signal the relay controller locks down the door.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the door access control unit further comprises:

STA INPUT device electronically coupled to the relay controller, the STA INPUT device generating the third signal and transmitting the third signal to the monitoring system only when the door is in the open position and the relay controller receives the second signal from the monitoring device.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the monitoring system is electronically coupled to a supervisory unit for monitoring the operational state of the monitoring system, the supervisory unit being electronically coupled to a fail-safe operation system that is actuated only when the supervisory unit detects the operational failure of the monitoring system.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the fail-safe operation system includes a first plurality of relays, a second plurality of relays and a third plurality of relays, each of the first plurality of relays being electronically coupled to a respective door for locking down the respective door only when the supervisory unit actuates the fail-safe operation system, each of the second plurality of relays being electronically coupled to a paging transmitter for transmitting activating the antenna for each respective door, and the third plurality of relays being electronically coupled to a respective antenna for each respective door for actuating the antenna.