Person Support Apparatus with Activity and Mobility Sensing

• US 20120259248A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Receveur, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,295,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/005 tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/012 raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0509 sliding or pivoting downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05792 with low air loss function, e.g. in mattresses, overlays or beds
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A person support apparatus may, among other things, support a person in a laying-down or a seated position. One or more sensors, which may be operably coupled to the person support apparatus, monitor changes in the position of a person situated on the person support apparatus. A control system receives output from the sensor or sensors over a period of time, while the person is positioned on the person support apparatus. The control system makes a determination relating to the activity and/or mobility of the person positioned on the person support apparatus. The control system may use the activity and/or mobility determination to control a feature of the person support apparatus, or for other purposes.

Claims

1. A person support system, comprising:

a person support apparatus configured to support a person in one or more positions,

at least one sensor coupled to the person support apparatus, the at least one sensor being responsive to changes in the position of a person relative to the person support apparatus while the person is supported by the person support apparatus, and

a control system operably coupled to the sensor and the person support apparatus, the control system being configured to;

receive a plurality of outputs from the at least one sensor over a period of time,

make an assessment relating to the person'"'"'s activity and/or mobility, based on the outputs, where the assessment relating to the person'"'"'s activity and/or mobility is indicated by changes in position of the person'"'"'s body or an extremity thereof, relative to the person support apparatus, which are greater in degree than movement that indicates physiological activity of the person and less than or equal in degree to changes in position that indicate a major change in the person'"'"'s position,

determine a person type of the person being supported by the person support apparatus based on the activity and/or mobility assessment, and

enable, disable, or configure an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

2. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the person support apparatus is one of a mattress, cushion, bed, stretcher, chair, and table.

3. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a load cell, inclinometer, accelerometer, pressure sensor, force sensor, and optical sensor.

4. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system is included in an on-board control system of the person support apparatus.

5. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system derives a mobility score from the outputs, and the mobility score is a single value corresponding to the person'"'"'s assessed mobility, and wherein the mobility score is determined by an analysis of changes in position of the person'"'"'s body or an extremity thereof, relative to the person support apparatus, which are greater in degree than movement that indicates physiological activity of the person and less in degree than changes in position that indicate a major change in the person'"'"'s position.

6. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system sets a time period during which the outputs of the at least one sensor are monitored and performs a mathematical calculation using data represented by the outputs received during the time period to determine an activity and/or mobility score.

7. The person support system of claim 6, wherein the control system compares the calculated activity and/or mobility score to a threshold activity and/or mobility level.

8. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to display an indication of the person'"'"'s activity and/or mobility at a display that is coupled to the person support apparatus.

9. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system communicates an indication of the person'"'"'s activity and/or mobility to a remote device.

10. The person support system of claim 1, wherein the control system enables an electronically controllable feature of the person support apparatus if the person type is a first person type and disables an electronically controllable feature of the person support apparatus if the person type is a second person type different than the first person type.

11. The person support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system selects a person type from a plurality of person types based on the person'"'"'s activity and/or mobility assessment.

12. The person support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system configures a user control based on the person type.

13. The person support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system uses a first plurality of the plurality of the outputs to calibrate the activity and/or mobility assessment.

14. The person support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system permits a user to override the enabling, disabling, or configuring of an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

15. The person support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enabling, disabling, or configuring of an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type comprises enabling a user to enable, disable, or configure an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

16. A control system for a person support apparatus, the control system comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to the person support apparatus, the sensor being responsive to changes in the position of a person while the person is supported by the person support apparatus, and

a processor operably coupled to the at least one sensor and the person support apparatus, the processor being configured to;

receive a plurality of first outputs from the at least one sensor, the plurality of first outputs being indicative of the person'"'"'s position relative to the person support apparatus while the person is supported by the person support apparatus,

make an assessment relating to the person'"'"'s mobility, based on the first outputs, where the assessment of the person'"'"'s mobility is based on changes in position of the person'"'"'s body or an extremity thereof, which are greater in degree than movement that indicates physiological activity of the person and less in degree than changes in position that indicate a major change in the person'"'"'s position,

determine a person type of the person being supported by the person support apparatus based on the mobility assessment, and

enable, disable, or configure an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to receive a plurality of second outputs from the at least one sensor, wherein the plurality of second outputs are indicative of the person'"'"'s position relative to the person support apparatus, and make an assessment relating to the person'"'"'s degree of physical activity, based on the second outputs, where the assessment of the person'"'"'s degree of physical activity is based on changes in the position of the person'"'"'s body or an extremity thereof, which are greater than changes in position that indicate the person'"'"'s mobility.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the assessment of the person'"'"'s degree of physical activity is indicative of the person'"'"'s ability to ingress or egress the person support apparatus without assistance from another person.

19. The control system of claim 17, wherein the processor determines the person type based on the mobility assessment and the activity assessment.

20. The control system of claim 16, wherein the person support apparatus comprises an air bladder and the processor enables, disables, or configures an air pressure feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

21. The control system of claim 16, wherein the person support apparatus comprises a low airloss feature and the processor enables, disables, or configures the low airloss feature based on the person type.

22. The control system of claim 16, wherein the person support apparatus comprises an articulating deck and the processor enables, disables, or configures a feature of the articulating deck based on the person type.

23. The control system of claim 16, wherein the person support apparatus comprises a plurality of therapy features and the processor enables, disables, or configures a therapy feature of the person support apparatus based on the person type.

24. A method of determining a person'"'"'s mobility while the person is situated on a person support apparatus, the method comprising

sensing, at a control system operably coupled to the person support apparatus, changes in the position of a person relative to the person support apparatus while the person is supported by the person support apparatus for a period of time,

identifying sensed changes in position of the person'"'"'s body or an extremity thereof, during the period of time, which are greater in degree than movement that indicates physiological activity of the person and less in degree than changes in position that indicate a major change in the person'"'"'s position,

calculating an activity level of the person based on the identified changes, and

outputting an indication of the person'"'"'s mobility based on the calculated activity level.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising displaying the indication of the person'"'"'s mobility at an electronic display coupled to the person support apparatus.

26. A person support system, comprising:

a person support apparatus configured to support a person in one or more positions,

at least one pressure sensor coupled to the person support apparatus, the at least one pressure sensor configured to sense fluid pressure internal to a bladder of the person support apparatus, the at least one pressure sensor being responsive to changes in the position of a person relative to the person support apparatus while the person is supported by the person support apparatus, and

a control system operably coupled to the at least one pressure sensor and the person support apparatus, the control system configured to;

receive a plurality of outputs from the at least one pressure sensor over a period of time,

calculate an activity level of the person based on a coefficient of variation of the outputs over a monitoring period multiplied by an adjustment factor relating to the frequency in which the value of the outputs exceeds an upper threshold value or goes below a lower threshold value during the monitoring period;

determine a mobility score based on the activity level, and

enable, disable, or configure an electronically-controllable feature of the person support apparatus based on the mobility level.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the person support apparatus comprises a plurality of inflatable zones, at least one of the pressure sensors senses fluid pressure internal to each of the zones, and an activity level is calculated for each of the zones based on a coefficient of variation of the outputs from the respective zone.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the activity level for each zone is multiplied by a different weighting factor.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the upper and lower threshold values is multiplied by a sensitivity factor.