Patient Care System and an Occupant support and Occupant Wearable Item Useable with the System

• US 20140232551A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Huster, Keith A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,818,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A patient care system described herein includes a first electromagnetic coupler associated with the patient, at least one patient-centric appliance in communication with the first coupler, and an occupant support for supporting the patient. The occupant support has a second electromagnetic coupler associated therewith. At least one of the couplers is connectable to an electrical energy source for energizing the coupler. The first and second couplers form a noncontact electromagnetic coupling. An occupant wearable item and an occupant support, both of which are useable with the patient care system, are also described.

Claims

1. A patient care system comprising:

a first electromagnetic coupler associated with the patient;

at least one patient-centric appliance in communication with the first coupler;

an occupant support for supporting the patient, the occupant support having second electromagnetic coupler associated therewith, at least one of the couplers being connectable to an electrical energy source for energizing the coupler, the first and second couplers forming a noncontact electromagnetic coupling.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the couplers are capacitive couplers and form a capacitive coupling.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the couplers are inductive couplers and form an inductive coupling.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey noninformational electrical energy.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey information.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey noninformational electrical energy and information.

7. The system of claim 1 including a communication module adapted to communicate with a patient nonspecific database to retrieve patient specific information.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication module is a component of the occupant support.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein only the second electromagnetic coupler is connectable to the electrical energy source and the electromagnetic coupling conveys noninformational electrical energy, information, or both from the occupant support to the first coupler.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the patient-centric appliance and the first coupler are components of a patient wearable item.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the patient-centric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a physiological sensor, a memory device, a user interface device and a display.

12. The system of claim 1 including a patient wearable garment which hosts the patient-centric appliance and the first coupler.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the patient-centric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a physiological sensor, a memory device, a user interface device and a display.

14. An occupant wearable item comprising a substrate, a first electromagnetic coupler bound to the substrate and at least one occupant-centric appliance in communication with the first coupler, the first coupler being adapted to form a noncontact electromagnetic coupling with a second noncontact electromagnetic coupler which is not bound to the substrate.

15. The item of claim 14 wherein the item is a sleepwear garment and wherein the coupler and the appliance are adhered to the garment.

16. The item of claim 14 wherein the item is a sleepwear garment and wherein the coupler and the appliance are stitched to the garment.

17. The item of claim 14 wherein the item is a sleepwear garment and wherein the coupler and the appliance reside in a pocket of the garment.

18. The item of claim 14 wherein the first coupler is a capacitive coupler adapted to form a capacitive coupling with the second coupler.

19. The item of claim 14 wherein the first coupler is an inductive coupler adapted to form an inductive coupling with the second coupler.

20. The item of claim 14 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey noninformational electrical energy.

21. The item of claim 14 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey information.

22. The item of claim 14 wherein the coupling is adapted to convey noninformational electrical energy and information.

23. The item of claim 14 wherein the occupant-centric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a physiological sensor, a memory device, a user interface device and a display.

24. An occupant support which includes a second electromagnetic coupler adapted to form a noncontact electromagnetic coupling with a first electromagnetic coupler associated with an occupant of the occupant support, and a control module adapted to receive information conveyed across the coupling and to issue a signal to configure the occupant support for the occupant in response to the conveyed information.

25. The occupant support of claim 24 wherein the issued signal commands a change in an existing state of the occupant support.

26. The occupant support of claim 24 wherein the issued signal causes a constraint to be imposed on an otherwise achievable state of the occupant support.

27. The occupant support of claim 24 wherein the second coupler is a capacitive coupler adapted to form a capacitive coupling with the first coupler.

28. The occupant support of claim 24 wherein the second coupler is an inductive coupler adapted to form an inductive coupling with the first coupler.

29. The occupant support of claim 24 including a communication module adapted to communicate with a patient nonspecific database to retrieve patient specific information.

30. The occupant support of claim 24 wherein only the second electromagnetic coupler is connectable to an electrical energy source and the electromagnetic coupling conveys noninformational electrical energy, information, or both.