PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH PATIENT INFORMATION SENSORS

• US 20160022218A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Hayes, Michael Joseph, Becker, David Terrance, Dsaulniers, Annie, Furman, Aaron Douglas, Buckingham, Brandon J., Steffler, Michael W., Derenne, Richard A., Mix, Joshua Elmer
• Granted Patent: US 10,376,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0252 Load cells
• 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 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• 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 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/32 for force
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 : Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• 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 7/008 : tiltable around longitudinal axis, e.g. for rolling
• 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 7/0527 : Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 : with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/445 : in a horizontal position
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

A person support apparatus includes sensors for monitoring aspects of a person positioned thereon. The outputs from the sensors are used to distinguish between new and prior occupants of the support apparatus, automatically zero an integrated scale system, distinguish between objects and humans on the support apparatus, determine if a person is sleeping or awake, monitor and characterize movement levels of the person, record a log of likely events regarding a support surface of the apparatus, propose identifications of objects added to or removed from the support surface, record force outputs, and/or other purposes. A person'"'"'s sleep state may also be obtained and forwarded to a remote location. The sleep state data may be used to mute and/or control alerts or indicators, and/or to predict when a person is going to wake up and likely exit the support apparatus.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a support surface adapted to support a patient thereon;

a vital sign sensor supported by the frame, the vital sign sensor adapted to detect at least one vital sign of the patient supported on the support surface; and

a controller in communication with the vital sign sensor, the controller adapted to analyze data from the vital sign sensor to predict if the patient supported on the support surface is likely to exit from the patient support apparatus.

40. The patient support apparatus of claim 39 wherein the controller issues an alert when the controller predicts the patient is likely to exit from the patient support apparatus.

41. The patient support apparatus of claim 40 further including a siderail incorporated into the patient support apparatus, the vital sign sensor being integrated into the siderail.

42. The patient support apparatus of claim 40 wherein the vital sign sensor emits a radio frequency signal toward the patient supported on the support surface and detects reflections from the patient'"'"'s torso to determine at least one of a breathing rate of the patient and a heart rate of the patient.

45. The patient support apparatus of claim 40 wherein the vital sign sensor is also configured to detect movement of the patient while supported on the patient support apparatus.

46. The patient support apparatus of claim 45 wherein the vital sign sensor includes a plurality of load cells adapted to provide support for the support surface and to detect mechanical vibrations caused by at least one of the patient'"'"'s breathing or the patient'"'"'s heart beating.

50. The patient support apparatus of claim 39 wherein the controller is further adapted to determine when the patient is asleep based at least partially upon the data from the vital sign sensor.

51. The patient support apparatus of claim 50 wherein the controller is further adapted to determine when the patient is likely to awaken prior to the patient actually awakening based upon the data from the vital sign sensor.

53. The patient support apparatus of claim 51 wherein the controller determines when the patient is likely to awaken by identifying accelerations in the patient'"'"'s heart rate.

54. The patient support apparatus of claim 39 wherein the patient support apparatus is one of a bed, cot, stretcher, recliner, or operating table.

43-44. -44. (canceled)

47-49. -49. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

55-72. -72. (canceled)

73. A person support apparatus comprising:

a support surface;

a vital sign sensor, the vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of a person positioned on the support surface;

an indicator adapted to issue an aural or visual indication in response to a triggering event; and

a controller in communication with the vital sign sensor and the indicator, the controller adapted to use the vital sign sensor to determine a sleep state of the person positioned on the support surface and to control the indicator based upon the determined sleep state.

74. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the controller categorizes the sleep state of the person into three or more sleep states, and the controller changes a characteristic of the indication based upon the determined sleep state.

75. The person support apparatus of claim 74 wherein the three or more sleep states comprise three or more of the following:

awake, asleep, deep sleep, awakening, and falling asleep.

76. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the controller changes a volume of a sound emitted from the indicator based upon the determined sleep state.

77. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the vital sign sensor comprises both a respiration sensor and a heart rate sensor, the respiration sensor adapted to detect a respiration rate of the person positioned on the support surface, and the heart rate sensor adapted to detect a heart rate of the person positioned on the support surface.

78. The person support apparatus of claim 77 wherein the respiration sensor and the heart rate sensor both operate without making direct contact with the person supported on the support surface.

79. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the controller is further adapted to forward a sleep status message indicative of the determined sleep state to a device separate from the person support apparatus.

80. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the person support apparatus is one of a bed and a stretcher, and the indicator is one of a buzzer, beeper, and speaker.

81. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the controller delays activation of the indicator in response to the triggering event if the controller determines that the sleep state is one of the person being asleep.

82. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the indicator is adapted to emit sound in response to the triggering event and the person support apparatus further comprises a user interface adapted to allow a user to change a volume of the sound if the triggering event occurs while the person is asleep.

85. The person support apparatus of claim 73 wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sleep status signal from a second person support apparatus indicative of a sleep status of a second person supported on the second person support apparatus, and to control the indicator based upon the sleep status signal.

83-84. -84. (canceled)

86-117. -117. (canceled)

118. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a base;

a frame supported on the base;

a support surface adapted to support a patient thereon;

a vital sign sensor supported on the frame and adapted to output signals corresponding to a vital sign of the patient supported on the support surface;

an exit alert system coupled to the patient support apparatus, the exit alert system adapted to issue an alert if the patient supported on the support surface moves beyond a threshold amount while the exit alert system is armed; and

a controller in communication with the vital sign sensor, the controller adapted use the signals from the vital sign sensor in determining whether to automatically re-arm the exit alert system after the exit alert system has been disarmed.

119. The patient support apparatus of claim 118 wherein the vital sign sensor includes a plurality of force sensors coupled to the frame and adapted to output signals corresponding to downward forces exerted on the support surface.

120. The patient support apparatus of claim 119 wherein the plurality of force sensors are load cells integrated into a scale system adapted to measure a weight of the patient supported on the support surface.

122. The patient support apparatus of claim 118 wherein the vital sign sensor includes at least one fluid pressure sensor positioned inside an inflatable bladder contained within a mattress supported on the support surface, the fluid pressure sensor adapted to detect changes in air pressure inside the inflatable bladder corresponding to at least one of the patient'"'"'s pulse and respiration.

121. (canceled)

123-183. -183. (canceled)