DEVICE-BASED HYGIENE REMINDER, ALARM, AND REPORTING SYSTEM

• US 20160275779A1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Julio Hajdenberg
• Original Assignee: Julio Hajdenberg
• Inventors: Hajdenberg, Julio
• Granted Patent: US 9,881,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/00 ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system for providing device-based hygiene reminders, alarms, and reporting is disclosed. In particular, the system may utilize a mobile device capable of wirelessly communicating with a peripheral wearable reader. Prior to a user entering an area, the system may include prompting the user to scan a first tag using the wearable reader. A signal may be sent to the mobile device that alerts the user to perform a hygiene-related action prior to entering the area. At the time of performing the hygiene-related action, the system may require the reader to scan a second tag in proximity to a device associated with the hygiene-related action to disable the alert. After the scanning the second tag, the user may be allowed to enter the area. Information related to the performance of the hygiene-related action may be tracked and utilized to generate reports for assessing compliance with hygiene protocols.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving, on a mobile device of a user, a prompt to scan a first tag for entering an area;

scanning, after receiving the prompt and by utilizing a radio frequency reader, the first tag, wherein the radio frequency reader is communicatively linked with the mobile device;

receiving, on the mobile device and after scanning the first tag, a first alert indicating that a hygiene-related action needs to be performed prior to entering the area;

removing the first alert if a second tag in proximity to a first device associated with performing the hygiene-related action is scanned by the radio frequency reader; and

receiving, if the second tag is scanned by the radio frequency reader, a first signal indicating that the area may be entered.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a first time that a previously completed hygiene-related action was performed by the user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise determining a second time corresponding to when the first tag is scanned by the radio frequency reader.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise determining a difference between the first time and the second time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, on the mobile device, a second signal indicating that the area may be entered without performing the hygiene-related action if the difference between the first time and the second time is less than a threshold value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a first amount of time that the user has performed the hygiene-related action.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, on the mobile device, a second alert indicating that the hygiene-related action needs to be performed for a longer duration of time if the first amount of time is less than a threshold value.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining if a third tag in proximity to a second device associated with performing the hygiene-related action is scanned by the radio frequency reader.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the first signal indicating that the area may be entered only if the third tag in proximity to the second device is scanned before the second tag is scanned.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise tracking information associated with scanning the first tag and the second tag, and wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the tracked information to a server for processing.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise scanning, by utilizing the radio frequency reader and after receiving the first signal, a fourth tag to enter the area.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a hygiene score for the user.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving, on a mobile device of a user, a prompt to scan a first tag for entering an area;

scanning, after receiving the prompt and by utilizing a radio frequency reader, the first tag, wherein the radio frequency reader is communicatively linked with the mobile device;

receiving, on the mobile device and after scanning the first tag, a first alert indicating that a hygiene-related action needs to be performed prior to entering the area;

removing, by utilizing instructions from a memory that are executed by a processor, the first alert if a second tag in proximity to a first device associated with performing the hygiene-related action is scanned by the radio frequency reader; and

receiving, if the second tag is scanned by the radio frequency reader, a first signal indicating that the area may be entered.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the first alert on the mobile device as a visual indicator on an application of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising outputting the first alert on the mobile device as a sound.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising tracking information associated with scanning the first tag and the second tag, and wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the tracked information to a server for processing.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising continuing to receive the first alert if the second tag in proximity to the first device is not scanned by the radio frequency reader.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing access to the area if the second tag is not scanned by the radio frequency reader.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a first amount of time that the user has taken to perform the hygiene-related action, and further comprising receiving, on the mobile device, a second alert indicating that the hygiene-related action needs to be performed for a longer duration of time if the first amount of time is less than a threshold value.

20. A computer-readable device comprising instructions, which, when loaded and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, on a mobile device of a user, a prompt to scan a first tag for entering an area;

scanning, after receiving the prompt and by utilizing a radio frequency reader, the first tag, wherein the radio frequency reader is communicatively linked with the mobile device;

receiving, on the mobile device and after scanning the first tag, a first alert indicating that a hygiene-related action needs to be performed prior to entering the area;

removing the first alert if a second tag in proximity to a first device associated with performing the hygiene-related action is scanned by the radio frequency reader; and

receiving, if the second tag is scanned by the radio frequency reader, a first signal indicating that the area may be entered.