Integral, flexible, electronic patient sensing and monitoring system
First Claim
1. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
- a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus, and wherein the control unit comprises one or more operation modes selected from the group consisting of a hold mode, and a sleep mode.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self contained patient sensing and monitoring system is provided for sensing and monitoring the presence, absence, and movement of the patient. Embodiments of the present invention provide a system conformable to a patient support surface, systems that are self contained, systems that are operationally unobtrusive, and programmable systems. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a container, a sensor configured within the container, and a control unit responsive to the sensor and configured within the container, wherein the container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit and wherein the control unit is conformable to the patient support surface. Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a container, a sensor configured within the container, and a control unit conformable to a patient support surface and configured within the container, wherein said control unit is responsive to the sensor. Embodiments of the present invention may also comprise a sensor, a signal conditioner responsive to the sensor, a processor configured to comprise instruction and data and to which the signal conditioner is configured to provide signals generated by the sensor, at least one storage media, wherein the instructions and data are stored on the at least one storage media, and at least one input connection capable of providing programmable input to the storage media and the processor. Methods are also disclosed for sensing and monitoring the presence, absence, and movement of a patient. The inventive concept can be used in various applications, such as a bed, mattress, chair, or wheelchair, to achieve the monitoring of the presence, absence, and movement of a patient.
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Citations
86 Claims
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1. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus, and wherein the control unit comprises one or more operation modes selected from the group consisting of a hold mode, and a sleep mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient, the sensor comprising an on-off switch circuit comprising a plurality of electrical connections;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient, the control unit comprising a signal conditioner configured to filter static or transient signals generated by the sensor; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient, said control unit comprising a processor and at least one input connection, said at least one input connection providing programmable input to at least one storage medium and the processor as instructions; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A patient sensing and monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a patient;
a control unit responsive to the sensor and operable to send a signal to a receiving device upon detecting the absence of the patient, said control unit and said sensor being provided as a formed configuration on a conformable substrate, wherein said formed configuration is selected from the group consisting of an inked, etched, or deposited configuration; and
a container at least substantially encompassing the sensor and the control unit, wherein the container, sensor, and control unit configuration is conformable to a surface of a patient support apparatus.
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50. A method of operationally unobtrusively sensing and monitoring a patient, comprising the steps of:
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providing a sensor at least substantially encompassed by a container;
providing a control unit responsive to said sensor and at least substantially encompassed by said container;
conformably positioning said encompassed sensor and control unit on a patient support surface of a support apparatus;
monitoring for the presence, absence, or movement of a patient;
detecting an open circuit configuration of said sensor and control unit corresponding to the absence of the patient;
measuring an amount of time corresponding to said open circuit configuration and said absence of said patient;
determining if said amount of time exceeds a threshold delay period;
transmitting an alarm signal corresponding to the absence of the patient upon said step of determining if said amount of time exceeds a threshold delay period;
detecting a closed circuit configuration of the sensor and control unit corresponding to the presence of the patient; and
transmitting patient movement information responsive to said step of detecting a closed circuit configuration. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification