Wireless subject locator

• US 6,982,639 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Brackett, C. Cameron, Morita, Mark M., Fors, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/304,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/286.07
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• 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: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

A system for tracking a subject of interest in a location is disclosed. The system is used with subjects who have an identification device having a unique signal identifier. The system comprises a wireless proximity detector capable of detecting the signal identifier; a monitoring unit that monitors the proximity detector by monitoring which signal identifier has been detected by the proximity detector, the monitoring unit generating a data signal representative of which signal identifier has been detected; and a data output unit that generates location data based upon the data signal. The information can be displayed graphically or as a list and can be sorted by various criteria. The display can provide many options to make the display more useful. Also disclosed is a method for tracking a subject of interest using a unique signal identifier. Additionally, a display to be used with the system is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for tracking one or more caregivers in a health care facility, each caregiver having at least one identification device with a unique signal identifier, the system comprising:

a wireless proximity detector capable of detecting a signal identifier positioned in the health care facility;

a monitoring unit that monitors the proximity detector by monitoring which signal identifier has been detected by the proximity detector, the monitoring unit generating a data signal representative of which signal identifier has been detected by the proximity detector; and

a data output unit separately coupled to and receiving the data signal from the monitoring unit, the data output unit configured to generate and display real-time location data based upon the data signal;

wherein the proximity detector further detects a real-time non-location signal from a signal device;

wherein non-location data is displayed along with the location data; and

wherein the non-location data is selected from a group consisting of calendar information and availability information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless proximity detector uses a radio frequency and is capable of detecting more than one identification device at a time.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising at least one additional wireless proximity detector positioned in the health care facility, wherein the monitoring unit monitors each of the plurality of proximity detectors and monitors which signal identifier has been received by each proximity detector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-location signal is an availability signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-location data is displayed in the form of a color representative of the non-location data.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising controls, coupled to the display, which allows the caregiver to be contacted.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data output unit is a display configured as one of a group consisting of a map, a list, or a chart.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal identifier is a radio frequency signal and the proximity detector is capable of detecting the radio frequency signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data generated by the data output unit can be displayed by category.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the category is selected from a group consisting of a medical specialty, a job classification, and an availability status.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the display displays a closest caregiver of interest meeting selected criteria.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of signal devices, each with a unique signal identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one signal device can generate an availability signal.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one signal device further comprises a contact unit.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the caregiver is a doctor and the location is a hospital and the data output unit generates location data representing the location of the doctor in the hospital.

16. A method for tracking a caregiver in a health care facility, comprising:

assigning a unique signal identifier to the caregiver;

detecting the signal identifier using a wireless proximity detector positioned in the health care facility;

monitoring the proximity detector for detection of the unique signal identifier and generating a signal representative of the detected identifier;

receiving the generated signal and displaying output data representative of the real-time location of the caregiver in the health care facility, based on the monitoring wherein the displaying is effectuated in a separate location from the monitoring;

displaying real-time information data related to the output data along with the output data; and

wherein the information data is selected from a group consisting of calendar data and availability data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the output data is displayed as an icon on a display map.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising continuously tracking the person.

19. A display for indicating a location of a health care facility staff person to a second person in response to receiving location data from a proximity detector positioned with the health care facility which detects a person'"'"'s identifier, the display comprising:

a monitoring unit separately coupled to the display, the monitoring unit configured to monitor the proximity detector and transmit a signal representative of the detected identifier to the display;

an identifier of the health care facility staff person; and

real-time location information representing the position of the health care facility staff person in the health care facility;

wherein real-time subject information of the health care facility staff person is displayed along with the location of the health care facility staff person, the subject information selected from a group consisting of availability information, and calendar information.

20. The display of claim 19, wherein the location is displayed in a manner selected from a group consisting of a list, a chart, and a graphical representation.

21. The display of claim 20, wherein the display is a graphical representation and the graphical representation is a map, and the health care facility staff person is displayed as an icon on the map.

22. The display of claim 19, wherein the subject information is represented graphically.

23. The display of claim 19, wherein the subject information is schedule information and the schedule information is displayed as a result of a user selecting to display schedule information.

24. The display of claim 19, wherein the real-time location information is displayable by category.

25. The display of claim 19, further comprising a communication tool.

26. The display of claim 19, wherein the display represents a location of a health care facility staff person selected from a group consisting of a health care provider, auxiliary well being care provider, and a support staff person.

27. The display of claim 26, wherein the display represents a location of a health care provider.