Article locating and tracking apparatus and method

• US 7,450,024 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wildman, Timothy D., Schuman, Richard J., Riley, Carl W., Fleck, Thomas M., Collins, Williams F.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US11/770,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 340/669, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 340/669
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6889 Rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 : integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 : Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 : Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 : responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 : for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

An activity based monitoring system is disclosed, the activity based monitoring system being configured to monitor a plurality of badges associated with a plurality of assets within a healthcare facility.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an asset to determine if the asset has been dropped or has fallen, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a badge adapted to be coupled to the asset, the badge having an accelerometer configured to monitor a vertical acceleration of the asset and a transmitter;

monitoring the vertical component of the acceleration of the badge;

transmitting information regarding the vertical acceleration of the badge;

determining if the vertical acceleration of the badge has exceeded a threshold value, wherein the step of determining if the vertical acceleration of the badge has exceeded the threshold value is performed by a processor remote from the badge; and

identifying the asset as having been dropped or as having fallen based on the vertical acceleration exceeding the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining where the asset is located.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vertical acceleration component is used to determine a speed associated with the asset.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating an alarm based on a determination that the asset has fallen or has been dropped.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an indication to a caregiver associated with the asset that the asset has fallen or has been dropped.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining an estimated heading at which the asset traveled.

7. A system for monitoring an asset to determine if the asset has been dropped or has fallen, the system comprising:

a badge adapted to be coupled to the asset, the badge having an accelerometer configured to sense a vertical acceleration of the asset and a transmitter; and

a processor operable to execute software to monitor the vertical component of the acceleration of the badge which is transmitted from the badge, to determine if the vertical acceleration of the badge has exceeded a threshold value, and to identify the asset as having been dropped or as having fallen based on the vertical acceleration exceeding a threshold value, wherein the processor is located remotely from the badge.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to determine where the asset is located.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the vertical acceleration component is used to determine a speed associated with the asset.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to activate an alarm based on a determination that the asset has fallen or has been dropped.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to initiate a notification to a caregiver associated with the asset that the asset has fallen or has been dropped.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to determine a heading at which the asset traveled.