Bed occupant monitoring system
First Claim
1. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
- a first grouping of spaced-apart fiber-optic pressure sensors configured to generate first light output in response to pressure applied to a first portion of a mattress,a second grouping of spaced-apart fiber-optic pressure sensors configured to generate second light output in response to pressure applied to a second portion of the mattress spaced from the first portion of the mattress, andelectronics, spaced from the first and second groupings of fiber-optic pressure sensors, including;
at least one first light source to provide light energy to the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors,at least one first light sensor to detect the first light output from the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors and generate a first electrical signal indicative of pressure applied to one or more of the pressure sensors in the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors,at least one second light source to provide light energy to the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors,at least one second light sensor to detect the second light output from the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors and generate a second electrical signal indicative of pressure applied to one or more of the pressure sensors in the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors, andcircuitry to determine a total pressure applied to the mattress, determine a first pressure applied to the first portion of the mattress, and determine a second pressure applied to the second portion of the mattress, from the first and second electrical signals, and send the first pressure, second pressure, and total pressure to a remote monitoring station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a bed occupant monitoring system comprising a pressure sensitive member attached to a support member for supporting a bed occupant, the pressure sensitive member comprising a plurality of pressure sensors. Each of the pressure sensors is configured to provide a reflected wave energy pressure signal by reflecting incident wave energy with an intensity which varies with a pressure applied to the sensor. A pair of fibers are coupled to each pressure sensor, each pair of fibers comprising an input fiber and an output fiber. The fibers are coupled to interface electronics comprising a wave energy source coupled to the input fiber of each of the pairs of fibers for providing the applied light energy, and, a wave energy detector coupled to the output fiber of each of the pairs of fibers for converting the scattered light energy into an electrical signal.
63 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
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a first grouping of spaced-apart fiber-optic pressure sensors configured to generate first light output in response to pressure applied to a first portion of a mattress, a second grouping of spaced-apart fiber-optic pressure sensors configured to generate second light output in response to pressure applied to a second portion of the mattress spaced from the first portion of the mattress, and electronics, spaced from the first and second groupings of fiber-optic pressure sensors, including; at least one first light source to provide light energy to the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors, at least one first light sensor to detect the first light output from the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors and generate a first electrical signal indicative of pressure applied to one or more of the pressure sensors in the first grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors, at least one second light source to provide light energy to the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors, at least one second light sensor to detect the second light output from the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors and generate a second electrical signal indicative of pressure applied to one or more of the pressure sensors in the second grouping of fiber-optic pressure sensors, and circuitry to determine a total pressure applied to the mattress, determine a first pressure applied to the first portion of the mattress, and determine a second pressure applied to the second portion of the mattress, from the first and second electrical signals, and send the first pressure, second pressure, and total pressure to a remote monitoring station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
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a support member configured to support at least a portion of a person, a plurality of spaced-apart groups of optical pressure sensors, each group configured to sense pressure applied to a different area of the support member, each group having a first end proximate a portion of the support member and a second end spaced from the first end, and electronics coupled to the second end of each group and spaced from the first end of each group, the electronics including a microprocessor configured to generate output signals corresponding to light intensities received from at least one of the pressure sensors, each of the output signals being representative of a sum of a time derivative of pressure values sensed by the pressure sensors of one of the groups of pressure sensors. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A bed occupant monitoring system comprising:
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a mattress adapted to support at least a portion of a bed occupant, a pressure sensitive member coupled to the mattress and arranged to lie below a top surface of the mattress, the pressure sensitive member including a plurality of spaced-apart pressure sensors configured to send pressure signals corresponding to pressure applied to the pressure sensitive member, electronics operably coupled to the pressure sensors to receive the pressure signals and configured to analyze at least one of magnitude, frequency and variations in the pressure signals over time to determine at least one of heart rate, bodily movement, and pulmonary activity of the bed occupant and differentiate the signals as being representative of heart rate, pulmonary activity, and bodily movement, and a user interface operably coupled to the electronics and configured to transmit input signals to the electronics, the input signals being indicative of differences in at least one of a threshold value relating to the at least one of heart rate, bodily movement, and pulmonary activity, and a time period relating to the at least one of heart rate, bodily movement, and pulmonary activity, and to graphically indicate the signals representative of heart rate, pulmonary activity or bodily movement. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification