Cordless patient pad

• US 7,924,163 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rondish Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Smart Caregiver Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Steven A., Long, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/189,732
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/666, 340/667, 340/612, 340/614, 340/626
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A cordless pressure pad connected to a bed pad transmitter for centralized monitoring by a central bed monitor receiving and alarm unit. When a monitored person gets up from bed, the pad transmitter sends a coded RF signal matched to a particular bed monitor unit, and it then triggers an alarm; when the person sits or lays back down, the pad transmitter sends a signal to the monitor to reset. Multiple pads can be linked to a single bed monitor.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system, comprising:

a bed pad monitor having a bed pad monitor receiver and an alarm; and

a pressure pad having a pressure pad transmitter in wireless RF communication with said bed pad monitor receiver;

wherein said pressure pad transmitter sends a wireless signal to said bed pad monitor receiver to indicate to a caregiver that a patient has gotten out of, or fallen out of, a bed or a chair, and further wherein said bed pad transmitter sends a coded pulsed signal to said bed pad monitor receiver, such that if said bed pad monitor receiver misses a pulsed signal from said pressure pad transmitter over a predetermined and preset period, it will output an alarm signal indicating that said pressure pad is lost or removed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure pad includes a uniquely coded chip for matching said pressure pad with said bed pad monitor, and wherein said pressure pad is matched to said bed pad monitor by pressing a read in button on said bed pad monitor and then pressing said pressure pad to match the codes automatically.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said wireless RF signal includes a checksum to prevent faulty data.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a plurality of pressure pads matched to at least one bed pad monitor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said bed pad monitor includes an LCD controller and an LCD visual display, a receiver controller having an autoread button and EEPROM for reading pad transmitter information into memory, a receiver module, a low battery detect circuit, an audible output speaker, a switch for controlling inputs, and an LED/relay control/data output circuit portion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said bed pad transmitter comprises a microcontroller having a buffer, EEPROM for storing programmed inputs from a keypad or other input device, a low battery detect circuit, an antenna, and a multi-frequency hopping option for sending a wideband frequency hopping signal to said bed pad monitor receiver.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said bed pad monitor receiver comprises a microcontroller having a low power receiver module, EEPROM, a low battery detector, an LED indicator with indications for Pad OK, Status, and Low Battery, and an audible output device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said system includes a plurality of pressure pads, a plurality of bed pad monitors, and wherein each of said bed pad monitors includes an autoread button for matching that bed pad monitor to at least one of said pressure pads.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a central bed monitor receiving and alarm unit, and wherein said bed pad monitor receiver includes a transmitter programmed to relay signals from said pressure pad to said central bed monitor receiving and alarm unit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure pad transmitter sends a coded signal matched with a particular bed pad monitor receiver.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said coded signal is sent outside the patient'"'"'s room directly to said bed pad monitor receiver, such that an alarm output alerts caregivers to take appropriate action.