Method for positioning of wireless medical devices with short-range radio frequency technology
First Claim
1. A tracking method for tracking a mobile local wireless device in a medical facility having a medical facility network, the tracking method comprising:
- detecting the mobile local wireless device, which is not connected with the medical facility network, based on local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one nearby mobile wireless network device that is wirelessly connected with the medical facility network;
determining locations of a plurality of mobile wireless network devices that are wirelessly connected with the medical facility network based on wireless network connections between the mobile wireless network devices and the medical facility network, the plurality of mobile wireless network devices including the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device;
estimating a location of the mobile local wireless device within the medical facility based on the local wireless communication and the determined location of the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device;
repeating the detecting;
during a subsequent detecting, identifying a change in the local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device, the change including at least one of (i) loss of local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one nearby mobile wireless network device during the subsequent detecting and (ii) pickup of a new local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and a mobile wireless network device other than the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device of the initial detecting; and
updating the location of the mobile local wireless device within the medical facility based on the change.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a tracking method for tracking a local wireless device in a medical facility having a medical facility network (10), the local wireless device (50, 51, 52), which is not connected with the medical facility network (10), is detected based on local wireless communication. (54, 55, 56, 58) between the local wireless device and at least one nearby network device (12, 14, 16) that is connected with the medical facility network. A location of the local wireless device within the medical facility is estimated based on the local wireless communication and information indicative of a location of the at least one nearby network device.
34 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A tracking method for tracking a mobile local wireless device in a medical facility having a medical facility network, the tracking method comprising:
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detecting the mobile local wireless device, which is not connected with the medical facility network, based on local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one nearby mobile wireless network device that is wirelessly connected with the medical facility network; determining locations of a plurality of mobile wireless network devices that are wirelessly connected with the medical facility network based on wireless network connections between the mobile wireless network devices and the medical facility network, the plurality of mobile wireless network devices including the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device; estimating a location of the mobile local wireless device within the medical facility based on the local wireless communication and the determined location of the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device; repeating the detecting; during a subsequent detecting, identifying a change in the local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device, the change including at least one of (i) loss of local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one nearby mobile wireless network device during the subsequent detecting and (ii) pickup of a new local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and a mobile wireless network device other than the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device of the initial detecting; and updating the location of the mobile local wireless device within the medical facility based on the change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tracking system for tracking a mobile local wireless device in a medical facility having a medical facility network, the tracking system comprising:
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local non-network wireless communication hardware components installed on the local wireless device and on a plurality of mobile wireless network devices that are wirelessly connected with the medical facility network, the local non-network wireless communication hardware components being configured for detecting the mobile local wireless device, which is not connected with the medical facility network, based on local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device of the plurality of mobile wireless network devices that are wirelessly connected with the medical facility network; and a computer configured to track locations of the mobile wireless network devices based on wireless network connections between the mobile wireless network devices and the medical facility network and to estimate a location of the mobile local wireless device within the medical facility based on the local wireless communication and the location of the at least one nearby mobile wireless network device, the computer being configured to update the estimated location of the mobile wireless device responsive to at least one of (i) loss of local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one nearby mobile wireless network device of the plurality of mobile wireless network devices and (ii) initiation of local wireless communication between the mobile local wireless device and at least one mobile wireless network device of the plurality of mobile wireless network devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification