Wireless control system for a patient support apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A control system for a patient support apparatus, the control system comprising:
- a device including an enable key and a function key, the function key operable to send a command via a wireless signal such that the function key controls at least one function of the patient support apparatus only if the function key is pressed within a predetermined period of time of the enable key being pressed, wherein the device does not send any wireless signal in response to only the enable key being pressed,a wireless receiver coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to receive the wireless signal, anda circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receiver, the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode of operation in which the circuit associates the device with the patient support apparatus and a second mode of operation in which the circuit controls the at least one function of the patient support apparatus in response to the wireless signal.
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Abstract
A wireless control system includes a device for sending a wireless signal, a receiver for receiving the wireless signal, and circuitry for processing the wireless signal. The circuitry includes a learn mode in which a device is associated with the control signal to the exclusion of commands from other devices not associated with the circuitry. The device transmits a wireless signal redundantly over a plurality of frequencies. The control system may chooses a signal frequency and receiver combination to maintain a quality signal.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A control system for a patient support apparatus, the control system comprising:
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a device including an enable key and a function key, the function key operable to send a command via a wireless signal such that the function key controls at least one function of the patient support apparatus only if the function key is pressed within a predetermined period of time of the enable key being pressed, wherein the device does not send any wireless signal in response to only the enable key being pressed, a wireless receiver coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to receive the wireless signal, and a circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receiver, the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode of operation in which the circuit associates the device with the patient support apparatus and a second mode of operation in which the circuit controls the at least one function of the patient support apparatus in response to the wireless signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A control system for a patient support apparatus, the control system comprising:
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a plurality of wireless receivers including a first wireless receiver having a first antenna and a second wireless receiver having a second antenna, each wireless receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted at a plurality of wireless frequencies, and a circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receivers, the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode of operation in which the circuit associates the device with the patient support apparatus and a second mode of operation in which the circuit controls the at least one function of the patient support apparatus in response to the wireless signal, the circuit configured to sequentially poll combinations of each wireless receiver and each frequency until a signal is detected and to maintain the receiver and frequency combination at which the signal is detected until the signal is lost, wherein the second antenna is structurally different from the first antenna and the first and the second antenna are operated redundantly, and wherein the circuit analyzes the wireless signal to determine if the signal includes a signal source identifier that is recognized by the circuit to determine that the wireless signal is of suitable quality, and the circuit determines that the signal source identifier is received in a first signal transmission and a second signal transmission immediately following the first signal transmission to determine that the wireless signal is of suitable quality. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A control system for a patient support apparatus, the control system comprising:
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a device including an enable input and a function input, the function input operable to send a command via a wireless signal such that the function key is configured to operate a function of the patient support apparatus only if the function input is activated within a predetermined period of time of the enable input being activated and wherein the device abstains from sending any wireless signals between the time the enable input is activated and the function input is activated, a wireless receiver coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to receive the wireless signal, and a circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receiver the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode in which the device identification is associated with the patient support apparatus, and a separate second mode in which the circuit is configured to process the wireless signal to determine if the device has been associated with the circuit and if the device has been associated with the circuit, process the command from the device to operate the function of the patient support apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A patient support apparatus comprising:
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a frame, a patient support platform supported on the frame, articulable relative to the frame, a sheet attachment device including a frame, a roller rotatably coupled to the frame, a locking mechanism coupled to the frame and the roller, the locking mechanism being lockable to prevent rotation of the roller relative to the frame, a retractor coupled to the frame, a tether having a first end coupled to the frame of the sheet attachment device and a second end configured to be retracted by the retractor, a controller electrically coupled to the retractor the controller having a wireless receiver and a circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receiver, the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode of operation in which the circuit associates the device with the controller and a second mode of operation in which the circuit controls the retractor in response to the wireless signal, and a user interface coupled to the sheet attachment device and configured to communicate a signal which results in the controller operating the retractor, the user interface including a run key and an enable key with the user interface configured not to send any signal unless the enable key is first activated and the run key is activated within a predetermined time after the enable key is activated, the run key transmitting a signal to the controller to cause the controller to operate the retractor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A control system for a patient support apparatus, the control system comprising:
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a remote control device, a plurality of wireless receivers including a first wireless receiver having a first antenna and a second wireless receiver having a second antenna, each wireless receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted at a plurality of wireless frequencies, and a circuit operatively coupled to the wireless receivers, the circuit having a user input device operable to change the circuit between a first mode of operation in which the circuit associates the remote control device with the patient support apparatus, and a second mode of operation in which the circuit controls the at least one function of the patient support apparatus in response to a wireless signal from the remote control device, the circuit configured to sequentially poll combinations of each wireless receiver and each frequency until a signal is detected and to maintain the receiver and frequency combination at which the signal is detected until the signal is lost, wherein the second antenna is structurally different from the first antenna and the first and the second antenna are operated redundantly, and wherein the circuit analyzes the wireless signal to determine if the signal includes a signal source identifier that is recognized by the circuit to determine that the wireless signal is acceptable, and the circuit determines that the signal source identifier is received in a first signal transmission and a second signal transmission immediately following the first signal transmission to determine that the wireless signal is acceptable. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification