Patient hospital room system for providing communication, education and entertainment

• US 9,114,317 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bluefish, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bluefish, LLC
• Inventors: Napier, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep V
• Application Number:
  US11/979,248
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 463/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/516 connected to a local network, e.g. in a plane, hotel
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/214 Specialised server platform, e.g. server located in an airplane, hotel, hospital arrangements specially adapted for local area broadcast systems H04H20/61

Abstract

A patient hospital room system comprises a room computer uniquely associated with a patient in a hospital room. The room computer is connected to a hospital network including a media server. The room computer is configured to download preselected media files from the media server when a patient is assigned to the room. A touch screen display is operably connected to the room computer and the room computer is configured to enable the touch screen display to function as a remote controller for playing the media files. A game console is operably connected to the room computer. A monitor is connected to the game console. An IR transmitter is connected to the room computer for transmitting commands from the touch screen display to the game console. An IR receiver is operably connected to the game console for receiving the commands from the IR transmitter. The room computer and the game console are configured such that the preselected media files are playable from the room computer and displayable on the touch screen or the monitor.

Claims

1. A patient hospital room system, comprising:

a) a room computer uniquely associated with a patient in a hospital room, said room computer is connected to a hospital network including a media server, said media server is configured to receive preselected media files uploaded by a patient prior to being admitted, said room computer is configured to automatically download said preselected media files from said media server when the patient is assigned to the room;

b) a touch screen display operably connected to said room computer, said room computer is configured to enable said touch screen display to function as a remote controller for playing said media files;

c) a game console operably connected to said room computer;

d) a monitor connected to said game console;

e) an IR transmitter connected to said room computer for transmitting commands from said touch screen display to said game console;

f) an IR receiver operably connected to said game console for receiving said commands from said IR transmitter; and

g) said room computer and said game console are configured such that said preselected media files are playable from said room computer and displayable on said touch screen or said monitor.

2. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, and further comprising:

a) a database server; and

b) said room computer is configured to periodically poll said database server for tasks to perform.

3. A patient hospital room system as in claim 2, wherein said tasks include copying movie files.

4. A patient hospital room system as in claim 2, wherein said tasks include copying music files.

5. A patient hospital room system as in claim 2, wherein said tasks include copying pictures.

6. A patient hospital room system as in claim 2, wherein said database server is configured for generating tasks for said room computer when a patient is admitted to the hospital room.

7. A patient hospital room system as in claim 6, and further comprising:

a) a TV source connected to said room computer; and

b) said web portal is configured for accepting and saving instructions on said database server for limiting selected TV channels to be provided for viewing by the patient in the room.

8. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, and further comprising an administrative computer configured to turn on or off said room computer and said game console.

9. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, and further comprising a card reader operably connected to said room computer for gaining access to the patient'"'"'s medical records.

10. A patient hospital room system as in claim 9, wherein said room computer is configured for limiting access to the patient'"'"'s medical records to only those assigned to the patient.

11. A patient hospital room as in claim 1, wherein said media files are uploaded into said media server prior to the patient being admitted.

12. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, wherein said computer is located on a wall behind the patient.

13. A patient hospital room system as in claim 12, wherein said monitor is disposed on a wall opposite said room computer.

14. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, wherein said touch screen display is supported on a movable arm.

15. A patient hospital room system as in claim 1, and further comprising a web portal accessible by a user from a remote location for uploading media files to said media server for copying to said room computer.

16. A patient hospital room system, comprising:

a) a room computer uniquely associated with a patient in a hospital room, said room computer is connected to a hospital network including a database server, said room computer is configured to periodically check for and load setting options stored in said database server;

b) a touch screen display operably connected to said room computer, said room computer is configured to enable said touch screen display to function as a remote controller;

c) a game console operably connected to said room computer;

d) a monitor connected to said game console;

e) an IR transmitter connected to said room computer for transmitting commands from said touch screen display to said game console; and

f) an IR receiver operably connected to said game console for receiving said commands from said IR transmitter.

17. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein said room computer is configured to perform tasks listed by said database server when a patient is assigned to the hospital room.

18. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein:

a) said touch screen display includes a number of function buttons; and

b) said room computer is configured to check if a patient is assigned to the room when a function button is pressed.

19. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein:

a) said touch screen display includes an “

Education”

button; and

b) said room computer is configured to display available educational video titles related to the patient'"'"'s diagnosis when said “

Education”

button is pressed and to play a selected title.

20. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein said room computer is configured to allow the patient to send a written message to a doctor assigned to the patient.

21. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein said room computer is configured to provide access to the Internet.

22. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein:

a) said touch screen display includes a “

Games”

button; and

b) said room computer is configured check if the patient is allowed to play games when said “

Games”

button is pressed.

23. A patient hospital room system as in claim 16, wherein:

a) said touch screen display includes a “

Media Center”

button; and

b) said room computer is configured to display movie titles when said “

Media Center”

button is pressed and to play a selected title on said touch screen display or said monitor display.

24. A patient hospital room system, comprising:

a) a room computer uniquely associated with a patient in a hospital room, said room computer is automatically loaded with appropriate content from a server connected to said room computer as soon as the patient is assigned to a room;

b) a touch screen display operably connected to said room computer, said touch screen display including a plurality of buttons, each one corresponding to a command when pressed;

c) said room computer is configured to create a text file corresponding to a button pressed on said touch screen display, read said text file and initiate said command;

d) a game console operably connected to said room computer;

e) a monitor connected to said game console;

f) an IR transmitter connected to said room computer for transmitting said command from said touch screen display to said game console; and

g) an IR receiver operably connected to said game console for receiving said commands from said IR transmitter.

25. A patient hospital room system as in claim 24, wherein said game console is operably connected to said room computer through said hospital network.