Caregiver locating tag having advanced functionality

• US 10,734,110 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2019
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Bradley T., Robinson, Andrew S., Baker, Steven D., Wells, Pamela, Schroder, John S., Dezelon, Kiana M., Hassey, Laura A., Myers, Thomas A., Agdeppa, Eric D., Srivastava, Varad N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Akki, Munear T
• Application Number:
  US16/678,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20200185087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/223 using wireless transmission
• 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: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A caregiver badge system includes a caregiver badge configured to be worn by a caregiver and having a cavity defined therein. An identification badge is configured to be positioned within the cavity. The identification badge is removable from the caregiver badge. A transceiver is positioned within the caregiver badge and configured to communicate with a positioning system to identify a location of the caregiver. A battery is positioned within the caregiver badge to power the transceiver.

Claims

1. A caregiver badge system for use with a real time locating system (RTLS) of a healthcare facility that is operable to determine movements of caregivers in the healthcare facility, each caregiver having an employee identification tag, the caregiver badge system including a caregiver badge comprising:

a housing having a cavity that is sized and configured to receive the employee identification tag therein,

a coupler attached to the housing and configured to permit the housing to be worn by the caregiver;

badge circuitry positioned within the housing and configured to communicate wirelessly with fixed transceivers of the RTLS which triangulates a plurality of signals from the fixed transceivers to identify a location of the caregiver,

a duress button positioned on the housing and being activatable to send a first duress signal to a nurse'"'"'s station, and

a battery positioned within the housing to power the badge circuitry,

wherein the badge circuitry identifies duress movement of the caregiver without the duress button being activated resulting in a second duress signal being transmitted to the nurse'"'"'s station when the duress movement is detected,

wherein the duress movement comprises at least one of rapid movement and non-linear movement.

2. The caregiver badge system of claim 1, wherein the battery is rechargeable, the battery being removable from the housing to recharge.

3. The caregiver badge system of claim 2, further comprising an indicator to notify the caregiver when the battery is low on charge.

4. The caregiver badge system of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a visual or audible alert.

5. The caregiver badge system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of batteries, wherein a first battery is positioned within the housing to power the badge circuitry while at least one second battery is recharged.

6. The caregiver badge system of claim 5, further comprising a charging station to charge the at least one second battery.

7. The caregiver badge system of claim 1, further comprising a charging station, the caregiver badge configured to couple to the charging station to recharge the battery.

8. The caregiver badge system of claim 1, further comprising a docking station, the caregiver badge configured to couple to the docking station, the docking station monitoring which caregiver badge is coupled thereto to track which caregivers are off duty.

9. The caregiver badge system of claim 8, wherein the docking station further comprises a battery recharger to recharge the battery when the caregiver badge is coupled thereto.

10. A caregiver tracking system comprising:

a positioning system,

a caregiver badge configured to be worn by a caregiver, the caregiver badge having a transceiver that communicates with fixed transceivers of the positioning system which triangulates a plurality of signals from the fixed transceivers to identify a movement of the caregiver, and

a duress button positioned on the caregiver badge and being activatable to send a first duress signal to a nurse'"'"'s station,

wherein the positioning system tracks movement of the caregiver badge through communication with the transceiver, wherein the caregiver badge identifies duress movement of the caregiver without the duress button being activated, a second duress signal is transmitted to the nurse'"'"'s station when the duress movement is detected,

wherein the duress movement comprises at least one of rapid movement and non-linear movement.

11. The caregiver tracking system of claim 10, wherein the caregiver badge further comprises a cavity defined therein and an identification badge configured to be positioned within the cavity, the identification badge being removable from the casing.

12. The caregiver tracking system of claim 10, wherein the caregiver badge further comprises a battery to power the transceiver.

13. The caregiver tracking system of claim 12, wherein the battery is rechargeable, the battery being removable from the caregiver badge to recharge.

14. The caregiver tracking system of claim 12, further comprising an indicator to notify the caregiver when the battery is low on charge.

15. The caregiver tracking system of claim 14, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a visual or audible alert.

16. The caregiver tracking system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of batteries, wherein a first battery is positioned within the caregiver badge to power the transceiver while at least one second battery is recharged.

17. The caregiver tracking system of claim 16, further comprising a charging station to charge the at least one second battery.

18. The caregiver tracking system of claim 12, further comprising a charging station, the caregiver badge configured to couple to the charging station to recharge the battery.

19. The caregiver tracking system of claim 10, further comprising a docking station, the caregiver badge configured to couple to the docking station, the docking station monitoring which caregiver badge is coupled thereto to track which caregivers are off duty.

20. The caregiver tracking system of claim 19, wherein the docking station further comprises a battery charger to charge a battery of the caregiver badge.

21. A caregiver badge system comprising:

a caregiver badge configured to be worn by a caregiver,

a transceiver positioned within the caregiver badge and configured to communicate with fixed transceivers of a positioning system which triangulates a plurality of signals from the fixed transceivers to identify a movement of the caregiver,

a battery positioned within the caregiver badge to power the transceiver,

a duress button positioned on the caregiver badge and being activatable to send a first duress signal to a nurse'"'"'s station, and

a docking station, the caregiver badge configured to couple to the docking station, the docking station monitoring which caregiver badge is coupled thereto to track which caregivers are off duty, the docking station comprising a battery recharger to recharge the battery when the caregiver badge is coupled thereto,

wherein the caregiver badge identifies duress movement of the caregiver without the duress button being activated resulting in a second duress signal being transmitted to the nurse'"'"'s station when the duress movement is detected,

wherein the duress movement comprises at least one of rapid movement and non-linear movement.

22. The caregiver badge system of claim 21, wherein the caregiver badge comprises:

a cavity defined therein, and

an identification badge configured to be positioned within the cavity, the identification badge being removable from the casing.

23. The caregiver badge system of claim 21, wherein the caregiver badge comprises an indicator to notify the caregiver when the battery is low on charge.

24. The caregiver badge system of claim 23, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a visual or audible alert.