Patient tracking system
First Claim
1. A person monitoring system comprising:
- a plurality of radio transmitters each of which transmits a radio signal at a different frequency, each radio transmitter including a strap-like body attaching means for attaching said transmitter to the limb of a human body so that no more than one radio transmitter is attached to each of said human bodies;
receiver means for receiving each different frequency and for detecting when the strength of any of said different frequencies drops below a pre-determined level;
scanner means for causing said receiver means to periodically search each different frequency respectively;
alarm means for producing an alarm after the signal strength of a signal at a specific frequency falls below said pre-determined level; and
,antenna means connected to said receiver means and located in the vicinity of a specific surveillance area for picking up each different frequency, said antenna means comprising at least two branches each branch including a plurality of signal receiving elements, each said signal receiving element comprising a length of wire connected at one end only to one of said branched such that each signal receiving element has an individual surveillance area,wherein at least some of the individual surveillance areas of said signal receiving elements overlap each other to form a larger, extended surveillance area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A patient tracking system is employed to determine when an occupant leaves the confines of a nursing home or similar institution. Each patient has a transmitter strapped to his or her wrist which emits a signal having a distinctive radio frequency. The corridors of the nursing home include a plurality of sharp receiving antenna elements connected together in series by a coaxial cable. A scanning radio receiver is attached to the antenna system. The scanning radio receiver determines when the strength of the signal received by the antenna elements falls below a predetermined level at which point an alarm is sounded. If the alarm sounds, an attendant uses a second, directional receiver to track the patient who may have wandered away before the patient hurts himself or herself.
314 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A person monitoring system comprising:
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a plurality of radio transmitters each of which transmits a radio signal at a different frequency, each radio transmitter including a strap-like body attaching means for attaching said transmitter to the limb of a human body so that no more than one radio transmitter is attached to each of said human bodies; receiver means for receiving each different frequency and for detecting when the strength of any of said different frequencies drops below a pre-determined level; scanner means for causing said receiver means to periodically search each different frequency respectively; alarm means for producing an alarm after the signal strength of a signal at a specific frequency falls below said pre-determined level; and
,antenna means connected to said receiver means and located in the vicinity of a specific surveillance area for picking up each different frequency, said antenna means comprising at least two branches each branch including a plurality of signal receiving elements, each said signal receiving element comprising a length of wire connected at one end only to one of said branched such that each signal receiving element has an individual surveillance area, wherein at least some of the individual surveillance areas of said signal receiving elements overlap each other to form a larger, extended surveillance area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification