Badge for a locating and tracking system

• US 6,972,683 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: McDaniel, Paul J. III, Kalra, Dilbir S., Lestienne, James, Schuman, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/199,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 340/825.69, 340/825.52, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/572.7, 340/539.1, 340/825.54, 340/825.72, 340/825.34, 340/825.46
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A badge (26) for locating and tracking a hospital asset (11) includes a motion sensor (30) carried by the asset (11) that generates a motion signal when the asset (11) is in motion. The motion signal varies with changes in the speed of the moving asset (11). The badge (26) further includes a transmitter (34) coupled to the motion sensor (30) that transmits an information signal at a transmission rate that varies as a function of the variable motion signal. The badge (26) may be configured to provide fault tolerant reception by transmitting information in packets including periodic error codes.

Claims

1. A badge configured to locate and track an asset in a hospital, the badge comprising:

a motion sensor configured to generate a first signal that corresponds to a speed of movement of the asset through the hospital; and

a transmitter coupled to the motion sensor to receive the first signal therefrom, the transmitter being further configured to periodically transmit a second signal at any one of at least three different transmission intervals that correspond to the first signal.

2. The badge of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer that is configured to respond to an acceleration of the asset.

3. The badge of claim 2, wherein the motion sensor is further configured to include in the first signal a plurality of pulses having a duty cycle that is proportional to the acceleration of the asset.

4. The badge of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor includes a first accelerometer that is configured to respond to a first acceleration of the asset along a first axis and a second accelerometer that is configured to respond to a second acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

5. The badge of claim 4, wherein the motion sensor is further configured to include a plurality of first pulses in the first signal, the first pulses having a first duty cycle proportional to the first acceleration of the asset.

6. The badge of claim 5, wherein the motion sensor is further configured to include a plurality of second pulses in the first signal, the second pulses having a second duty cycle proportional to the second acceleration of the asset.

7. The badge of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to include an identification code in the second signal.

8. The badge of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the second signal on an infrared carrier.

9. The badge of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the second signal on a radio frequency carrier.

10. The badge of claim 1, wherein the transmission intervals have an analog relationship to the first signal.

11. The badge of claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes a controller coupled to the motion sensor, the controller being operable to vary the transmission interval based on the speed of movement of the asset.

12. The badge of claim 1, wherein the second signal includes a plurality of sets of data bits, each set of data bits having an associated error code for detecting errors in transmission of the second signal.

13. A system configured to locate and track an asset in a hospital, the system comprising:

a motion sensor configured to generate a motion signal that corresponds to a speed of movement of the asset through the hospital, the motion sensor including a first accelerometer that is configured to respond to a first acceleration of the asset along a first axis and a second accelerometer that is configured to respond to a second acceleration of the asset along a second axis, the motion sensor further configured to include in the motion signal a plurality of first pulses having a duty cycle that is proportional to the first acceleration of the asset and a plurality of second pulses having a duty cycle that is proportional to the second acceleration of the asset; and

a transmitter coupled to the motion sensor to receive the motion signal therefrom, the transmitter being further configured to periodically transmit an identification code on an infrared carrier at any one of at least three different transmission intervals that correspond to the motion signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the motion sensor and the transmitter are mounted to a badge, the badge including a fastener being removably connectable to the asset.

15. The system of claim 13, further including a plurality of receivers configured to receive the identification code.

16. A method for locating and tracking an asset in a hospital, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a first signal that corresponds to a speed of movement of the asset through the hospital; and

periodically transmitting a second signal at any one of at least three different transmission intervals that correspond to the first signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of generating the first signal includes the step of responding to an acceleration of the asset.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of responding to an acceleration of the asset includes the step of generating a plurality of pulses having a duty cycle that is proportional to the acceleration of the asset.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of generating the first signal includes the steps of:

responding to a first acceleration of the asset along a first axis; and

responding to a second acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating the first signal further includes the step of generating a plurality of first pulses having a first duty cycle that is proportional to the first acceleration of the asset.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of generating the first signal further includes the step of generating a plurality of second pulses having a second duty cycle that is proportional to the second acceleration of the asset.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of periodically transmitting the second signal includes the step of generating an identification code.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of periodically transmitting the second signal includes the step of generating an infrared carrier.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of periodically transmitting the second signal includes the step of generating a radio frequency carrier.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmission intervals are related to the first signal according to an analog function.

26. A badge for locating and tracking a hospital asset, including:

a motion sensor coupled to the asset that generates a first motion signal when the asset moves at a first speed and a second motion signal when the asset moves at a second speed; and

a transmitter coupled to the motion sensor, the transmitter transmitting an information signal at a first transmission rate in response to the first motion signal and at a second transmission rate in response to the second motion signal.

27. The badge of claim 26, wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer configured to respond to an acceleration of the asset.

28. The badge of claim 26, wherein the motion sensor includes a first accelerometer that detects acceleration of the asset along a first axis, and a second accelerometer that detects acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

29. The badge of claim 26, wherein each of the first and the second motion signals includes a first plurality of pulses having a first duty cycle that is proportional to a first acceleration of the asset along a first axis, and a second plurality of pulses having a second duty cycle that is proportional to a second acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

30. The badge of claim 26, wherein the information signal includes a unique identification code that identifies the badge.

31. A badge for locating and tracking a hospital asset, including:

a motion sensor carried by the asset that generates a motion signal when the asset is in motion, the motion signal varying with changes in the speed of the moving asset; and

a transmitter coupled to the motion sensor that transmits an information signal at a transmission rate that varies as a function of the variable motion signal.

32. The badge of claim 31, wherein the motion sensor includes a first accelerometer that detects acceleration of the asset along a first axis, and a second accelerometer that detects acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

33. The badge of claim 31, wherein the motion signal includes a first plurality of pulses having a first duty cycle that is proportional to a first acceleration of the asset along a first axis, and a second plurality of pulses having a second duty cycle that is proportional to a second acceleration of the asset along a second axis.

34. The badge of claim 31, wherein the information signal includes a unique identification code that identifies the badge.