Controlling an alarm state based on the presence or absence of a caregiver in a patient's room

• US 7,920,061 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Klein, Keith, Falk, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US12/324,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/573.1, 340/825.49, 340/506, 340/310.11, 340/524, 340/525, 340/825.36, 340/507, 340/693.2, 340/311.2, 340/326, 340/328, 340/331, 340/332, 340/333
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an alarm state, such as volume, based on the presence or absence of a caregiver in a patient'"'"'s room. More specifically, a local sound producing device provides an audible alarm within a room when a caregiver is in the room, while a remote sound producing device provides an audible alarm external of the room when the caregiver is not in the room. Accordingly, volume levels of the sound producing devices depend on the sensed presence or absence of the caregiver within the room. For example, when the caregiver leaves the room, the local sound producing device is deactivated and/or the remote sound producing device is activated, thereby allowing the patient to enjoy a more relaxed environment within the room, yet still continue to be monitored. Conversely, when the caregiver enters the room, the local sound producing device is activated and/or the remote sound producing device is deactivated, thereby allowing the caregiver to monitor the patient when within the room, yet allow decreased monitoring external of the room.

Claims

1. A system for controlling volume, comprising:

a local sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm within a room;

a remote sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm external of the room;

a sensing device configured to detect a presence or absence of a caregiver in the room; and

a volume control system configured to change a volume of the local sound producing device and/or remote sound producing device based on the presence or absence of the caregiver in the room,

wherein the volume control system is configured to decrease the volume of the local sound producing device when the sensing device detects the absence of the caregiver in the room and increase the volume of the local sound producing device when the sensing device detects the presence of the caregiver in the room.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the volume control system decreases the volume of the local sound producing device to a zero level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the local sound producing device is deactivated when the sensing device detects the absence of the caregiver in the room.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the local sound producing device is activated when the sensing device detects the presence of the caregiver in the room.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the local sound producing device contains the volume control system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the local sound producing device is configured to be incorporated into a patient monitor in the room.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is a manual device configured to be activated by the caregiver.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the local sound producing device is configured to be incorporated into a patient monitor in the room and the sensing device is a manual device configured to be activated by the caregiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient monitor contains the manual device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a motion sensing device that is configured to detect the presence or absence of the caregiver in the room.

2. A system for controlling volume, comprising:

a local sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm within a room;

a remote sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm external of the room;

a sensing device configured to detect a presence or absence of a caregiver in the room; and

a volume control system configured to change a volume of the local sound producing device and/or remote sound producing device based on the presence or absence of the caregiver in the room,

wherein the volume control system is configured to increase the volume of the remote sound producing device when the sensing device detects the absence of the caregiver in the room, and decrease the volume of the remote sound producing device when the sensing device detects the presence of the caregiver in the room.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the volume control system decreases the volume of the remote sound producing device to a zero level.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote sound producing device is deactivated when the sensing device detects the presence of the caregiver in the room.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote sound producing device is activated when the sensing device detects the absence of the caregiver in the room.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote sound producing device contains the volume control system.

16. A method for controlling volume, comprising:

providing a local sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm within a room;

providing a remote sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm external of the room;

detecting a presence or absence of a caregiver in the room;

changing a volume of the local sound producing device and/or remote sound producing device based on the presence or absence of the caregiver in the room;

decreasing the volume of the local sound producing device when the caregiver is not in the room; and

increasing the volume of the local sound producing device when the caregiver is in the room.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

decreasing the volume of the local sound producing device to a zero level.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

deactivating the local sound producing device when the caregiver is not in the room.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

activating the local sound producing device when the caregiver is in the room.

17. A method for controlling volume, comprising:

providing a local sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm within a room;

providing a remote sound producing device configured to provide an audible alarm external of the room;

detecting a presence or absence of a caregiver in the room;

changing a volume of the local sound producing device and/or remote sound producing device based on the presence or absence of the caregiver in the room

increasing the volume of the remote sound producing device when the caregiver is not in the room; and

decreasing the volume of the remote sound producing device when the caregiver is in the room.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

decreasing the volume of the remote sound producing device to a zero level.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

deactivating the remote sound producing device when caregiver is in the room.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

activating the remote sound producing device when the caregiver is not in the room.