Hand cleanliness

• US 8,502,681 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biovigil Hygiene Technologies LLC (BioVigil Healthcare Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biovigil LLC
• Inventors: Bolling, Steven F., Sheahan, Brian, Madden, Joseph M., Gersten, Shimon
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/877,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20110206378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/309.7, 340/691.1, 340/693.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• 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

Among other things, systems to encourage compliance with hand washing procedures can include: an infrared emitter that projects a first infrared beam with a transverse cross-section having a first axis and a second axis that is shorter than the first axis, the transverse cross-section having a maximum length along the first axis, the infrared emitter modulating the first infrared beam to transmit a first identification signal; wherein the infrared emitter projecting the first infrared beam is placed such that the first axis of the transverse cross-section of the first infrared beam is substantially parallel to a boundary.

Claims

1. A system to encourage compliance with hand washing procedures, the system comprising:

a first beacon, associated with a boundary, to transmit a first identification signal; and

a second beacon, associated with the boundary, to transmit a second identification signal;

wherein a transition, in a vicinity of the boundary, between the first identification signal and the second identification signal indicates the boundary,

wherein the first beacon emits a first beam that carries the first identification signal and has a transverse cross-section having a maximum length along a first axis, wherein the first beacon is oriented with the first axis of the first beam substantially parallel to the boundary.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wearable device comprising:

a receiver to receive the first identification signal and the second identification signal;

an indicator to indicate a cleanliness state of a user'"'"'s hands; and

a control unit to control the indicator of hand cleanliness based at least in part on information from the receiver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control unit of the wearable device comprises logic to evaluate whether the wearable device is crossing the boundary based on receipt of the first identification signal and the second identification signal by the receiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first beacon and the second beacon each comprise an infrared emitter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second beacons have elements to attach the first and second beacons to a wall, and the boundary is implied by the wall.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the boundary is defined by a doorway though a wall and the first beacon is attached on one side of the wall and the second beacon is attached on an opposite side of the wall.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identification signal carries information indicative of which one of two sides of the boundary the first beacon is on.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transverse cross-section has a length along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein a ratio of the length along the first axis to the length along the second axis is at least 3:

1.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first beacon projects an infrared beam downwards towards a floor and an average length of the first axis of the first infrared beam is between about 20 and 28 inches.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein an average length of the second axis of the first infrared beam is between about 6 and 10 inches.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising emitters each to transmit an identity signal that includes information identifying the transmitting emitter.

12. A system to encourage compliance with hand washing procedures, the system comprising:

an infrared emitter that projects a first infrared beam with a transverse cross-section having a first axis and a second axis shorter than the first axis, the transverse cross-section having a maximum length along the first axis, the infrared emitter modulating the first infrared beam to transmit a first identification signal;

wherein the infrared emitter projecting the first infrared beam is placed with the first axis of the transverse cross-section of the first infrared beam substantially parallel to a boundary.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an infrared emitter that projects a second infrared beam with a transverse cross-section having a first axis and a second axis shorter than the first axis, the transverse cross-section having a maximum length along the first axis, the infrared emitter modulating the second infrared beam to transmit a second identification signal;

wherein the infrared emitter projecting the second infrared beam is placed with the first axis of the transverse cross-section of the second infrared beam substantially parallel to the boundary on an opposite side of the boundary from the first infrared beam.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a wearable device comprising:

an infrared receiver;

an indicator operable to indicate a cleanliness state of a user'"'"'s hands; and

a control unit operable to control the indicator of hand cleanliness based at least on part based input from the infrared receiver.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller of the wearable device comprises logic operable, on receiving the infrared receiver, to evaluate whether wearable device is crossing the boundary.

16. A system to encourage compliance with hand washing procedures, the system comprising:

an emitter that projects a first beam with a transverse cross-section having a first axis and a second axis shorter than the first axis, the transverse cross-section having a maximum length along the first axis, the infrared emitter modulating the first beam to transmit a first identification signal;

wherein the emitter projecting the first beam is placed with the first axis of the transverse cross-section of the first beam substantially parallel to a boundary.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the emitter is a radiofrequency transmitter.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the emitter comprises shielding configured to limit lateral transmission of a radiofrequency signal emitted by the radiofrequency transmitter.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the emitter comprises an infrared emitter.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the emitter is configured to project the first beam in response to a signal from a motion detector.