Ultra-wideband locating systems and methods

US11699517B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Timothy J. Receveur · Guilford, US
• Frederick Collin Davidson · Apex, US
• Stephen R. Embree · Chapel Hill, US
• Britten J. Pipher · Fuquay-Varina, US
• Eric D. Agdeppa · Cincinnati, US
• Steven D. Baker · San Francisco, US
• Bradley T. Smith · Raleigh, US
• Pamela Wells · Soddy-Daisy, US
• Laura A. Hassey · Raleigh, US
• Kiana M. Dezelon · Cary, US
• Thomas A. Myers · Syracuse, US
• Andrew S. Robinson · Durham, US
• Varad Narayan Srivastava · Batesville, US
• Douglas A. Seim · Okeana, US
• Kenzi L. Mudge · Skaneateles, US
• Jennifer A. Gunn · Durham, US
• John S. Schroder · Apex, US
• Brandon Smith · Waukesha, US
• Tanya M. Hawthorne · Raleigh, US
• Elizabeth A. Kowal · Cary, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 31, 2020
• Grant date: Jul 11, 2023
• Expiry date: Jul 27, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W64/00
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

High-accuracy locating systems and methods are used for determining successful caregiver rounding, monitoring whether housekeepers have properly cleaned patient beds, or determining whether patients have ambulated sufficient distances during recovery. Patient beds having at least two locating tags are used for establishing patient care zones around the patient beds. Locating anchors and equipment tags are moved around a patient room to determine optimum locating anchor placement within the patient room based on signal quality values. A locating tag on a patient bed switches roles to operate as a locating anchor in response to the patient bed becoming stationary. A locating tag has a digital compass which is used to determine a field of good ranging relative to a front of a caregiver wearing the locating tag.