Time-based wireless pairing between a medical device and a wall unit

US12186241B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jason M. Williams · Cary, US
• Shawn J. Keller · Corydon, US
• Gavin M. Monson · Oxford, US
• John D. Christie · Batesville, US
• Vijay Aditya Tadipatri · Madeira, US
• Gregory J. Shannon · Indianapolis, US
• John V. Harmeyer · Cleves, US
• Jennifer D. Slavin · Batesville, US
• David C. Newkirk · Cadiz, US
• Brian Guthrie · Greensburg, US
• Steven V. McCaig · Batesville, US
• Reece Allan Michael Caldwell · Jamesville, US
• Lari E. Rutherford · Jamesville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 18, 2022
• Grant date: Jan 7, 2025
• Expiry date: Jul 28, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W84/12
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A time-based wireless pairing operation between a medical device, such as a patient bed, and a wall module in a patient room is initiated in response to a power plug of the medical device being plugged into a power receptacle carried by the wall module. Times determined by timers of the medical device and the wall module are compared by the wall module or by the medical device so that wireless pairing occurs only with the medical device that was plugged into the wall module. Different types of plug detectors used in the wall module to detect connection of the power plug include optical detectors, mechanical switches, and current sensors.