Patient care system

US6438776B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Robert J. Ferrand · Burlingame, US
• Marc M. Thomas · Portola Valley, US
• Lincoln J. Alvord · Redwood City, US
• Stephen D. Smith · San Francisco, US
• Steven N. Roe · San Mateo, US
• Richard W. O'Connor · Redwood City, US
• William A. Gilmartin · Los Altos Hills, US
• William Loh · San Ramon, US
• William R. Fish · San Jose, US
• Jonathan Salsado · Sunnyvale, US
• Charles W. Neder · Mountain View, US
• William Silva · Fremont, US
• Wesley E. Grass · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 22, 2001
• Grant date: Aug 27, 2002
• Expiry date: May 22, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61G2203/74
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A bed configured to support a patient having a weight comprises a frame, a patient support, and a plurality of sensors coupled between the frame and the patient support. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured to generate an analog signal in response to a portion of the weight of the patient on the patient support. The bed also comprises a circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors to receive the analog signals therefrom. The circuit includes a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, each analog-to-digital converter being coupled to one of the sensors to generate a separate digital signal for each of the plurality of sensors, and a processor coupled to the plurality of analog-to-digital converters to determine the weight of the patient on the patient support.