Bed status information system for hospital beds

US7538659B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Daniel J. Ulrich · Hamilton, US
• Matthew W. Weismiller · Batesville, US
• Thomas E. Scott · Wichita, US
• Robert J. Jennings · Annandale, US
• Julie Myers · Indianapolis, US
• Joseph H. Novak · Batesville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 26, 2007
• Grant date: May 26, 2009
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61G2203/70
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A bed monitoring system that remotely monitors a patient bed. The bed monitoring system comprises a bed status system and a master station. The bed status system is coupled to the patient bed and is configured to monitor at least one condition of the bed, and to generate a bed message indicating the status of the monitored condition. The master station, remote from the patient bed, is operatively coupled to the bed status system to receive bed status information. The bed message can include a bed identifier, bed type identifier, patient exit detection signal, bed occupied signal, or various other status signals. The system can also include locating stations that receive the bed messages from any beds within its monitored location, and generates a station message including information from the bed messages. The master station receives the station messages and can determine the status and location of any bed.