Wireless patient monitoring systems and methods

A method to reduce a risk that a monitored patient will develop one or more pressure ulcers by pairing a wireless physiological sensor with a patient monitoring device in a caregiver environment where other wireless sensors may be paired with and communicating with other patient monitoring devices,

• the physiological sensor including a movement sensor, a first processor, and a first wireless transceiver, the physiological sensor configured to eventually be positioned with respect to a surface of said monitored patient to transmit information responsive to one or more of a movement of the patient, a lack of movement of the patient, or both, said physiological sensor being disposable and configured for power activation from an inactive powered-down state and further configured to enter a default mode of operation which initiates a pairing mode of operation in said physiological sensor, wherein the default mode is a low-power mode,
• the patient monitoring device including a second processor, a memory device, a storage device, a display, and a second wireless transceiver, the patient monitoring device responsive to the transmitted information from the physiological sensor to present to a caregiver patient information indicative of said risk of said pressure ulcers,
• the method comprising:
• in said patient monitoring device, automatically electronically receiving a low-power pairing signal transmitted from said wireless physiological sensor upon activation of initial power in said physiological sensor, wherein said transmitted low-power pairing signal is based on a first transmission protocol comprising a frequency of transmission and is configured to be effective for a limited pairing signal transmission range, thereby preventing unintended or incidental association of said physiological sensor with said other patient monitoring devices that may be nearby but which are not intended to be paired with said physiological sensor, said low-power pairing signal including information identifying said physiological sensor;
• in said patient monitoring device, automatically electronically associating said wireless physiological sensor with said patient monitoring device, said patient monitoring device responsive to a user physically moving the wireless physiological sensor in proximity to the patient monitoring device that is stationary during the default mode of operation;
• wirelessly transmitting to said wireless physiological sensor, a confirmation signal confirming that said wireless physiological sensor is associated with said patient monitoring device;
• and
• upon receipt of the confirmation signal in said physiological sensor, in said patient monitoring device, receiving a patient parameter sensing signal transmitted from said physiological sensor, wherein said transmitted patient parameter sensing signal is based on said first transmission protocol and said frequency of transmission and is configured to be effective for a patient parameter sensing signal transmission range, and using said physiological sensor, increasing power to the patient parameter sensing signal transmission range, said patient parameter sensing signal including information indicative of said risk of said pressure ulcers,
• wherein said pairing signal transmission range is predetermined to be effective up to one (1) foot and said patient parameter sensing transmission range is predetermined to be effective up to thirty (30) feet.

A system for reducing a risk that a monitored patient will develop one or more pressure ulcers by pairing a wireless sensor with a portable computing device in a caregiver environment where other wireless sensors may be paired with and communicating with other computing devices, the system comprising:

• a wireless sensor comprising an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a first processor, and a first wireless transceiver, said wireless sensor being disposable and configured for power activation from an inactive powered-down state, said wireless sensor configured to, upon activation of initial power in said wireless sensor, automatically electronically enter a default mode of operation, the default mode of operation being a low-power mode, wherein the default mode of operation initiates an association mode to transmit a low-power association signal a limited desired association transmission range, thereby preventing unintended or incidental association of said wireless sensor with said other computing devices that may be nearby but which are not intended to be paired with said wireless sensor, said low-power association signal based on a first transmission protocol comprising a frequency of transmission, the wireless sensor also configured to operate in a patient parameter measurement mode to transmit a measurement signal a desired measurement signal transmission range, said measurement signal based on said first transmission protocol and said frequency of transmission, wherein said association transmission range is predetermined to be effective up to one (1) foot and said measurement signal transmission range is predetermined to be effective up to thirty (30) feet;
• and
• a portable computing device comprising a second processor, a memory device, a storage device, a display, and a second wireless transceiver, said computing device configured to automatically electronically receive said association signal, said computing device also configured to transmit an association confirmation signal, and said computing device also configured to receive said measurement signal;
• wherein said computing device, in response to receiving said association signal, automatically electronically associates said wireless sensor with said computing device and automatically electronically transmits said association confirmation signal, said portable computing device responsive to a user physically moving the wireless sensor in proximity to the portable computing device that is configured to be stationary during the default mode of operation;
• and
• wherein said wireless sensor, upon receipt of said association confirmation signal, discontinues operating in said association mode, begins to operate in said patient parameter measurement mode and to transmit said measurement signal, and increases power to said measurement signal transmission range.