Patient support apparatuses with dynamic control panels

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of wheels;
• a support surface supported by the frame and adapted to support a patient thereon;
• an actuator assembly for moving the support surface to a plurality of different configurations;
• a battery for powering the actuator assembly;
• a control panel comprising a first control for moving the support surface in a first manner and a second control for moving the support surface in a second manner;
• a first backlight for backlighting the first control and a second backlight for backlighting the second control;
• and
• a control system adapted to disable the first control and to change an illumination state of the first backlight when the support surface is in a particular configuration, and wherein the control system is further adapted to disable the first control but enable the second control when a charge level of the battery falls below a threshold.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of wheels;
• a support surface supported by the frame and adapted to support a patient thereon;
• an actuator assembly for moving the support surface to a plurality of different configurations;
• a battery for powering the actuator assembly;
• a control panel comprising a first control for controlling a first function of the patient support apparatus and a second control for controlling a second function of the patient support apparatus;
• a first backlight for backlighting the first control and a second backlight for backlighting the second control;
• and
• a control system adapted to perform the following:
• disable the first control when the patient support apparatus is in a particular state defined by a charge level of the battery falling below a threshold, change an illumination state of the first backlight when the patient support apparatus is in the particular state, enable the second control when the patient support apparatus is in the particular state, and not change an illumination state of the second backlight when the patient support apparatus is in the particular state.