Patient support systems and methods for docking, transporting, sterilizing, and storing patient support decks

A patient support system comprising:

• a patient support deck for supporting a patient, said patient support deck comprising a coupling device;
• a transport device movable across a floor surface, said transport device configured to releasably engage said patient support deck to carry said patient support deck across the floor surface, and said transport device comprising a transport controller and a communication module coupled to said transport controller;
• a docking station comprising a manipulator having a mounting device configured to releasably engage said coupling device of said patient support deck and remove said patient support deck from said transport device when said patient support deck is carried by said transport device into a proximity of said manipulator, and said manipulator comprising:
• a base movable in at least one degree of freedom relative to the floor surface,
• an arm movable in at least one degree of freedom relative to said base, wherein said base carries said arm and is rotatable with said arm relative to the floor surface,
• a first actuator coupled to said base for rotating said base, and
• a second actuator coupled to said arm for pivoting said arm relative to said base;
• a docking controller and an input device in communication with said docking controller, said input device configured to generate an input signal to cause said manipulator to move said arm autonomously to engage said patient support deck;
• and
• a storage facility sized to house said patient support deck;
• wherein said manipulator and said patient support deck are configured so that said patient support deck is movable in at least three degrees of freedom relative to the floor surface after removal of said patient support deck from said transport device;
• wherein at least one of said patient support deck and said docking station comprises a transport request device configured to generate a transport request signal to call said transport device via said communication module;
• and
• wherein said transport device comprises an autonomous driving system operable to autonomously drive said transport device to said proximity of said docking station in response to said transport request signal, said transport device being operable to autonomously drive into proximity of said storage facility to retrieve said patient support deck from said storage facility.