US 11,229,564 B2Granted

Patient support apparatuses with wireless headwall communication

AssigneeStryker Corporation

InventorsKrishna Sandeep Bhimavarapu, Annie Désaulniers, Michael Joseph Hayes

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Abstract

A person support apparatus includes a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver of a headwall interface that is positioned off of the person support apparatus. A communication link is automatically established between the first and second transceivers without requiring a user of the person support apparatus to activate a designated control and without requiring the user to identify the headwall interface. The first transceiver includes a unique identifier assigned to the headwall interface in its messages to the headwall interface. The first transceiver may also automatically transmit a disconnect signal to the headwall interface indicating the termination of the communication link is not accidental. The disconnect signal is sent based on one or more of the following: (1) a brake being off, (2) an A/C power cord being unplugged; and/or (3) a signal strength between the transceivers decreasing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A person support apparatus comprising:

a support surface adapted to support a person;
a microphone adapted to convert sound waves from the person on the support surface into audio signals;
an exit detection system adapted to detect when the person exits from the support surface and to issue an alert;
a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a headwall interface positioned off of the person support apparatus, the headwall interface including a first multi-pin connector adapted to couple to a nurse-call system connector mounted to a headwall;
a wired headwall interface adapted to receive a first end of a cable having a second end adapted to be plugged into the nurse-call system connector, the wired headwall interface including a second multi-pin connector adapted to couple to the first end of the cable;
and
a controller adapted to transmit the audio signals and the alert via the first transceiver to the headwall interface for forwarding to the nurse-call system connector when the second end of the cable is not plugged into the nurse-call system connector, the controller further adapted to transmit the audio signals and the alert via the wired headwall interface to the nurse-call system connector when the first end of the cable is plugged into the wired headwall interface and the second end of the cable is plugged into the nurse-call system connector.

4 more elements

A person support apparatus comprising:

a support surface adapted to support a person;
a microphone adapted to convert sound waves from the person on the support surface into audio signals;
an exit detection system adapted to detect when the person exits from the support surface and to issue an alert;
a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a headwall interface positioned off of the person support apparatus, the headwall interface including a first multi-pin connector adapted to couple to a nurse-call system connector mounted to a headwall;
a status light;
and
a controller adapted to establish a communication link between the first transceiver and the headwall, the controller further adapted to transmit the audio signals and the alert via the communication link to the headwall interface for forwarding to the nurse-call system connector, the controller still further adapted to control an illumination of the status light in a first manner when the communication link is not established and in a second manner different from the first manner when the communication link is established.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/158,716Filed 26 Jan 2021 · continuation
Priority: 11 Aug 2014
Published: US 2021/0145677 A120 May 2021
Granted: 25 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A61G 7/05
Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons: parts, details or accessories of beds
A61G 7/018
Having adjustable mattress frame: control or drive mechanisms
H04B 10/1149
Indoor or close-range type systems: arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
A61G 2203/12
Characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering: remote controls

Family

Application62/035,656Us provisional application · filed 11 Aug 2014
Application14/819,844Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Aug 2015
Application16/131,428Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Sep 2018
US 10,085,905 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Oct 2018
US 2021/0145677 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 May 2021
US 10,918,545 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2016/0038361 A1Published application
US 2019/0008709 A1Published application
US 11,229,564 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.