Incontinence detection method
AssigneeHill-Rom Services, Inc.
InventorsBryan Weidman, Gavin M. Monson, John D. Christie, James D. Voll
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An incontinence detection pad has an RFID tag in which an authentication code, such as an electronic product code (EPC), is stored. A reader in wireless communication with the RFID tag of the incontinence detection pad verifies that the incontinence detection pad is an authorized detection pad. Thus, unauthorized incontinence detection pads that do not have the proper authentication code are not able to be used in an incontinence detection system.
Claims20
An incontinence detection method comprising placing an incontinence detection pad beneath a person to be monitored, and operating a reader to read a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein operating the reader comprises operating a bistatic radio frequency (RF) switch matrix to establish a first antenna of a plurality of antennae as a transmit antenna that is used to wirelessly energize the passive RFID tag and to establish a second antenna of the plurality of antennae as a receive antenna that is used to read backscattered data emitted from the passive RFID tag, wherein the plurality of antennae includes a third antenna and a fourth antenna, wherein operating the reader further comprises operating the bistatic RF switch matrix in a full cycle scanning mode so that each of the first, second, third and fourth antenna is selectively chosen to be established as the transmit antenna and each of the remaining antenna are selectively cycled through to be the receive antenna such that twelve transmit antenna and receive antenna combinations are operated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.