# US 11,908,305 B2 · Nurse call pillow speaker with audio event detection and methods for same

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- Number: US 11,908,305 B2
- Document ID: US11908305B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/922,562
- Filed: 2018-03-15
- Published: 2019-09-19
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-15
- Assignees: Curbell Medical Products, Inc.
- Applicants: Curbell Medical Products, Inc.
- Inventors: Donald J. Enzinna; Daniel J. MacDonald; Edward Wilkolaski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908305B2

## CPC

- G08B 25/014: {Alarm signalling to a central station with two-way communication, e.g. with signalling back}
- H04R 1/028: {associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles}
- A61B 5/1115: {Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair}
- G08B 5/222: {Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems (selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00)}
- G08B 25/009: {Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range}
- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- G08B 25/016: {Personal emergency signalling and security systems (emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12)}
- G08B 25/10: using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)}
- G16H 40/60: for the operation of medical equipment or devices
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

The present disclosure may be embodied as a pillow speaker system. The pillow speaker system has a patient interface device (PID) having a processor and an audio output. A nurse call audio port is provided to communicate with a nurse call station. A detection circuit is provided to detect a nurse call signal and a provide nurse call indicator if a nurse call signal is present. The processor is programmed to receive the nurse call indicator from the detection circuit; provide a nurse call audio signal to the audio output if the nurse call indicator is received; and mute audio signals to the audio output except the nurse call audio signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pillow speaker system, comprising:
a patient interface device (PID) having a processor and an audio output, the PID being capable of generating audio;
a hub in communication with the PID, the hub comprising:
a nurse call audio port to communicate with a nurse call station;
a detection circuit to detect a nurse call signal received on the nurse call audio port and to provide a nurse call indicator to the PID if a nurse call signal is present; and
wherein the processor of the PID is programmed to:
receive the nurse call indicator from the detection circuit of the hub;
provide a nurse call audio signal to the audio output if the nurse call indicator is received; and
mute audio signals to the audio output except the nurse call audio signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit detects a nurse call signal by detecting an audio signal on the nurse call audio port.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit detects a nurse call signal by detecting a nurse call indicator signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the hub in digital communication with the PID, wherein the nurse call audio port is in analog communication with the hub, and the hub digitizes the nurse call audio signal to send a digital nurse call audio signal to the PID.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The pillow speaker system of claim 4, wherein the nurse call indicator is a digital signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the PID has a microphone and the processor is further programmed to provide a microphone signal from the microphone to the nurse call audio port if a nurse call indicator is received.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The pillow speaker system of claim 6, further comprising a conditioner for conditioning the microphone signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The pillow speaker system of claim 7, wherein the conditioner is an attenuator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The pillow speaker system of claim 7, wherein the conditioner is a software module programmed in the processor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The pillow speaker system of claim 7, wherein the conditioner is a discrete electrical circuit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 4)

The pillow speaker system of claim 4, further comprising an entertainment audio port in analog communication with the hub, and the hub digitizes an entertainment audio signal of the entertainment audio line to send a digital entertainment audio signal to the PID.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The pillow speaker system of claim 4, further comprising an isolation network in communication with the nurse audio port.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The pillow speaker system of claim 12, further comprising an impedance-matching network.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to unmute other signals when the nurse call indicator is de-asserted.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit de-assert the nurse call indicator if a nurse call signal is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The pillow speaker system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit comprises an envelope detector.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The pillow speaker system of claim 16, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a comparator.

### Claim 18

A method of providing a nurse call audio signal to a pillow speaker, comprising:
providing a pillow speaker having a patient interface device (PID) and a pillow speaker hub,
wherein the pillow speaker hub is in communication with a nurse call system, and
wherein the pillow speaker hub is further in communication with the PID;
detecting, at the pillow speaker hub, a nurse call signal from the nurse call system, and asserting a nurse call indicator for the pillow speaker if a nurse call signal is detected;
digitizing a nurse call audio signal received at a nurse call audio port of the pillow speaker hub and transmitting the digitized nurse call audio signal to the PID;
receiving a digital nurse call microphone signal from the PID; and
transmitting the digital nurse call microphone signal to the nurse call system as an analog microphone signal on the nurse call audio port.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising conditioning the analog microphone signal for use with a nurse call system.

### Claim 20

A method of prioritizing audio signals in a pillow speaker, comprising:
providing an audio signal to an audio output of the pillow speaker;
receiving a nurse call indicator from a digital port of the pillow speaker;
muting the audio signal;
receiving a digital nurse call audio signal from the digital port;
converting the digital nurse call audio signal to an analog nurse call audio signal and providing the analog nurse call audio signal to an audio output.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising:
receiving a microphone signal from a microphone of the digital pillow speaker; and
digitizing the microphone signal to provide a digital microphone signal to the digital port.

### Claim 22

A method for identifying a nurse call audio signal on an audio line, comprising:
detecting a first audio source transition on the audio line; and
identifying an audio signal on the audio line and subsequent to the first audio source transition as a nurse call audio signal.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
detecting a second audio source transition; and
identifying an audio signal subsequent to the second audio source transition as an entertainment audio signal.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the first audio source transition is detected by detecting, using a pillow speaker microphone, an audible tone.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the first audio source transition is detected by detecting, using a tone detection circuit, an electrical signal corresponding to a pre-determined tone.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the first audio source transition is detected by detecting a discontinuity on the audio line.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the electrical signal discontinuity is a switch bounce, electrical spike, or voltage transition.

### Claim 28 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the audio source transition is detected by detecting a change in bandwidth on the audio line.

### Claim 29 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the audio source transition is detected by detecting a change in an out-of-frequency band reflection on the audio line.

### Claim 30 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the audio source transition is detected by detecting a change in voltage level on the audio line.