Infant incubators and infant warmers with single patient and twin patient control

A method for controlling the heating and temperature monitoring of Infant incubators and infant warmers, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an infant space;
• providing a heater for heating the space;
• connecting a first temperature sensor to a first patient and placing the patient in the infant space;
• connecting a second temperature sensor to a second patient and placing the second patient in the infant space;
• providing a monitoring and control unit connected to the first temperature sensor and connected to the second temperature sensor;
• providing an input device associated with the monitoring and control unit;
• using the input device to set a skin temperature target setting for the first patient;
• using the input device to set a skin temperature target setting for the second patient;
• forming a control temperature from the input first skin temperature target setting and the input second skin temperature target setting;
• heating the space based on a difference between the control temperature and an actual temperature value that is a function of a first actual temperature sensed by the first temperature sensor and a second actual temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor.

An infant heat treatment system, comprising:

• an infant support surface;
• a heating unit;
• a plurality of skin temperature sensors;
• a monitoring and control unit for controlling the operation of the heating unit to heat the infant on the surface and for receiving input settings including at least a first and second skin temperature setting and allowable deviation settings, the monitoring and control unit being operable in:
• a single patient mode for controlling the heating unit based on a relationship between a temperature signal from at least one of said plurality of skin temperature sensors and at least one skin temperature setting for a single patient on the infant support surface and
• a twin patient mode for controlling the heating unit based on at least a relationship between a temperature signal from a first skin temperature sensor connected to a first infant on the infant support surface and a temperature signal from a second skin temperature sensor connected to a second infant on the infant support surface and a first skin temperature setting based for the first infant and a second skin temperature setting for the second infant where the temperature control setting overlaps a range defined by each of a first skin temperature setting plus or minus a first patient skin temperature deviation setting and defined by a second skin temperature setting plus or minus a second patient skin temperature deviation setting.