US 2026/0183161 A1 · PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUS MOVEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A patient support apparatus system includes one or more patient support apparatuses, one or more location beacons, and, in some instances, a server. Each patient support apparatus includes a wireless transceiver adapted to range with the location beacon(s) to determine position information. The location beacon(s) transmit movement data, such as intersection data, corner data, speed limit data, and/or other data to the patient support apparatus. The patient support apparatus includes one or more powered wheels and it uses the movement data for controlling movement of the powered wheel and/or assisting the user of the patient support apparatus in the movement of the patient support apparatus. In some versions, the location beacon and/or server may be used to map areas of the healthcare facility where impacts above a threshold commonly occur, thereby allowing the patient support apparatus to automatically mitigate the impact forces during future visits to those areas.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A patient support apparatus comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
a support surface adapted to support a patient thereon;
a first wireless transceiver adapted to range with a location beacon mounted at a fixed location within a healthcare facility and to determine a distance between the patient support apparatus and the location beacon;
a network transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a server;
an accelerometer adapted to detect when the patient support apparatus experiences an impact force while the patient support apparatus is moving;
and
a controller adapted to transmit a message to the server via the network transceiver in response to the accelerometer detecting an impact force above a threshold, the message including location data indicating a relative position of the patient support apparatus to the location beacon when the accelerometer detected the impact force above the threshold.

4 more elements

A system for sharing travel information in a healthcare facility, the system comprising a patient support apparatus, a location beacon, and a server;

wherein the patient support apparatus includes:
(i) a plurality of wheels;
(ii) a support surface adapted to support a patient thereon;
(iii) a first wireless transceiver adapted to range with the location beacon and to determine a distance between the patient support apparatus and the location beacon;
(iv) a network transceiver adapted to communicate with the server;
(v) an accelerometer adapted to detect when the patient support apparatus experiences an impact force while the patient support apparatus is moving;
and
(vi) a controller adapted to transmit a message to the server via the network transceiver in response to the accelerometer detecting an impact force above a threshold, message including location data indicating an impact location of the patient support apparatus relative to the location beacon when the accelerometer detected the impact force above the threshold;
and
wherein the server is adapted to receive the message and store in a memory the location data.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Patient support apparatus movement system

Life of this patent

Patient support apparatus movement system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20