Voice-actuated, speaker-dependent control system for hospital bed

A voice-actuated control system consisting of patient-related devices of the kind which enable a user-patient to use simple voice commands to control a plurality of patient-related devices, including a multi-functional hospital bed, each of said devices having a drive mechanism and a switch relay which activates said drive mechanism of each said device, said voice activated patient-related device control system having sound producing means for acknowledging the receipt of said patient-user's request and comprising in operative combination:

• a) a computer disposed in association with said multi-functional hospital bed, said computer including:
• i) a monitor, a keyboard, and a motherboard connected to said monitor and said keyboard and comprising a main central processor unit having a floppy-disk drive for a floppy disk and video card for displaying teaching instructions for said patient-user on said monitor;
• ii) means for recognizing a patient's voice for transforming a user-patient voice input into digital information and transmitted to said motherboard, said means for recognition comprising a voice-recognition card which is connected to said headset assembly and to said motherboard;
• iii) a controller card is connected to said motherboard and to said patient-related devices and which functions as an interface between said motherboard and said patient-related devices, said controller card being connected to said voice-recognition card;
• one of said patient-related device being a telephone, said controller card comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes for indicating the condition of said switch relay, a telephone amplifier for amplifying signals of said telephone, each said light-emitting diodes being connected to a relay of said patient-related device associated with said relay;
• and
• iv) teaching means for teaching said system to recognize a set of predetermined commands pronounced in the voice of said patient user;
• and
• b) a headset assembly which is worn by said patient-user, including a microphone for use as a conventional telephone transmitter for transmitting voice input to said voice recognition card and to said floppy disk, and an earphone for use as a conventional telephone receiver for receiving a signal from said means for acknowledging said patient-user's request.

A method of controlling patient-related devices by user-patient voice commands, including operating a multi-functional hospital bed, comprising in any operative sequence the steps of:

• a) providing a multi-functional hospital bed having a plurality of associated patient-related devices, means for activating said patient-related devices, said patient related devices being responsive to voice commands, a headset comprising a microphone and an earpiece worn by a patient, a computer with a memory, a keyboard, a monitor, and an analog-to-digital converter for converting voice commands to digital signals, said computer having voice-recognition means for recognizing a set of predetermined voice commands of said patient, said computer having a floppy disk with reaching means for enabling said user-patient to teach said computer through said voice-recognition card to store and recognize said predetermined voice commands;
• b) teaching said computer to store and recognize said predetermined voice commands by entering into said memory of said computer a set of predetermined voice commands by said user-patient who pronounces said commands through said microphone by repeating the teaching instructions shown on said monitor form said floppy disk;
• c) disconnecting and removing said monitor and said keyboard from said computer after the completion of said teaching step;
• d) storing said digital signals in said memory and backing up said digital signals in said floppy disk;
• and
• e) selectively activating said patient-related devices by said patient selectively pronouncing said predetermined voice commands through the use of said microphone and said voice card without the use of said monitor and said keyboard.

A voice-actuated speaker-dependent control system for use with a hospital bed having patient-related devices of the kind which enable a user-patient to use simple voice commands to control, a plurality of patient-related devices, including those in said hospital bed, each of said devices having an activating unit and a switch relay which actives said activating unit of each said device, said voice-activated patient-related device control system having means for acknowledging the receipt of said patient-user's request and comprising in operative combination:

• a) a computer which is disposed in association with said multi-functional hospital bed, said computer has:
• i) a motherboard which contains a central processor unit with built-in memory;
• ii) a floppy-disk drive and a floppy disk which stores said simple voice commands of said user-patient and an operating program for said control system, said operating program including reaching instructions, said floppy disk drive being connected to said motherboard;
• iii) a video card connected to said motherboard;
• iv) a controller card which is connected to said motherboard and said patient-related devices and functions as an interface between said motherboard and said patient-related devices;
• v) a voice recognition card for the recognition of said simple voice commands to transform said simple voice commands into digital-information transmitted to said motherboard under commands of said operating program, said voice commands consisting of teaching commands and operating commands;
• and
• vi) a headset assembly which is worn by said patient-user including a microphone for use as a conventional telephone transmitter and for transmitting said simple voice commands to said voice recognition card and to said floppy disk, and an earphone for use as a conventional telephone receiver and means for receiving a signal from said means for acknowledging said patient-user's request.