Dual band telemetry system

A dual band telemetry system comprising:

• a first telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a first signal having a frequency in a first RF band;
• a second telemetry transmitter for acquiring patient data and transmitting the patient data in a second signal having a frequency in a second RF band;
• an antenna array for receiving the first and second signals from the first and second telemetry transmitters, the antenna array including
• a first antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in the first RF band,
• a second antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in the second RF band,
• a down converter for producing a frequency translation signal,
• a mixer coupled to the second antenna and to the down converter, the mixer for using the signal received by the second antenna and the frequency
• translation signal to produce a signal having a frequency in the first RF band;
• and
• a combiner for combining the signal having a frequency in the first RF band with the signal received by the first antenna;
• a receiver subsystem coupled to the combiner;
• and
• a central station coupled to the receiver subsystem and for receiving the patient data.

A dual band telemetry system comprising:

• a first antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a first frequency band;
• a combiner coupled to the first antenna;
• a second antenna tuned to receive a signal having a frequency in a second frequency band;
• a mixer coupled to the second antenna and the combiner;
• and
• an oscillator coupled to the mixer and having an output, and wherein the mixer is configured to mix signals received from the second antenna with the output of the oscillator to produce a signal within the first frequency band.

A method of monitoring patients in a care unit, the method comprising:

• acquiring a patient data signal from a first transmitter that operates in a first frequency band;
• acquiring a patient data signal from a second transmitter that operates in a second frequency band;
• converting the patient data signal from the second transmitter to a third signal in the first frequency band;
• combining the first and third signals;
• and
• delivering the combined first and third signals to a receiver.