Microprocessor based bed patient monitor

A patient monitor, comprising:

• (a) a patient sensor, said patient sensor positionable to be proximate to a patient,
• (1) said patient sensor for detecting at least one state of the patient,
• (2) said patient sensor being responsive to a change in the detected at least one state of the patient, and,
• (3) said patient sensor responding electrically to said change in the detected at least one state of the patient;
• (b) a loudspeaker, said speaker for producing audible alarms;
• and,
• (c) a processor in electronic communication with said loudspeaker and said patient sensor, said processor containing therein at least a portion of a computer program, said computer program containing instructions at least for:
• (1) selecting an alarm sound in response to said electrical change in said patient sensor,
• (2) accessing at least one data item representative of said selected alarm sound,
• (3) synthesizing an alarm sound from said at least one data item representative of said selected alarm sound, and,
• (4) transmitting said synthesized alarm sound to said loud speaker to create an audible alarm.

A reprogrammable patient monitor for use with a binary switch, said binary switch at least for detecting a presence or an absence of a patient, comprising:

• (a) a processor for synthesizing at least one sound under software control, said processor
• (a1) being positionable so as to be in electronic communication with said binary switch, and,
• (a2) responding to said binary switch when placed into electronic communication therewith,
• (b) modifiable nonvolatile RAM accessible by said processor,
• (b1) said modifiable nonvolatile RAM containing at least a plurality of modifiable computer instructions utilizable by said processor, and,
• (b2) said modifiable computer instructions defining at least a portion of said response of said processor to said binary switch;
• and,
• (c) a loudspeaker in electronic communication with said processor and responsive thereto, said loudspeaker for sounding for sounding said at least one synthesized sound.

A bed patient monitor comprising:

• (a) a loudspeaker, said speaker for producing at least one alarm sound therefrom;
• and,
• (b) a processor in electronic communication with said loudspeaker, said processor
• (1) for receiving electronic signals from a sensor indicative of the presence thereon and absence therefrom of a patient,
• (2) for activating said patient monitor to an alarm mode in response to said electronic signals,
• (3) for internally synthesizing at least one alarm sound under software control, and,
• (4) for transmitting to said loudspeaker said synthesized alarm sound.