# US 8,464,380 B2 · Patient support apparatus having alert light > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,380 B2 - Document ID: US8464380B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/334,161 - Filed: 2011-12-22 - Published: 2012-05-03 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-08 - Assignees: Hill-Rom Services, Inc. - Applicants: John A. Bobey; Stephen L. Douglas; Eric R. Meyer; Jonathan H. Mueller; Robert Petrosenko; Stephen R. Schulte; Andrew F. Skinner; Michael Z. Sleva; Richard B. Stacy; Daniel K. Stevens; Mayur Yermaneni - Inventors: John A. Bobey; Stephen L. Douglas; Eric R. Meyer; Jonathan H. Mueller; Robert Petrosenko; Stephen R. Schulte; Andrew F. Skinner; Michael Z. Sleva; Richard B. Stacy; Daniel K. Stevens; Mayur Yermaneni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464380B2 ## CPC - A61G 7/05: Parts, details or accessories of beds (devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 {; mattresses A47C27/00}) - A61B 5/6891: {Furniture} - A61G 7/05776: {with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers} - A61B 5/7435: {Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface} - A61G 2203/16: Touchpads - A61G 2203/20: Displays or monitors - A61G 2203/34: for pressure - A61G 2203/42: for inclination - A61G 2205/10: Bar codes - Y10S 5/905: with light emitting means - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A patient support apparatus includes a bed frame having a head end and a foot end and control circuitry carried by the bed frame. The control circuitry receives information about conditions of the patient support apparatus. A light is coupled to the bed frame adjacent the foot end and is coupled to the control circuitry. The light is in a first state when the patient support apparatus is operating normally and the light is in a second state when the control circuitry detects an alert condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A patient support apparatus comprising a bed frame having a head end and a foot end, control circuitry carried by the bed frame, the control circuitry receiving information about at least two conditions of the patient support apparatus, and a light coupled to the bed frame adjacent the foot end and coupled to the control circuitry, the light being in a first state when the patient support apparatus is operating normally and the light being in a second state when the control circuitry detects an alert condition as determined by the control circuitry based on the information, wherein the first state includes the light being illuminated green and wherein the second state includes the light being illuminated a color other than green. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alert condition corresponds to a patient's amount of motion exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alert condition corresponds to a patient attempting to exit the patient support apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alert condition corresponds to a patient lying near an edge of the patient support apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a foot board coupled to the bed frame and the light being carried by the foot board. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The patient support apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a control panel carried by the foot board above the light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The patient support apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control panel comprises a touch screen. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The patient support apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a mattress supported on the bed frame and the touch screen displays icons that are used to control features of the mattress. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first state comprises the light being continuously illuminated green. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The patient support apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second state comprises at least one of an illuminated amber state and an illuminated red state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first state and the second state comprises flashing the light. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light comprises a lens and at least one light producing element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one light producing element includes a plurality of light producing elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The patient support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of light producing elements includes a first light emitting diode (LED) that is operable to emit green light and a second LED that is operable to emit red light or yellow light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lens is frosted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lens is textured. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the light further comprises a lightpipe through which light from the light producing element passes before reaching the lens. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The patient support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lightpipe is frosted. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The patient support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lightpipe is textured. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light is in a third state when the patient support apparatus is in need of service. ### Claim 21 A patient support apparatus comprising a bed having a head end and a foot end, control circuitry carried by the bed, the control circuitry receiving information about at least two conditions of the patient support apparatus, and a light coupled to the bed frame adjacent the foot end and coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the light has a first state in which the light is illuminated green when no alert conditions are detected by the control circuitry based on the information and wherein the light has a second state in which the light is illuminated a color other than green when an alert condition is detected by the control circuitry based on the information, the first light indicating the alert condition in response to at least one of patient motion and a bed setting. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The patient support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the alert condition corresponds to a patient's amount of motion exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The patient support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the alert condition corresponds to a patient attempting to exit the patient support apparatus. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The patient support apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a foot board coupled to the bed frame and the light is carried by the foot board. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The patient support apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a control panel carried by the foot board above the light. ### Claim 26 A patient support apparatus comprising a bed frame having a head end and a foot end, the bed frame including a mattress support deck, a plurality of sensors to sense conditions of the patient support apparatus, the plurality of sensors including a first sensor that senses a first condition of the patient support apparatus and a second sensor that senses a second condition of the patient support apparatus, control circuitry carried by the bed frame, the control circuitry receiving information from the plurality of sensors about conditions of the patient support apparatus, and a light coupled to the bed frame adjacent the foot end and coupled to the control circuitry, the light being in a first state when the information from the plurality of sensors is indicative that the patient support apparatus is operating normally and the light being in a second state when the control circuitry detects an alert condition as determined by the information from at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the first state includes the light being illuminated green and wherein the second state includes the light being illuminated a color other than green. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The patient support apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first sensor comprises a pressure sensor to sense pressure associated with a first zone of a mattress and the second sensor comprises a second pressure sensor to sense pressure associated with a second zone of the mattress. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The patient support apparatus of claim 26, wherein the light comprises a lens and a plurality of light producing elements each of which shines light through the lens when in a respective on state.