Patient support with improved control

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a frame, a patient support surface supported in the frame, and a plurality of functional components associated with the patient support surface or the frame. The apparatus further includes a control system, with a controller, incorporated into the patient support surface or the frame and in operative communication with at least one of the functional components for controlling the component. The control system further includes a touch-screen in communication with the controller for controlling the functional component, which is positioned in the barrier around the patient support surface, and accessible at the exterior or interior surface of the barrier for access by a user. The touch-screen is configured to allow the user to select one or more of the functional components and control a parameter associated with the selected functional component. In addition, an icon is generated at the touch-screen representative of the parameter associated with the selected functional component, and with icon changing in response to the user adjusting the parameter associated with the selected functional component wherein the change in the icon gives the user feedback on the degree of change made by the user to the parameter associated with the selected functional component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.