COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR A PATIENT SUPPORT DEVICE - Patent application

Abstract

A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient includes a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and a third transceiver mounted at a first location, a second location, and a third location, respectively. A controller is adapted to determine a location of the first device relative to the patient support apparatus using wireless radio frequency communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a first device, such as a display device, a fixed locator, and / or a vital sign sensor. The controller is adapted to transmit data to the display device if the first device is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and not transmit data to the display device if the first device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume. The patient support apparatus also selectively accepts and communicates with a removable cartridge including a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to patient support apparatus such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, etc. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to patient support apparatus that communicate with one or more devices that are separate from the patient support apparatus itself.

[0002] Patients in a hospital often have one or more vital signs monitored during their stay at the hospital. These vital sign readings are often recorded in an electronic medical record that is associated with a particular patient. In order to record a vital sign reading from a particular vital sign sensor in the correct patient's electronic medical record, a caregiver must typically perform one or more manual steps to associate the vital sign sensor with a particular patient. In order for the caregiver to view the vital sign readings, the caregiver must typically plug in a cable from the vital sign sensor to a display device and / or perform other steps to view the vital sign readings. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In accordance with various aspects disclosed herein, the present disclosure is directed to a patient support apparatus that reduces labor associated with reading, recording, and / or displaying a patient's vital signs data. In some aspects, the patient support apparatus automatically detects a relative position of a vital signs sensor with respect to the patient support apparatus, and automatically associates data from that particular vital signs sensor with a patient assigned to the patient support apparatus if the relative position meets one or more criteria. Alternatively or additionally, the patient support apparatus automatically detects a relative position of a display device with respect to the patient support apparatus, and transmits data to the display device only if the relative position falls within a pre-determined spatial volume. Alternatively or additionally, the patient support apparatus can automatically detect a relative position of a fixed locator with respect to the patient support apparatus, and transmit data to be displayed to the fixed locator only if the relative position falls within a pre-determined spatial volume. In yet other aspects, the patient support apparatus can be configured with a removable cartridge adapted to receive one or more plugs from one or more vital signs sensors. The removable cartridge is removable from a patient support apparatus, can communicate with the patient support apparatus when removed therefrom, and is adapted to simplify cable management by allowing the cartridge to be removed from the patient support apparatus while cables from one or more vital signs sensors remain plugged into the cartridge. The cartridge allows a patient to exit the patient support apparatus without having to unplug cables running between the vital signs sensors and a display device adapted to display readings from the vital signs sensors. Still other advances or advantages over prior art patient support apparatus and communication systems will become apparent in light of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a patient support apparatus comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to a first location of the patient support apparatus; a second transceiver coupled to a second location of the patient support apparatus; and a third transceiver coupled to a third location of the patient support apparatus; and a controller adapted to determine a location of a fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a fixed locator located off-board the patient support apparatus. The controller is further adapted to transmit data to be displayed by a display device located off-board the patient support apparatus if the fixed locator is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and not transmit the data to be displayed by the display device if the fixed locator is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a patient support apparatus comprising a support surface, a first transceiver, a second transceiver, a third transceiver, and a controller. The first transceiver is coupled to a first location of the patient support apparatus. The second transceiver is coupled to a second location of the patient support apparatus. The third transceiver is coupled to a third location of the patient support apparatus. The controller is adapted to determine a location of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a display device. The display device is disposed off-board the patient support apparatus and includes a display. The controller is further adapted to transmit data to be displayed on the display device if the display device is disposed inside a predetermined spatial volume, and not transmit the data to the display device if the display device is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a patient support apparatus comprising: a support surface; a first transceiver, a second transceiver, a third transceiver; and a controller. The support surface is adapted to support a patient thereon. The first transceiver is coupled to a first location of the patient support apparatus. The second transceiver is coupled to a second location of the patient support apparatus. The third transceiver is coupled to a third location of the patient support apparatus. The controller is adapted to determine a location of the vital signs sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital signs sensor. The controller is further adapted to receive vital sign data from the vital sign sensor and transmit the vital sign data to a display device when the vital sign sensor is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and to not transmit the vital sign data to the display device when the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0007] A patient support apparatus according to yet another aspect of the disclosure includes a support surface, a cartridge, a cartridge port, a cartridge receiver, and a controller. The support surface is adapted to support a patient thereon. The cartridge is adapted to be physically attached to and detached from the patient support apparatus. The cartridge includes a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of the patient. The cartridge further includes a cartridge transmitter adapted to transmit a cartridge ID and vital sign data to the patient support apparatus. The cartridge port is adapted to physically receive the cartridge when the cartridge is physically attached to the patient support apparatus. The cartridge receiver is adapted to communicate with the cartridge transmitter and to receive the cartridge ID and the vital sign data communicated from the cartridge transmitter. The controller is adapted to associate the cartridge with the patient support apparatus.

[0008] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a patient support apparatus includes a support surface, a cartridge, a cartridge port, a cartridge receiver, and a controller. The support surface is adapted to support a patient thereon. The cartridge is adapted to be physically attached to and detached from the patient support apparatus. The cartridge includes a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of the patient. The cartridge further includes a cartridge transmitter adapted to transmit vital sign data to the patient support apparatus. The cartridge port is adapted to physically receive the cartridge when the cartridge is physically attached to the patient support apparatus. The cartridge receiver is adapted to communicate with the cartridge transmitter and to receive the vital sign data from the cartridge transmitter. The controller is adapted to transmit the vital sign data to a display device.

[0009] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a patient support apparatus includes a support surface adapted to support a patient, a first transceiver coupled to a first location of the patient support apparatus, and a controller adapted to determine a location of the fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a fixed locator located off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller further adapted to transmit data to be displayed to a display device located off-board the patient support apparatus when at least one of the following is true: (a) the fixed locator is located within a first predetermined volume of space defined relative to the patient support apparatus, or (b) the patient support apparatus is located within a second predetermined volume of space defined relative to the fixed locator. The controller is also configured to not transmit the data to be displayed to the display device if at least one of the following is true: (i) the fixed locator is located outside the first predetermined spatial volume; or (ii) the patient support apparatus is located outside the second predetermined spatial volume.

[0010] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a patient support apparatus includes a support surface adapted to support a patient, a first transceiver coupled to a first location of the patient support apparatus, and a controller adapted to determine a location of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a display device located off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller further adapted to transmit data to be displayed to the display device located off-board the patient support apparatus if the display device is located inside a predetermined spatial volume defined for the patient support apparatus, and the controller further adapted to not transmit the data to be displayed to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband transceivers.

[0012] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a memory in which the first, second, and third positions of the first, second, and third transceivers, respectively, are stored. In such embodiments, the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first, second, and third transceivers to determine a relative position of the fixed locator, the vital sign sensor, and / or the display device with respect to the patient support apparatus. The controller is further adapted to use the determination of the relative position of the fixed locator, the vital sign sensor, and / or the display device with respect to the patient support apparatus to determine whether the fixed locator, the vital sign sensor, and / or the display device are located inside or outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0013] In some aspects, the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device when the vital sign sensor is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device when the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0014] In some aspects, the display device is mounted adjacent to a bay of a room within a medical facility.

[0015] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a microphone adapted to convert a voice of the patient into an audio signal, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0016] In some aspects, the display device includes a device controller and a video port adapted to receive a video cable adapted to be coupled to a display, the device controller adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the video port in response to receiving the data to be displayed.

[0017] According to some aspects, the video port comprises one of a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector, a Video Graphics Array (VGA) connector, a DisplayPort (DP) connector, a number of Radio Corporation of America (RCA) connectors, or a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector.

[0018] According to some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of the patient, the controller being further adapted to include a reading from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device.

[0019] In some aspects, the vital sign port is integrated into a cartridge and the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital sign sensor remains plugged into the vital sign port.

[0020] In some aspects, the cartridge includes an adapter and the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the adapter remains connected to the cartridge, and the adapter is adapted to be removed from the cartridge while the plug of the cable remains coupled to the adapter.

[0021] In some aspects, the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit, and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

[0022] In some aspects, the cartridge further comprises a battery, and the cartridge transmitter is adapted to wirelessly transmit the vital signs data to the cartridge receiver when the cartridge is removed from the patient support apparatus.

[0023] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the controller is adapted to include a room number within the data to be displayed by the display device, the room number identifying a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

[0024] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server of a local area network of a medical facility, and the controller is adapted to receive a location ID from the fixed locator, transmit the location ID to the server using the network transceiver, and thereafter receive the room number from the server via the network transceiver.

[0025] In some aspects, the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

[0026] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further includes a local display integrated therein, and the controller is adapted to display on the local display a screen including the data to be displayed by the display device.

[0027] In some aspects, the data to be displayed by the display device includes readings from the vital signs sensor.

[0028] In some aspects, the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

[0029] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a user interface adapted to allow a user to control content of the data to be displayed by the display device.

[0030] In some aspects, the display device, the vital signs sensor, and / or the fixed locator include a fourth transceiver adapted to communicate with the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, and the fourth transceiver may also be an ultra-wideband transceiver.

[0031] In some aspects, the display device is one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

[0032] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed directly to the display device without first transmitting the data to be displayed to any intermediate device located off-board the patient support apparatus.

[0033] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to a fixed locator, and the fixed locator is adapted to forward the data to the display device.

[0034] In some aspects, the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not include the readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0035] In some aspects, the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the display device when the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and is further adapted to not transmit the vital sign data to the display device when the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0036] In some aspects, the controller is further adapted to transmit a room number to the display device if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not transmit the room number to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

[0037] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus includes a user interface adapted to allow a user to control the format of the vital signs data that is transmitted to the display device.

[0038] In some aspects, the user interface is adapted to allow a user to select additional data to be transmitted to the display device.

[0039] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a patient ID reader adapted to wirelessly receive a patient ID from a patient ID device and a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server, the controller being further adapted to transmit both the vital signs data and the patient ID to the server.

[0040] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the patient support apparatus may further include a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server hosted on a computer network, and the controller may be adapted to transmit the cartridge ID and the patient support apparatus ID to the server.

[0041] In some aspects, the cartridge transmitter is further adapted to transmit the cartridge ID during an association time when the controller associates the cartridge with the patient support apparatus, and thereafter transmit the cartridge ID during a post-association time, the controller being further adapted to verify whether the cartridge ID received during the post-association time matches the cartridge ID received during the association time.

[0042] In some aspects, the controller is further adapted to perform at least one of the following: (a) displaying an error message on the display if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time; or (b) ceasing display of the vital signs data on the display if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time.

[0043] In some aspects, the controller may be further adapted to perform at least one of the following: (a) sending an error message to the server if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time; or (b) stopping transmission of the vital signs data to the server if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time.

[0044] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further comprises a patient ID reader adapted to wirelessly receive a patient ID from a patient ID device.

[0045] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to transmit both the vital signs data and the patient ID to the server.

[0046] In some aspects, the patient ID device is a wristband worn by the patient, and the wristband has a code imprinted thereon and adapted to be read by the patient ID reader, the code identifying the patient.

[0047] In some aspects, the display device and the fixed locator are mounted inside a common room within a medical facility.

[0048] In some aspects, the fixed locator is mounted inside a common room within a medical facility and the display device is mounted outside the room.

[0049] In some aspects, the display device is a stationary display device and the controller is further adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the mobile display device when the mobile display device is located inside the first predetermined spatial volume, but not to transmit the data to be displayed to the mobile display device when the mobile display device is located inside the first predetermined spatial volume.

[0050] In some aspects the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit the data to be displayed to the display device.

[0051] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to receive an identifier of the display device from the fixed locator and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the display device.

[0052] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus includes a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server on a computer network, and the controller is further adapted to receive an identifier of the display device from the server and to use the identifier when sending the data to be displayed to the display device.

[0053] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to determine a position of a fixed locator located off-board the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and the fixed locator located off-board the patient support apparatus, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to a second display device located off-board the patient support apparatus when at least one of the following is true: (a) the fixed locator is located within a second predetermined volume of space defined relative to the patient support apparatus, or (b) the patient support apparatus is located within a third predetermined volume of space defined relative to the fixed locator. The controller is further adapted to not transmit the data to be displayed to the second display device if at least one of the following is true: (i) the fixed locator is located outside the second predetermined spatial volume; or (ii) the patient support apparatus is located outside the third predetermined spatial volume.

[0054] In some aspects, the controller is adapted to receive an identifier of the second display device from the fixed locator and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the second display device.

[0055] In some aspects, the patient support apparatus further includes a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server on a computer network, and the controller is further adapted to receive an identifier of the second display device from the server and to use the identifier when sending the data to be displayed to the second display device.

[0056] Before the various aspects of the present disclosure are described in detail, it is to be understood that the claims are not to be limited to the details of operation or the details and arrangement of components set forth in the following detailed description or illustrated in the drawings. The aspects described herein can be practiced or performed in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the terms and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "comprises" and "comprises" or variations thereof is meant to encompass the items described thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items and their equivalents. Furthermore, enumerations may be used in describing various embodiments. Unless expressly stated, the use of an enumeration should not be construed as limiting the claims to a particular order or number of components. The use of an enumeration should not be construed as excluding from the scope of the claim any additional steps or components that may be combined with or into the recited steps or components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0057] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] [Diagram 2] 2 is a top view of an exemplary caregiver control panel of the patient support apparatus of FIG.

[0059] [Diagram 3] 3 is a top view of an exemplary caregiver control panel of the patient support apparatus of FIG.

[0060] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus, a number of vital signs sensors, a display device, and a first type of locator unit used to automatically detect the location of the patient support apparatus.

[0061] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, and display device of FIG. 4, and a healthcare facility network.

[0062] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus, a plurality of vital signs sensors, a display device, and a second type of locator unit used to automatically detect the location of the patient support apparatus.

[0063] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, display device, and locator unit of FIG. 6 and a healthcare facility network.

[0064] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, a vital signs sensor, and a display device according to a first operational configuration.

[0065] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, and display device according to a second operational configuration.

[0066] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, and display device according to a third operating configuration.

[0067] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, locator unit, and display device according to a fourth operating configuration.

[0068] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, vital signs sensor, locator unit, and display device according to a fifth operating configuration.

[0069] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus and display device according to a sixth operating configuration.

[0070] [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, a locator unit, and a display device according to a seventh operating configuration.

[0071] [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, locator unit, and display device according to an eighth operating configuration.

[0072] [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, locator unit, and display device according to a ninth operating configuration.

[0073] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an example of a display device displaying an exemplary set of data that may be received from a vital signs sensor and / or a patient support apparatus and displayed thereon.

[0074] [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge that can be removably coupled to a patient support apparatus.

[0075] [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge of FIG. 18 shown coupled to a plurality of vital signs sensors.

[0076] [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus illustrating a first alternative position of the cartridge.

[0077] [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus illustrating a second alternative position of the cartridge.

[0078] [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus illustrating a third alternative position of the cartridge and a plurality of vital signs sensors coupled to the cartridge.

[0079] [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus illustrating a fourth alternative position of the cartridge.

[0080] [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the cartridge removed from the patient support apparatus and positioned adjacent to a display device.

[0081] [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is an illustration of a patient support apparatus, a locator unit, and multiple display devices according to a tenth operating configuration.

[0082] [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram of a patient support apparatus, a locator unit, and multiple display devices according to an eleventh operating configuration.

[0083] [Figure 27]FIG. 27 is a perspective view of an overhead boom and patient support apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0084] An exemplary patient support apparatus 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in Figure 1. Although the particular form of patient support apparatus 20 illustrated in Figure 1 is a bed adapted for use in a hospital or other medical environment, it will be understood that in different embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 can be a cot, a stretcher, a recliner, a surgical table, or any other structure capable of supporting a patient in a medical environment.

[0085] Generally, the patient support apparatus 20 includes a base 22 having a plurality of wheels 24, a pair of lift devices 26 supported on the base 22, a litter frame 28 supported on the lift devices 26, and a support deck 30 supported on the litter frame 28. The patient support apparatus 20 further includes a headboard 32, a footboard 34, and a plurality of side rails 36. Although the side rails 36 are all shown in a raised position in FIG. 1, each is independently movable to a lowered position where access to and from the patient support apparatus 20 is not impeded by the lowered side rails 36.

[0086] The lift devices 26 are adapted to raise and lower the litter frame 28 relative to the base 22. The lift devices 26 may be hydraulic actuators, electric actuators, or any other suitable device for raising and lowering the litter frame 28 relative to the base 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the lift devices 26 are independently operable such that the inclination of the litter frame 28 relative to the base 22 may be adapted to position the litter frame 28 in a flat or horizontal orientation, in a Trendelenburg orientation, or in a reverse Trendelenburg orientation. That is, the litter frame 28 has a head end 38 and a foot end 40, the heights of which may each be independently adjusted by the nearest lift device 26. The patient support apparatus 20 is designed such that when an occupant lies thereon, his or her head is positioned adjacent the head end 38 and his or her feet are positioned adjacent the foot end 40.

[0087] The litter frame 28 provides a structure for supporting the support deck 30, the headboard 32, the footboard 34, and the side rails 36. The support deck 30 provides a support surface for a mattress 42 or other soft cushion on which a person can lie and / or sit. In some embodiments, the mattress 42 includes one or more inflatable bladders that are controllable via a blower or other compressed air source. In at least one embodiment, the inflation of the bladders of the mattress 42 is controllable via electronics on board the patient support apparatus 20. In one such embodiment, the mattress 42 may include any of the features and / or structures of any of the mattresses disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 9,468,307, issued Oct. 18, 2016, inventors Patrick Lafleche et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Still other types of mattresses may be used.

[0088] The support deck 30 is made up of multiple sections, some of which are pivotable about generally horizontal pivot axes. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the support deck 30 includes at least a head section 44, a thigh section 46, and a foot section 48, all of which are disposed below the mattress 42 and form a generally flat surface that supports the mattress 42. The head section 44, sometimes referred to as the Fowler section, is pivotable about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a generally horizontal orientation (not shown in FIG. 1) and a number of elevated positions (one of which is shown in FIG. 1). The thigh section 46 and the foot section 48 may also be pivotable about generally horizontal pivot axes.

[0089] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 can be modified from as shown to include one or more components adapted to allow a user to expand the width of the patient support deck 30, thereby enabling the patient support apparatus 20 to accommodate patients of various sizes. When so modified, the width of the deck 30 can be adjusted laterally in any increment, such as between a first or minimum width, a second or intermediate width, and a third or extended / maximum width.

[0090] As used herein, the term "longitudinal" refers to a direction parallel to an axis between the head end 38 and the foot end 40. The terms "transverse" or "lateral" refer to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the plane on which the patient support apparatus 20 sits.

[0091] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the patient support apparatus 20 may be designed with other types of mechanical configurations different from those shown in the accompanying drawings, such as, but not limited to, those described in commonly assigned U.S. Patient Support Usable With Bariatric Patients, U.S. Pat. No. 1,013,0536, to inventors Roussy et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, the mechanical configuration of the patient support apparatus 20 may include the same or substantially the same structure as the Model 3002 S3 bed manufactured and sold by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan. This configuration is described in more detail in the Stryker Maintenance Manual for the MedSurg Bed 3002 S3, published in 2010 by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In yet other embodiments, the mechanical configuration of the patient support apparatus 20 may have the same or substantially the same structure as the Model 3009 Procuity MedSurg bed manufactured and sold by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is described in more detail in the Stryker Maintenance Manual for the 3009 Procuity MedSurg bed (3009-009-002 Rev. A.0), published in 2020 by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

[0092] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the patient support apparatus 20 may also be designed with other types of mechanical configurations, such as, but not limited to, those described in commonly owned U.S. Patent No. 7,690,059, issued April 6, 2010, to Lemire et al., entitled "Hospital Bed," and / or those described in commonly owned U.S. Patent Application No. 2007 / 0163045, filed by Becker et al., entitled "Patient handling device including local status indication, one-touch fowler angle adjustment, and power-on alarm configuration," the entire disclosures of both of which are also incorporated herein by reference. The overall mechanical configuration of the patient support apparatus 20 may also take other forms that are different from those disclosed in the above referenced documents, provided that the patient support apparatus includes one or more of the functions, features, and / or structures discussed in more detail below.

[0093] The patient support apparatus 20 further includes a number of control panels 54 that allow a user of the patient support apparatus 20, for example, a patient and / or an associated caregiver, to control one or more features of the patient support apparatus 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the patient support apparatus 20 includes a footboard control panel 54a, a pair of outer siderail control panels 54b (only one of which is visible), and a pair of inner siderail control panels 54c (only one of which is visible). The footboard control panel 54a and the outer siderail control panel 54b are intended for use by a caregiver or other authorized person, while the inner siderail control panel 54c is intended for use by a patient associated with the patient support apparatus 20. The control panels 54 each include a number of controls 50 (e.g., FIGS. 2-3), although each control panel 54 does not necessarily include the same controls and / or functionality.

[0094] Among other functions, the controls 50 of the control panel 54a allow a user to control one or more of the following: change the height of the support deck 30, raise or lower the head section 44, activate and deactivate the brakes on the wheels 24, engage and disengage the exit detection system 136 (FIG. 5), change various settings of the patient support apparatus 20, view the current location of the patient support apparatus 20 as determined by the position detection system discussed herein, view vital sign sensors and / or other types of medical devices associated with the patient support apparatus 20, if present, and perform other actions. One or both of the inner siderail control panels 53c also includes at least one control that allows the patient to call a nurse (or other caregiver) at a remote location. In addition to this nurse call control, one or both of the inner siderail control panels 53c also includes one or more controls for controlling one or more features of one or more room devices located in the same room as the patient support apparatus 20. As described in more detail below, such room devices include, but are not necessarily limited to, a television, a reading light, and a room light. With respect to a television, features that may be controllable by one or more controls 50 on the control panel 54c include, but are not limited to, the volume, channel, closed captioning, and / or power state of the television. With respect to a room light and / or a night light, features that may be controllable by one or more controls 50 on the control panel 54c include the on / off state and / or brightness level of these lights.

[0095] The control panel 54a includes a display 52 (FIG. 2) configured to display a number of different screens. A number of navigation controls 50a-f surround the display 52 which, when activated, cause the display 52 to display a different screen on the display 52. ​​More specifically, when a user presses the navigation control 50a, the control panel 54a displays an exit detection control screen on the display 52. ​​The exit detection control screen includes one or more icons that, when touched, control an on-board exit detection system 136 (FIG. 5). The exit detection system 136 is adapted to generate an alert when a patient leaves the patient support apparatus 20. The exit detection system 136 may have any of the same features and functions and / or be configured in any of the same manner as the exit detection system disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 889,254, filed August 20, 2019, entitled "Person Support Apparatus with Adjustable Exit Detection Zones," inventors Sujay Sukumaran et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other types of exit detection systems may be included within the patient support apparatus 20.

[0096] When the user presses the navigation control 50b (FIG. 2), the control panel 54 displays a monitoring control screen that includes a number of control icons that, when touched, control an on-board monitoring system installed on the patient support apparatus 20. The on-board monitoring system alerts the caregiver via a unified indicator, such as a light or lights controlled in a unified manner, when one or more of the settings of the patient support apparatus 20 are in an undesired state, and indicates using the same unified indicator when all of the settings are in their desired state. Further details of one type of monitoring system that may be included in the patient support apparatus 20 are disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 864,638, filed June 21, 2019, entitled "Patient Support Apparatus with Caregiver Reminders," by inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., and in commonly owned U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 721,133, filed December 19, 2019, entitled "Patient Support Apparatuses with Motion Customization," by inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., the entire disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other types of monitoring systems may be included in the patient support apparatus 20.

[0097] When the user presses the navigation control 50c, the control panel 54a displays a scale control screen. The scale control screen includes a number of control icons that, when touched, control a scale system of the patient support apparatus 20. Such a scale system may include any of the same features and functions and / or be configured in any of the same manner as the scale systems disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 889,254, filed Aug. 20, 2019, by inventors Sujay Sukumaran et al., entitled "Person Support Apparatus with Adjustable Exit Detection Zones," and commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 62 / 885,954, filed Aug. 13, 2019, by inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., entitled "Patient Support Apparatus with Equipment Weight Log," both disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The scale system may utilize the same force sensors utilized by the exit detection system 136, but may utilize one or more different sensors. Other scale systems than those described in the '254 and '954 applications above may alternatively be included within the patient support apparatus 20.

[0098] When the user presses the navigation control 50d, the control panel 54 displays a motion control screen. The motion control screen includes a number of control icons that, when touched, control the movement of various components of the patient support apparatus 20, such as, but not limited to, the height of the litter frame 28 and the pivoting of the head section 44. In some embodiments, the motion control screen displayed on the display 52 in response to pressing the control 50d may be the same as or similar to the position control screen 216 disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 885,953, filed August 13, 2019, entitled "Patient Support Apparatus with Touchscreen," inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other types of motion control screens may be included in the patient support apparatus 20.

[0099] When the user presses the navigation control 50e, the control panel 54a displays a motion lock control screen. The motion lock control screen includes a plurality of icons that, when touched, control one or more motion lockout features of the patient support apparatus 20. Such motion lockout features typically include the ability for a caregiver to use the control panel 54a to lock out one or more of the motion controls 50 of the patient control panel 53c, preventing the patient from using the controls 50 on the control panel 54c to control the movement of one or more components of the patient support apparatus 20. The motion lockout screen may include any of the features, functions, and configurations and / or be configured in a manner similar to the motion lockout features, functions, and configurations disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 721,133, filed December 19, 2019, entitled "Patient Support Apparatus with Motion Customization," inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other types of motion lockout features may be included in the patient support apparatus 20.

[0100] When the user presses the navigation control 50f, the control panel 54a displays a menu screen. The menu screen includes a plurality of menu icons that, when touched, bring up one or more additional screens for controlling and / or viewing one or more other features of the patient support apparatus 20. Such other features include, but are not limited to, displaying information about one or more medical devices currently associated with the patient support apparatus 20, diagnostic and / or service information for the patient support apparatus 20, mattress control and / or status information, configuration settings, location information, and other settings and / or information. One example of a suitable menu screen is the menu screen 100 disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 885,953, filed August 13, 2019, entitled "Patient Support Apparatus with Touchscreen," inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other types of menus and / or settings may be included within the patient support apparatus 20. In at least one embodiment, the navigation control 50f allows a user to navigate to a screen where the user can see which medical devices are located, if any, within a predefined spatial volume that contains the patient support apparatus 20 and a predefined amount of space surrounding the patient support apparatus 20. As discussed in more detail below, the patient support apparatus 20 includes an on-board locating system adapted to automatically determine the relative position of one or more medical devices with respect to the patient support apparatus 20, and in some instances, to automatically associate those devices with the patient support apparatus 20 (and / or with a patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20) depending on the proximity of the medical devices to the patient support apparatus 20. Further details of this locating system are provided below.

[0101] For all of the navigation controls 50a-f (FIG. 2), screens other than those specifically described above may be displayed on the display 52 in other embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 in response to a user pressing one or more of the navigation controls 50a-f. Thus, it will be understood that the specific screens described above are merely indicative of the types of screens that may be displayed on the display 52 in response to a user pressing one or more of the navigation controls 50a-f. It will also be understood that while the navigation controls 50a-f are all shown in the accompanying drawings as dedicated controls located proximate the display 52, alternatively, one or more of the controls 50a-f may be a touch screen control located at one or more locations on the display 52. ​​Furthermore, while the controls 50a-f are shown herein as buttons, it will also be understood that alternatively or additionally, any of the controls 50a-f may be a switch, dial, or other non-button type control. Additionally, the patient support apparatus 20 may be modified to include additional, fewer, and / or different navigation controls than the navigation controls 50a-f shown in FIG. 2.

[0102] FIG. 3 is an example of a patient control panel 54c that can be incorporated into the patient support apparatus 20 and positioned in a location on the patient support apparatus 20 for convenient patient access while supported on the support deck, such as on the inside of one of the side rails 36. The control panel 54c includes a number of controls 50g-t that are intended to be operated by the patient. The nurse call control 50g, when pressed by the patient, sends a signal to a nurse call system requesting a remote nurse to speak with the patient. The Fowler up control 50h, when pressed by the patient, causes the patient support apparatus 20 to use an on-board motorized actuator to raise the Fowler section 44 upward. The Fowler down control 50i, when pressed by the patient, causes the motorized actuator to lower the Fowler section downward. The gatch up control 50j, when depressed by the patient, causes the other powered actuators to raise the knee section of the support deck 30, while the gatch down control 50k causes the powered actuators to lower the knee section of the support deck 30.

[0103] The volume up control 50l, when pressed by the patient, causes the patient support apparatus 20 to send a signal to the television in the room instructing the television to turn up its volume, while the volume down control 50m, when pressed, causes the patient support apparatus 20 to send a signal to the television instructing the television to turn down its volume. The channel up control 50n, when pressed by the patient, causes the patient support apparatus 20 to send a signal to the television instructing the television to turn up a channel number, while the channel down control 50o, when pressed, causes the patient support apparatus 20 to send a signal to the television instructing the television to turn down a channel number.

[0104] Mute control 50p, when pressed, causes patient support apparatus 20 to send a signal to the television instructing the television to mute or unmute itself depending on whether the television is currently muted or unmuted. In other words, mute control 50p is a toggle control that, when pressed, alternately sends a mute or unmute command to the television.

[0105] Power control 50q is a toggle control that, when pressed, sends a signal to the television to either power on or power off depending on the television's current power state. Closed caption control 50r is another toggle control that, when pressed, sends a signal to the television to either turn on the closed caption feature or turn off the closed caption feature depending on whether the closed caption feature is currently on or off.

[0106] Control 50s is a toggle control that, when pressed, sends a signal to a first light to either turn the first light on or off depending on the current state of the first light. Control 50t is another toggle control that, when pressed, sends a signal to a second light to either turn the second light on or off depending on the current state of the second light. In some embodiments, the first light is a reading light and the second light is a room light, both of which are located off-board the patient support apparatus 20.

[0107] It will be understood that the number of controls 50 on the control panel 54c, as well as the functions of the controls 50 on the control panel 54c, the layout of the controls 50 on the control panel 54c, and / or other aspects of the control panel 54c can be modified from that shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the control panel 54c is implemented on a pendant controller that includes a cable that plugs into a port on the patient support apparatus 20. In other embodiments, one or more of the controls 50 of the control panel 54c can be omitted, added, and / or split into other control panels and / or locations. Still other ways of implementing the control panel 54c are also possible.

[0108] FIG. 4 illustrates a patient support apparatus 20 located within a room 58 of a medical facility. FIG. 4 also illustrates additional items that may be present within the medical facility and configured to communicate with the patient support apparatus 20, including, but not limited to, a locator unit 60 and a conventional local area network 80 of the medical facility. The locator unit 60 is located at a known, fixed location within the medical facility where the patient support apparatus 20 is located. The locator unit 60 functions as a fixed locator; that is, the locator unit 60 communicates with and shares information with the patient support apparatus 20 that allows the location of the patient support apparatus 20 to be determined.

[0109] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to be able to communicate with at least two different types of units: a combined locator unit 60a and a non-combined locator unit 60b. An example of the combined locator unit 60a is shown in FIG. 4. An example of the non-combined locator unit 60b is shown in FIG. 6. The locator units 60a and 60b differ from one another in that the combined locator unit 60a is adapted to communicate with a conventional communication outlet 64 that is typically mounted on one or more walls of a medical facility. That is, the combined locator unit 60a is communicatively coupled to the conventional communication outlet 64. The non-combined locator unit 60b is not adapted to communicate with such a communication outlet 64 and is therefore not coupled to a nearby communication outlet 64. The communications outlet 64 provides wired access to not only the medical facility's nurse call system 70, but also to one or more room devices, such as a reading light 76, a room light 74, a television 72, and / or other devices.

[0110] Both locator units 60a and 60b are adapted to provide location information to the patient support apparatus 20. However, the combined locator unit 60a is also adapted to serve as a communication conduit for routing communications between the patient support apparatus 20 and one or more devices and / or systems communicatively coupled to the communication outlet 64 (e.g., room devices 72, 74, 76, and / or nurse call system 70; see FIG. 4 ). The uncoupled locator unit 60b, in contrast, is not adapted to serve as a communication conduit between the patient support apparatus 20 and these other devices and / or systems. In general, the combined locator unit 60a is typically located in a patient room of a medical facility where one or more communication outlets are typically present, while the uncoupled locator unit 60b is typically located in a location outside the patient room, such as a hallway, maintenance area, and / or other area. Unless otherwise stated, references herein to "locator unit 60" refer to both locator units 60a and 60b. Both locator units 60a and 60b are adapted to be capable of determining the position of patient support apparatus 20.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 4, the combined locator unit 60a is adapted to be mounted to a wall 62, for example, the headwall of a patient room 58 in a medical facility. The headwall of a room 58 in a conventional medical facility typically includes a conventional communications outlet physically integrated therein. The communications outlet 64 is adapted to receive a nurse call cable 66, which physically connects its other end to either the patient support apparatus 20 (not shown) or the combined locator unit 60a (shown in FIG. 4). In many medical facilities, the communications outlet 64 includes a 37-pin connector, although other types of connectors are often found in a particular medical facility. As discussed in more detail below, the combined locator unit 60a and nurse call cable 66 enable the patient support apparatus 20 to communicate with a nurse call system and one or more room devices located in the room 58.

[0112] The communications outlet 64 is electrically coupled to one or more cables, wires, or other conductors 68 that electrically couple the communications outlet 64 to a nurse call system 70 and one or more conventional room devices, such as a television 72, a room light 74, and / or a reading light 76. The conductors 68 are typically located behind a wall 62 and are not visible. In some healthcare facilities, the conductors 68 may initially couple to a room interface circuit board that includes one or more conductors 68 for coupling the room interface circuit board to the room devices 72, 74, 76 and / or the nurse call system 70. Still other communicative arrangements for coupling the communications outlet 64 to the nurse call system 70 and / or one or more room devices 72, 74, 76 are possible.

[0113] The nurse call cable 66 (FIG. 4) enables the combined locator unit 60a to communicate with the nurse call system 70 and / or room devices 72, 74, 76. Additionally, the patient support apparatus 20 can wirelessly communicate with the combined locator unit 60a, thereby communicating with the nurse call system 70 and the room devices 72, 74, 76. A patient supported on the patient support apparatus 20 activates a nurse call control (e.g., 50b, see FIG. 3) on the patient support apparatus 20, which wirelessly transmits a signal from the patient support apparatus 20 to the combined locator unit 60a. This, in turn, carries a signal via the nurse call cable 66 to the nurse call system 70, which forwards the signal to one or more remote nurses (e.g., nurses at one or more nursing stations 78). When the patient activates one or more room device controls (e.g., controls 50l-t; see FIG. 3), one or more wireless signals are conveyed to the combined locator unit 60a, which in turn sends appropriate signals via the nurse call cable 66 to the communication outlet 64 and room devices 72, 74, 76 to change one or more characteristics of those devices (e.g., volume, channel, on / off state).

[0114] As also shown in FIG. 4, the patient support apparatus 20 is further configured to communicate with a local area network 80 of a medical facility. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the patient support apparatus 20 includes a wireless network transceiver 96 (FIG. 5) that wirelessly communicates with the local area network 80. The network transceiver 96, in at least some embodiments, is a WiFi transceiver (e.g., IEEE 802.11) that wirelessly communicates with one or more conventional wireless access points of the local area network 80. In other embodiments, the network transceiver 96 may be a wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates with the network 80, one or more servers hosted thereon, and / or other devices using conventional 5G technology. In some embodiments, the network transceiver 96 may include any of the structure and / or functionality of the communication module 56 disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 10,500,401, entitled “Network Communication for Patient Support Apparatuses,” issued to Michael Hayes, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Still other types of wireless network transceivers may be utilized.

[0115] In some embodiments, the network transceiver 96 is a wired transceiver adapted to enable the patient support apparatus 20 to communicate with the network 80 via a wired connection, such as via an Ethernet cable plugged into an Ethernet port (e.g., an RJ-45 type port, an 8P8C port) on the patient support apparatus 20. In yet other embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 includes both a wired transceiver 96 for communicating with the network 80 via a wired connection and a wireless transceiver 96 for wirelessly communicating with the network 80.

[0116] The patient support apparatus 20 is configured to communicate with one or more servers on the local area network 80 of the medical facility. One such server is a patient support apparatus server 84. The patient support apparatus server 84 is adapted, in at least one embodiment, to receive status information from the patient support apparatus 20 located within the medical facility and to distribute the status information to caregivers, other servers, and / or other software applications. As discussed in more detail below, the server 84 may be configured to receive data from one or more medical devices located within a spatial volume defined around the patient support apparatus 20 and / or within a spatial volume defined around the locator unit 60. Alternatively, in some embodiments where data from medical devices is collected, the data from the one or more medical devices may be forwarded to one or more other servers 92 (and / or one or more electronic devices 94) on the network 80, such as to a caregiver assistance server and / or a caregiver assistance software application, which are also discussed in more detail below.

[0117] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus server 84 is configured to communicate at least a portion of the patient support apparatus status data and / or medical device data received from the patient support apparatus 20 to a remote server 86 located geographically away from the medical facility. Such communication may occur via a conventional network appliance 88, such as, for example, but not limited to, a router and / or gateway coupled to the Internet 90. The remote server 86 is in turn coupled to the Internet 90, and the patient support apparatus server 84 includes a URL and / or other information necessary to communicate with the remote server 86 via the Internet connection between the network 80 and the server 86.

[0118] In some alternative embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to communicate directly with one or more cloud-based servers, such as the remote server 86, without utilizing the patient support apparatus server 84. That is, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to communicate directly with the remote servers, without relying on any locally hosted servers (e.g., servers hosted on the network 80). In one such embodiment, the patient support apparatus 20 utilizes Microsoft Azure cloud computing services to directly connect to one or more remote servers 86, without utilizing the server 84. In some such embodiments, the network appliance 88 is a router configured to support such a direct connection. Still other types of cloud direct connections may be utilized with one or more patient support apparatus 20.

[0119] The patient support apparatus server 84 is also configured to determine or receive the location of each patient support apparatus 20 from the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus server 84 determines the room number and / or bay area of ​​each patient support apparatus 20 located within the room 58, as well as the location of patient support apparatus 20 located outside the room 58, which may be located in a hallway, a maintenance area, or some other area. In general, the patient support apparatus server 84 may be configured to determine the location of any patient support apparatus 20 located within communication range of one or more locator units 60. This will be discussed in more detail below.

[0120] It will be understood that the architecture and contents of the local area network 80 will vary from one healthcare facility to another, and that the example shown in FIG. 4 is merely one example of the type of network a healthcare facility may employ. Typically, one or more additional servers 92 will be hosted on the network 80, one or more of which may be adapted to communicate with the patient support apparatus server 84. For example, an electronic health record server is typically present within the healthcare facility, and in some embodiments discussed herein, it is in communication with the patient support apparatus server 84 to receive patient data to be recorded in the patient's health record (e.g., vital sign readings from one or more vital sign sensors, weight readings taken from a scale mounted on the patient support apparatus 20, treatment provided to the patient using the powered mattress 42 on-board the patient support apparatus 20, data from other medical devices determined to be associated with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20). The local area network 80 also typically allows one or more electronic devices 94 to access the local area network 80 via the wireless access point 82. Such electronic devices 94 include, but are not limited to, smartphones, tablet computers, portable laptops, desktop computers, smart televisions, and other types of electronic devices that have WiFi capability and are equipped with appropriate authentication (e.g., SSID, password) to access the network 80 (and, in at least some embodiments, the patient support apparatus server 84).

[0121] The combined locator unit 60a is adapted to wirelessly receive a signal from the patient support apparatus 20 and deliver that signal to the communication outlet 64 in a manner consistent with the manner in which the signal would be delivered to the communication outlet 64 if a conventional nurse call cable 66 were directly connected between the patient support apparatus 20 and the communication outlet 64. The combined locator unit 60a is also adapted to transmit the signal received from the communication outlet 64 to the patient support apparatus 20 via the BT transceiver 106 and / or the UWB transceiver 104 (FIG. 5). In this manner, the patient support apparatus 20 and the combined locator unit 60a cooperate to send signals to and receive signals from the communication outlet 64 in a manner that is transparent to the communication outlet 64 such that the outlet 64 cannot detect whether the combined locator unit 60a is communicating with the patient support apparatus 20 via a wired connection between the patient support apparatus 20 and the combined locator unit 60a (of which the latter is in wired communication with the outlet 64) or whether it is communicating with the patient support apparatus 20 via wireless communication. In this manner, healthcare facilities can take advantage of the wireless communication capabilities of one or more patient support apparatuses 20 without having to make any modifications to their existing communication outlets 64.

[0122] In addition to transmitting signals received from the patient support apparatus 20 to the communication outlet 64 as described above, the combined locator unit 60a is also adapted to forward signals received from the communication outlet 64 to the patient support apparatus 20. Thus, the combined locator unit 60a is adapted to effectuate bidirectional communication between the patient support apparatus 20 and the communication outlet 64. This bidirectional communication includes, but is not limited to, communicating command signals from any of the controls 50 and / or any of the electronic devices 94 to the corresponding room devices 72, 74, and / or 76, and communicating audio signals between a person supported on the patient support apparatus 20 and a caregiver located remotely from the patient support apparatus 20. Audio signals received by the locator unit 60 from a microphone on the patient support apparatus 20 are forwarded to the communication outlet 64 (for forwarding to the nurse call system 70), and audio signals of a remote nurse received at the communication outlet 64 (from the nurse call system 70) are forwarded to a speaker onboard the patient support apparatus 20.

[0123] In some embodiments, the nurse call cable 66 includes a conventional 37-pin connector on each end, one adapted to be inserted into the outlet 64 and the other adapted to be inserted into the locator unit 60. Such a 37-pin connection is one of the most common types of connectors found in existing walls of a medical facility for connecting to the nurse call system 70 and room devices 72, 74, and 76. The combined locator unit 60a and nurse call cable 66 are thus configured to couple to one of the most common types of communication outlets 64 used in a medical facility. However, it will be appreciated that such a 37-pin connector is not the only type of connector and that the combined locator unit 60a may utilize different types of connectors adapted to be electrically coupled to different types of nurse call cables 66 and / or different types of communication outlets 64. One example of such an alternative communications outlet 64 and cable 66 is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 819,844, filed August 6, 2015, entitled "Patient Support Apparatuses with Wireless Headwall Communication," inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Still other types of communications outlets 64 and corresponding connectors may be utilized.

[0124] The combined locator unit 60a (FIG. 4) also includes an electrical cord 98 having a plug disposed at a distal end adapted to be inserted into a conventional electrical outlet 100. The electrical cord 98 allows the combined locator unit 60a to receive power from a central power source via the outlet 100. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the combined locator unit 60a is battery powered and the cord 98 can be eliminated. In yet other embodiments, the combined locator unit 60a is battery powered and also includes the cord 98, where battery power powers the combined locator unit 60a in the event of a power loss and / or where power is received through the outlet 100 in the event of a dead battery. The non-combined locator unit 60b may also include a battery, an electrical cord, or both.

[0125] In some embodiments, locator unit 60 (60a and / or 60b) includes a video port adapted to receive a display cable 102 (FIG. 4). Display cable 102 is adapted to couple to locator unit 60 at one end and to non-UWB display device 56 at its opposite end. Locator unit 60 is configured to transmit data to the non-UWB display device using cable 102 to be displayed thereon. Such data may include vital sign data from one or more vital sign sensors coupled to the patient on patient support apparatus 20, status data from one or more sensors on-board patient support apparatus 20, location data relating to the location of patient support apparatus 20, and / or other data. Some examples of the above types of data that may be displayed on non-UWB display device 56 are shown in FIG. 16. Cable 102 may be an HDMI cable, a VGA cable, a DP cable, multiple RCA cables, a DVI cable, and / or other types of cables. Locator unit 60 is configured to include a complementary type connector that mates with a connector on one end of cable 102. Further details regarding communications between patient support apparatus 20 and non-UWB display devices 56 are provided below, and as discussed further herein, patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to communicate directly with a particular display device without using locator unit 60 as a communications intermediary.

[0126] In addition to the structure and functionality described herein, the locator unit 60a (and 60b) is configured to communicate location data to the patient support apparatus 20 that enables the patient support apparatus 20 and / or the patient support apparatus server 84 to determine the location of the patient support apparatus 20 within the healthcare facility. Generally, such location determination is performed by the patient support apparatus 20 analyzing wireless signals communicated between itself and the locator unit 60 to derive its own location relative to the locator unit 60. After determining its relative location with respect to the locator unit 60, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to be able to determine its absolute location within the healthcare facility by receiving a unique wall identifier (ID) from the locator unit 60. The location of each of the locator units 60 within the healthcare facility has been surveyed during installation of the locator units 60, and the unique ID of each locator unit 60 has also been recorded during installation of the locator units 60. This survey information and corresponding ID information can be stored in the patient support apparatus server 84 and / or stored on-board the patient support apparatus 20, thereby enabling the patient support apparatus 20 and / or the patient support apparatus server 84 to determine the location of the patient support apparatus 20 once its relative position to the identified locator unit 60 is known.

[0127] When the location of the patient support apparatus 20 is remotely determined, the patient support apparatus 20 transmits its relative location information and the ID of the locator unit 60 (as well as its own unique patient support apparatus ID 130 (FIGS. 5 and 7)) to the server 84. The server 84 has a table of all locator unit 60 locations (generated via a probing operation during installation of the locator unit 60, as described above), and uses that table to associate the patient support apparatus ID 130 and the locator unit 60 ID that it has received with a particular location within the healthcare facility. In this manner, if a particular patient support apparatus 20 (having a particular ID 130) transmits the ID of a locator unit that corresponds to room 430, the server 84 determines that the particular patient support apparatus 20 is currently located within room 430. Generally speaking, as discussed in more detail below, the position of the patient support apparatus 20 corresponds to any locator unit 60 with which it is currently associated, and if it is not currently associated with any locator unit 60, its position may not be determined.

[0128] In some embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 and the locator unit 60, the determination of the relative position of the patient support apparatus 20 with respect to the locator unit 60 is performed using only ultra-wideband wireless communication between the patient support apparatus 20 and the locator unit 60. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 determines its relative position using only short-range infrared communication with the locator unit 60, where such short-range infrared communication is only possible when the patient support apparatus 20 is located in close proximity to the locator unit 60 (e.g., within about 1-3 meters). In these latter embodiments, when the patient support apparatus 20 is able to successfully communicate with a nearby locator unit 60 using these short-range infrared communications, the patient support apparatus 20 may report that its position is consistent with the position of the nearby locator unit 60. Additionally, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 and the locator unit 60 may communicate with each other using both infrared and ultra-wideband wireless communications. Further details regarding the use of short-range infrared communication for location determination are described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 9,999,375, entitled "Location Detection Systems and Methods," inventors Michael Hayes et al., issued June 19, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0129] In some embodiments, the locator unit 60 and / or the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to include any or all of the functionality of the wireless headwall units and / or patient support apparatus disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 819,844, filed Aug. 6, 2015, to inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al., entitled "Patient Support Apparatuses with Wireless Headwall Communication," commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 26937, filed May 19, 2020, to inventors Alexander Bodurka et al., entitled "Patient Support Apparatuses with Headwall Communication," and / or commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 245,245, filed Sep. 17, 2021, to inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., entitled "System for Locating Patient Support Apparatuses," the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0130] Additionally, in some embodiments, the locator unit 60 and / or the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to include features and / or functionality of the headwall unit 144a and / or the patient support apparatus disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 131,508, filed December 29, 2020, entitled "Tool for Configuring Headwall Units Used for Patient Support Apparatus Communication," inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0131] 5 illustrates a block diagram of a patient support apparatus 20, a combined locator unit 60a, a plurality of vital signs sensors 140, a non-UWB display device 56, a UWB display device 156, a network 80, and a cartridge 142 that is selectively removable from the patient support apparatus 20. As discussed in more detail below, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to automatically determine the location of one or more of the following: vital signs sensors 140, a UWB display device 156, a cartridge 142, and / or a combined locator unit 60a (or a non-coupled locator unit 60b) relative to the patient support apparatus 20, and further configured to communicate with those devices when they are located within a defined proximal range of the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, if a device is located within a defined proximity, the patient support apparatus 20 automatically associates the device with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20, causes data from the device (or devices) to be displayed on one or more display devices 56 and / or 156, and / or forwards data from the device (or devices) to an electronic medical record (EMR) server in communication with the patient support apparatus server 84 and / or network 80.

[0132] The combined locator unit 60a includes an ultra wideband radio transceiver 104, a Bluetooth transceiver 106, a locator unit controller 108, configuration circuitry 110, a television controller 112, a headwall interface 114, a video port 144, a unit ID 116, and, in some embodiments, an infrared transceiver 118. The Bluetooth transceiver 106 is adapted to communicate with a Bluetooth transceiver 122 on-board the patient support apparatus 20 using RF waves according to conventional Bluetooth standards (e.g., IEEE 802.14. and / or standards maintained by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), Kirkland, Washington, USA). In some embodiments, the transceivers 106 and 122 utilize Bluetooth Low Energy communication.

[0133] The ultra-wideband wireless transceiver 104 is adapted to communicate with one or more ultra-wideband wireless transceivers 124 located on-board the patient support apparatus 20. The transceiver 104 is adapted to determine a distance between itself and the patient support apparatus 20. Alternatively or additionally, the transceiver 104 may be adapted to enable each transceiver 124 on-board the patient support apparatus 20 to determine its distance from the transceiver 104. In some embodiments, the transceivers 104 and 124 use time of flight (TOF) calculations to determine these distances. In other embodiments, the transceivers 104 and 124 may utilize other techniques, either in addition to or instead of TOF calculations, to determine their distance from one another. In some embodiments, the transceivers 104, 124 may also determine the angle between them using angle information derived from the position of antenna arrays on-board the transceivers 104, 124 or by using other techniques. The position and orientation of each transceiver 124 on-board the patient support apparatus 20 is known, stored in on-board memory, and used to determine the position and orientation of the patient support apparatus 20 relative to the locator unit 60 with which it is communicating.

[0134] In some embodiments, the transceivers 104, 124 are implemented as any of the Trimension™ ultra-wideband radio modules available from NXP Semiconductors of Austin, Texas. These modules include, but are not limited to, Trimension™ UWB modules ASMOP1BO0N1, ASMOP1CO0R1, and / or ASMOP1CO0A1, utilizing any of the following chips: NXP SR150, SR100T, SR040, NCJ29D5, and / or OL23DO chips. Modules manufactured and / or sold by other companies may also be used, including, but not limited to, Decawave DWM1000, DWM10001C, DWM3000 modules (available from Decawave, Dublin, Ireland), Nordic TSG5162 SiP module (available from Tsingoal Technology, Beijing, China), and / or UWB hubs, wands, and / or sensors available from Zebra technologies, Lincolnshire, Ill. Still other types of UWB modules may be used to implement the transceivers 104 and 124.

[0135] The locator unit controller 108 is adapted to control the operation of the transceivers 104, 106, the component circuits 110, the TV controller 112, the headwall interface 114, the video port 144, and, if included, the IR transceiver 118 (FIG. 5). When included, the infrared transceiver 118 may be included to provide backward compatibility for patient support apparatus 20 that do not include a UWB transceiver 124. That is, some healthcare facilities may include one or more patient support apparatus that do not include a UWB transceiver 124 but do include an IR transceiver adapted to communicate with the IR transceiver 118. When the combined locator unit 60a includes an IR transceiver 118, the combined locator unit 60a can communicate its ID 116 to such patient support apparatus via the IR transceiver 118, which is a short-range transceiver configured to communicate only with adjacent patient support apparatuses when the patient support apparatuses are in close proximity (e.g., less than about 5 feet away). Such adjacent patient support apparatuses 20 then communicate the received locator unit ID 116, along with its own unique ID 130 (FIGS. 5 and 7), to the server 84, which can associate the locator unit ID 116 with a particular location within the medical facility as described above. In this manner, the server 84 can use the combined locator unit 60a to determine the location of versions of the patient support apparatus 20 that do not include a UWB transceiver 104 but do include an IR transceiver.

[0136] The headwall interface 114 is adapted to change the electrical state of one or more pins in electrical communication with the communication outlet 64 (via cable 66). The headwall interface 114 changes these electrical states in response to instructions from the controller 108. For example, if the exit detection system 136 of the patient support apparatus 20 detects the exit of the patient, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 sends an exit alert signal to the combined locator unit 60a, and the controller 108 responds by instructing the headwall interface 114 to change the electrical state of at least one pin used to signal an exit alert (or a generic priority alert) to the nurse call system 70 via the communication outlet 64. In some embodiments, the headwall interface 114 can be configured in the same manner and / or include any one of the features of the cable interface 88 described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 193,778, filed May 27, 2021, by inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al., entitled "Patient Support Apparatus and Headwall Unit Syncing," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively or additionally, the headwall interface 114 can be configured in the same manner and / or include any one of the features of the headwall interface 120 described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 131,508, filed December 29, 2020, by inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., entitled "Tool for Configuring Headwall Units Used for Patient Support Apparatus Communication," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.The combined locator unit 60a may also be configured to perform any of the functions of the headwall unit 94 disclosed in the above-referenced '778 patent application.

[0137] The configuration circuit 110 and the TV controller 112 can be configured to perform any of the same functions and / or be configured in any one of the same ways as the configuration circuit 132 and the TV control circuit 134, respectively, of commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 131,508, filed Dec. 29, 2020, entitled "Tool for Configuring Headwall Units Used for Patient Support Apparatus Communication," inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., the entire disclosure of which has been previously incorporated by reference herein. Additionally or alternatively, the combined locator unit 60a can be configured to perform any of the functions of the headwall unit 144 disclosed in the above-mentioned '508 patent application.

[0138] The patient support apparatus 20 includes a controller 132, a memory 134, an exit detection system 136, a microphone 138, a cartridge receiver 126, a cartridge port 128, a Bluetooth transceiver 122, one or more UWB transceivers 124, a display 52, a network transceiver 96, and several additional elements not shown in FIG. 5. The UWB transceivers 124 are each located at a known location on the patient support apparatus 20. This known location information may be stored in the memory 134 and / or elsewhere and may be defined relative to any suitable common frame of reference. This known location information may include spatial relationships between the UWB transceivers 124 and / or between any other components of the patient support apparatus 20. For example, in some embodiments, the known location information includes not only spatial relationships between UWB transceivers 124, but also spatial relationships between the UWB transceivers 124 and one or more of the following: the head end 38 of the patient support apparatus 20, the foot end of the patient support apparatus 20, the sides of the patient support apparatus 20, the floor surface, and / or other components and / or landmarks of the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, this location information is used to determine an orientation of the patient support apparatus 20 relative to one or more walls 62, the locator unit 60, other patient support apparatus 20, and / or other objects or structures within the healthcare facility.

[0139] Controller 132, like controller 108, may take many different forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the controllers are each implemented as a conventional microcontroller. However, the controllers may be modified to use many different types of circuitry, either alone or in combination with one or more other microcontrollers, including, but not limited to, any one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), systems on a chip (SoCs), volatile or non-volatile memory, discrete circuits, and / or other hardware, software, or firmware known to those skilled in the art that can perform the functions described herein. Such components may be physically configured in any suitable manner, such as by mounting them on one or more circuit boards, or by arranging them in different ways, whether combined in a single unit or distributed across multiple units. The instructions followed by controllers 108 and 132 in performing the functions described herein, as well as the data necessary to perform those functions, are stored in corresponding memories accessible to the particular controller (e.g., memory 134 for controller 132 and memory (not shown) for controller 108). In some embodiments, controller 132 may include and / or function in conjunction with a microcontroller integrated with or associated with UWB transceiver 124, and controller 108 may include and / or function in conjunction with a microcontroller integrated with or associated with UWB transceiver 104.

[0140] The controller 132 utilizes the transceivers 124 to determine the relative position of the patient support apparatus 20 with respect to one or more nearby locator units 60. When the patient support apparatus 20 is located within range of the locator unit 60, its UWB transceiver 124 communicates with the UWB transceiver 104 located on its locator unit 60, and the two transceivers 124 and 104 exchange signals that allow the distance between them to be determined. The same is done for each of the UWB transceivers 124 located on-board the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 includes at least three UWB transceivers 124, and the patient support apparatus 20 determines the distance between these UWB transceivers 124 and the UWB transceivers 104 of the locator units 60.

[0141] In some embodiments, the UWB transceivers 104, 124 may also be configured to determine an angular relationship between them. The distance (and angular information) in at least some embodiments is calculated by the UWB transceiver 124 and controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20. In other embodiments, the UWB transceiver 104 and controller 108 may calculate the distance (and angular information) and forward the calculations to the patient support apparatus 20 (either via the UWB transceiver 104 or the BT transceiver 106). In either situation, the patient support apparatus controller 132 is informed of the distance (and, in some embodiments, angular information, as described above) between the transceivers 124 and 104. These distances and orientations are then used to calculate the relative position of the patient support apparatus 20 with respect to the locator unit 60 within a common frame of reference. As will be discussed in more detail below, the common frame of reference may be defined in a fixed relationship with respect to the patient support apparatus 20 or in a fixed relationship with respect to the locator unit 60.

[0142] 5 (and 6) only show a single locator unit 60, it will be appreciated that a typical healthcare facility may include multiple locator units 60 located at different locations throughout the facility, including some located inside patient rooms and some located outside patient rooms. Typically, at least one combined locator unit 60a is located in each patient room in the healthcare facility, and if a patient room is intended to be occupied by multiple patients (e.g., includes multiple bays), additional combined locator units 60a may be included such that each patient support apparatus 20 has a combined locator unit 60a located adjacent each bay area within the room. Additional locator units 60, such as non-combined locator units 60b, may also be located at other locations throughout the healthcare facility.

[0143] The position of the patient support apparatus 20 relative to the locator unit 60 is repeatedly determined by an exchange of communication signals between the UWB transceivers 104 and 124. This exchange is initiated by an interrogation signal, which may be transmitted by the UWB transceiver 104 of the locator unit 60 and / or by the UWB transceiver 124 of the patient support apparatus 20. The trigger for transmitting these interrogation signals (from either source) may, at least in some embodiments, simply be the passage of a predetermined amount of time. That is, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 and / or the locator unit 60 may be configured to periodically transmit an interrogation signal that is responded to by the UWB transceiver 104 or 124 located within range of that signal. In embodiments in which the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to transmit such interrogation signals, the time interval between interrogation signals may be varied depending on the position of the patient support apparatus 20 and / or other conditions. For example, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to transmit interrogation signals with longer time intervals between them when the patient support apparatus is stationary, and to transmit interrogation signals with shorter time intervals between them when the patient support apparatus is moving. Indeed, in some embodiments, the controller 132 may be configured to stop transmitting such interrogation signals after the patient support apparatus 20 stops moving until it starts moving again. In any of the above embodiments, movement of the patient support apparatus 20 may be detected in any suitable manner, such as by including one or more motion sensors (e.g., one or more accelerometers) on the patient support apparatus 20 and / or by monitoring the value of repeated distance measurements and looking for changes indicative of such movement.

[0144] Range measurements (and / or angle information between the locator unit 60 and the patient support apparatus 20) generated from communications between the UWB transceivers 104, 124 may utilize Angle of Arrival (AoA) information, TOF information, Channel State Information (CSI), Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) information, Two-Way Ranging (TWR) information, and / or other information. In some embodiments, each transceiver 104, 124 includes an array antenna that is used to generate range and / or angle information for the transceiver 104, 124 with which it is communicating. Additionally, in some embodiments, the transceivers 104, 124 include their own one or more microcontrollers, and the location of the transceivers 104, 124 may be determined by these internal microcontrollers without the use of the controllers 132 and / or 108. In other embodiments, the controllers 108 and / or 132 may work in conjunction with the microcontrollers of the transceivers 104, 124 to determine their relative locations with respect to one another.

[0145] The patient support apparatus 20 also includes a microphone 138 (FIG. 5) that, in at least some embodiments, is used to detect the patient's voice when the patient wishes to speak to a remote caregiver. The patient's voice is converted into audio signals by the microphone 138, and the controller 132 is adapted to forward these audio signals to an adjacent communication outlet 64 (FIG. 4) located in the wall 62. When a cable 66 is coupled between the patient support apparatus 20 and the outlet 64, the controller 132 forwards these audio signals to the outlet 64 via the cable. When no such cable 66 extends between the patient support apparatus 20 and the outlet 64, the controller 132 wirelessly forwards these audio signals (using the transceiver 122, or in some embodiments, the transceiver 124) to the currently associated locator unit 60, which then forwards the audio signals to the outlet 64. As described, the outlet 64 is in electrical communication with a conventional nurse call system 70 adapted to direct audio signals to the correct nurse station 78 and / or other location. In some embodiments, the microphone 138 acts as both a microphone and a speaker. In other embodiments, a separate speaker may be included to convey audio signals received from a remote nurse. In some embodiments, audio communication between the patient support apparatus 20 and the communication outlet 64 is performed in any of the manners and / or includes any of the structures disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 847,753, filed April 14, 2020, entitled "Patient Support Apparatuses with Nurse Call Audio Management," inventors Alexander Bodurka et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0146] After the locator units 60a and 60b are installed within a particular medical facility, the location of each locator unit 60 within the facility is recorded. In some embodiments, the coordinates of the location of the locator units 60 in a common frame of reference are recorded (or recorded and then transformed to the common frame of reference). Such coordinates may be three-dimensional (i.e., include a height component) or may be two-dimensional (no height component). In other embodiments, rather than the exact coordinates of one or more locator units 60, a more generalized location of the locator units 60 is determined. In still other embodiments, the location of one or more locator units 60 is determined both generally and more precisely. The generalized location of the locator units 60 may include an indication of the room, bay, area, hallway, portion of a hallway, wing, maintenance area, etc. in which the locator units 60 are located. The specific location of the locator units 60 may include X, Y, Z coordinates within the common frame of reference, as described above.

[0147] Regardless of how the location of each locator unit 60 is initially determined after the locator units 60 are installed within the medical facility (e.g., whether their coordinates are determined or a more general location is determined), the locations of all locator units 60 are stored in memory accessible to the server 84, as well as their unique IDs 116. The server 84 then uses this location and ID data to determine the location of the patient support apparatus 20. Alternatively or additionally, this location and ID data is transferred to the patient support apparatus 20 for storage in on-board memory and for use in determining their own location. In some embodiments, the location of each locator unit 60 (whether it is specific and / or general) may additionally or alternatively be stored in memory within that particular locator unit 60 and shared with devices (e.g., patient support apparatus 20) in communication with it. In some other embodiments, the location of each locator unit 60 may be stored in multiple locations.

[0148] It will be appreciated that the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to communicate with the locator unit 60 regardless of the orientation of the patient support apparatus 20. That is, the UWB transceivers 104 and 124 are wireless radio frequency transceivers that do not rely on line of sight (LOS) communication, unlike the IR transceiver 118 (if present). As such, the patient support apparatus 20 does not need to be oriented in any particular direction relative to the locator unit for the transceivers 104 and 124 to communicate. This differs from some prior art systems that use IR communication between the patient support apparatus and the locator unit, requiring the patient support apparatus 20 to have an on-board IR transceiver oriented toward the locator unit in order to establish communication.

[0149] It will also be appreciated that the locator unit 60 may be positioned against a wall, a column, a ceiling, or any other fixed structure within the healthcare facility.

[0150] The patient support apparatus 20 is also configured to use the UWB transceiver 124 to determine the location of various other devices relative to the patient support apparatus 20, such as the location of one or more vital signs sensors 140, one or more UWB display devices 156, and / or a cartridge 142 that is physically separate from the patient support apparatus 20 (FIG. 5). As discussed in more detail below, the controller 132 uses the UWB transceiver 124 to determine the relative locations of those devices by communicating with one or more respective UWB transceivers mounted on or attached to tags affixed to those devices. Such UWB transceivers operate similarly to the UWB transceiver 124 and / or the UWB transceiver 104 of the locator unit 60. Additionally, as will be discussed in more detail below, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 uses the relative position information to determine how it interacts with these devices, including whether to display data from these devices and / or whether to transmit data from one or more of these devices to the patient support apparatus server 84 and / or an EMR server on the network 80.

[0151] The vital sign sensor 140a includes a UWB transceiver 146, a controller 148, and one or more vital sign transducers 150. The UWB transceiver 146 is adapted to communicate with a UWB transceiver 124 located on-board the patient support apparatus 20 such that the position of the vital sign sensor 140a relative to the patient support apparatus 20 can be repeatedly determined. The UWB transceiver 146 can be the same as any other UWB transceiver discussed herein (e.g., UWB transceivers 124, 104, etc.). The controller 148 of the vital sign sensor 140a is adapted to oversee the operation of the vital sign sensor, handle the communication of the UWB transceiver 146 with other UWB transceivers (e.g., transceiver 124), and handle the output of the vital sign transducer 150. The vital sign transducer 150 can be different for each vital sign sensor 140. In some embodiments in which vital signs sensor 140 is adapted to detect the patient's blood pressure, vital signs transducer 150 may be a pressure sensor adapted to detect the patient's blood pressure. For other vital signs sensors 140, transducer 150 may be a thermometer for measuring the patient's temperature, a pressure detector or a sound detector for measuring the patient's respiratory rate, a sound detector for measuring the patient's heart rate, an infrared light detector for detecting reflected infrared light in a pulse oximeter, and / or any type of transducer, sensor, or detector capable of detecting one or more vital signs or other medically significant characteristics of a patient.

[0152] The controller 148 of the vital signs sensor 140 may include a microcontroller and / or any other structure described above and including the controller 132 and / or the controller 108. The controller 148 is adapted to transmit vital signs readings from the transducer 150 to the patient support apparatus 20 when the vital signs sensor 140 is associated with the patient support apparatus 20. As discussed in more detail below, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 determines whether to associate a particular device, such as the vital signs sensor 140, with the patient support apparatus 20 (or with a patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20) if the patient support apparatus 20 is currently located in a predefined position. In general, the controller 132 associates a device, such as the vital signs sensor 140, with the patient support apparatus 20 if the device is located within a predefined spatial volume 152 ( FIG. 4 ) defined for and around the patient support apparatus 20.

[0153] If the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 concludes that the vital sign sensor 140 is currently located within the predetermined spatial volume 152 and therefore associates the vital sign sensor 140 with the patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 is configured to request and / or receive vital signs from the vital sign sensor 140. Additionally, the controller 132 is configured to forward the vital sign data to one or more recipients, such as to the locator unit 60 (which may then forward it to and display it on the non-UWB display device 56), to the UWB display device 156, to one or more displays 52 located on-board the patient support apparatus 20, and / or to one or more servers on the medical facility's local area network 80. When forwarding the vital sign data from the patient support apparatus 20 to the locator unit 60, the controller 132 may utilize the BT transceiver 122 to transmit the data to the BT transceiver 106. In transferring the vital sign data from the patient support apparatus 20 to a server on the network 80, the controller 132 may utilize the network transceiver 96 and one or more access points 82. Additionally, in transferring the vital sign data from the patient support apparatus 20 to the UWB display device 156, the controller 132 may use one or more of its UWB transceivers 124 to transmit the vital sign data to a UWB transceiver that is part of the UWB display device 156.

[0154] As mentioned above, the patient support apparatus 20 is also configured to determine the relative position of one or more of the UWB display devices 156 (FIG. 5) using the UWB transceiver 124. The UWB display device 156 includes a UWB transceiver 160, a controller 162, and a display 164. The UWB transceiver 160 is adapted to communicate with the UWB transceiver 124 located on-board the patient support apparatus 20 such that the position of the UWB display device 156 relative to the patient support apparatus 20 can be repeatedly determined. The UWB transceiver 160 can be the same as any other UWB transceiver discussed herein (e.g., UWB transceivers 124, 104, 146, etc.). The controller 162 of the UWB display device 156 is adapted to oversee the operation of the UWB display device 156, handle the UWB transceiver 160's communications with any other UWB transceivers, and control the content displayed on the display 164. Display 164 may be a conventional LCD display, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a plasma screen display, and / or any other type of display capable of displaying the data discussed herein.

[0155] The controller 162 (FIG. 5) of the UWB display device 156 may include a microcontroller and / or other structure as described above and including the controller 132 and / or the controller 108. The controller 162 is adapted to display vital sign readings and / or other data received from the patient support apparatus 20 when the controller 132 determines that the UWB display device 156 is associated with the patient support apparatus 20 (e.g., disposed within the predetermined spatial volume 152). Thus, for example, if the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 has associated both the vital sign sensor 140a and the UWB display device 156 with the patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 is configured to receive vital sign data from the vital sign sensor 140a and transmit that vital sign sensor data to the UWB display device 156 depending on how a user has configured the settings of the patient support apparatus 20. In this manner, for example, vital signs sensor 140a, corresponding to a blood pressure monitor, can transmit the patient's blood pressure readings via transducer 146 to patient support apparatus 20, and controller 132 can forward those blood pressure readings to UWB display device 156 for display on display 164. Alternatively or additionally, controller 132 can transmit those blood pressure readings to combined locator unit 60a for forwarding via video port 144 and display cable 102 to non-UWB display device 56. Alternatively or additionally, controller 132 can forward the blood pressure readings via network transceiver 96 to a server on network 80 (e.g., server 84 and / or an EMR server).

[0156] Similar to the vital signs sensor 140, the controller 132 determines the relative position of the UWB display device 156 by communicating with one or more respective UWB transceivers 160 using the UWB transceiver 124, either mounted on the UWB display device 156 or attached to a tag affixed to the UWB display device 156. Such UWB transceivers operate similarly to the UWB transceiver 124 and / or UWB transceiver. The determination of the position of the UWB display device 156 relative to the patient support apparatus 20 is used by the controller 132 to determine whether the controller 132 should associate the UWB display device 156 with the patient support apparatus 20, and thus whether the controller 132 should transmit data to be displayed on the UWB display device 156.

[0157] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 is configurable by a user (e.g., via the control panel 56a) to control what information, if any, the patient support apparatus 20 transmits to the associated display device 56 or 156. In this manner, a user may, for example, instruct the patient support apparatus 20 to transmit blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse rate readings to the UWB display device 156, but not transmit patient temperature readings and / or other data. In another example, the patient support apparatus 20 is configurable by a user such that the controller 132 does not transmit any vital signs data to the display device 56 or 156, even if the controller 132 determines that the display device 56 or 156 (or its associated locator unit 60) is within the spatial volume 152 and associated with the patient support apparatus 20.

[0158] Locator unit 60 is configured to transmit a message to patient support apparatus 20 indicating whether a non-UWB display device 56 is connected to it via video port 144 (or, in some examples discussed below, via a wireless connection). In such an embodiment, when controller 132 of patient support apparatus 20 receives a signal indicating that a non-UWB display device 56 is coupled to an associated locator unit, controller 132 is configured to refer to customized user settings to determine whether to transmit vital signs data (or other data) to that locator unit 60 for transfer to the non-UWB display device 56 coupled to video port 144. It should be noted that when patient support apparatus 20 associates itself with a particular locator unit 60 having a non-UWB display device 56 coupled to its video port 144, it is not necessary for the non-UWB display device 56 to be located within spatial volume 152 for controller 132 to transmit data to be displayed on the non-UWB display device 56. Instead, controller 132 is configured to only determine whether an associated locator unit 60 is located within spatial volume 152. If so, controller 132 may transmit vital signs data and / or other data (depending on user settings) to locator unit 60 for transfer to the display device. If locator unit 60 is not located within spatial volume 152, controller 132 does not transmit any data to locator unit 60 for display on non-UWB display device 56, even if non-UWB display device 56 happens to be located within spatial volume 152.

[0159] In addition to allowing a user to customize what data, if any, is sent to a display device 56, 156, the controller 132 is further configured to allow a user to customize what data is sent to different types of display devices 56, 156. In this manner, the controller 132 may be programmed to allow a user to transmit a first data set to a non-UWB display device 56 that is coupled to an associated locator unit 60, and to transmit a second data set, different from the first data set, to a UWB display device 156 that is not coupled to the locator unit 60.

[0160] The UWB display device 156 may take a variety of different forms. In some embodiments, the display device 156 may comprise a conventional smartphone, laptop computer, tablet computer, smart TV, and / or smart monitor that has a UWB transceiver on-board or has an external tag attached thereto along with a UWB transceiver and can communicate with the attached UWB tag. In such examples, it will be appreciated that the conventional smartphone, laptop computer, tablet computer, or other type of UWB display device 156 includes a software application that oversees UWB communications with the patient support apparatus 20 and controls the display of data on the display (i.e., screen) of the UWB display device 156. The software application has one or more security features implemented to ensure that only authorized users can have this data displayed on the UWB display device 156, thereby preventing unauthorized users from viewing this data on their own smartphones, laptop computers, tablet computers, etc. In some embodiments, the controller 132 is configured to execute a security check protocol with the UWB display device 156 to authenticate the UWB display device 156 prior to transmitting any data to the UWB display device 156 for display thereon.

[0161] The non-UWB display device 56 (FIG. 5), like the UWB display device 156, includes a display controller 162a and a display 164a. The non-UWB display device 56 differs from the UWB display device 156 in that the non-UWB display device 56 does not include a UWB transceiver 160 mounted thereon or coupled thereto as found in the UWB display device 156. Because the non-UWB display device 56 does not include UWB transceiver(s), the patient support apparatus 20 cannot use its UWB transceiver 124 to determine the location of the non-UWB display device 56. In contrast, because the UWB display device 156 includes one or more UWB transceivers 160, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 can use ranging or other position determination communications between the UWB transceiver 124 and the UWB transceiver 160 to determine the location of the UWB display device 156 relative to the patient support apparatus 20.

[0162] In some examples, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to transfer data to be displayed to the non-UWB display device 56 by first using the UWB transceiver 124 to determine the location of the locator unit 60 to which the non-UWB display device 56 is coupled. If the locator unit 60 is not located within the spatial volume 152, the controller 132 does not transmit the data to be displayed to the locator unit 60 for transfer to the coupled non-UWB display device 56. If the locator unit 60 is located within the spatial volume, the controller 132 is configured to transmit the data to be displayed on the coupled non-UWB display device 56 by transferring the data to be displayed to the associated locator unit 60, which then transfers it to the non-UWB display device 56. In some embodiments, the locator unit 60 transfers the data to be displayed to the non-UWB display device 56 via, for example, the video port 144 and the video cable 102 as shown in FIG. 5. In other embodiments, as discussed in more detail below, the locator unit 60 may transfer the data to be displayed to the non-UWB display device 56 using wireless communication between the locator unit 60 and the non-UWB display device 56. This wireless communication may utilize Bluetooth, WiFi, or other wireless technologies. In still other embodiments, the locator unit 60 may transfer the data to be displayed to the non-UWB display device 56 by first transferring it to a local network 80, such as a server 84, and then transferring it to the non-UWB display device 56 using that network. In some embodiments, the controller 132 transfers the data to be displayed on the non-UWB display device 56 to the associated locator unit 60 using the Bluetooth transceiver 122, which transmits the data to the Bluetooth transceiver 106 of the locator unit 60.

[0163] Because the non-UWB display device 56 does not include a UWB transceiver, the non-UWB display device 56 may be a conventional television, computer monitor, or other conventional device capable of displaying a video signal transmitted over the video cable 102. In addition, it is not necessary for the non-UWB display device 56 to execute any specialized software application that authenticates communications with the coupled locator unit 60 and / or communications with the patient support apparatus 20. Instead, when the controller 132 determines that the locator unit 60 is within the spatial volume 152 (and, in some examples, when the controller 132 determines that the locator unit 60 is an authenticated locator unit), the controller 132 does not need to execute any additional security protocols with respect to the non-UWB display device 56. Indeed, in some embodiments, the controller 132 need not be able to perform any communications with the non-UWB display device 56 other than forwarding data to be displayed to the associated locator unit 60. In this manner, non-UWB display device 56 does not need to know anything about locator unit 60 and / or patient support apparatus 20. It simply displays the video signal coming from video cable 102, and therefore does not require software applications dedicated to patient support apparatus 20 and / or locator unit 60 and / or UWB communications.

[0164] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 includes a cartridge port 128 and a cartridge receiver 126 (FIG. 5). The cartridge port 128 is adapted to physically receive the cartridge 142 via an engineering fit such that when the cartridge 142 is inserted into the cartridge port 128, the cartridge 142 is physically retained on the patient support apparatus 20, but the cartridge port 128 is flexible enough that the cartridge 142 can be removed therefrom in response to a user grabbing and pulling the cartridge 142. In other words, the cartridge port 128 is adapted so that the user can attach the cartridge 142 to the patient support apparatus 20, and the cartridge 142 remains attached thereto until the user wishes to remove the cartridge 142, at which time the cartridge 142 can be easily removed without the use of any tools.

[0165] The cartridge 142 includes a number of features, as described in more detail below. In general, the cartridge 142 is adapted to allow one or more vital signs sensors 140b to be physically plugged therein. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a vital signs cable 170 may be coupled between the vital signs sensor 140b and the cartridge 142. When so coupled, the vital signs sensor 140b is adapted to transfer its vital signs readings to the cartridge 142, which then transfers the readings to the cartridge receiver 126. The cartridge receiver 126 in turn transfers those readings to the controller 132, which is adapted to display the vital signs data on any one of the display devices 56 or 156 (or 52) in the manner described above. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 132 may transfer the data to the patient support apparatus server 84 via the network transceiver 96.

[0166] By receiving the vital sign data through a cartridge 142 adapted to be physically coupled to the patient support apparatus 20, it is not necessary for the location of the vital sign sensor 140b coupled to the cartridge 142 by the cable 170 to be determined prior to associating the vital sign sensor 140b with the patient support apparatus 20 (or with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20). In this manner, when the controller 132 receives the vital sign data from the cartridge receiver 126, the controller 132 knows that the vital sign data is from a patient associated with the patient support apparatus 20. Thus, it is not necessary for the controller 132 to use the UWB transceiver 124 to determine the location of the vital sign sensor 140b in order to associate the data with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. As a result, the vital sign sensor 140b is not required to include a UWB transceiver, whether the UWB transceiver is on-board the vital sign sensor 140 or integrated into a tag attached to the vital sign sensor 140. Instead, vital signs sensor 140b simply includes vital signs transducer 150 and controller 148, as shown in Figure 5. Controller 148 and transducer 150 may take any of the same forms and operate in any of the same manners as described above in connection with controller 148 and transducer 150 of vital signs sensor 140a, so this content need not be repeated here.

[0167] 6 and 7 show a non-coupled locator unit 60b that functions to provide location information to one or more patient support apparatuses 20 in the same manner as described herein (and further below). As previously mentioned, the non-coupled locator unit 60b differs from the coupled locator unit 60a in that the non-coupled locator unit 60b is not coupled to a communication outlet 64. As a result, the non-coupled locator unit 60b can be located at any fixed location within the medical facility, rather than only being located adjacent to a communication outlet 64. Because such communication outlets 64 are typically located only along the headwalls in patient rooms, the coupled locator unit 60a is typically located only against the headwalls of the patient rooms. However, the uncoupled locator unit 60b can be placed in hallways, in elevators, in maintenance areas, storage areas, parking garages, and / or any other desired location where the patient support apparatus 20 is expected to move and location information regarding the patient support apparatus 20 is desired.

[0168] FIG. 6 shows the uncoupled locator unit 60b located in a hallway. FIG. 7 shows the internal components of the locator unit 60b. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the locator unit 60b does not include several components that may be found in the coupled locator unit 60, such as configuration circuitry 110, television controller 112, headwall interface 114, and / or IR transceiver 118. Instead, the locator unit 60b includes a controller 108, a Bluetooth transceiver 106, a UWB transceiver 104, a video port 144, and a unit ID 116. These five components work in the same way as the corresponding components of the coupled locator unit 60a. That is, the UWB transceiver 104 is used in conjunction with the transceiver 124 to determine the relative position of the locator unit 60b with respect to the patient support apparatus 20. Controller 108 transmits unit ID 116 to patient support apparatus 20, as well as any position and / or angle calculations that controller 108 makes in response to communications between UWB transceivers 104 and 124. BT transceiver 106 may be used for any high bandwidth communications between locator unit 60b and patient support apparatus 20 that require or desirably are performed using a communications channel having a greater bandwidth than the communications channel between UWB transceivers 104 and 124. Such high bandwidth communications may include vital signs data and / or other data to be displayed on a non-UWB display device 56 coupled to uncoupled locator unit 60b.

[0169] Communication between the patient support apparatus 20 and the uncoupled locator unit 60b occurs in the same manner as described above in connection with Figures 4 and 5. Generally, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 associates itself with the uncoupled locator unit 60b when it is located within the spatial volume 152. After associating itself with the uncoupled locator unit 60b, the controller 132 determines (from the signal transmitted by the locator unit 60b) whether the non-UWB display device 56 is coupled to the locator unit 60b and whether the locator unit 60b is configured to transmit any vital signs data or other data to be displayed thereon. If true, the controller 132 transfers the data to be displayed on the non-UWB display device 56 to the locator unit 60b, which in turn transfers the data to the display device via its video port 144.

[0170] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to determine which locator unit 60 (coupled or uncoupled) it is associated with in the same manner that the patient support apparatus and wall units perform such associations as in U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 245,245, filed September 17, 2021, entitled "System for Locating Patient Support Apparatuses," inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0171] 8-16 and 25-26 illustrate several different operational configurations for the patient support apparatus 20, vital signs sensor 140, display devices 56, 156, and / or locator unit 60. That is, each of FIGS. 8-16 and 25-26 illustrates the physical configurations of one or more of these devices that may be implemented within a healthcare facility at a particular time. These different configurations may occur at different times for the various devices depending on how the healthcare facility personnel arrange the devices at a given moment. The manner in which these devices interact with each other in these different operational configurations is discussed in more detail below.

[0172] 8 illustrates a first operating configuration in which both the vital signs monitor 140a and the UWB display device 156 are located inside the spatial volume 152. As discussed above, the patient support apparatus uses its on-board UWB transceiver 124 to determine the location of the vital signs monitor 140a and the UWB display device 156 to ascertain whether either or both of them are within the volume 152, and in this example concludes that they are both within the volume 152. Because they are both within the volume 152, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 associates these two devices with the patient support apparatus 20 (and / or with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20). As a result, the controller 132 is configured to accept vital sign readings from the vital sign sensor 140a and process them in any of the manners discussed above (e.g., display them on the UWB display device 156, display them on the on-board display 52 of the patient support apparatus 20, and / or transmit them to a server on the network 80).

[0173] 8, controller 132 is configured to disassociate patient support apparatus 20 from vital signs sensor 140a and / or UWB display device 156 if either or both of vital signs sensor 140a and UWB display device 156 are moved outside of volume 152. In such an example, if vital signs sensor 140a is moved outside volume 152 but UWB display device 156 remains within volume 152, controller 132 no longer associates vital signs readings from vital signs sensor 140a with a particular patient and stops forwarding them to other devices, such as UWB display device 156 and / or a server on network 80 (e.g., server 84 and / or an EMR server). To the extent the patient support apparatus 20 forwards other data (e.g., the patient's weight from an on-board scale system, the patient support apparatus 20's room location, and / or other information) to the UWB display device 156 for display thereon, the controller 132 forwards that data to the UWB display device 156 but stops transmitting vital sign information from the vital sign sensor 140a to the UWB display device 156. If the UWB display device 156 is moved outside of the space 152 but the vital sign sensor 140a remains within the space 152, the controller 132 may stop transmitting any data to the UWB display device but continue to transmit data on its on-board display 52 and may additionally or alternatively continue to transmit vital sign readings from the sensor 140a to the server 84 and / or the EMR server. If both the UWB display device 156 and the vital sign sensor 140a are moved outside the space 152, the controller 132 both stops displaying data on the UWB display device 156 and stops transferring vital sign data from the vital sign sensor 140a elsewhere.

[0174] Turning now to Fig. 9, this figure shows generally the same arrangement as Fig. 8, except that vital signs sensor 140b is coupled to patient support apparatus 20 via cable rather than wireless communication as shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 thus illustrates the fact that when vital signs sensor 140b is coupled to patient support apparatus 20 via cable 170, the location of vital signs sensor 140b relative to spatial volume 152 is irrelevant, as controller 132 will automatically associate readings from vital signs sensor 140b with the patient assigned to patient support apparatus 20. In other words, when vital signs sensor 140b communicates with patient support apparatus 20 via cable 170 rather than wirelessly as in Fig. 8, controller 132 uses the physical connection as a trigger for associating vital signs sensor 140 with patient support apparatus 20, rather than the presence of the vital signs sensor within spatial volume 152 as a trigger for such association. Thus, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 9, controller 132 is configured to transfer vital sign data from vital sign sensor 140b (and, in some examples, other data) to UWB display device 156 for display thereon, if the user has enabled this type of data display.

[0175] 10 illustrates an operating arrangement in which the non-UWB display device 56 is directly connected to the patient support apparatus 20 via video cable 102a, and the vital sign sensor 140a is disposed inside the spatial volume 152. Because the non-UWB display device 56 is coupled to the patient support apparatus 20 via cable 102a, the controller 132 automatically associates the non-UWB display device 56 with the patient support apparatus 20. Furthermore, because the vital sign sensor 140a is disposed inside the spatial volume 152, the controller 132 also automatically associates the vital sign sensor 140a with the patient support apparatus 20 (using its UWB positioning capabilities). Thus, the patient support apparatus 20, if configured by a user to do so, transmits data from the vital sign sensor 140a to the non-UWB display device 56 for display thereon (as well as, in some examples, to a server on the network 80 and / or to the display 52 on the patient support apparatus 20).

[0176] 11 illustrates an operational arrangement in which both the locator unit 60 and the vital sign sensor 140a are disposed inside the spatial volume 152. In this arrangement, the controller 132 is adapted to associate both the vital sign sensor 140a and the locator unit 60 with the patient support apparatus 20. As a result, the controller 132 may accept vital sign data from the vital sign sensor 140a and transmit the vital sign data to the locator unit 60 for display on the non-UWB display device 56, depending on whether the user has permitted such transmission of vital sign data for display thereon. It should be noted that, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the location of the non-UWB display device 56 relative to the spatial volume 152 is not taken into consideration (indeed, it may not be known) by the controller 132 when transmitting data to the locator unit 60 for display on the non-UWB display device 56. Instead, controller 132 only determines whether locator unit 60 is located inside spatial volume 152, and if so, controller 132 transmits the vital signs data to locator unit 60 for transfer to non-UWB display device 56. In contrast, if non-UWB display device 56 is located inside spatial volume 152 but locator unit 60 is located outside spatial volume 152, controller 132 is configured not to transmit any vital signs data to locator unit 60 for transfer to non-UWB display device 56.

[0177] 12 illustrates another operating arrangement in which both vital sign sensor 140b and non-UWB display device 56 are located outside spatial volume 152, and locator unit 60 is located inside spatial volume 152. In this particular arrangement, vital sign sensor 140b is coupled to patient support apparatus 20 by cable 170, so controller 132 automatically associates vital sign sensor 140b with patient support apparatus 20 and therefore accepts these vital sign readings and forwards them to one or more displays and / or one or more servers on network 80. In addition, because locator unit 60 is located inside spatial volume 152, controller 132 automatically associates locator unit 60 with patient support apparatus 20. As a result, controller 132 automatically forwards such vital sign data to locator unit 60 for display on non-UWB display device 56, if a user has configured patient support apparatus 20 to automatically display such vital sign data. 11, in FIG. 12 the fact that non-UWB display device 56 is located outside spatial volume 152 does not affect communication between patient support apparatus 20 and locator unit 60.

[0178] 13 illustrates an operating configuration in which there are no vital signs sensors 140 present, but the UWB display device 156 is located inside the spatial volume 152. In this configuration, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to automatically transfer data for display on the UWB display device 156, such as patient support apparatus status data as described herein (e.g., patient weight, brake status, height of the litter frame 28, status of the exit detection system 136, room location, etc.). As with vital signs data, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to allow a user to change what data it automatically shares with the UWB display device 156 located within the spatial volume 152, including not sharing data with the UWB display device 156 located inside the spatial volume 152.

[0179] 14 illustrates an operating configuration similar to FIG. 13 in which vital signs sensor 140 is not present, but locator unit 60 and non-UWB display device 56 coupled to locator unit 60 are present. In this configuration, locator unit 60 is located inside spatial volume 152, and thus controller 132 is configured to transmit status data and / or other data of the patient support apparatus to locator unit 60 for transfer to non-UWB display device 56. As noted in several of the above configurations, non-UWB display device 56 is coupled to locator unit 60 by cable 102, and because locator unit 60 is located inside spatial volume 152 in this configuration, transferring this data to non-UWB display device 56 is not dependent on the location of non-UWB display device 56 relative to spatial volume 152.

[0180] As discussed above, each spatial volume 152 is defined relative to the patient support apparatus 20 and therefore moves as the patient support apparatus 20 moves. In some embodiments of the locator unit 60, each locator unit 60 is programmed with a definition of a separate spatial volume 152a that is fixed relative to the particular locator unit 60. In such embodiments, the controller 132 is configured to use the spatial volumes 152 to determine whether a medical device (e.g., a vital signs sensor 140) and / or a UWB display device 156 should be associated with the patient support apparatus 20, and to use the spatial volume 152a to determine whether the patient support apparatus 20 should be associated with a particular locator unit 60. That is, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to use two different criteria, one for the locator unit 60 and the other for the display device and / or medical device used to treat the patient, to determine whether to associate a device with the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may utilize additional spatial volumes 152 beyond these two spatial volumes. Such additional spatial volumes 152 may be used to determine whether to associate with other devices. In other words, the particular spatial volumes 152 used by the patient support apparatus 20 may vary depending on the particular device whose position (and association / disassociation with the patient support apparatus 20) is being analyzed.

[0181] In an embodiment of the locator unit 60 that stores a definition of the spatial volume 152a in an on-board memory, the locator unit 60 may be configured to transfer this definition to the patient support apparatus 20 and use the controller 132 to determine whether the patient support apparatus 20 is located inside the spatial volume 152a. Alternatively, the controller 108 of the locator unit 60 may use this definition of the spatial volume 152a to determine whether the patient support apparatus 20 is located inside the spatial volume 152a and then transfer the result of this determination to the patient support apparatus 20. In either scenario, the controller 132 is configured to automatically associate itself with the locator unit 60 if the locator unit 60 is located inside the spatial volume 152a, or not associate itself with the locator unit 60 if the locator unit 60 is not currently located inside the spatial volume 152a.

[0182] In embodiments of patient support apparatus 20 that utilize spatial volumes 152a to determine their association to locator unit 60, controller 132 is configured not to use spatial volumes 152 to determine this association. That is, controller 132 uses only a single spatial definition to determine the association, or lack of association, between patient support apparatus 20 and locator unit 60. Thus, in such embodiments, controller 132 uses only spatial volumes 152 to determine the association of patient support apparatus 20 and one or more vital signs sensors 140 and / or one or more display devices 156.

[0183] 15 and 16 show two operational configurations of the patient support apparatus 20 using spatial volume 152a rather than spatial volume 152 to determine the association of the locator unit 60 with it. In FIG. 15, the patient support apparatus 20 is positioned inside spatial volume 152a, which is defined in a fixed manner relative to the locator unit 60. As a result, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 automatically associates the locator unit 60 with the patient support apparatus 20. The vital signs sensor 140a is also shown in FIG. 15, positioned inside spatial volume 152 but not inside spatial volume 152a. Because the vital signs sensor 140a is positioned inside spatial volume 152, the controller 132 automatically associates it with the patient support apparatus 20. The spatial volume 152a is not used by the controller 132 to determine the association or lack of association between the patient support apparatus 20 and the vital signs sensor 140a. Likewise, spatial volume 152 is not used by controller 132 to determine association or lack of association between patient support apparatus 20 and locator unit 60. In the arrangement shown in Figure 15, controller 132 is configured to automatically transfer vital sign readings from vital sign sensor 140a (via locator unit 60) to UWB display device 156.

[0184] 16 illustrates another operational configuration of the patient support apparatus 20, locator unit 60, and non-UWB display device 56, in which a spatial volume 152a is defined in a fixed relationship to the locator unit 60 (and the spatial volume 152 is defined in a fixed relationship to the patient support apparatus 20). In this particular configuration, the patient support apparatus 20 is located inside the spatial volume 152a, and therefore the controller 132 automatically associates the patient support apparatus 20 with the locator unit 60. No vital sign sensors 140 or other medical devices are located inside the spatial volume 152, and therefore the controller 132 does not associate any vital sign sensors or other medical devices with the patient support apparatus 20. Thus, the patient support apparatus 20 does not have any vital sign data or data from other types of medical devices to transfer to the locator unit 60 for display on the non-UWB display device 56. However, as noted above, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured by a user to display status and / or other data regarding the patient support apparatus 20 on the non-UWB display device 56. If the user has the patient support apparatus 20 so configured, the controller 132 may transmit, for example, its room location, its brake status, the status of its exit detection system, etc., to the locator unit 60 for display on the non-UWB display device 56. As noted in some of the arrangements discussed above, in the arrangement of FIG. 16, the fact that the non-UWB display device 56 is located outside of the spatial volume 152a (and / or 152) does not prevent the controller 132 from transmitting data to the locator unit 60 for display on the non-UWB display device 56. Because the patient support apparatus 20 is located inside the spatial volume 152a, it is the association between the patient support apparatus 20 and the locator unit 60, and not the association between the patient support apparatus 20 and the non-UWB display device 56, that determines whether data for display is transferred to the locator unit 60.

[0185] 25 illustrates another operational arrangement of patient support apparatus 20, locator unit 60, and two non-UWB display devices 56. A first one of the non-UWB display devices 56a is located inside the same room 58 as patient support apparatus 20, while a second one of the non-UWB display devices 56b is located outside room 58, such as, but not limited to, in a hallway outside room 58. In the operational arrangement of FIG. 25, patient support apparatus 20 is located inside spatial volume 152 (or 152a), and thus controller 132 automatically associates patient support apparatus 20 with locator unit 60. Non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b are communicatively coupled to locator unit 60 by wireless link 103 rather than by video cable 102. Locator unit 60, in this embodiment, is configured to forward data received from patient support apparatus 20 to be displayed to either or both of non-UWB display devices 56a, 56b via wireless link 103. As with other operating arrangements discussed herein, forwarding of data to be displayed on non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b may be initiated automatically when patient support apparatus 20 moves inside spatial volume 152 (or 152a) and becomes associated with locator unit 60 (which informs patient support apparatus 20 of the presence of non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b to which it is communicatively coupled). Patient support apparatus 20 transmits data to be displayed to locator unit 60, which then forwards it to non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b.

[0186] Transmitting the data to be displayed from patient support apparatus 20 to locator unit 60 may utilize Bluetooth® communications between Bluetooth® transceivers 122 and 106, or may utilize UWB communications between UWB transceiver 124 and UWB transceiver 104, or may utilize other wireless communication technologies (e.g., WiFi). Transferring the data to be displayed from locator unit 60 to non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b may utilize Bluetooth® communications between Bluetooth® transceiver 106 and a Bluetooth® transceiver incorporated in non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b, or may utilize WiFi communications between locator unit 60 and non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b, or may utilize other wireless communications.

[0187] In some embodiments, the controller 108 of the locator unit 60 is told the addresses of the non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b while the locator unit 60 is initially installed within the medical facility (or at a subsequent time). In such embodiments, the addresses of the non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b are saved in memory on-board the locator unit 60. Saving the address of a particular display device 56 associated with a particular locator unit 60 is particularly useful in situations where the display device 56 is mounted in a fixed location within the medical facility and is always associated with a particular locator unit 60. In other embodiments, the addresses of a particular non-UWB display device 56a and / or 56b associated with a particular locator unit 60 are stored in the patient support apparatus server 84 and these addresses are communicated by WiFi to the locator unit 60 (which in such an example is modified to include a WiFi transceiver), or they are communicated by the network transceiver 96 and the patient support apparatus 20 which then forwards them to the locator unit 60 via the Bluetooth transceiver 122 and / or UWB transceiver 124. Still other means or methods of communicating the addresses of the non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b to the locator unit 60 may be used.

[0188] In some embodiments, the address is an IP address and / or includes additional information (e.g., subnet mask, SSID, password). In other embodiments, the address may include other address information, such as a Media Access Control (MAC) address, a Bluetooth address, etc. Still other types of information may be included that allow the locator unit 60 to communicate the data to be displayed to the intended non-UWB display device 56a and / or 56b. It will be appreciated that the term "address" may refer to any identifier of the recipient display device 56 that allows a sender (e.g., the locator unit 60) to send information to that particular display device 56.

[0189] FIG. 26 illustrates another operational arrangement of a patient support apparatus 20, a locator unit 60, and two non-UWB display devices 56. FIG. 26 is similar to FIG. 25 in that it includes a first non-UWB display device 56a located inside the same room 58 as the patient support apparatus 20, and a second non-UWB display device 56b located outside the room 58. The operational arrangement of FIG. 26 differs from that of FIG. 25 in that instead of transmitting data to be displayed from the patient support apparatus 20 to the locator unit 60 and then forwarding it to the display device 56 as shown in FIG. 25, the operational arrangement of FIG. 26 differs from that of FIG. 25 in that it includes a patient support apparatus 20 that transmits data to be displayed directly to the non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b, thereby bypassing the locator unit 60. 26, locator unit 60 does not act as an intermediate recipient of data to be displayed on non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b. Instead, non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b receive data for display directly from patient support apparatus 20 (or, in some embodiments, from a connection to network 80).

[0190] The patient support apparatus 20 can be informed of the addresses associated with the non-UWB display devices 56 and / or 56b in any of the same manners as discussed in connection with FIG. 25 and the locator unit 60. That is, the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 can be informed of the addresses of the particular non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b associated with the particular locator unit 60 when the patient support apparatus 20 is initially installed in the medical facility (or at a subsequent time). In such an embodiment, the addresses of the non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b are saved in memory 134. In other embodiments, the addresses associated with the non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b are stored in memory on-board the locator unit 60, and the locator unit 60 automatically transfers these addresses to the patient support apparatus 20 after the patient support apparatus 20 and the locator unit 60 are associated with each other. In other embodiments, the addresses of a particular non-UWB display device 56a and / or 56b associated with a particular locator unit 60 are stored within the patient support apparatus 20 and these addresses are communicated over WiFi to the patient support apparatus 20 via the network transceiver 96. In such embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 can send a query to the patient support apparatus server 84 including the unique ID 116 of the locator unit 60 with which it is currently associated, and the patient support apparatus server 84 can then respond with the address of the particular non-UWB display device 56a, 56b associated with the locator unit 60 having the particular ID 116.

[0191] 13-14, 16, and 25-26 do not depict vital signs sensor 140, it is understood that one or more vital signs sensors 140 and / or one or more other devices may be included in these operational arrangements, and such vital signs sensors 140 or other devices may have a relative position with respect to the patient support apparatus 20 that is automatically determined by the patient support apparatus 20. If the vital signs sensors 140 or other devices are located inside the spatial volume 152, data from one or more of these devices may be automatically communicated to the patient support apparatus 20 for transfer to the non-UWB display device 56 for display thereon. Alternatively or additionally, data from the patient support apparatus 20 itself may be transferred to one or more of these non-UWB display devices 56.

[0192] It should also be understood that although Figures 8-16 depict a single display device 56 and Figures 25 and 26 depict two non-UWB display devices 56a and 56b, the number of display devices 56 in any of these figures may be varied from that shown herein. Thus, for example, any of the operating arrangements of Figures 25 and 26 may include a single non-UWB display device 56, or may include three or more non-UWB display devices 56. Similarly, any of the operating arrangements of Figures 8-16 may include multiple non-UWB display devices 56.

[0193] It should also be understood that because room 58 is not shown in Figures 8-16, the locations of the components shown therein relative to room 58 may vary. That is, for example, in Figure 10, display 56 may be located inside room 58 in which patient support apparatus 20 is located, or may be located outside room 58 in which patient support apparatus 20 is located. Similarly, because no rooms are shown in Figure 10, patient support apparatus 20 itself may be located outside room 58 (e.g., in a hallway). Additionally, although Figures 25 and 26 depict patient support apparatus 20 as being within room 58, it should also be understood that patient support apparatus 20 need not be located within room 58 to implement the operational arrangements described herein. Thus, for example, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 25, locator unit 60 may be a non-coupled locator unit 60b, patient support apparatus 20 may be located in a hallway (or elsewhere outside room 58), and non-UWB display devices 56a and / or 56b may be located anywhere within communication range of locator unit 60 as shown herein.

[0194] Additionally, while the non-UWB display device 56 and the UWB display device 156 are described herein primarily as acting to display data from the patient support apparatus 20 and / or any devices associated with the patient support apparatus 20, it should be understood that the display devices 56 and / or 156 may be configured to receive data from a user and forward the data to the patient support apparatus 20 and / or devices associated with the patient support apparatus 20. As such, the display devices 56 and / or 156 may be used to communicate with and / or control various aspects of the patient support apparatus 20 and / or devices associated therewith. In some such embodiments, the display devices 56 and / or 156 may comprise a touch screen that is used by a caregiver to transmit data and / or commands to the associated patient support apparatus 20 (and / or its associated devices). The display devices 56 and / or 156 may thus function as remote controls for the patient support apparatus 20 with which they are associated and / or devices associated with that particular patient support apparatus 20.

[0195] In some situations, one or more display devices 56 and / or 156 may be located outside individual rooms 58 within the healthcare facility, such as near a doorway to such a room or other location. When so located, a caregiver can not only view the status of the patient support apparatus 20 (and / or associated devices) inside the room without having to enter the room 58, but can also control the patient support apparatus 20 (and / or associated devices) without having to enter the room 58. Additional displays 56 and / or 156 may be located within the room 58 and / or in other locations that allow the caregiver to better view the status of the patient support apparatus 20.

[0196] 8-16 and 25-26 depict a variety of different configurations in which the patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to operate, it should be understood that these are merely representative examples of the types of configurations in which the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to operate. The patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to operate in configurations other than those explicitly depicted in FIGS. 8-16 and 25-26. For example, the patient support apparatus 20 may be operated with more than the single vital signs sensor 140 depicted in FIGS. 8-12. That is, multiple vital signs sensors 140 may be used for a particular patient, and the controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to determine the location of the multiple vital signs sensors relative to the volume of space 152, and further adapted to automatically associate them with the patient support apparatus 20 if they are located within the volume of space 152 and make their data available for display and / or transfer to the computer network 80. As another example, multiple display devices 56 and / or 156 may be utilized with the patient support apparatus 20 and the same or different data may be automatically displayed on these displays by the controller 132.

[0197] As yet another example, although FIGS. 8-12 and 15 depict only one vital signs sensor 140 associated with the patient support apparatus 20, it should be understood that the patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to continually associate itself with various other types of medical devices when those other medical devices are disposed within the spatial volume 152. Indeed, in some embodiments, the controller 132 is adapted to automatically associate itself with one or more of the devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 154,677, filed February 27, 2021, entitled “System for Determining Patient Support Apparatus and Medical Device Location,” inventors Celso Pereira et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally or alternatively, the patient support apparatus 20 can be configured by a user to automatically display any of these other types of devices on any of the display devices 56 and / or 156 disclosed herein when they are associated with the patient support apparatus 20 and one or more display devices 56 and / or 156 (or connected locator units 60) are also associated with the patient support apparatus 20. Devices with which the patient support apparatus 20 can associate itself using the UWB transceiver 124 include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: one or more exercise equipment, heel care boots, IV stands and / or poles, infusion pumps, DVT pumps, overhead booms used in operating rooms and / or other rooms of a medical facility, ventilators, patient sensors (e.g., oxygen saturation (SpO 2) sensors, EKG sensors, vital signs sensors), patient positioning devices (e.g., wedges, turning devices, pumps), environmental sensors (e.g., temperature, air flow, light, humidity, pressure, altitude, sound / noise), a mattress 42, an incontinence pad or one or more sensors adapted to detect incontinence of a patient, a Holter device adapted to monitor and record a patient's heart rate signal, a patient ID tag or bracelet adapted to be worn by the patient, a caregiver tag or ID bracelet adapted to be worn by a caregiver, a piece of furniture, and / or other types of devices.

[0198] It should also be noted that the display of vital signs data or other device data on one or more of the display devices 56 and / or 156 is performed automatically by the patient support apparatus 20. That is, for example, when a user configures the patient support apparatus 20 to display the patient's heart rate on the display devices 56 and / or 156, it automatically transfers the heart rate data to the display devices 56, 156 after a corresponding association is made (e.g., the patient support apparatus 20 is associated with the UWB display device 156 or with the combined locator unit 60 to which the non-UWB display device 56 is coupled). As a result, when a patient with heart rate monitoring is brought into the bay area of ​​a hospital room that includes a fixed non-UWB display device 56 coupled to a locator unit 60, the controller 132 is configured to automatically begin displaying the patient's heart rate information on that non-UWB display device 56 as soon as it completes the association process with the corresponding locator unit 60. In this manner, the caregiver sees the patient's heart rate displayed on the non-UWB display device 56 within seconds of moving the patient support apparatus 20 into the bay area, and the caregiver does not need to connect any cables, press any buttons, or take any action to have the heart rate data displayed on the non-UWB display device 56. Similarly, when the patient support apparatus 20 is moved out of the bay area, the display of the patient's data on the non-UWB display device 56 automatically terminates.

[0199] As another example of automatic display of medical device data (e.g., vital sign data) on the display, when a caregiver approaches the patient support apparatus 20 while carrying a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer including a display, a UWB transceiver, and an appropriate software application, the controller 132 is adapted to automatically initiate transfer of the patient's heart rate data to the portable electronic device for display on its screen. In this manner, when the caregiver brings his or her portable electronic device inside the spatial volume 152, the patient's heart rate data (and / or other data) can be automatically displayed on his / her device. When the caregiver moves his or her portable electronic device outside the spatial volume 152, the controller 132 disassociates the portable electronic device from the patient support apparatus 20 and stops transmitting data to it to be displayed, so that the display of the patient's data automatically stops. Thereafter, when the caregiver moves toward the other patient's patient support apparatus 20 and steps inside the spatial volume 152 of that patient support apparatus, he or she can automatically see the data from the medical device associated with the patient displayed on his or her portable electronic device.

[0200] The automatic display of data on one or more of the display devices 56, 156 can be performed by the controller 132 as it repeatedly determines the relative position of the patient support apparatus 20 with respect to the vital signs sensor 140 (and / or other devices), the locator unit 60, and the UWB display device 156. Additionally, when the controller 132 detects that one or more of these devices are within communication range, it automatically determines whether they are located within the spatial volume 152 (or, in some examples, the spatial volume 152a or other spatial volume), and if so, the controller 132 automatically associates them with the patient support apparatus 20. Once associated, the process of transferring information for display on the display 56 and / or 156 is performed automatically. It should be appreciated that the frequency with which the controller 132 repeatedly determines the relative positions of the vital signs sensor 140 (or other devices), the locator unit 60, and / or the UWB display device 156 can vary depending on the embodiment. In some embodiments, this occurs multiple times per second. In other embodiments, this occurs less frequently than once per second. In still other embodiments, the frequency at which the controller 132 determines the relative position of the device with respect to the patient support apparatus 20 may vary depending on the device, the current position of the patient support apparatus 20, the motion state of the patient support apparatus 20 (i.e., whether it is moving or stationary), the brake state of the patient support apparatus 20 (i.e., whether the brakes are on or off), and / or one or more other factors.

[0201] It should also be understood that Figures 8-16 and 25-26 do not depict different embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20, vital signs sensor 140, locator unit 60, and / or display devices 56, 156. Instead, these figures depict the same embodiments, but with different physical arrangements and communication paths for data to be displayed on one or more display devices 56, 156. However, it should also be understood that any of the embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20, locator unit 60, display devices 56, 156, and / or vital signs sensor 140 may be used with any of the operational arrangements depicted in Figures 8-16.

[0202] In some embodiments, one or more of the non-UWB display devices 56 may be adapted to be docked and undocked from a UWB-equipped docking station. In such embodiments, a caregiver can grab the display device and remove it from the docking station when he or she wants to use it (e.g., when he / she walks into the patient's room 58), and then replace the display device 56 on the docking station when he or she is done using it. In such embodiments, the docking station may include a UWB transceiver, and the patient support apparatus 20 associates and disassociates itself with the UWB transceiver depending on its relative position with respect to one another. In other embodiments, the display device 56 does not include a docking station and a separate removable unit, but instead includes a single integrated structure.

[0203] In embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 in which the controller 132 is configured to associate itself with the locator unit 60 based on the spatial volume 152a rather than the spatial volume 152, the locator unit 60 may be configured to transmit the dimensions of the spatial volume 152a to the patient support apparatus 20 for the controller 132 to use in determining whether to associate with the locator unit 60. Alternatively or additionally, the patient support apparatus 20 may store in its memory 134 the dimensions of the spatial volume 152a for each locator unit 60. As yet another alternative, the controller 132 may not need to know the dimensions of the spatial volume 152a at all, but instead may listen for a message sent by the locator unit 60 to the patient support apparatus 20 suggesting whether the patient support apparatus 20 should be associated with the locator unit 60 based on the locator unit 60's own determination of whether the patient support apparatus 20 is currently located within the spatial volume 152a.

[0204] It should also be understood that in any of the embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 discussed herein, the size, shape, location, and / or other aspects of the spatial volumes 152 and / or 152a may vary based on one or more factors. For example, in some embodiments, the spatial volume 152a associated with the combined locator unit 60a may differ from the spatial volume 152a associated with the non-combined locator unit 60b. Additionally or alternatively, each combined locator unit 60a may have a spatial volume 152a of a different size and / or shape than each of the other combined locator units 60a, and / or each non-combined locator unit 60b may have a spatial volume 152a of a different size and / or shape than each of the other non-combined locator units 60b.

[0205] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to consult the memory 134 to determine the size, shape, and / or other information for the particular spatial volume 152a. In such embodiments, the controller 132 uses the unique ID 116 received from the locator unit 60 to determine the size, shape, and / or other information for the spatial volume 152a. That is, the memory 134 contains data that associates the particular spatial volume 152a with the ID of the particular locator unit. In this manner, each locator unit 60 can potentially have a different spatial volume 152a associated with it, and these definitions of the spatial volumes 152a do not need to be transmitted from the locator unit 60 to the patient support apparatus 20. Instead, the controller 132 consults its on-board memory 134 to determine the boundaries of the spatial volume 152a and whether the patient support apparatus 20 is currently located inside or outside it.

[0206] It should also be understood that in any of the embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 discussed herein, the size, shape, location, and / or other aspects of the spatial volumes 152 and / or 152a may be changed by the controller 132 when determining whether to disassociate a device, but not when determining whether to associate a device with the device. In other words, when a device is determined to be located inside the spatial volume 152, 152a, the controller 132 may increase the size of the spatial volume 152, 152a (and / or change one or more dimensions) when determining whether to disassociate the device. In this manner, the spatial volumes 152 and / or 152a may have a certain hysteresis behavior. In such a hysteresis behavior, a device must be located inside the smaller spatial volume 152, 152a to be associated with another device, but may only be disassociated if it subsequently moves outside the larger sized spatial volume 152, 152a. In yet another embodiment, the dimensions of the spatial volumes 152, 152a are the same for both association and disassociation purposes.

[0207] 17 shows an example of the type of data that may be displayed on the display device 56, 156. As shown, the display device 56, 156 displays the patient's blood pressure 172, the patient's heart rate 174, the patient's respiratory rate 176, the patient's temperature 178, the patient's oxygen saturation level 180, the patient's weight 182, and the patient's height 184. The UWB display device 156 also displays the room number 186 in which the patient support apparatus 20 is currently located. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the controller 132 is configured to determine the current location of the patient support apparatus 20 after it receives the unique ID 116 from the locator unit 60, forwards the unique ID 116 along with its own unique ID 130 (FIGS. 5 and 7) to the patient support apparatus server 84, and the server 84 sends a reply message back to the patient support apparatus 20 (via the access point 82 and the network transceiver 96) informing the patient support apparatus 20 of the location within the medical facility that corresponds to the particular patient support apparatus 20.

[0208] As mentioned above, the patient support apparatus 20 may include one or more screens that may be displayed on the display 52, allowing a user to customize the data that is displayed on the display devices 56 and / or 156. In other words, the user may configure the patient support apparatus 20 to vary the displayed data shown in FIG. 17. In addition, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to allow a user to select which data, if any, from an associated vital signs sensor 140 or other medical device is displayed on the on-board display 52. ​​The patient support apparatus 20 may also allow a user to change the format and / or layout in which the selected data is displayed.

[0209] 18 and 19 show an example of a cartridge 142 for use with some embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20 in greater detail. As shown therein, the cartridge 142 includes an adapter 190 and a main body 192. The main body 192 and the adapter 190 are adapted to be removably secured together via one or more magnets. That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the adapter 190 includes one or more adapter magnets 194 that are adapted to magnetically couple to one or more cartridge magnets 196 integrated into the main body 192 of the cartridge 142. The magnets 194 and 196 magnetically secure the main body 192 and the adapter 190 together when positioned adjacent to one another, but also allow a user to physically separate the adapter 190 from the main body 192 by pulling them apart.

[0210] 5 and 7, the adapter 190 also includes one or more vital sign ports 198, and the main body 192 also includes a cartridge ID 200, a battery 202, and a transmitter 204. All or a portion of the main body 192 is physically configured such that it can be selectively retained within the cartridge port 128. In some embodiments, the main body 192 - or a portion thereof - is selectively maintained within the cartridge port 128 of the patient support apparatus 20 by an engineered fit designed to keep the cartridge 142 attached to the port 128 when the user is not pulling on the cartridge 142, and to allow the cartridge 142 to be removed from the cartridge port 128 when the user is applying a pulling force to the cartridge 142. The pulling force required to remove the cartridge 142 from the port 128 can be varied, but is typically on the order of a few pounds of force, and should be selected such that a typical caregiver can comfortably apply the selected force to the cartridge 142.

[0211] As can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 18-19, the adapter 190 includes a plurality of vital sign ports 198. Each vital sign port 198 is adapted to physically connect to a cord 170 that is coupled at the other end to a vital sign sensor 140. That is, as shown in FIG. 19, a plurality of vital sign sensors 140b are shown coupled to the adapter 190 by cords 170. Each cord 170 includes a connector 206 at its end that is adapted to couple to one or more vital sign ports 198 on the adapter 190. When the adapter 190 is physically coupled to the main body 192 via magnets 194 and 196, electrical signals received at the vital sign ports 198 of the adapter 190 are communicated to the main body 192, which then transmits the electrical signals via transmitter 204 to the cartridge receiver 126 of the patient support apparatus 20. The cartridge receiver 126 then transfers them to the controller 132, which transfers them to one or more displays and / or the network 80, as described above.

[0212] The adapter 190 (FIGS. 18-19) may be configured to accept different types of connectors 206 from different types of vital signs sensors 140b. However, the adapter 190 is configured to physically connect to the same main body 192 of the cartridge 142. In this manner, different styles of adapters 190 can be used with the same main body, thereby allowing different types of vital signs sensors to be used with the cartridge 142 without changing the main body 192 of the cartridge 142. Instead, a user can select whatever adapter 190 is compatible with a particular vital signs sensor 140 or sensors 140, plug their cables into the compatible adapter 190, and then couple the adapter 190 to the main body 192 of the cartridge 142.

[0213] The cartridge 142 is adapted to allow the patient to easily exit the patient support apparatus 20 without requiring the patient or his or her caregiver to unplug any cables before the patient can exit. Alternatively, the cartridge 142 may simply be pulled from the cartridge port 128 when the patient exits the patient support apparatus 20 and carried by him or her. As will be discussed in more detail below, the cartridge 142 is configured, in at least some embodiments, to wirelessly transmit the patient's vital signs readings to the patient support apparatus 20 when the cartridge 142 is physically unplugged from the patient support apparatus 20. In this manner, the patient's vital signs can still be displayed and / or transmitted to an EMR server (or elsewhere) on the network 80 even when the patient has exited the patient support apparatus 20.

[0214] The cartridge transmitter 204 of the cartridge 142 transmits the patient's vital signs to the cartridge receiver 126 when the cartridge 142 is physically removed from the cartridge port 128. In some embodiments, the cartridge transmitter 204 comprises a Bluetooth transmitter, although it may comprise a different type of wireless communication transmitter. When the cartridge transmitter 204 is implemented as a Bluetooth transmitter, it may communicate with the BT transceiver 122 on-board the patient support apparatus 20 instead of the cartridge receiver 126. In such an embodiment, the cartridge receiver 126 may be configured to receive only wired communications from the cartridge 142, rather than both wired and wireless communications. In addition to wirelessly communicating with the patient support apparatus 20, the cartridge transmitter 204 is adapted to also communicate in a wired manner with the patient support apparatus 20 when it is physically coupled to the patient support apparatus 20 (i.e., when it is inserted into the cartridge port 128).

[0215] When the cartridge 142 is physically connected to the patient support apparatus 20, the cartridge transmitter 204 communicates its unique cartridge ID to the cartridge receiver 126. The controller 132 uses this cartridge ID 200 to associate that particular cartridge 142 with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. In this way, if the cartridge 142 is subsequently removed from the cartridge port 128 and begins wirelessly transmitting vital signs data to the patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 can assign those wireless readings to the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. This is useful in situations where another cartridge 142 from a second patient support apparatus 20 may be located within communication range of the first patient support apparatus 20. In such a situation, the first patient support apparatus 20 can receive vital signs signals from two different cartridges 142. Because each cartridge 142 is configured to transmit its unique ID 200 with each wireless message, the controller 132 of the first patient support apparatus 20 will ignore wireless messages from the second cartridge 142 because they do not contain the unique ID 200 associated with the first patient support apparatus 20. Thus, the unique ID 200 is used by the controller 132 to distinguish between the multiple cartridges 142 and process only signals received from the particular cartridge 142 associated with the patient support apparatus 20 of which it is a part.

[0216] In some embodiments, cartridge 142 is adapted to wirelessly communicate with one or more vital signs sensors 140c (FIG. 19). In these embodiments, vital signs sensor 140c includes a wireless transceiver, which may be an UWB transceiver or other type of wireless transceiver. In such embodiments, wireless vital signs sensor 140c may be associated with a particular cartridge 142 in a number of different ways, including, but not limited to, a manual process, a UWB process, and / or a patient support apparatus 20 process. Each of these is described in more detail below.

[0217] In some embodiments, a wireless vital signs sensor 140c (FIG. 19) may be associated with a particular cartridge 142 through a manual process undertaken by a caregiver who communicates to the particular cartridge 142 that the particular vital signs sensor 140c should be associated with that particular cartridge 142. This manual process may take a variety of different forms, such as, for example, a pairing process that includes pressing one or more buttons on the vital signs sensor 140c and / or cartridge 142. Additionally or alternatively, it may include a barcode scanner and / or near-field identifier reader mounted on the cartridge 142 that reads a unique barcode or near-field unique identifier from the vital signs sensor 140c when the vital signs sensor 140c is placed adjacent to the scanner or reader. As yet another alternative, the patient support apparatus 20 may have a barcode scanner or near-field reader mounted thereon, and a user may associate a particular cartridge 142 with a particular vital signs sensor 140c by scanning the barcode or near-field identifier from both the particular cartridge 142 and the vital signs sensor 140c. In such an embodiment, the cartridge receiver 126 may be configured with the ability to transmit data to (and receive data from) the cartridge 142, which in turn may transmit to it the unique ID of the vital signs sensor 140c that it has scanned. The vital signs sensor 140c includes a unique ID in its wireless messages, and thus the cartridge 142 may use the unique ID to distinguish messages from that particular vital signs sensor 140c from other vital signs sensors 140c that may be located within communication range. Still other manual association processes are possible.

[0218] In some embodiments, the wireless vital signs sensor 140c (FIG. 19) may additionally or alternatively be associated with a particular cartridge 142 by utilizing an UWB transceiver on board each device. That is, in some embodiments of the cartridge 142 and the vital signs sensor 140c, each device includes an UWB transceiver on board it (or incorporated in a tag attached to the device). The UWB transceivers are adapted to determine their distance from each other. In such an embodiment, the cartridge 142 is adapted to automatically associate itself with the particular vital signs sensor 140c if the vital signs sensor 140c is located within the threshold distance. This threshold distance may vary depending on the particular location of the cartridge 142 when it is attached to the patient support apparatus 20, but should generally be selected so as not to include vital signs sensors 140c located on other patient support apparatus 20. This threshold distance may therefore be on the order of one or two meters, although of course other distances may be used.

[0219] In some embodiments, the wireless vital signs sensor 140c (FIG. 19) may additionally or alternatively be associated with a particular cartridge 142 by associating the vital signs sensor 140c with the patient support apparatus 20 with which the cartridge 142 is also associated. In such embodiments, the vital signs sensor 140c may be manually paired to the patient support apparatus 20 in any of the manual methods described above, and the patient support apparatus 20 then communicates to the cartridge 142 the unique ID of the vital signs sensor 140c with which it is paired. In other embodiments, the vital signs sensor 140c may include a UWB transceiver mounted thereon or incorporated into an attached tag, and the controller 132 may automatically associate the vital signs sensor 140c with the patient support apparatus 20 when the patient support apparatus 20 is located inside the spatial volume 152. Still other methods for associating the vital signs sensor 140c with the patient support apparatus 20 are possible.

[0220] Vital signs sensors 140a, 140b, and 140c may differ from one another with respect to their components. In some embodiments, vital signs sensor 140a may include UWB transceiver 146, while vital signs sensors 140b and / or 140c may not. Vital signs sensor 140b may be adapted to couple to cartridge 142 by cable 170, while vital signs sensors 140a and / or 140c may not. Furthermore, vital signs sensor 140c may include a non-UWB transceiver therein for wirelessly communicating with cartridge 142, while vital signs sensors 140a and / or 140b may not include such a non-UWB transceiver. Still other variations between vital signs sensors 140a-c may be possible.

[0221] The location at which the cartridge 142 may be coupled to the patient support apparatus 20, and therefore the location of the cartridge port 128, may vary in different embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20. FIGS. 20-23 show different locations at which the cartridge 142 may be coupled to the cartridge port 128 in different embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20. FIG. 20 shows the cartridge 142 coupled to the patient support apparatus 20 along a vertical support 210 located adjacent the head end 38. In this embodiment of the patient support apparatus 20, the cartridge port 128 is integrated into the vertical support 210. The cartridge receiver 126 (which may be located inside the vertical support 210 or at other locations on the patient support apparatus 20) is adapted to receive wired signals from the cartridge 142 (and, in some examples, to transmit wired signals to the cartridge 142) when the cartridge 142 is inserted into the port 128.

[0222] 21 illustrates an embodiment of the patient support apparatus 20 in which the cartridge port 128 is integrated into the Fowler section 44 of the support deck 30. In this embodiment, a cartridge 142 is removably coupled to the Fowler section 44 of the patient support apparatus 20. A cartridge receiver 126 (which may be located inside the Fowler section 44 or elsewhere on the patient support apparatus 20) is adapted to receive wired signals from (and, in some instances, to transmit wired signals to) the cartridge 142 when the cartridge 142 is inserted into the port 128.

[0223] 22 illustrates another embodiment of the patient support apparatus 20 in which the cartridge port 128 is integrated into one of the siderails 36 of the patient support apparatus 20. In this embodiment, a cartridge 142 is removably coupled to one of the siderails 36 of the patient support apparatus 20. The cartridge receiver 126 (which may be located inside the siderail 36 or at other locations on the patient support apparatus 20) is adapted to receive wired signals from (and, in some instances, to transmit wired signals to) the cartridge 142 when the cartridge 142 is inserted into the port 128.

[0224] 23 illustrates another embodiment of the patient support apparatus 20 in which the cartridge port 128 is integrated into the top side of the litter frame 28 at a location approximately midway between the head end 38 and the foot end 40. In this embodiment, the cartridge 142 is removably coupled to the litter frame 28 of the patient support apparatus 20. The cartridge receiver 126 (which may be located on the top side of the litter frame 28 or elsewhere on the patient support apparatus 20) is adapted to receive wired signals from (and, in some instances, to transmit wired signals to) the cartridge 142 when the cartridge 142 is inserted into the port 128.

[0225] The cartridge ports 128 may be located at other locations on the patient support apparatus 20 other than those shown in Figures 20-23. Additionally, in some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured with multiple cartridge ports 128 into which multiple cartridges 142 may be inserted. In such embodiments, a single cartridge 142 may be inserted into different ports 128 at different times depending on which port 128 a caregiver deems more convenient at a given moment and / or for different vital signs sensors 140.

[0226] In some embodiments, the cartridge 142 does not include any UWB transceiver, and association of the cartridge 142 (and vital signs sensors 140b and / or 140c coupled thereto) is performed in any of the manners discussed above. In such embodiments, the controller 132 determines whether to associate a particular cartridge 142 with the patient support apparatus 20 without relying on the position of the cartridge 142 relative to the volume of space 152. In alternative embodiments of the cartridge 142, it may include one or more UWB transceivers adapted to communicate with a UWB transceiver 142 on-board the patient support apparatus 20 such that the relative position of the cartridge 142 with respect to the patient support apparatus 20 may be determined. In these UWB embodiments, the controller 132 may utilize the position of the cartridge 142 relative to the volume of space 152 to determine whether to associate the cartridge with the patient support apparatus 20. Alternatively or additionally, the controller 132 may determine the association of the cartridge 142 based on a cartridge ID received from the cartridge 142 when it is inserted into the cartridge port 128 (i.e., the controller 132 associates the cartridge 142 with the patient support apparatus 20 when the cartridge is inserted into the port 128).

[0227] 24 illustrates an embodiment of a cartridge 142 that includes one or more UWB transceivers mounted thereon. In this embodiment, the cartridge 142 and / or the locator unit 60 are adapted to determine their distance from one another, and the cartridge transmitter 204 is configured to transmit vital sign readings to the locator unit 60 for display on a connected non-UWB display device 56 if the distance is less than a threshold value. In this particular embodiment, the cartridge 142 does not need to forward vital sign signals to be displayed on the non-UWB display device 56 to the patient support apparatus 20, but instead can forward such vital sign signals directly to the locator unit 60, bypassing the patient support apparatus 20. The cartridge 142 may be further adapted to automatically forward vital sign signals to a UWB display device 156 that comes within a threshold distance of the cartridge 142, provided that the UWB display device 156 is authorized to display such vital sign data.

[0228] As used herein, the term "associate" or variations thereof refers to the identification by the controller 132 of which devices (locator unit 60, vital signs sensor 140, UWB display device 156, and / or cartridge 142) are intended for use with a patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20 and / or are intended for use by the patient support apparatus 20 at a particular location within the healthcare facility. For locator units 60, the patient support apparatus 20 associates itself with a single locator unit 60 at a given time. For combined locator units 60a, the associated combined locator unit 60a is the locator unit 60a to which the controller 132 sends data for forwarding to an adjacent communication outlet 64 and from which the controller 132 receives data emanating from the communication outlet 64. Thus, the associated locator unit 60a is the combined locator unit 60 to which the patient support apparatus 20 sends the patient's audio signals (and / or exit detection alerts) for forwarding to the nurse call system 70. It is also the combined locator unit 60a to which the controller 132 sends television commands when the patient on-board the patient support apparatus 20 activates one or more of the television controls 50l-50r. Similarly, it is also the combined locator unit 60a to which the controller 132 sends light commands when the patient on-board the patient support apparatus 20 activates one or more of the reading light or room light controls 50s or 50t. The combined locator unit 60a with which the patient support apparatus 20 associates itself is also the combined locator unit 60a to which the patient support apparatus 20 receives audio signals from and forwards audio signals to its on-board speakers.Such audio signals may correspond to voice signals from a remote nurse that are forwarded by the nurse call system 70 to a corresponding communication outlet 64, or such audio signals may correspond to television audio signals that are directed by one or more conductors 68 from the television 72 to the communication outlet 64. In some embodiments, the controller 132 associates the combined locator unit 60a with the patient support apparatus 20 when the combined locator unit 60a is located within the spatial volume 152, and in other embodiments, as described above, when the patient support apparatus 20 is located within the spatial volume 152a of the combined locator unit 60a.

[0229] Generally speaking, the controller 132 is configured to associate with the uncoupled locator unit 60b when the patient support apparatus 20 moves inside the spatial volume 152a of the uncoupled locator unit. In alternative embodiments, the controller 132 may be configured to associate with the uncoupled locator unit 60b when the patient support apparatus 20 moves close enough to the uncoupled locator unit 60b that the locator unit 60b is disposed inside the spatial volume 152. In yet other embodiments, the uncoupled locator unit 60b associated with the controller 132 may be the closest uncoupled locator unit 60b located in the same room or on the same side of the wall as the patient support apparatus 20.

[0230] With regard to the vital signs sensor 140, the vital signs sensor 140 with which the controller 132 is associated is the one used by the patient currently assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, the controller 132 assumes that whoever is currently occupying the patient support apparatus 20 is the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. With regard to the display device 156, the display device 156 with which the controller 132 is associated is adapted to display data related to the patient currently assigned to the patient support apparatus 20 and / or data related to the patient support apparatus 20.

[0231] With respect to the cartridge 142, the cartridge with which the controller 132 is associated is the cartridge that has one or more vital signs sensors 140b plugged in and is used with the patient assigned to the patient support apparatus 20. When the cartridge 142 is first inserted into the cartridge port 128 but has not yet been associated with the patient support apparatus 20, the cartridge transmitter 204 transmits the cartridge's ID 200 (via the cartridge receiver 126) to the controller 132. Once that ID is received by the controller 132, the controller 132 associates the cartridge 142 with the patient support apparatus 20. Thereafter (i.e., throughout time after association), the cartridge transmitter 204 may repeatedly transmit its unique ID 200 along with the vital signs data it transmits to the patient support apparatus. The controller 132 rechecks this cartridge ID 200 to ensure that it matches the original cartridge ID associated with the patient support apparatus 20. If there is a match, the controller 132 continues to process the vital signs data in the manner described herein. If there is no match, the controller 132 may be configured to stop transmitting the vital signs data to one or more displays and / or the patient support apparatus server 84, display an error message on the display 52, and / or transmit an error message to the patient support apparatus server 84. This process of re-validating the cartridge ID 200 is particularly useful when the cartridge 142 has been physically removed from the port 128 and is transmitting vital signs data to the patient support apparatus 20, because in such a situation, other cartridges 142 of other patient support apparatuses may be within communication range. By re-validating the cartridge ID after the cartridge is associated with the patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 can determine whether the wireless data it received is coming from the correct cartridge 142, and if not, can decide to ignore it.

[0232] The association and disassociation of a particular patient to a particular patient support apparatus 20 may be performed locally by the controller 132 or remotely by the patient support apparatus server 84. Such remote association generally involves the patient support apparatus server 84 using information from a conventional admissions, discharge, and transfer (ADT) server or an EMR server on the network 80 to determine the room location (e.g., room number and / or bed bay ID) of a particular patient, and then matching that room location with the room location of a particular patient support apparatus 20 (which is reported to the server by the patient support apparatus 20, which determines its location using the locator unit 60). In other words, the server 84 consults conventional servers on the network 80, such as ADT and / or EMR servers, that associate a particular patient with a particular room number and / or bay area, and then matches the particular patient to a particular patient support apparatus 20 using the known room number and / or bay area of ​​the particular patient support apparatus 20.

[0233] The local association of a particular patient with a particular patient support apparatus 20 can be performed in many different ways. One way involves incorporating a barcode scanner and / or near-field sensor in the patient support apparatus 20 adapted to read barcode and / or near-field patient ID data stored in a conventional patient wristband. When a patient is assigned to a particular patient support apparatus 20, a caregiver scans the patient's wristband with a barcode or near-field scanner mounted on the patient support apparatus 20. The patient ID data read from the wristband is then transferred to the server 84, which may distribute it to the EMR server and / or other servers on the network 80. The controller 132 may also be adapted to include this patient ID data in the vital sign readings it reports from the vital sign sensors 140 to the server 84 (and / or to other servers on the network 80), so that the server knows which particular patient the readings came from.

[0234] In some embodiments of the patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 forwards information to the patient support apparatus server 84 so that the server 84 can determine whether to associate a particular device with a particular patient support apparatus 20. In such embodiments, the server 84 sends a message back to the patient support apparatus 20 informing the patient support apparatus 20 which devices should be associated with the patient support apparatus 20 and which devices should not be associated with the patient support apparatus 20.

[0235] In some embodiments, when the patient support apparatus 20 and / or server 84 associates the device with a particular patient support apparatus 20, the controller 132 and / or server 84 is configured to communicate to a medical professional (via the electronic device 94) that the device is associated with the particular patient support apparatus and / or the particular patient assigned to that patient support apparatus 20. In this manner, data from the device may be associated with a particular patient, room location, and / or patient support apparatus 20. Thus, the patient support apparatus 20 may be configured to forward vital sign data (or data from other medical devices) to the server 84 after the vital sign sensor 140 (or other medical device) is associated with the patient support apparatus 20. Such vital sign data (or other data) may then be automatically forwarded by the server 84 to an EMR server for inclusion in the corresponding patient's electronic medical record. In this manner, once the controller 132 associates the vital signs sensor 140 with the patient support apparatus 20, data from the vital signs sensor can be automatically stored in that patient's particular electronic medical record without the need for a caregiver to assign the vital signs sensor to either the patient and / or the patient support apparatus 20 assigned to that patient. In other words, because the controller 132 automatically determines that the vital signs sensor 140 (or other medical device) is located inside the spatial volume 152, the caregiver does not need to take any manual steps to transfer data from the vital signs sensor 140 (or other medical device) to the appropriate corresponding patient's electronic medical record because the patient support apparatus 20, in conjunction with the server 84, automatically determines the correct patient associated with that medical device. Further details regarding at least one manner in which this automatic patient determination may be performed are found in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 193,777, filed May 27, 2021, entitled "System for Associating Medical Device Data," inventors Thomas Deeds et al. The entire disclosure above is incorporated herein by reference.

[0236] In addition, the '777 patent application discloses several ways in which UWB tags may be configured. Such tags may be attached to vital signs sensor 140 and / or other medical devices used in conjunction with patient support apparatus 20. The use of such tags allows controller 132 to automatically determine the location of vital signs sensor 140 and / or other medical devices that do not have their own on-board UWB transceivers but instead have UWB tags attached to them.

[0237] Typically, a tag attached to a vital signs sensor 140 (or other medical device) includes a UWB transceiver that can communicate with each UWB transceiver 124 on-board the patient support apparatus 20. This communication allows a controller 132 of the patient support apparatus 20 to determine the distance between each UWB transceiver 124 and the tag. Knowing these distances, along with the location of each transceiver 124 on the patient support apparatus, allows the controller 132 to determine the relative location of the tag with respect to the patient support apparatus 20, including whether the tag is located inside or outside of the spatial volume 152.

[0238] It should be understood that tags may not only be attached to vital signs sensors 140, but also to any device that may be used with a patient and whose location relative to spatial volume 152 is preferably known. Such medical devices include, but are not limited to, exercise equipment, heel care boots, IV stands and / or poles, ventilators, patient monitors (e.g., oxygen saturation (SpO 2) monitors), patient positioning devices (e.g., wedges, turning devices, pumps), environmental sensors (e.g., temperature, air flow, light, humidity, pressure, altitude, sound / noise), and / or any other type of device used in patient treatment, monitoring, and / or rehabilitation. An on-board UWB transceiver may additionally or alternatively be on-board any of these medical devices and adapted to communicate with the UWB transceiver 124, thus obviating the need for the use of a separate tag.

[0239] In at least one embodiment, the patient support apparatus 20 may be adapted to detect the position of the exercise apparatus (and / or movement of the exercise apparatus) in one or more ways disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 161,175, entitled “Exercise Device and Patient Support Apparatus,” filed March 15, 2021, by inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0240] In some embodiments, the transceivers 104, 124, 146, and 160 may operate in the same manner and have any of the same functionality as the anchors and pseudo anchors disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 193,777, filed May 27, 2021, entitled "System for Associating Medical Device Data," inventors Thomas Deeds et al., the entire disclosure of which has been previously incorporated by reference herein.

[0241] In some embodiments, the locator unit 60 may be utilized to determine the location of vital signs sensors 140, UWB display devices 156, and / or other types of medical devices, as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 132,514, filed Dec. 31, 2020, by inventors Alexander Bodurka et al., and entitled "Patient Support Apparatus and Medical Device Networks," and in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 154,677, filed Feb. 27, 2021, by inventors Celso Pereira et al., and entitled "System for Determining Patient Support Apparatus and Medical Device Location," the entire disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0242] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the server 84 may be further configured to execute a caregiver assistance software application of the type described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 82697, entitled "Patient Care System", filed March 29, 2019, by inventors Thomas Durlach et al., commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 832760, entitled "Patient Care System", filed March 27, 2020, by inventors Thomas Durlach et al., and / or commonly assigned PCT / US2020 / 039587, entitled "Caregiver Assistance System", filed June 25, 2020, by inventors Thomas Durlach et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. That is, the server 84 may be configured to share with one or more electronic devices 94 any of the information shared with the electronic devices disclosed in these above-mentioned patent applications. Thus, for example, the server 84 may be configured to not only share the location of the patient support apparatus 20 (and any medical devices that may be associated with them) with the electronic device 94, but it may also transmit to the device 94 patient vital signs data, patient support apparatus status data (e.g., current siderail position, bed exit status, brake status, height status, scale data), and / or caregiver rounding data (e.g., the time the last round was conducted for a particular patient, the time the next round is scheduled).

[0243] In some embodiments, locator unit 60a and / or 60b may be configured to transmit (via UWB transceiver 104 and / or BT transceiver 106) a signal to patient support apparatus 20 indicating what type of locator unit it is (e.g., whether it is a combined locator unit 60a or a non-combined locator unit 60b). Controller 132 of patient support apparatus 20 uses this information to determine whether to forward an audio signal from microphone 138 to locator unit 60 via BT transceiver 122 or UWB transceiver 124. More specifically, if the locator unit is a combined locator unit 60a, controller 132 forwards the audio signal (which then forwards the audio signal to communication outlet 64). If the locator unit 60 is a non-coupled locator unit 60b, the controller 132 does not route the audio signals (although instead routes them to a nurse call cable port that receives the nurse call cable 66). The audio signals are generated from the patient's voice as he or she speaks to a remote caregiver via the healthcare facility's nurse call system.

[0244] It should also be understood that the number of UWB transceivers on the patient support apparatus 20 may vary. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 includes three UWB transceivers 124 located at known positions on the patient support apparatus 20 that are stored in the memory 134. In other embodiments, four UWB transceivers 124 are included. In still other embodiments, fewer than three UWB transceivers 124 are used, such as a single UWB transceiver or two transceivers. Still other numbers of UWB transceivers 124 may be included.

[0245] In some embodiments, the coupled locator unit 60a and / or the uncoupled locator unit 60b may include additional information stored therein that is shared with the patient support apparatus 20 when the patient support apparatus 20 is associated with the locator unit 60. Such additional information may include location information identifying the relative location of the locator unit 60 with respect to one or more nearby located locator units 60. Additionally or alternatively, the locator unit 60 may include information regarding the thickness and / or material of the wall 62 to which it is attached, where such information provides the patient support apparatus 20 with an indication of the amount of attenuation that a UWB signal may experience as it travels through that wall. Additionally or alternatively, the locator units 60 may include information identifying their approximate location within the medical facility (e.g., room 400, room bay A 302, hallway X, service area Y, radiology, emergency department, etc.) and / or information identifying a more specific location of the locator unit 60 within the medical facility (a set of X, Y, Z coordinates of a frame of reference that includes all or a portion of the medical facility, a height above a wall 62, a distance from one or more landmarks and / or architectural features within the medical facility, and / or other more specific information). In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to utilize this information to determine its location within the medical facility and / or to determine whether it is located on the same side of a wall 62 as a particular locator unit 60. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus 20 and / or locator unit 60 have any of the same structure, function, and / or features as the patient support apparatus and / or wall unit disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 245,245, filed Sep. 17, 2021, entitled "System for Locating Patient Support Apparatuses," by inventors Kirby Neihouser et al., the entire disclosure of which has been previously incorporated by reference herein.

[0246] In some embodiments, the combined locator unit 60a and / or the uncombined locator unit 60b may be integrated into an overhead boom 300 that is located in a room of a medical facility. An example of such a boom 300 is shown in FIG. 27. The boom 300 is attached to a ceiling 302 of the room and, in this particular example, includes two arms 304. Each arm 304 is pivotable about a generally vertical axis and is attached at its top to one or more crossbars 306. Each crossbar 306 is, in turn, pivotable about another generally vertical axis. In this manner, each arm 304 may be moved to a number of different positions around and / or above the patient support apparatus 20. In some embodiments, the locator unit 60 (combined or uncombined) is mounted to the overhead boom 300. In such an embodiment, the locator unit 60 may comprise multiple UWBs 104, with each arm 304 of the overhead boom 300 comprising a UWB transceiver 104. The patient support apparatus 20 is configured to associate with this type of locator unit 60 if at least one of the UWB transceivers 104 is located within a predetermined spatial volume, for example within spatial volume 152. In other words, the patient support apparatus 20 is configured to associate itself with the locator unit 60 integrated in the boom 300 when one of the arms 304 is moved into the vicinity of the patient support apparatus 20, but not the other arm 304. Only when both arms 304 and their respective UWB transceivers 104 are located outside the predetermined spatial volume, the patient support apparatus 20 associates or disassociates itself with the locator unit 60 mounted on the overhead boom 300.

[0247] 27, the locator unit 60 may include all of the components shown in FIG. 5 or 7 in addition to the multiple UWB transceivers 104. When the combined locator unit 60 is mounted to an overhead boom 300, the communications outlet 64 may be integrated into the ceiling 302 at the location where the boom 300 is attached to the ceiling 302. In some situations, as shown in FIG. 27, this ceiling mounted outlet 64 is hidden from view by the attachment of the boom 300. In such an embodiment, the combined locator unit 60 is configured to act as a communications conduit between the associated patient support apparatus 20 and the room devices 72, 74, 76 and / or between the associated patient support apparatus 20 and the nurse call system 70. In some embodiments, the predetermined volume of space within which the arm 304 must be placed in order to associate the patient support apparatus 20 with the fixed locator 60 integrated into the boom 300 has a different size and / or shape than the predetermined volume of space 152 that may be used with the fixed locator 60 mounted on the wall 62. In other embodiments, the predetermined volume of space 152 that may be used with the fixed locator 60 mounted on the wall and the fixed locator 60 integrated into the boom may be the same. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 27, a display 56 may be connected to or integrated into the overhead boom 300 on which data may be displayed in any of the manners discussed herein after the patient support apparatus 20 is associated with the locator unit 60 mounted on the overhead boom 300.

[0248] It should be understood that communication of vital signs data or other medical device data to one or more of displays 56 and / or 156 as described herein occurs without directing the data through network 80 and without utilizing network transceiver 98. Instead, the data may be transmitted directly from one UWB transceiver to another, such as from vital signs sensor 140a to one of UWB transceivers 124 of patient support apparatus 20, and from patient support apparatus 20 to locator unit 60 using UWB transceivers 124 and 104. Alternatively, one or more of these devices transmitting or forwarding vital signs data may use Bluetooth® communications or other forms of direct communications. By using these direct communications, patient support apparatus 20 reduces the communications load that may be placed on network 80.

[0249] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of the term "transceiver" throughout this specification is not intended to be limited to devices in which the transmitter and receiver are necessarily located in the same housing, or to devices in which they share the same circuitry. Instead, the term "transceiver" is used broadly herein to refer to both structures in which circuitry is shared between the transmitter and receiver, and to transmitter-receivers in which the transmitter and receiver do not share circuitry and / or a common housing. Thus, the term "transceiver" refers to any device having a transmitter element and a receiver element, whether the two elements are a common entity, separate entities, or there is some overlap in their structure.

[0250] In addition to what has already been described herein, various additional modifications and alterations may be made to the above-described embodiments. This disclosure has been presented for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as an exhaustive description of all embodiments, nor should it be construed as limiting the scope of the claims to the specific elements described or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, but not limited to, any individual element of the above-described embodiments may be replaced with an alternative element that provides substantially similar functionality or provides sufficiently suitable operation. This includes, for example, currently known alternative elements, such as those that may be currently known to those of skill in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as those that may be recognized as alternatives by those of skill in the art when developed. References to claim elements made in the singular, such as the use of the articles "a," "an," "the," or "said," should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

Claims

1. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a second transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a second location; a third transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a third location; and a controller adapted to determine a position of a fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a fixed locator located off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller being further adapted to transmit data to be displayed by a display device located off-board the patient support apparatus when the fixed locator is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and not to transmit the data to be displayed by the display device when the fixed locator is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband wireless transceivers.

3. 2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

4. 4. The patient support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the fixed locator is located inside or outside the predetermined volume of space.

5. 2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using RF communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital sign sensor.

6. 6. The patient support apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device if the vital sign sensor is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

7. The patient support apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the display device comprises a display and a display controller, the display controller adapted to display the data on the display.

8. The patient support apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display device is mounted adjacent a bay of a room in a medical facility.

9. 7. The patient support apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume.

10. 10. The patient support apparatus of claim 9, wherein the display device comprises a device controller and a video port adapted to receive a video cable adapted to be coupled to a display, and the device controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed by the display device to the video port in response to receiving the data to be displayed by the display device.

11. 11. The patient support apparatus of claim 10, wherein the video port is one of an HDMI connector, a VGA connector, a DP connector, multiple RCA connectors, or a DVI connector.

12. 2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect vital signs of the patient, and the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed by the display device.

13. 13. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the vital sign port is integrated into a cartridge, and the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital sign sensor remains plugged into the vital sign port.

14. 14. The patient support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cartridge includes an adapter, the cartridge adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the adapter remains connected to the cartridge, and the adapter adapted to be removed from the cartridge while the plug of the cable remains coupled to the adapter.

15. 15. The patient support apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

16. 2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to include a room number within the data to be displayed by the display device, the room number corresponding to a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

17. The patient support apparatus comprises: a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server of a local area network of the medical facility; and 17. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a location ID from the fixed locator, transmit the location ID to the server using the network transceiver, and thereafter receive the room number from the server via the network transceiver.

18. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

19. 10. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a local display integrated into the patient support apparatus, the controller being adapted to display on the local display a screen including the data to be displayed by the display device.

20. 20. The patient support apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data to be displayed by the display device includes readings from a vital signs sensor.

21. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

22. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to control content of the data to be displayed by the display device.

23. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a second transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a second location; a third transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a third location; and a controller adapted to determine a position of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a display device, the display device being located off-board the patient support apparatus and comprising a display, and the controller being further adapted to transmit data to be displayed by the display device if the display device is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and not transmit the data to be displayed to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

24. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

25. 25. The patient support apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband wireless transceivers, and the display device comprises a fourth transceiver adapted to communicate with the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, the fourth transceiver also being an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

26. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the display device is one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

27. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed directly to the display device without first transmitting the data to be displayed to any intermediate device located off-board the patient support apparatus.

28. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to a fixed locator, and the fixed locator is adapted to transfer the data to the display device.

29. 30. The patient support apparatus of claim 28, wherein the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

30. 30. The patient support apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume, and the fixed locator is adapted to forward the audio signal to a nurse call system.

31. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

32. 32. The patient support apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the display device is located inside or outside the predetermined volume of space.

33. 32. The patient support apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using RF communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital sign sensor.

34. 34. The patient support apparatus of claim 33, wherein the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not include the readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

35. 35. The patient support apparatus of claim 34, wherein the display device is mounted adjacent a bay of a room within a medical facility.

36. 30. The patient support apparatus of claim 29, wherein the fixed locator comprises an internal controller and a video port adapted to receive a video cable adapted to be coupled to the display device, and the internal controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the video port in response to receiving the data to be displayed.

37. 37. The patient support apparatus of claim 36, wherein the video port is one of an HDMI connector, a VGA connector, a DP connector, multiple RCA connectors, or a DVI connector.

38. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect vital signs of the patient, and the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed.

39. 39. The patient support apparatus of claim 38, wherein the vital sign port is integrated into a cartridge and the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital signs sensor remains plugged into the vital sign port.

40. 40. The patient support apparatus of claim 39, wherein the cartridge includes an adapter, the cartridge adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus with the adapter connected to the cartridge, and the adapter adapted to be removed from the cartridge with the plug of the cable remaining coupled to the adapter.

41. 41. The patient support apparatus of claim 40, wherein the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

42. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller is adapted to include a room number in the data to be displayed, the room number corresponding to a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

43. The patient support apparatus comprises: a location receiver adapted to receive a location ID from a fixed locator located within the room; a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server of a local area network of the medical facility; and 43. The patient support apparatus of claim 42, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the room number by transmitting the location ID to the server with the network transceiver, and thereafter receiving the room number from the server via the network transceiver.

44. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a display integrated into the patient support apparatus, the controller being adapted to display a screen on the display including the data to be displayed.

45. 45. The patient support apparatus of claim 44, wherein the data to be displayed includes readings from a vital signs sensor.

46. 24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to control content of the data transmitted to the display device to be displayed.

47. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a second transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a second location; a third transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a third location; and a controller adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital sign sensor, the controller being further adapted to receive vital sign data from the vital sign sensor and transmit the vital sign data to a display device if the vital sign sensor is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and the controller being further adapted to not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

48. 48. The patient support apparatus of claim 47, wherein the display device comprises a display and a display controller, both located on-board the patient support apparatus, the display controller adapted to display the vital signs data on the display.

49. 48. The patient support apparatus of claim 47, wherein the display device is located off-board the patient support apparatus.

50. 50. The patient support apparatus of claim 49, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and the display device, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the display device only if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

51. 48. The patient support apparatus of claim 47, wherein the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

52. 52. The patient support apparatus of claim 51, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband wireless transceivers, and the vital signs sensor comprises a fourth transceiver adapted to communicate with the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, the fourth transceiver also being an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

53. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, wherein the display device is a mobile device adapted to be carried by a caregiver.

54. 54. The patient support apparatus of claim 53, wherein the display device is one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

55. 50. The patient support apparatus of claim 49, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data directly to the display device without first transmitting the vital signs data to any intermediate device located off-board the patient support apparatus.

56. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data to a fixed locator, and the fixed locator is adapted to transfer the vital signs data to the display device.

57. 57. The patient support apparatus of claim 56, wherein the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

58. 58. The patient support apparatus of claim 57, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume, and the fixed locator is adapted to forward the audio signal to a nurse call system.

59. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

60. 60. The patient support apparatus of claim 59, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the vital signs sensor is located inside or outside the predetermined spatial volume.

61. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, wherein the display device is mounted adjacent a bay of a room within a healthcare facility.

62. 57. The patient support apparatus of claim 56, wherein the fixed locator comprises an internal controller and a video port adapted to receive a video cable adapted to be coupled to the display device, and the internal controller is adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the video port in response to receiving the vital sign data.

63. 63. The patient support apparatus of claim 62, wherein the video port is one of an HDMI connector, a VGA connector, a DP connector, multiple RCA connectors, or a DVI connector.

64. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a vital sign port adapted to receive a plug of a cable from the vital signs sensor.

65. 65. The patient support apparatus of claim 64, wherein the vital sign port is integrated into a cartridge and the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital signs sensor remains plugged into the vital sign port.

66. 66. The patient support apparatus of claim 65, wherein the cartridge comprises an adapter, the cartridge adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus with the adapter connected to the cartridge, and the adapter adapted to be removed from the cartridge with the plug of the cable remaining coupled to the adapter.

67. 67. The patient support apparatus of claim 66, wherein the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

68. 51. The patient support apparatus of claim 50, wherein the controller is further adapted to transmit a room number to the display device if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the room number to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume, the room number corresponding to a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

69. The patient support apparatus comprises: a location receiver adapted to receive a location ID from a fixed locator located within the room; a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server of a local area network of the medical facility; and 69. The patient support apparatus of claim 68, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the room number by transmitting the location ID to the server using the network transceiver, and thereafter receiving the room number from the server via the network transceiver.

70. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to control a format of the vital signs data that is transmitted to the display device.

71. 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to select additional data to be transmitted to the display device.

72. The patient support apparatus comprises: a patient ID reader adapted to wirelessly receive a patient ID from a patient ID device; a network transceiver adapted to communicate with the server; 53. The patient support apparatus of claim 52, wherein the controller is further adapted to transmit both the vital signs data and the patient ID to the server.

73. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a cartridge adapted to be physically attached to and detached from the patient support apparatus, the cartridge comprising a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of the patient, the cartridge further comprising a cartridge transmitter adapted to transmit a cartridge ID and vital sign data to the patient support apparatus; a cartridge port adapted to receive the cartridge when the cartridge is physically attached to the patient support apparatus; a cartridge receiver adapted to communicate with the cartridge transmitter and to receive the cartridge ID and the vital signs data from the cartridge transmitter; a controller adapted to associate the cartridge with the patient support apparatus.

74. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge transmitter is a wired transmitter.

75. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge receiver is a wired receiver.

76. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge transmitter is adapted to communicate with the cartridge receiver via both wired and wireless connections.

77. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server hosted on a computer network, the controller further adapted to transmit the cartridge ID and the patient support apparatus ID to the server.

78. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge transmitter is further adapted to transmit the cartridge ID during an association time when the controller associates the cartridge with the patient support apparatus, and thereafter to transmit the cartridge ID during a post-association time, the controller being further adapted to verify whether the cartridge ID received during the post-association time matches the cartridge ID received during the association time.

79. 80. The patient support apparatus of claim 78, further comprising a display, and wherein the controller is adapted to display the vital signs data on the display.

80. 80. The patient support apparatus of claim 79, wherein the controller is further adapted to perform at least one of the following: (a) displaying an error message on the display if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time, or (b) ceasing display of the vital signs data on the display if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time.

81. 80. The patient support apparatus of claim 78, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server hosted on a computer network, the controller further adapted to transmit the vital signs data to the server.

82. 82. The patient support apparatus of claim 81, wherein the controller is further adapted to perform at least one of the following: (a) sending an error message to the server if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time, or (b) stopping transmission of the vital sign data to the server if the cartridge ID received during the post-association time does not match the cartridge ID received during the association time.

83. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital signs sensor remains connected to the vital signs port of the cartridge.

84. 74. The patient support apparatus of claim 73, wherein the cartridge includes an adapter, the cartridge adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus with the adapter connected to the cartridge, and the adapter adapted to be removed from the cartridge with the plug of the cable remaining coupled to the adapter.

85. 85. The patient support apparatus of claim 84, wherein the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

86. 84. The patient support apparatus of claim 83, wherein the cartridge further comprises a battery, and the cartridge transmitter is adapted to wirelessly transmit the vital signs data to the cartridge receiver when the cartridge is removed from the patient support apparatus.

87. The patient support apparatus comprises: a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a second transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a second location; a third transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a third location; and 84. The patient support apparatus of claim 83, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and the vital sign sensor, the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to a display device if the vital sign sensor is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and the controller is further adapted to not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

88. 88. The patient support apparatus of claim 87, wherein the display device comprises a display and a display controller, both located on-board the patient support apparatus, the display controller adapted to display the vital signs data on the display.

89. 88. The patient support apparatus of claim 87, wherein the display device is located off-board the patient support apparatus.

90. 90. The patient support apparatus of claim 89, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and the display device, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the display device only if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

91. 88. The patient support apparatus of claim 87, wherein the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

92. 92. The patient support apparatus of claim 91, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband wireless transceivers, and the vital signs sensor comprises a fourth transceiver adapted to communicate with the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, the fourth transceiver also being an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

93. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, wherein the display device is a mobile device adapted to be carried by a caregiver.

94. 94. The patient support apparatus of claim 93, wherein the display device is one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

95. 90. The patient support apparatus of claim 89, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data directly to the display device without first transmitting the vital signs data to any intermediate device located off-board the patient support apparatus.

96. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data to a fixed locator, and the fixed locator is adapted to transfer the vital signs data to the display device.

97. 97. The patient support apparatus of claim 96, wherein the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

98. 98. The patient support apparatus of claim 97, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume, and the fixed locator is adapted to forward the audio signal to a nurse call system.

99. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, further comprising a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

100. 100. The patient support apparatus of claim 99, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the vital signs sensor is located inside or outside the predetermined spatial volume.

101. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, wherein the display device is mounted adjacent a bay of a room within a healthcare facility.

102. 91. The patient support apparatus of claim 90, wherein the controller is further adapted to transmit a room number to the display device if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the room number to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume, the room number corresponding to a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

103. The patient support apparatus comprises: a location receiver adapted to receive a location ID from a fixed locator located within the room; a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server of a local area network of the medical facility; and 103. The patient support apparatus of claim 102, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the room number by transmitting the location ID to the server using the network transceiver, and thereafter receiving the room number from the server via the network transceiver.

104. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to control a format of the vital signs data that is transmitted to the display device.

105. 93. The patient support apparatus of claim 92, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow a user to select additional data to be transmitted to the display device.

106. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a cartridge adapted to be physically attached to and detached from the patient support apparatus, the cartridge comprising a vital sign port adapted to receive a cable plug from a vital sign sensor adapted to detect a vital sign of the patient, the cartridge further comprising a cartridge transmitter adapted to transmit vital sign data to the patient support apparatus; a cartridge port adapted to receive the cartridge when the cartridge is physically attached to the patient support apparatus; a cartridge receiver adapted to communicate with the cartridge transmitter and receive the vital signs data from the cartridge transmitter; and a controller adapted to transmit the vital signs data to a display device.

107. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the display device comprises a display and a display controller, both located on-board the patient support apparatus, the display controller adapted to display the vital signs data on the display.

108. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the display device is located off-board the patient support apparatus.

109. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the cartridge is adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus while the plug of the cable from the vital signs sensor remains connected to the vital signs port of the cartridge.

110. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the cartridge includes an adapter, the cartridge adapted to be removed from the patient support apparatus with the adapter connected to the cartridge, and the adapter adapted to be removed from the cartridge with the plug of the cable remaining coupled to the adapter.

111. 111. The patient support apparatus of claim 110, wherein the cartridge is removably secured to the patient support apparatus via an engineering fit and the adapter is removably secured to the cartridge by a magnetic coupling.

112. 110. The patient support apparatus of claim 109, wherein the cartridge further comprises a battery, and the cartridge transmitter is adapted to wirelessly transmit the vital signs data to the cartridge receiver when the cartridge is removed from the patient support apparatus.

113. The patient support apparatus comprises: a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a second transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a second location; a third transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a third location; and 110. The patient support apparatus of claim 109, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and the vital sign sensor, the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the vital sign sensor is located inside a predetermined spatial volume, and the controller is further adapted to not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

114. 114. The patient support apparatus of claim 113, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and the display device, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the vital sign data to the display device only if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the vital sign data to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

115. 114. The patient support apparatus of claim 113, wherein the predetermined volume of space is defined relative to the patient support apparatus and moves as the patient support apparatus moves.

116. 116. The patient support apparatus of claim 115, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband wireless transceivers, and the vital signs sensor comprises a fourth transceiver adapted to communicate with the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, the fourth transceiver also being an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

117. 117. The patient support apparatus of claim 116, wherein the display device is a mobile device adapted to be carried by a caregiver.

118. 118. The patient support apparatus of claim 117, wherein the display device is one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

119. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data directly to the display device without first transmitting the vital signs data to any intermediate device located off-board the patient support apparatus.

120. 114. The patient support apparatus of claim 113, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the vital signs data to a fixed locator, and the fixed locator is adapted to transfer the vital signs data to the display device.

121. 121. The patient support apparatus of claim 120, wherein the fixed locator is adapted to be mounted at a fixed location within a room of a healthcare facility and to transmit a location ID to the patient support apparatus.

122. 122. The patient support apparatus of claim 121, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller is further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the predetermined spatial volume, and the fixed locator is adapted to forward the audio signal to a nurse call system.

123. 114. The patient support apparatus of claim 113, further comprising a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

124. 124. The patient support apparatus of claim 123, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the vital signs sensor is located inside or outside the predetermined spatial volume.

125. 114. The patient support apparatus of claim 113, wherein the controller is further adapted to transmit a room number to the display device if the display device is located inside the predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the room number to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume, the room number corresponding to a room in which the patient support apparatus is currently located.

126. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, further comprising a patient ID reader adapted to wirelessly receive a patient ID from a patient ID device.

127. 127. The patient support apparatus of claim 126, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server, and wherein the controller is further adapted to transmit both the vital signs data and the patient ID to the server.

128. 128. The patient support apparatus of claim 127, wherein the patient ID device is a wristband worn by the patient, the wristband having a code imprinted thereon and adapted to be read by the patient ID reader.

129. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the cartridge transmitter is a wired transmitter.

130. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the cartridge receiver is a wired receiver.

131. 107. The patient support apparatus of claim 106, wherein the cartridge transmitter is adapted to communicate with the cartridge receiver via both wired and wireless connections.

132. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a controller adapted to determine a position of the fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a fixed locator disposed off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller determining whether or not the fixed locator is located off-board the patient support apparatus when at least one of the following is true: (a) the fixed locator is disposed within a first predetermined spatial volume defined relative to the patient support apparatus; or (b) the patient support apparatus is disposed within a second predetermined volume of space defined relative to the fixed locator; is true, and The controller may be configured to: (i) the fixed locator is located outside the first predetermined volume of space; or (ii) the patient support apparatus is disposed outside the second predetermined spatial volume; is true,

133. 133. The patient support apparatus of claim 132, wherein the first transceiver is an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

134. 134. The patient support apparatus of claim 133, further comprising a second transceiver coupled to a second location on the patient support apparatus and a third transceiver coupled to a third location on the patient support apparatus.

135. 135. The patient support apparatus of claim 134, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra wideband wireless transceivers, and the patient support apparatus further comprises a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

136. The patient support apparatus of claim 135, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine at least one of the following: (a) whether the fixed locator is located inside or outside the first predetermined spatial volume, or (b) whether the patient support apparatus is located inside or outside the second predetermined spatial volume.

137. 134. The patient support apparatus of claim 133, wherein the display device comprises a display and a display controller, and the display controller is adapted to display the data to be displayed on the display.

138. 138. The patient support apparatus of claim 137, wherein the display device and the fixed locator are mounted inside a common room within a healthcare facility.

139. 138. The patient support apparatus of claim 137, wherein the fixed locator is mounted inside a common room within a healthcare facility and the display device is mounted outside the room.

140. 138. The patient support apparatus of claim 137, wherein the display device is a stationary display device and the controller is further adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the mobile display device when the mobile display device is located inside the first predetermined spatial volume, but not to transmit the data to be displayed to the mobile display device when the mobile display device is located inside the first predetermined spatial volume.

141. 134. The patient support apparatus of claim 133, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the first predetermined volume of space and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the first predetermined volume of space.

142. 134. The patient support apparatus of claim 133, wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit the data to be displayed to the display device.

143. 143. The patient support apparatus of claim 142, wherein the controller is adapted to receive an identifier of the display device from the fixed locator and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the display device.

144. 143. The patient support apparatus of claim 142, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server on a computer network, the controller being further adapted to receive an identifier of the display device from the server and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the display device.

145. 134. The patient support apparatus of claim 133, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the fixed locator for transfer to the display device.

146. 136. The patient support apparatus of claim 135, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using RF communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital sign sensor.

147. 147. A patient support apparatus as described in claim 146, wherein the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located inside the first predetermined spatial volume, and to not include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located outside the first predetermined spatial volume.

148. 1. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface adapted to support a patient; a first transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus at a first location; a controller adapted to determine a position of the display device relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a display device located off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller being further adapted to transmit data to be displayed to the display device located off-board the patient support apparatus if the display device is located inside a predetermined spatial volume defined relative to the patient support apparatus, and the controller being further adapted to not transmit the data to be displayed to the display device if the display device is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

149. 149. The patient support apparatus of claim 148, wherein the first transceiver is an ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.

150. 150. The patient support apparatus of claim 149, further comprising a second transceiver coupled to a second location on the patient support apparatus and a third transceiver coupled to a third location on the patient support apparatus.

151. 151. The patient support apparatus of claim 150, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra wideband wireless transceivers, and the patient support apparatus further comprises a memory in which the first position, the second position, and the third position of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver, respectively, are stored.

152. 152. The patient support apparatus of claim 151, wherein the controller is further adapted to use the stored positions of the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver to determine whether the display device is located inside or outside the predetermined volume of space.

153. 153. The patient support apparatus of claim 152, wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit the data to be displayed to the display device.

154. 153. The patient support apparatus of claim 152, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server on a computer network, the controller being further adapted to receive an identifier of the display device from the server and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the display device.

155. The controller is further adapted to determine a position of the fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a fixed locator disposed off-board the patient support apparatus, the controller determining when at least one of the following is true: (a) the fixed locator is disposed within a second predetermined spatial volume defined relative to the patient support apparatus; or (b) the patient support apparatus is disposed within a third predetermined volume of space defined relative to the fixed locator; is true, the data to be displayed being transmitted to a second display device located off-board the patient support apparatus; and The controller may be configured to: (i) the fixed locator is located outside the second predetermined volume of space; or (ii) the patient support apparatus is disposed outside the third predetermined spatial volume; 153. The patient support apparatus of claim 152, further adapted to not transmit the data to be displayed to the second display device if at least one of: is true.

156. 156. The patient support apparatus of claim 155, wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit the data to be displayed to the second display device.

157. 157. A patient support apparatus as described in claim 156, wherein the controller is adapted to receive an identifier of the second display device from the fixed locator and to use the identifier when transmitting the data to be displayed to the second display device.

158. 157. The patient support apparatus of claim 156, further comprising a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server on a computer network, the controller further adapted to receive an identifier of the second display device from the server and to use the identifier when sending the data to be displayed to the second display device.

159. 152. The patient support apparatus of claim 151, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the vital sign sensor relative to the patient support apparatus using RF communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and a vital sign sensor.

160. 160. A patient support apparatus as described in claim 159, wherein the controller is further adapted to include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located inside the predetermined spatial volume, and to not include readings from the vital sign sensor in the data to be displayed if the vital sign sensor is located outside the predetermined spatial volume.

161. 156. The patient support apparatus of claim 155, wherein the second display device and the fixed locator are mounted inside a common room within a healthcare facility.

162. 156. The patient support apparatus of claim 155, wherein the fixed locator is mounted inside a common room within a healthcare facility and the second display device is mounted outside the room.

163. 156. The patient support apparatus of claim 155, further comprising a microphone disposed on-board the patient support apparatus, the microphone adapted to convert the patient's voice into an audio signal, and the controller further adapted to transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed inside the second predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if the fixed locator is disposed outside the second predetermined spatial volume.

164. 156. The patient support apparatus of claim 155, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the data to be displayed to the fixed locator for transfer to the second display device.

165. 152. The patient support apparatus of claim 151, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the overhead boom relative to the patient support apparatus using RF communication between the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver and an overhead boom.

166. 153. The patient support apparatus of claim 152, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a position of the fixed locator relative to the patient support apparatus using wireless radio frequency (RF) communication between the first transceiver and a fixed locator, the fixed locator being integrated into an overhead boom positioned above the patient support apparatus.

167. 167. A patient support apparatus as described in claim 166, wherein the overhead boom comprises a plurality of arms and the fixed locator comprises a first UWB transceiver integrated into a first arm of the plurality of arms and a second UWB transceiver integrated into a second arm of the plurality of arms, and the controller is adapted to transmit an audio signal to the fixed locator if at least one of the first UWB transceiver and the second UWB transceiver is located within a second predetermined spatial volume and not transmit the audio signal to the fixed locator if neither the first UWB transceiver nor the second UWB transceiver is located within the second predetermined spatial volume.

168. 168. The patient support apparatus of claim 167, further comprising a microphone, the audio signal being generated by the microphone in response to the patient speaking into the microphone.

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