Hospital Bed Mattress Tracking With Wireless ID Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hospital beds in healthcare facilities lack a reliable method to uniquely identify and track the location of mattresses within the facility, which can lead to inefficiencies in monitoring bed status and patient care.
Innovation Solution
A mattress with a unique electronic identifier and a communication system that assigns and transmits this identifier over a network, allowing for the precise location tracking and association of mattresses with bed frames, using wireless transceivers and network interface devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wired connection is used for communication between bed and nurse station, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wired connection system with a wireless communication system using transceivers. The transceiver in the mattress communicates with the nurse station wirelessly, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining communication reliability. This substitution reduces installation complexity and allows for easier reconfiguration of bed locations.
2Loss of information
If no unique identifier is assigned to mattresses, then device complexity is reduced, but location tracking capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress itself generates and maintains its unique identifier through an integrated transceiver system. The transceiver automatically transmits the mattress identifier to the nurse station when the mattress is placed on a bed frame, eliminating the need for manual identification or complex external tracking systems. The system serves itself by using the mattress's own communication capability to provide identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The transceiver serves multiple functions: it provides wireless communication, transmits unique identifiers, and enables location tracking. By consolidating these functions into a single device, the system achieves location tracking capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If manual tracking methods are used for mattresses, then device complexity is minimized, but productivity and monitoring efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The transceiver continuously transmits mattress identifier and location information to the nurse station, providing real-time feedback on mattress placement and location. This automated feedback system allows nurses to monitor multiple beds simultaneously without manual intervention, significantly improving monitoring efficiency while keeping the system relatively simple through use of existing wireless communication technology.
Data Source
AI summary
A mattress or support surface including an identifier to enable the mattress or support surface to be associated with a location in the healthcare facility and more particularly a room within the healthcare facility.