Pillow Speaker Audio Detection for Nurse Call Signal Priority
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hospital environments, existing pillow speaker systems struggle to prioritize nurse call signals over other audio sources, particularly when integrated with devices like tablets, leading to ineffective signal management and direction ambiguity between patients and nurses.
Innovation Solution
A digital pillow speaker system with a patient interface device (PID) equipped with a processor, audio output, and a detection circuit that identifies nurse call signals, prioritizes nurse call audio by muting other signals, and includes an impedance matching network to ensure compatible signal transmission with nurse call systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a tablet or other device is integrated in a patient-interface device to provide additional audio sources, then patient entertainment and information access are improved, but signal prioritization and direction control become ambiguous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a detection circuit as an intermediary component that automatically identifies nurse call signals and triggers signal routing changes. This mediator resolves the complexity by autonomously managing the prioritization logic, eliminating the need for complex software-based signal management while maintaining multiple audio source capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through the detection circuit that automatically detects nurse call signals and initiates the muting of other audio sources without requiring manual intervention or complex control algorithms. The system serves itself by having the detection circuit directly control the signal routing based on its autonomous signal identification.
2Ease of operation
If analog audio signals from entertainment devices are broadcast through the pillow speaker, then patient entertainment is improved, but nurse call signal prioritization becomes ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The detection circuit performs preliminary detection of nurse call signals before they compete with entertainment audio. By detecting the presence of nurse call signals in advance and automatically triggering the prioritization logic, the system ensures reliable nurse call transmission while maintaining entertainment accessibility during non-critical periods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bidirectional audio communication is enabled between patient and nurse, then communication effectiveness is improved, but signal direction identification becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bidirectional communication into distinct functional paths: one path for nurse-to-patient audio and another for patient-to-nurse audio. The detection circuit identifies which path is active by detecting the presence and characteristics of nurse call signals, thereby resolving the direction identification problem while maintaining bidirectional communication capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure may be embodied as a pillow speaker system. The pillow speaker system has a patient interface device (PID) having a processor and an audio output. A nurse call audio port is provided to communicate with a nurse call station. A detection circuit is provided to detect a nurse call signal and a provide nurse call indicator if a nurse call signal is present. The processor is programmed to receive the nurse call indicator from the detection circuit; provide a nurse call audio signal to the audio output if the nurse call indicator is received; and mute audio signals to the audio output except the nurse call audio signal.