Wireless Transceiver Location Detection for Patient Beds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient support apparatuses in medical facilities lack efficient wireless location and movement detection capabilities, leading to inadequate automation of environmental control adjustments and caregiver reminders when patients move in or out of rooms.
Innovation Solution
A patient support apparatus equipped with first and second transceivers (infrared and radio frequency) that communicate with headwall units to determine entry or exit from a room, triggering automatic adjustments to environmental settings and reminders for caregivers through a controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If wireless transceivers are added to patient support apparatus for location detection, then automation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless transceiver system serves multiple functions: location detection, movement detection, and triggering environmental control adjustments. By making the transceiver multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate devices for each function, thereby improving automation capability while limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient support apparatus automatically detects its own location and movement through the wireless transceivers and autonomously triggers environmental control adjustments. This self-service capability improves automation without requiring additional manual intervention systems, balancing the complexity increase with functional integration.
2Measurement precision
If multiple transceivers are integrated into the patient support apparatus, then location detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection function into multiple transceivers positioned at different locations on the patient support apparatus. This segmentation allows each transceiver to independently detect signals from headwall units, and the combined data provides improved location detection accuracy while distributing the complexity across multiple simple components rather than one complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple transceivers are merged into a single integrated detection system controlled by one controller. The controller processes signals from all transceivers to determine location and movement, combining their individual capabilities into a unified system that achieves high accuracy without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If automatic environmental control adjustments are implemented, then operational efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes communication links between transceivers and headwall units before the patient support apparatus moves. When movement is detected, the environmental controls are automatically adjusted based on pre-configured settings, eliminating the need for manual reconfiguration and improving operational efficiency without requiring complex real-time decision-making systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication system provides continuous feedback about the location and status of the patient support apparatus to the controller. This feedback enables automatic environmental control adjustments based on real-time position data, improving operational efficiency through automated responses while keeping the control logic relatively simple through rule-based decision making.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient support apparatus includes a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver of a headwall interface that is positioned off of the patient support apparatus. A communication link is automatically established between the first and second transceivers without requiring a user of the patient support apparatus to activate a designated control and without requiring the user to identify the headwall interface. The first transceiver includes a unique identifier assigned to the headwall interface in its messages to the headwall interface. The first transceiver may also automatically transmit a disconnect signal to the headwall interface indicating the termination of the communication link is not accidental. The disconnect signal is sent based on one or more of the following: (1) a brake being off, (2) an A/C power cord being unplugged; and/or (3) a signal strength between the transceivers decreasing.