초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a patient care and communication system which utilizes a central processing system and a plurality of remote stations electrically connected to the central processing system to facilitate visual and data communications. Each remote station includes telephone circuitr

The present invention relates to a patient care and communication system which utilizes a central processing system and a plurality of remote stations electrically connected to the central processing system to facilitate visual and data communications. Each remote station includes telephone circuitry which is connected to a private branch exchange for telephone communications between stations. In addition, the private branch exchange is connected to a telephone exchange and a plurality of telephones for facilitating telephone communication therebetween. The central processing system facilitates the visual and data communications between the plurality of remote stations, and includes a system for determining which of the plurality of remote stations are transmitting the visual and data communications and which of the plurality of remote stations are to receive the visual and data communications. The central processing system also includes a system which establishes a communication link between the transmitting stations and the receiving stations. The remote stations include a processing system which also facilitates the visual, data and telephone communications and a display for displaying the visual communications. The present invention also includes a staff and/or patient locator system, in which each remote station includes an infrared receiver that receives infrared transmissions from a portable transmitter worn by a staff member or patient. The infrared transmissions include identity information associated with the person wearing the transmitter. The identity information is then transferred to the central processing system which determines the identity and location of each person wearing a portable transmitter.

대표청구항 ▼

A patient control unit, which comprises: a housing; at least one switch positioned at least partially within said housing and accessible from an exterior surface of said housing; a plurality of conductors extending from said housing for electrically coupling said at least one switch to remote proces

A patient control unit, which comprises: a housing; at least one switch positioned at least partially within said housing and accessible from an exterior surface of said housing; a plurality of conductors extending from said housing for electrically coupling said at least one switch to remote processing circuitry, said plurality of conductors including a test conductor; wherein said at least one switch has a first terminal coupled to a first of said plurality of conductors and said at least one switch has a second terminal coupled to a first voltage reference; and at least one self-test switch positioned within said housing, said at least one self-test switch having a first terminal coupled to said test conductor and a second terminal coupled to said first of said plurality of conductors, such that when said remote processing circuitry provides a test signal to said test conductor said at least one self-test switch actuates to enable a continuity test of at least one connection between the control unit and other electronic equipment to be performed by the remote processing circuitry.