초록 ▼

Systems and methods of associating beds and/or rooms and/or patients are provided. One system and method involves using a signature of emitted light to determine a location of a patient bed in a healthcare facility. Another system and method involves reading a bar code from an array of redundant bar

Systems and methods of associating beds and/or rooms and/or patients are provided. One system and method involves using a signature of emitted light to determine a location of a patient bed in a healthcare facility. Another system and method involves reading a bar code from an array of redundant bar codes. Still another system and method involves manually entering location information on a graphical user interface of a patient bed for subsequent transmission. A further system and method involves sending bed ID and location ID along parallel paths from two independent circuits on a patient bed for receipt by two different transceivers and ultimately by two different remote computers that cooperate to associate the bed ID with the location ID. Still a further system and method involves using circuitry on a bed to mutate a received location ID and a bed ID into a single unique mutated ID such as by adding the location ID and bed ID and then performing a hashing operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system comprising a first subsystem for associating a bed to a room of a healthcare facility, the first subsystem comprising a locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a location ID,a patient bed having first circuitry that has a first ID and that receives the location ID, the pat

1. A system comprising a first subsystem for associating a bed to a room of a healthcare facility, the first subsystem comprising a locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a location ID,a patient bed having first circuitry that has a first ID and that receives the location ID, the patient bed having second circuitry that is independent of the first circuitry, the second circuitry being configured to transmit a bed ID and bed status data,a first transceiver spaced from the locator unit and spaced from the patient bed, the first transceiver receiving the first ID and location ID transmitted by the first circuitry,a second transceiver that is spaced from and independent of the first transceiver, the second transceiver receiving the bed ID and the bed status data transmitted by the second circuitry,a first remote computer device receiving the location ID and first ID transmitted to the first remote computer device by the first transceiver, anda second remote computer device that receives the bed ID and the bed status data which is transmitted to the second computer device by the second transceiver, wherein the first and second remote computer devices cooperate to associate the location ID and the bed status data with the bed ID; anda second subsystem comprising a light source that emits visible light having a signature that is unique to a location of the healthcare facility in which the light source is situated, anda second patient bed including second circuitry that analyzes the light from the light source to determine the signature corresponding to the location, the circuitry being configured to transmit data corresponding to the signature and to transmit a second bed identifier (ID) of the second patient bed to the network. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisingan array of redundant bar codes, anda third patient bed spaced from the array of redundant bar codes, the third patient bed including third circuitry that comprises a bar code reader that reads at least one of the redundant bar codes in the array, the third circuitry being configured to transmit data corresponding to the at least one of the redundant bar codes and to transmit a third bed identifier (ID) of the third patient bed to the network. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed including a frame, third circuitry carried by the frame, and a graphical user interface carried by the frame and coupled to the third circuitry, the graphical user interface displaying at least one user interface screen that is used by a caregiver to manually enter location data indicative of a location in a healthcare facility occupied by the third patient bed, the circuitry transmitting the location data entered by the caregiver and a third bed identification (ID) off of the third patient bed. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a location ID in a first format, anda third patient bed having a bed ID and circuitry having stored therein ID translation software, the circuitry receiving the location ID in the first format and, in accordance with the ID translation software, converting the location ID to a modified ID having a second format different than the first format, the circuitry transmitting the bed ID and the modified ID, whereby the location ID received by the circuitry of the patient bed is not transmitted by the circuitry. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga second locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a second location ID, anda third patient bed having a third bed ID and third circuitry having stored therein ID mutation software, the circuitry receiving the second location ID and, in accordance with the ID mutation software, mutating the second location ID and the third bed ID into a mutated ID, the mutated ID being a single unique ID, the circuitry transmitting the mutated ID, whereby neither the second location ID received by the third circuitry nor the third bed ID of the third patient bed is transmitted by the third circuitry. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga hospital bed for use with a locating and tracking system, the hospital bed comprisinga patient support structure configured to support a patient,third circuitry carried by the patient support structure, the third circuitry being in communication with the locating and tracking system, andan indicator coupled to the third circuitry and that is signaled by the third circuitry to provide an indication that a successful bed-to-room association has been made. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga first computer device that is remote from a third patient bed and that receives bed data transmitted from the third patient bed, the first computer device receiving prospective bed-to-room association data transmitted from a second computer device to indicate that the third patient bed is in a particular location, the second computer device being included as part of a locating system, wherein after receiving the prospective bed-to-room association data the first computer device analyzes the bed data to determine if it includes information indicating that a power cord of the third patient bed is plugged into a power outlet, and if the bed data includes information indicating that the power cord is plugged into a power outlet, the first computer device stores the prospective bed-to-room association data in a database associated with the first computer device as finalized bed-to-room association data. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having third bed circuitry that is configured to control bed functions of the third patient bed, to receive wireless signals, and to transmit signals,a heart rate monitor that is worn by a patient, the heart rate monitor having monitor circuitry that is programmed to store a medical record number (MRN) of the patient, the monitor circuitry being configured to transmit the MRN wirelessly to the bed circuitry, wherein the third patient bed circuitry is configured to transmit third bed identification (ID) data and the MRN, anda first remote computer device that is configured to receive the third bed ID data and the MRN of the patient and that is configured to generate patient-to-bed association data for storage in a database based on the third bed ID data and the MRN. 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having third bed circuitry that is configured to control bed functions of the third patient bed, to receive wireless signals, and to transmit signals,a heart rate monitor that is worn by a patient, the heart rate monitor having monitor circuitry that stores monitor identification (ID) data, the monitor circuitry transmitting the monitor ID data wirelessly to the third bed circuitry, wherein the third bed circuitry transmits third bed identification (ID) data and the monitor ID data, anda first remote computer device that receives the third bed ID data and the monitor ID data, that correlates the monitor ID data with a medical record number (MRN) of the patient and that generates patient-to-bed association data for storage in a database based on the third bed ID data and the monitor ID data. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a first radio frequency (RF) communication module that has first identification (ID) data, the first RF communication module transmitting third bed data and the first ID data wirelessly from the third patient bed, the third patient bed having a power cord that carries a transponder,a second RF communication module spaced from the third patient bed and situated adjacent to a wall of a room in which the third patient bed is located, the second RF communication module having second ID data, the second RF communication module receiving the third bed data and first ID data transmitted wirelessly from the first RF communication module of the third patient bed,a transponder reader situated adjacent to the wall of the room and configured to read wireless information from the transponder including the first ID data,a communication circuit situated adjacent to the wall of the room, the communication circuit being coupled to the transponder reader and coupled to the second RF communication module, the communication circuit configured to receive the first ID data from the transponder reader and to receive the second ID data from the second RF communication module, wherein the communication circuit pairs the first and second RF communication modules so that the second RF communication module only accepts communication packets from the first RF communication module. 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a first radio frequency (RF) communication module that has first identification (ID) data and a second RF communication module that has second ID data, the first and second RF communication modules transmitting third bed data and the respective first and second ID data wirelessly from the third patient bed, the third bed having a power cord that carries a transponder,a third RF communication module spaced from the third patient bed and situated adjacent to a wall of a room in which the third patient bed is located, the third RF communication module having third ID data, the third RF communication module receiving wireless transmissions from the first and second RF communication modules of the third patient bed, the wireless transmissions including the third bed data and the respective first and second ID data transmitted wirelessly,a transponder reader situated adjacent to the wall of the room and configured to read wireless information from the transponder including the first ID data and the second ID data,a communication circuit situated adjacent to the wall of the room, the communication circuit being coupled to the transponder reader and coupled to the third RF communication module, the communication circuit configured to receive the first and second ID data from the transponder reader and to receive the third ID data from the third RF communication module, wherein the communication circuit pairs the first and second RF communication modules with the third RF communication module so that the third RF communication module only accepts communication packets from the first communication module or the second communication module. 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a power cord carrying a first RFID component, anda receptacle module carrying a second RFID component, the receptacle module having a receptacle into which the power cord plugs to receive power and to bring the first and second RFID components into communicative proximity, the receptacle module having an indicator that is activated in response to successful communication being established between the first and second RFID components. 13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisingapparatus for communicating with a nurse call system of a healthcare facility, the apparatus comprisinga third patient bed having a first transceiver for wireless communication of third bed identification (ID) data and second bed status data, anda handheld pillow speaker unit having a second transceiver in wireless communication with the first transceiver, the pillow speaker unit being in hardwired communication with the nurse call system, wherein the pillow speaker unit serves as a communication intermediary between the third patient bed and the nurse call system. 14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga pillow speaker unit to communicate with a nurse call system in a healthcare facility, the pillow speaker unit comprisinga handheld housing,a set of manual buttons accessible on the housing, anda touchscreen graphical display that displays electronic buttons, at least one of the manual buttons and at least one of the electronic buttons being usable to send a respective signal to the nurse call system. 15. A system comprising a first subsystem for associating a bed to a room of a healthcare facility, the first subsystem comprising a locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a location ID,a patient bed having first circuitry that has a first ID and that receives the location ID, the patient bed having second circuitry that is independent of the first circuitry, the second circuitry being configured to transmit a bed ID and bed status data,a first transceiver spaced from the locator unit and spaced from the patient bed, the first transceiver receiving the first ID and location ID transmitted by the first circuitry,a second transceiver that is spaced from and independent of the first transceiver, the second transceiver receiving the bed ID and the bed status data transmitted by the second circuitry,a first remote computer device receiving the location ID and first ID transmitted to the first remote computer device by the first transceiver, anda second remote computer device that receives the bed ID and the bed status data which is transmitted to the second computer device by the second transceiver, wherein the first and second remote computer devices cooperate to associate the location ID and the bed status data with the bed ID; anda second subsystem comprising a light source that emits visible light and infrared (IR) light, wherein the IR light has a signature that is unique to a location of the healthcare facility in which the light source is situated, anda second patient bed including second circuitry that analyzes the IR light from the light source to determine the signature corresponding to the location, the circuitry being configured to transmit data corresponding to the signature and to transmit a second bed identifier (ID) of the second patient bed to the network. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga second light source that emits visible light having a signature that is unique to a location of the healthcare facility in which the second light source is situated, anda third patient bed including third circuitry that analyzes the light from the second light source to determine the signature corresponding to the location of the second light source, the third circuitry being configured to transmit data corresponding to the signature and to transmit a third bed identifier (ID) to the network. 17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisingan array of redundant bar codes, anda third patient bed spaced from the array of redundant bar codes, the third patient bed including third circuitry that comprises a bar code reader that reads at least one of the redundant bar codes in the array, the third circuitry being configured to transmit data corresponding to the at least one of the redundant bar codes and to transmit a third bed identifier (ID) of the third patient bed to the network. 18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed including a frame, third circuitry carried by the frame, and a graphical user interface carried by the frame and coupled to the third circuitry, the graphical user interface displaying at least one user interface screen that is used by a caregiver to manually enter location data indicative of a location in a healthcare facility occupied by the third patient bed, the circuitry transmitting the location data entered by the caregiver and a third bed identification (ID) off of the third patient bed. 19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a location ID in a first format, anda third patient bed having a bed ID and circuitry having stored therein ID translation software, the circuitry receiving the location ID in the first format and, in accordance with the ID translation software, converting the location ID to a modified ID having a second format different than the first format, the circuitry transmitting the bed ID and the modified ID, whereby the location ID received by the circuitry of the patient bed is not transmitted by the circuitry. 20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga second locator unit that is fixed in place and that transmits a second location ID, anda third patient bed having a third bed ID and third circuitry having stored therein ID mutation software, the circuitry receiving the second location ID and, in accordance with the ID mutation software, mutating the second location ID and the third bed ID into a mutated ID, the mutated ID being a single unique ID, the circuitry transmitting the mutated ID, whereby neither the second location ID received by the third circuitry nor the third bed ID of the third patient bed is transmitted by the third circuitry. 21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga hospital bed for use with a locating and tracking system, the hospital bed comprisinga patient support structure configured to support a patient,third circuitry carried by the patient support structure, the third circuitry being in communication with the locating and tracking system, andan indicator coupled to the third circuitry and that is signaled by the third circuitry to provide an indication that a successful bed-to-room association has been made. 22. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga first computer device that is remote from a third patient bed and that receives bed data transmitted from the third patient bed, the first computer device receiving prospective bed-to-room association data transmitted from a second computer device to indicate that the third patient bed is in a particular location, the second computer device being included as part of a locating system, wherein after receiving the prospective bed-to-room association data the first computer device analyzes the bed data to determine if it includes information indicating that a power cord of the third patient bed is plugged into a power outlet, and if the bed data includes information indicating that the power cord is plugged into a power outlet, the first computer device stores the prospective bed-to-room association data in a database associated with the first computer device as finalized bed-to-room association data. 23. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having third bed circuitry that is configured to control bed functions of the third patient bed, to receive wireless signals, and to transmit signals,a heart rate monitor that is worn by a patient, the heart rate monitor having monitor circuitry that is programmed to store a medical record number (MRN) of the patient, the monitor circuitry being configured to transmit the MRN wirelessly to the bed circuitry, wherein the third patient bed circuitry is configured to transmit third bed identification (ID) data and the MRN, anda first remote computer device that is configured to receive the third bed ID data and the MRN of the patient and that is configured to generate patient-to-bed association data for storage in a database based on the third bed ID data and the MRN. 24. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having third bed circuitry that is configured to control bed functions of the third patient bed, to receive wireless signals, and to transmit signals,a heart rate monitor that is worn by a patient, the heart rate monitor having monitor circuitry that stores monitor identification (ID) data, the monitor circuitry transmitting the monitor ID data wirelessly to the third bed circuitry, wherein the third bed circuitry transmits third bed identification (ID) data and the monitor ID data, anda first remote computer device that receives the third bed ID data and the monitor ID data, that correlates the monitor ID data with a medical record number (MRN) of the patient and that generates patient-to-bed association data for storage in a database based on the third bed ID data and the monitor ID data. 25. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a first radio frequency (RF) communication module that has first identification (ID) data, the first RF communication module transmitting third bed data and the first ID data wirelessly from the third patient bed, the third patient bed having a power cord that carries a transponder,a second RF communication module spaced from the third patient bed and situated adjacent to a wall of a room in which the third patient bed is located, the second RF communication module having second ID data, the second RF communication module receiving the third bed data and first ID data transmitted wirelessly from the first RF communication module of the third patient bed,a transponder reader situated adjacent to the wall of the room and configured to read wireless information from the transponder including the first ID data,a communication circuit situated adjacent to the wall of the room, the communication circuit being coupled to the transponder reader and coupled to the second RF communication module, the communication circuit configured to receive the first ID data from the transponder reader and to receive the second ID data from the second RF communication module, wherein the communication circuit pairs the first and second RF communication modules so that the second RF communication module only accepts communication packets from the first RF communication module. 26. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a first radio frequency (RF) communication module that has first identification (ID) data and a second RF communication module that has second ID data, the first and second RF communication modules transmitting third bed data and the respective first and second ID data wirelessly from the third patient bed, the third bed having a power cord that carries a transponder,a third RF communication module spaced from the third patient bed and situated adjacent to a wall of a room in which the third patient bed is located, the third RF communication module having third ID data, the third RF communication module receiving wireless transmissions from the first and second RF communication modules of the third patient bed, the wireless transmissions including the third bed data and the respective first and second ID data transmitted wirelessly,a transponder reader situated adjacent to the wall of the room and configured to read wireless information from the transponder including the first ID data and the second ID data,a communication circuit situated adjacent to the wall of the room, the communication circuit being coupled to the transponder reader and coupled to the third RF communication module, the communication circuit configured to receive the first and second ID data from the transponder reader and to receive the third ID data from the third RF communication module, wherein the communication circuit pairs the first and second RF communication modules with the third RF communication module so that the third RF communication module only accepts communication packets from the first communication module or the second communication module. 27. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga third patient bed having a power cord carrying a first RFID component, anda receptacle module carrying a second RFID component, the receptacle module having a receptacle into which the power cord plugs to receive power and to bring the first and second RFID components into communicative proximity, the receptacle module having an indicator that is activated in response to successful communication being established between the first and second RFID components. 28. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisingapparatus for communicating with a nurse call system of a healthcare facility, the apparatus comprisinga third patient bed having a first transceiver for wireless communication of third bed identification (ID) data and second bed status data, anda handheld pillow speaker unit having a second transceiver in wireless communication with the first transceiver, the pillow speaker unit being in hardwired communication with the nurse call system, wherein the pillow speaker unit serves as a communication intermediary between the third patient bed and the nurse call system. 29. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third subsystem comprisinga pillow speaker unit to communicate with a nurse call system in a healthcare facility, the pillow speaker unit comprisinga handheld housing,a set of manual buttons accessible on the housing, anda touchscreen graphical display that displays electronic buttons, at least one of the manual buttons and at least one of the electronic buttons being usable to send a respective signal to the nurse call system.