Communication system for patient support apparatuses

Inventors: Stephen R. Embree (Chapel Hill, NC); Frederick C. Davidson (Apex, NC); Theophile R. Lerebours (Cary, NC); Phillip Maloney (Raleigh, NC); Bruno J. Filliat (Cary, NC); David M. Girardeau (Pittsboro, NC); Christian Saucier (Raleigh, NC); Kelly F. Walton (Cary, NC); Joshua P. Lingenfelser (Fuquay-Varina, NC); Benjamin E. Howell (Fuquay-Varina, NC); Bradley T. Smith (Raleigh, NC); Laura A. Hassey (Raleigh, NC); Stephen N. Moore (Apex, NC); Britten J. Pipher (Raleigh, NC)

Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.

G16H80/00 G08B25/12 G16H40/63 H04L67/12 H04L69/18

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12671002
App. No.: 18/367,027
Granted: Jun 30, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, devices, systems, and methods for locating, tracking, and conducting communications between care devices and networks of care facilities through local communications hubs.

Claims (23)

1 . A patient support apparatus for use in a healthcare facility having a network with a wireless access point, a server, and at least one network device adapted to communicate with both the network and a second device remote from the patient support apparatus, the patient support apparatus comprising:

a mattress adapted to support a patient thereon;

a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data to the server via a first path or a second path, the first path including the second device remote from the patient support apparatus but excluding the wireless access point and all other wireless access points of the network, the second path including the wireless access point but excluding the second device remote from the patient support apparatus, the first and second paths each extending all of the way from the patient support apparatus to the server; and

a controller adapted to control when the wireless transmitter transmits data from the patient support apparatus to the server via the first path and when the wireless transmitter transmits data to the server via the second path, wherein the controller is further configured for communication with the server via an all-wired path that includes the second device and a cable that is coupleable to a port of the patient support apparatus.

2 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises a gateway.

3 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a first wireless transmitter and a second wireless transmitter.

4 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a WiFi transmitter and a Bluetooth transmitter.

5 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is included as part of a wireless transceiver of the patient support apparatus.

6 . The patient support apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising an infrared transmitter or infrared receiver.

7 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises a Power over Ethernet switch.

8 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter communicates wirelessly with a wall unit fixed in place in a room in which the patient support apparatus is located.

9 . The patient support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the wall unit is included in the first path.

10 . The patient support apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a first connector and wherein the wall unit includes a second connector, the first and second connectors being coupleable for wired communication by the cable.

11 . The patient support apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second connectors each comprise a 37-pin connector.

12 . The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the wall unit further comprises a 20-pin connector for wired connection with a pillow speaker unit.

13 . The patient support apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wall unit further comprises a ¼ inch jack receiver for wired connection to a patient care device for receipt of an alarm signal from the patient care device.

14 . The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the wall unit further comprises an HDMI port.

15 . The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the wall unit includes a USB port.

16 . The patient support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit audio signals to the wall unit.

17 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is also configured to communicate wirelessly with a tablet computer.

18 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is also configured to communicate wirelessly with a pillow speaker unit.

19 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to communicate using multiple different wireless communication protocols.

20 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to communication through a firewall with a server that is located outside the healthcare facility.