Wireless bed power
Patient care equipment includes a wireless coupler that transfers power and/or data between an architectural unit and the patient care equipment. The patient care equipment may also include additional wireless couplers that transfer power and/or data between first and second components of the equipment. The second component may be movable relative to the first component. A structure or hot swapping batteries is also disclosed, the swapped battery being charged on an inductive charging mat.
1. A system comprising
a patient support apparatus including a control system,
an architectural unit,
a power supply coupled to the architectural unit, the power supply operably coupled to mains power,
a communication system operably coupled to an information system, and
an interface in electrical communication with the communication system and the power supply and operable to simultaneously provide power and a communications signal to the patient support apparatus to directly power at least one subsystem of the patient support apparatus while concurrently transferring data between the communication system and the control system of the patient support apparatus over a common wireless link without physical contact therebetween.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface includes a first portion positioned on the architectural unit and a second portion supported on the patient support apparatus.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control system of the patient support apparatus is operable to detect that the second portion is powered.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the control system of the patient support apparatus is operable to initialize the operation of the control system utilizing the power transferred through the interface.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the initialization of the operation of the control system includes initiating communication between the control system and the communication system.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the initialization of the operation of the control system includes aligning the first portion and the second portion of the interface to optimize the efficiency of the interface.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion to an optimized position.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in first axis.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in a second axis.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in a third axis.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion to an optimized position.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in first axis.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a second axis.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a third axis.
15. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion to an optimized position.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in first axis.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a second axis.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a third axis.
19. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion according to a search algorithm that maximizes efficiency of the interface.
20. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion according to a search algorithm that maximizes efficiency of the interface.
21. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes performing a search algorithm to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.
24. The system of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes performing a search algorithm to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.