Hospital bed scale calibration methods and patient position monitoring methods

1. A patient support apparatus, comprising

a weigh frame,

a base support frame,

a plurality of load cells supporting the weigh frame on the base support frame such that a load supported by the weigh frame is supported by the load cells, each load cell configured to produce a signal indicative of a load weight bearing upon that load cell, and

a controller coupled to the load cells to determine a total weight supported by the load cells,

wherein a calibration constant for each respective load cell is determined dynamically by varying the magnitude of at least one calibration weight positioned on the weigh frame during a calibration process,

wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor, the memory device including instructions that, when processed by the processor, cause the processor to consider the signal from each load cell and dynamically determines the calibration constants for the respective load cells by

(i) detecting a predefined calibration weight on a patient support surface at one of “n” calibration positions, wherein n is a numerical number greater than four,

(ii) measuring a current weight distribution of the predefined calibration weight on each of the load cells,

(iii) storing a set of load weights for respective load cells that corresponds to the current distribution of the predefined calibration weight for each of the load cells,

(iv) detecting the predefined calibration weight has been placed at a subsequent predetermined calibration positions and executing (ii) and (iii) steps at each subsequent calibration position,

(v) selecting, subsequent to establishing “n” sets of calibration constants for each of the load cells, four sets of calibration constants randomly from the “n” sets of calibration constants, and

(vi) determining a set of calibration constants for respective load cells by averaging the selected calibration constants.

2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an actual weight of the patient supported on the patient support apparatus by using the determined set of calibration constants for respective load cells.

3. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to trigger an alarm when a rate of change in patient position exceeds an alarm threshold.

4. The patient support apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the alarm threshold depends on a patient activity level.

5. The patient support apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller further comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of alarm thresholds that corresponds to each patient activity level.

6. The patient support apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the patient activity level is predefined by a user.

7. The patient support apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the patient activity level by determining a rate of change in the weight distribution on each of the plurality of load cells for a predetermined time period.

8. A patient support apparatus, comprising

a weigh frame,

a plurality of load cells supporting the weigh frame such that a load supported by the weigh frame is supported by the load cells, each load cell configured to produce a signal indicative of a load weight bearing upon that load cell, and

a controller coupled to the load cells to determine a total weight supported by the load cells,

wherein a calibration constant for each respective load cell is determined dynamically by varying the magnitude of at least one calibration weight positioned on the weigh frame during a calibration process,

wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor, the memory device including instructions that, when processed by the processor, cause the processor to consider the signal from each load cell and dynamically determines the calibration constants for the respective load cells by

(i) detecting a predefined calibration weight on a patient support surface at one of “n” calibration positions, wherein n is a numerical number greater than four,

(ii) measuring a current weight distribution of the predefined calibration weight on each of the load cells,

(iii) storing a set of load weights for respective load cells that corresponds to the current distribution of the predefined calibration weight for each of the load cells,

(iv) detecting the predefined calibration weight has been placed at a subsequent predetermined calibration positions and executing (ii) and (iii) steps at each subsequent calibration position,

(v) selecting, subsequent to establishing “n” sets of calibration constants for each of the load cells, four sets of calibration constants randomly from the “n” sets of calibration constants, and

(vi) determining a set of calibration constants for respective load cells by averaging the selected calibration constants.

9. The patient support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an actual weight of the patient supported on the patient support apparatus by using the determined set of calibration constants for respective load cells.

10. The patient support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to trigger an alarm when a rate of change in patient position exceeds an alarm threshold.

11. The patient support apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the alarm threshold depends on a patient activity level.

12. The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller further comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of alarm thresholds that corresponds to each patient activity level.

13. The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the patient activity level is predefined by a user.

14. The patient support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the patient activity level by determining a rate of change in the weight distribution on each of the plurality of load cells for a predetermined time period.