Patient Support Apparatus With Multiple Driving Modes

1 . A patient support apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a support wheel coupled to the support structure;

a drive system including a drive member coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient support apparatus over a floor surface, a motor coupled to the drive member to operate the drive member at a speed, and a motor control circuit for transmitting power signals from a power source to the motor;

a graphical user interface for receiving user commands from a user to operate the drive system; and

a control system coupled to the graphical user interface and the drive system for operating the drive system, the control system including a memory device configured to store a plurality of drive profiles, and a controller coupled to the memory device and configured to:

receive a first user command to select a first drive profile,

select the first drive profile from the plurality of stored drive profiles,

generate an output signal based on the selected first drive profile, and

transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to operate the drive member in a first drive mode based on the selected first drive profile.

2 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first drive mode includes a first drive mode parameter.

3 . The patient support apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first drive mode parameter includes one of: a rotational speed of the drive member, an acceleration rate of the drive member, a deceleration rate of the drive member, and a power setting.

4 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second user command to select a second drive profile;

select the second drive profile from the plurality of stored drive profiles;

generate an output signal based on the selected second drive profile; and

transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to operate the drive member in a second drive mode based on the selected second drive profile.

5 . The patient support apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:

the first drive mode includes a first drive mode parameter;

the second drive mode includes a second drive mode parameter; and

the first drive mode parameter is different from the second drive mode parameter.

6 . The patient support apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first drive mode parameter and the second drive mode parameter include one of: a rotational speed of the drive member, an acceleration rate of the drive member, a deceleration rate of the drive member, and a power setting.

7 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of stored drive profiles is associated with a location.

8 . The patient support apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a location associated with one of the plurality of stored drive profiles is a medical facility.

9 . The patient support apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of stored drive profiles includes a plurality of drive mode parameters defined based on the location.

10 . The patient support apparatus of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the plurality of drive mode parameters is adjustable by the user.

11 . The patient support apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of drive mode parameters is defined based on an architectural layout associated with the location.

12 . The patient support apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of drive mode parameters is defined based on a driver training level associated with the location.

13 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user command is based on user engagement with the graphical user interface.

14 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user command is based on a recognized physical security token.

15 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user command is based on a recognized electronic security token.

16 . A patient support apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a support wheel coupled to the support structure;

a drive system including a drive member coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient support apparatus over a floor surface, a motor coupled to the drive member to operate the drive member at a speed, and a motor control circuit for transmitting power signals from a power source to the motor; and

a control system coupled to the drive system for operating the drive system, the control system including a memory device configured to store a plurality of drive profiles, and a controller coupled to the memory device and configured to:

detect a first drive profile based on at least one of a user input and a location associated with the patient support apparatus,

select the first drive profile from the plurality of stored drive profiles,

generate an output signal based on the selected first drive profile, and

transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to operate the drive member in a first drive mode based on the selected first drive profile.

17 . A patient support apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a support wheel coupled to the support structure;

a drive system including a drive member coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient support apparatus over a floor surface, a motor coupled to the drive member to operate the drive member at a speed, and a motor control circuit for transmitting power signals from a power source to the motor; and

a control system coupled to the drive system for operating the drive system, the control system including a memory device configured to store a plurality of drive profiles, and a controller coupled to the memory device and configured to:

detect a first location of the patient support apparatus,

select a first drive profile from the plurality of stored drive profiles based on the location of the patient support apparatus,

generate an output signal based on the selected first drive profile, and

transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to operate the drive member in a first drive mode based on the selected first drive profile.

18 . The patient support apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a second location associated with the patient support apparatus,

select a second drive profile from the plurality of stored drive profiles based on the second location;

generate an output signal based on the selected second drive profile; and

transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to operate the drive member in a second drive mode based on the selected second drive profile.

19 . The patient support apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:

the first drive mode includes a first drive mode parameter,

the second drive mode includes a second drive mode parameter, and

the first drive mode parameter is different from the second drive mode parameter.

20 . The patient support apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first drive mode parameter and the second drive mode parameter include one of: a rotational speed of the drive member, an acceleration rate of the drive member, a deceleration rate of the drive member, and a power setting.

21 . (canceled)