IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,626,512
Granted Patent B2
US 12,626,512 · App. 18/250,453 · Granted May 12, 2026

Clinical monitoring device

Inventors: Marcel Walz (Stralsund, DE); Tobias Gebhardt (Rostock, DE)
Assignee: HYPROS GMBH
G06V20/52G16H40/20G16H50/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,626,512
App. No.
18/250,453
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clinical monitoring device, in particular a patient zone monitoring device is described. The monitoring device comprises a first sensing unit comprising at least one first sensor configured to acquire spatial data representing spatially resolved depth information with respect to a first field of view of the first sensing unit, a second sensing unit comprising at least one second sensor configured to acquire thermal data representing spatially resolved temperature information with respect to a second field of view of the second sensing unit, and a processing unit comprising at least one processor, the processing unit being configured to receive the spatial data from the first sensing unit and the thermal data from the second sensing unit and process at least the spatial data and the thermal data to generate scene data representing information with respect to a scene in a volume comprised in at least one of the first field of view and the second field of view.

Claims (54)

1 . A clinical monitoring device, in particular a patient zone monitoring device, comprising:

a first sensing unit comprising at least one first sensor configured to acquire spatial data representing spatially resolved depth information with respect to a first field of view of the first sensing unit;

a second sensing unit comprising at least one second sensor configured to acquire thermal data representing spatially resolved temperature information with respect to a second field of view of the second sensing unit; and

a processing unit comprising at least one processor, the processing unit being configured to receive the spatial data from the first sensing unit and the thermal data from the second sensing unit and process at least the spatial data and the thermal data to generate scene data representing information with respect to a scene in a volume comprised in at least one of the first field of view and the second field of view.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the scene data includes information on at least one of presence, class and properties of one or more objects within the volume.

3 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first field of view at least partially overlaps the second field of view.

4 . The monitoring device of claim 3 , wherein:

the first field of view overlaps the second field of view at least or only in the volume.

5 . The monitoring device of claim 4 , wherein the processing unit is configured to:

determine the volume where the first field of view overlaps the second field of view;

select at least one of:

(i) from the spatial data, a portion of the spatial data representing spatially resolved depth information with respect to the volume, and

(ii) from the thermal data, a portion of the thermal data representing spatially resolved temperature information with respect to the volume; and

determine the scene data based on the at least one selected portion.

6 . The monitoring device of claim 5 , further comprising:

at least one of a mask and a lens arranged such that it defines at least one of the first field of view and the second field of view, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the volume based on information related to the at least one of the mask and the lens.

7 . The monitoring device of claim 4 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured to generate the scene data by (i) analyzing the spatial data to detect an object present in the volume, and by (ii) comparing, based on the thermal data, a temperature of one or more surface areas of the detected object with at least one predefined thermal property associated with at least one object class to classify the detected object.

8 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured to generate the scene data based upon an analysis of at least one of spatial data acquired at different times and thermal data acquired at different times.

9 . The monitoring device of claim 8 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured to generate the scene data by (i) analyzing the spatial data to detect an object present in the volume, and by (ii) comparing, based on the thermal data acquired at different times, a temporal temperature behavior of one or more surface areas of the detected object with at least one predefined thermal property associated with at least one object class to classify the detected object.

10 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the scene data represents information regarding at least one of a temporal and a spatial relationship between at least two different objects present in the volume.

11 . The monitoring device according to claim 10 , wherein:

one of the at least two different objects is an occupied patient bed and another one of the at least two different objects is a person, wherein the scene data represents information that relates to the person bending over the occupied patient bed.

12 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the scene data represents information that relates to at least one of presence of at least one patient bed, presence of at least one occupied patient bed, presence of at least one clinical device, presence of at least one patient, and presence of at least one person, in particular clinical personnel, in the volume.

13 . The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising

an orientation sensor configured to acquire orientation data representing an orientation of the monitoring device, wherein the processing unit is configured to:

obtain height information indicating a distance, in particular a minimal distance, between the monitoring device and a floor; and

determine, on the basis of the orientation data and the height information, pose data indicative of a position and orientation of the monitoring device relative to the floor.

14 . The monitoring device of claim 13 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured to:

determine, on the basis of the spatial data and the pose data, an estimated height level of one or more surfaces of an object present within the volume, the estimated height level being determined relative to the floor; and

generate the scene data based on the estimated height level.

15 . The monitoring device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third sensing unit comprising at least one passive sensor configured to generate a sensing signal responsive to an object entering or exiting a third field of view of the third sensing unit,

wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the sensing signal from the third sensing unit and generate the scene data further based on the sensing signal, wherein the scene data represents information with respect to a scene in both the volume and the third field of view.

16 . The monitoring device of claim 15 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured for generating a wake-up signal for at least one sensor selected from the first sensor and the second sensor, the wake-up signal causing a wake-up operation of the at least one sensor, and

the processing unit is configured to generate the wake-up signal responsive to the passive sensor generating the sensing signal.

17 . The monitoring device according to claim 15 , further comprising:

a fourth sensing unit comprising at least one luminosity sensor configured to acquire luminosity data representing an average luminosity with respect to a fourth field of view of the fourth sensing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured for generating a primary wake-up signal for the passive sensor, the primary wake-up signal causing a wake-up operation of the passive sensor, wherein processing unit is configured to generate the primary wake-up signal responsive to determining that a luminosity indicated by the luminosity information exceeded a predefined threshold for a predefined time.

18 . The monitoring device of claim 16 , wherein:

the wake-up operation of the respective sensor configures the respective sensor with a higher sensor sampling rate compared with a non-zero sensor sampling rate of the respective sensor before the wake-up operation.

19 . A clinical monitoring system, comprising:

at least one clinical monitoring device, in particular a patient zone monitoring device, comprising:

a first sensing unit comprising at least one first sensor configured to acquire spatial data representing spatially resolved depth information with respect to a first field of view of the first sensing unit;

a second sensing unit comprising at least one second sensor configured to acquire thermal data representing spatially resolved temperature information with respect to a second field of view of the second sensing unit; and

a processing unit comprising at least one processor, the processing unit being configured to receive the spatial data from the first sensing unit and the thermal data from the second sensing unit and process at least the spatial data and the thermal data to generate scene data representing information with respect to a scene in a volume comprised in at least one of the first field of view and the second field of view; and

a monitoring unit comprising at least one processor, the monitoring unit being configured to receive the scene data from the monitoring device and process the scene data.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 18, 2024
From: GWA HYGIENE GMBH
To: HYPROS GMBH
Reel/Frame 069383/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2023
From: WALZ, MARCEL; GEBHARDT, TOBIAS
To: GWA HYGIENE GMBH
Reel/Frame 063750/0269 →
Priority Claims (1)
WO PCT/EP2020/080040 · Oct 26, 2020 · international
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240013544A1 · Jan 11, 2024
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