DE19732705A1 - Nursing bed remote monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

The system includes a light barrier unit (2) arranged above a bed (1). The light barrier unit consists of a infrared transmitter (21), a deflection reflector (4) and an infrared sensor (22) with a signal amplifier. A signal is generated when the infrared light beam (3) is interrupted and transmitted after coding and with a time delay to a remote arranged signal receiver having a decoding unit. The signal is then converted in an optical and acoustical signal.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for Remote care bed monitoring. Such a facility has not yet become known.

From practical operation, especially in hospitals Emergency call facilities for sick beds are known, being a cord button on the bed of the sick person is to be actuated, the active signal via a distribution learning network an acoustic and / or optical signal triggers, moreover - in use today on one Monitor - a direct identifier of the bed calling for help makes visible.

A disadvantage of all previously known emergency call facilities gene (common expression: nurse call system), that the bedridden person is summoning a crane a nurse or a doctor presses a push button must for what seriously ill or confused persons in psychiatric hospitals are often unable are.

A call for help is therefore not possible in many cases.

The purpose of the present invention is a device for remote nursing bed monitoring to create an op table and / or acoustically perceptible emergency signal  Radio or wired over a greater distance sends when the person to be cared for is in bed straightens, gets up, waves his arms or the bed seeks to leave.

The problem is solved with an opto-electrical detectors for remote nursing bed monitoring with the Features of claim 1.

The inventive device for a care bed has at least one in a level above the bed arranged reflection light barrier, which from a There is an infrared (IR) transmitter, reflector and receiver, where transmitter and receiver mechanically one unit bil the.

It is expedient to use the IR transmitter / receiver unit on the head of the care bed, the IR reflector dia to be arranged metrically opposite on the foot piece. This will ensures that despite the sharply focused IR beam a large area monitoring of the entire Lie area is ensured. A crawling under human eye is imperceptible IR beam almost impossible.

It is also expedient for the IR transmitter / receiver unit and the associated IR reflector height and hori zontally adjustable to each other on the head or foot piece of the Arrange nursing beds to match the nursing care Adapt to requirements.

Every interruption of the IR light beam creates in the receiver a signal, but this is not a help at the same time call generated. A downstream adjustable electro African delay unit only becomes active when the IR beam interruption longer than the preset te delay time is maintained. Just a cure  time release of the shading during this Time resets the delay circuit. Only after Ab The programmed delay time for wire loose bed emergency call a miniature radio wave transmitter, at wired bed emergency call the remote effect over the house Distribution network of the nurse call system activated.

The identifier of the bed from which the emergency call originates, he follows in the case of wired older systems in general my well-known form of tableau furnishings and light signals above the entrances to the patients concerned carpentry, in the newer facilities that are common today direct to bed on centrally operated monitors.

The transmit signal is emitted in radio-controlled systems spoken coded and deco in the central receiver dated, so that a direct detection of the emergency Bet tes is made possible.

A permanent repetition of the signals activated in this way ensures that Notru Fees from different beds are reliably recognized and assigned be net. The optical signal generated here remains until the nursing staff is through The call signal switches off directly at the bed at the push of a button.

Because any interruption of the IR light beam at the moment he knows, but only after the preselected delays forwarded is also a voluntary one Alarm triggering possible if the bedridden person for the duration of the preselected delay time the IR light beam z. B. interrupts by raised arm.

To influence external light (sunlight, electrical Light sources), the emitted IR light beam scanned periodically in rapid succession. Of the IR receiver works selectively only on this pulse fre  quenz. This ensures high switching reliability Constant light sources of high intensity and incandescent or fluorescent tube light - the one with 50 Hz mains frequency operated - given.

The pulse generator for operating the IR light source, the IR transmit and receive diodes with focusing optics, signal amplifier, delay electronics and the modulator for the specific bed identifier, as well as the required Adjustment and adjustment devices are completely in the carrier tube of the light barrier module.

This also includes the storage of a buffer battery Optional power supply in the event of a power failure possible. The power supply is provided for security reasons for all electronics from low voltage a separate plug-in power supply.

For the wireless transmission of the emergency call are optio nal provided various high frequency transmitters that yourself through technical effort, possibility of selection and range differ.

This unit is according to local conditions and Interpret requirements.

In a separate cigarette-box-sized case this module is housed via a miniature plug device with the opto-electronics module contact tiert, triggered by this and with operating voltage and modulation signal supplied.

For the evaluation of the modulated high-frequency signal are different receivers with the appropriate decoding tion provided.

For the home care sector, it is usually sufficient Receiver with a shorter range (approx. 30 m) and choice Possibility for fewer channels.  

For more extensive call systems are for bed identification expedient to use multi-channel receivers.

Also two-way communication between bedside and nursing staff is over this radio bridge next to the actual Chen bed emergency call possible.

For monitoring a larger number of nursing beds is a stationary receiving device with standing identifier of the bed calling and required manual deletion of the emergency signal ei preferred to a mobile receiver. However, this is with "flying" medical care (to be carried in the smock pocket, on the supply car, etc.) advantageous. Both poss options can also be used in parallel.

With wired transmission of the emergency call, either via the in-house nurse call system or a spec El unnecessary pipeline network to be created for this the radio frequency transmitter and radio frequency receiver.

The IR transmitter-receiver module with the integrated delay In this operating mode, the control unit is equipped with a spe Target connecting cable directly to the connector for to contact the hand switch of the nurse call system. This ensures a high level of operational reliability at the same time early minimization of investment costs achieved.

A corresponding auxiliary input is useful on the IR-Mo dul provided to additional sensors (moisture sen sor, vibration detector - e.g. B. in acute spastic or epileptic seizures - and the like) to Sig to connect forwarding.

A preferred application of the invention now becomes described in more detail with reference to a drawing. It shows nice matically the arrangement of the facility for care beds  remote monitoring in a technically perspective representation lung.

There is a bed 1 with head and foot 11 , 12 schematically shown, the mostly existing foldable side parts of the bed 1 are not shown for a better overview.

On the head part 11 , an IR transmitter / receiver module 5 with an integrated modulator, electronic signal amplifier, adjustable delay device and a bed identifier modulator - installed in the actual support tube, height-adjustable and horizontally - is attached to the side.

Miniature plugs are in the lower part of the support tube directions for external wiring and connection a radio frequency transmitter (with wireless emergency call transmission gung) arranged within easy reach.

The IR light beam 3 emerges optically focused from a window 21 in the head region of the support tube 5 horizontally, strikes a reflection prism mirror 4 axially assigned to the IR beam at the base 12 , is redirected by the sem by total reflection in the direction of the light source and via an optical system is supplied to the reception sensor 22 .

Absolute prerequisite for the proper functioning of the Photoelectric switch unit is the correct alignment of the Transmitter-receiver unit and the prism reflector at the.

There are built-in LEDs in the transmitter / receiver module here adjustment aids, since the IR light beam itself from the human eye is imperceptible.  

The electronic components for signal evaluation (Ver strengthening, delay, coding) and possibly he required maintenance-free support accumulator for over bridging power outages (here also wanton network separation) are in the support tube housing of the light barrier Transmitter-receiver unit housed.

The respective receiving stations are not shown with acoustic and bed-selective optical display.

To adapt to the different framework conditions stationary and mobile are in use here Receiving devices, wired or via radio ar processing, provided.

Different demands for range and selectivity Possibilities for wireless emergency calls require a lot spectrum of different receiver modules.

In the case of wired emergency call evaluation, these must be specified the criteria are far less complex, since here the Se Lesson and call evaluation already in the technology of in-house call system is specified.

The conception of the call evaluation and forwarding he enables the parallel operation of wired emergency calls via the in-house call system, and also wire loose transmission of the emergency call. This operating mode enables light also wireless exchange or counter voice connection between nursing staff and to maintain the people.

Claims (10)

1. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring with at least one above a bed ( 1 ) arranged light barrier device ( 2 ), consisting of an infrared transmitter ( 21 ), a deflection reflector ( 4 ) and an infrared sensor ( 22 ) with a signal amplifier, one being interrupted when the Infrared light beam ( 3 ) generated signal - adjustable time delay - activates a signal transmitter with a downstream Co for selective signal transmission to a remotely located signal receiver with decoding and conversion into an optically and / or acoustically perceptible signal. 2. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring according to claim 1, characterized in that the light barrier device ( 2 ) consisting of IR transmitter, IR receiver, electronic amplifier, Schaltstu fe, bed code encoder, signal memory, signal delay element and a backup battery for bridging Power failures compact in a cylin drical metal housing ( 5 ) electrostatically shielded and mechanically protected, built in, where in the tube housing ( 5 ), which also serves as a supporting and adjusting element, optical components for switching and function control, miniature plug device for externally incoming and outgoing signals, externally accessible coding switches for programming the delay time and bed selection are housed and in this support tube / component housing ( 5 ) the accommodation of an operating voltage-buffered maintenance-free accumulator for maintaining the processor-controlled F functions and the failure indicator to the central unit is possible and the cylinder housing ( 5 ) can be adjusted in height and rotated horizontally by means of a special universal bracket that is attached to the side of the head part ( 11 ) of the bed ( 1 ) so that the emitted IR light beam ( 3 ) on the foot piece ( 12 ) of the bed ( 1 ) height and axially adjustable be prismatic deflection reflector ( 4 ) meets and from this is reflected antiparallel in the receiving optics ( 22 ) of the light barrier unit ( 2 ). 3. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring according to An saying 1 or 2, characterized in that the co dated and adjustable time-delayed output signal the photocell unit on the one hand a high frequency sequence transmitter for wireless transmission of the emergency call signals activated, but also directly in those in the hospital and nursing homes today Usually installed nurse call systems with bed identifier can be fed, the remote control kung wireless or wired and also a Parallel operation of both transmission systems of the emergency call is possible and in the central entry point the simultaneous incoming emergency signals from un Different care beds with in both cases selective identifier and call forwarding under evaluator the bed identifier and the automatic period Call repetition until manual reset on the care bed (forced confirmation).   4. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring after one of the preceding claims, characterized records that the emergency call signal is not in real time, but with adjustable delay the Hochfre sequence transmitter or the nurse call system triggers. 5. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light barrier device ( 2 ) and the deflecting reflector ( 4 ) are height-adjustable and horizontally adjustable and can be mounted with a universal bracket on different bed constructions. 6. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring after one of the preceding claims, characterized records that from different beds - also time same - outgoing signals coded differently are and an associated optical message device tion as stagnant signals and the Sig nale can be deleted manually, independently of the selected optical message for each one ongoing emergency call an acoustic signal in the over guard station is generated. 7. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring according to ei nem of the preceding claims, characterized records that the emergency call transmission over a radio bridge can take place, the transmitter and receiver fre sequence modulated in a specially for this by the D Telekom and radio surveillance released UHF band work, this mode of operation a direct speaking connection both in alternation and in counter voice traffic between the emergency care bed and the nursing staff, also with mobile signal temp catcher (coat pocket, supply car, etc.) light and even in the event of a power failure thanks to an integrated  back-up battery is ensured. 8. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring after one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that that the emergency signal transmission over a radio bridge is made z. B. in the field of home care and Nursing homes without an in-house nurse call system and the emergency call signal regardless of this operating mode directly without additional or adaptation devices every common nurse call system also to digi tal networks can be connected. 9. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring after one of the preceding claims, characterized records that all facilities have a spec Signal input (Aux) with additional information on between nursing bed and central station like hand buttons, respiratory, cardiovascular sensors, humidity Sensor, vibration sensor can be supplied. 10. Device for remote nursing bed monitoring according to ei nem of the preceding claims, characterized records that the light barrier monitoring with the adjustable alarm reporting delay at correspond positioning also for room monitoring or Escape message for window and door security on can be set.