Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
This action is responsive to applicant amendments/remarks received 02/25/2026. Claims 1, 24, 27-28 and 135 amended and claims 25-26 cancelled. Claims 8-23,29-34,36-134,140 and 143-251 were preliminarily cancelled. Claims 1-7,24, 27-28, 35,135-139 and 141-142 remain pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 24, 28 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Receveur (US Patent No. 20210065885 A1)
In re claim 24, Receveur teaches A patient support apparatus (SEE FIG 1, Patient Support Apparatus 110) comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a patient (Para [0125]: “The illustrated patient support apparatus 110 is embodied as a patient bed 110.”);
a plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers (SEE FIG 1, Transceivers 104 and para [0002]: “The present disclosure relates to locating systems used to monitor the whereabouts of people and equipment in a facility and particularly, to ultra-wideband (UWB) locating systems and methods.”);
a sensor adapted to detect an undesired state of the patient support apparatus (Para [0161]: “Sensor data may include various sensor readings related to current positions, levels, temperatures, pressure levels, etc. of various components of the patient support apparatus 110.” and para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor.);
a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a healthcare facility computer network (Para [0131]: “System 100 includes network infrastructure which is designated diagrammatically as network 108 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Network 108 is intended to represent the infrastructure (e.g., wireless access points, Ethernet jacks such as RJ-45 connectors, wires, routers, gateways, etc.) provided in a healthcare facility and the various computer devices (e.g., personal computers, servers, laptop computers, patient care equipment, etc.) that are coupled to the infrastructure. The various subsystems described herein include components that may communicate with each other using portions of network 108. In the illustrative example, transceivers 104 or receivers 104 communicate with RTLS server 106 via portions of network 108.”); and
a controller adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and a badge (Para [0130]: “Tags 102 are sometimes referred to as “badges” and so the terms “tag” and “badge” are used interchangeably herein.” and para [0136]: “As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, various lines interconnect transceivers 104 with hub computer 150 and interconnect servers and computers 106, 152, 154 with each other via network 108. It should be appreciated that these lines represent bidirectional communication over wired data links (including electrical wires such as Ethernet cables or fiber optic data links) and/or wireless data links, at the discretion of the designer of system 100. UWB transceivers 104 communicate wirelessly with tags 102 using radio frequency (RF).”) to determine a position of the badge relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0137]: “According to this disclosure, the portion of system 100 that operates as a high-accuracy locating system using UWB technology is able to determine the location of each tag 102 that is in communication with at least three of transceivers 104 within about one foot (30.48 cm) or less of the tag's actual location.” and para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred.”), to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and a tag coupled to the patient to determine a position of the tag relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon… The system 100 also includes equipment locating tag 102 to the bed 110, caregiver locating tag 102 coupled to caregiver 114, a plurality of receivers 104 mounted at fixed locations and in wireless communication with the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, and at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 communicatively coupled to the plurality of receivers 104. The equipment locating tag 102, the caregiver locating tag 102, the plurality of receivers 104, and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 cooperate to form a high-accuracy locating system that is operable to determine a location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102 within at least one foot of an actual location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, respectively. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 models a patient contact zone (e.g., one or more of zones 310, 312, 314) adjacent the bed 110 based on the location of the equipment locating tag 102.”), Para [0028]: “Optionally, the at least one computer of the fifth aspect may determine that the housekeeper has properly cleaned the patient bed only if the housekeeper locating tag is determined to have remained in proximity of the patient bed position within a threshold distance while circumnavigating the patient bed position. For example, the threshold distance may be about three feet in some embodiments of the fifth aspect.” and SEE para [0190]); to send a message to the healthcare facility computer network if the distance exceeds a threshold(Para [0190]: “Furthermore, in some embodiments, the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 compares the total distance ambulated by the patient 112 to a predetermined distance, such as the prescribed or recommended distance, after the threshold period of time has elapsed and to determine whether or not the total distance exceeds the predetermined distance. The at least one computer may then report a result of the comparison to one or more caregivers 114. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 reports the result of the comparison to nurse call server 155, assuming nurse call server 155 was not the computer that made the initial comparison.”); to not send the message to the healthcare facility computer network if the distance does not exceed a threshold (Para [0192]: “Referring now to FIG. 6, system 100 is configured to locate the caregiver 114 in a patient room and to determine whether the caregiver 114 is inside or outside a boundary 256 that is modeled around the bed 110… Caregiver locating tag 102 is transported by the caregiver 114 in the patient room. The caregiver locating tag 102 communicates a tag identification (ID) to the circuitry 204 via the first and second transceivers 102a, 102b in some embodiments. The circuitry 204 of bed 110 then uses one or more of two way ranging techniques, time difference of arrival (TDOA) techniques, time of arrival (TOA) techniques, or time of flight (TOF) techniques to determine a location of the caregiver locating tag 102 in the patient room relative to boundary 256.”, para [0195]: “Thus, if the circuitry 204 determines that the caregiver locating tag 102 is within the caregiver control zone, as shown in FIG. 6, the bed circuitry 204 then determines which functions of the patient bed 110 the caregiver 114 has permission to modify.”, para [0196]: “In some embodiments, system 100 of FIG. 6 is configured so that a server or computer remote from the patient bed 110, such as at least one of computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155, communicates one or more messages to the patient bed 110 regarding the bed modification permissions that are granted to the caregiver 114 that is determined to be within the caregiver control zone. Such bed modification permission messages to bed 110 from at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 may be in addition to, or in lieu, of the bed modification permission determinations made by circuitry 204 of bed 110. In either case, the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 and bed circuitry 204 are in communication such that at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 communicates the functions of the patient bed 110 that the caregiver 114 has permission to modify in response to receipt of information from the bed circuitry 204 by the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 regarding the tag ID of the caregiver locating tag 102 that is located within the caregiver control zone surrounded by boundary 256.” and para [0199]: “Beds 110 of any of the embodiments disclosed herein in connection with FIGS. 1-5 and 7-13 may include first and second transceivers 102a, 102b as discussed herein in connection with the various FIG. 6 embodiments. Furthermore, systems 100 in which beds 110 have only one equipment locating tag 102 that is used for establishing a boundary, such as boundary 116 shown in FIG. 1, also may have the bed modification permission functionality discussed herein in connection with the various FIG. 6 embodiments.”; examiner notes ‘bed modification permissions’ are communicated when it is determined that the caregiver is in the control zone, otherwise, no permissions are communicated when not in control zone.); and to vary the threshold based on a condition of the patient(Para [0190]: “Furthermore, in some embodiments, the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 compares the total distance ambulated by the patient 112 to a predetermined distance, such as the prescribed or recommended distance, after the threshold period of time has elapsed and to determine whether or not the total distance exceeds the predetermined distance. The at least one computer may then report a result of the comparison to one or more caregivers 114. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 reports the result of the comparison to nurse call server 155, assuming nurse call server 155 was not the computer that made the initial comparison.”; examiner notes ‘a prescribed or recommended distance’ is given to a patient based on patient’s condition, where this distance is varied given the very nature of a predetermined prescribed/recommended distance.).
In re claim 28, Receveur teaches further comprising a sensor adapted to detect an undesired state of the patient support apparatus (Para [0161]: “Sensor data may include various sensor readings related to current positions, levels, temperatures, pressure levels, etc. of various components of the patient support apparatus 110.” and para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor.); wherein the controller is further adapted to determine if the badge is positioned inside or outside of a volume of space; to issue an alert if the badge is positioned outside of the volume of space while the undesired state exists and the distance is less than the threshold (Para [0250]: “In response to tag 102 of the caregiver 114 exiting room contact zone 312 of room B, one or more of computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 performs the following functions via communication of appropriate messages to respective devices: the dome light or nurse call indicator assembly is no longer illuminated to indicate caregiver presence in room B; the status board at the master nurse call station is updated to indicate that the caregiver 114 is no longer located in room B; any audible alarm that was previously occurring on either or both of beds 110 in room B is re-sounded or turned back on if the alarm condition causing the audible alarm prior to caregiver arrival in room B was not rectified or otherwise canceled prior to caregiver exit of room B; and if the PPM system of either or both of beds 110 in room B were armed to monitor patient position on, or exit from, the respective bed 110 prior to entry of the caregiver 114 into room B, then the PPM system monitoring is re-enabled if the patient 112 is sensed by the PPM system of the respective bed 110 to be present on the respective bed 110 and properly positioned.”); and to stop the alert if the badge is positioned inside the volume of space while the undesired state exists and the distance is less than the threshold (Para [0287]: “It is contemplated by the present disclosure that the commands are sent to the one or more medical devices 320 by the processing hubs 150 in response to at least one of the locating tags 102 of the plurality of locating tags 102 being located within a device zone (not shown but similar to zones 116, 256, 262, 310 around beds 110) of the respective medical devices 320. For example, in some embodiments, at least one of the commands is an alarm silence command to silence an alarm of the respective medical device 320 in response to caregiver locating tag 102 being located in the device zone.”).
In re claim 35, Receveur teaches wherein the controller is further adapted to issue the alert by sending an alert message to the badge, and to stop the alert by sending a cancellation message to the badge (Para [0167]: “The present disclosure also contemplates that a notification is provided to caregiver 114 to indicate a successful round has occurred and/or to indicate that a successful round has not yet occurred for a particular patient 112. For example, an indicator such as one or more light emitting diodes (LED's) or a single multi-color LED of the caregiver locating tag 102, may be illuminated to indicate successful and/or unsuccessful caregiver rounding. For example, each time the caregiver 114 enters a patient room, the multi-color LED may be illuminated red or yellow to indicate that a successful round has not yet occurred. After the caregiver 114 meets the successful rounding criteria, as discussed above, then the multi-color LED is illuminated green. Upon exit of the patient room, the multi-color LED is no longer illuminated until the caregiver 114 enters the next patient room. Signals controlling the manner in which the multi-color LED is to be illuminated are communicated to the caregiver locating tag 102 from at least one computer device 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of the high-accuracy locating system via one or more of the transceivers 104.”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Receveur (US Patent No. 20210065885 A1), in view of Nave (US Patent No. 20200312115 A1).
In re claim 1, Receveur teaches A patient support apparatus (SEE FIG 1, Patient Support Apparatus 110) comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a patient (Para [0125]: “The illustrated patient support apparatus 110 is embodied as a patient bed 110.”);
an ultra-wideband transceiver SEE FIG 1, Transceivers 104 and para [0002]: “The present disclosure relates to locating systems used to monitor the whereabouts of people and equipment in a facility and particularly, to ultra-wideband (UWB) locating systems and methods.”);
a sensor adapted to detect an undesired state of the patient support apparatus (Para [0161]: “Sensor data may include various sensor readings related to current positions, levels, temperatures, pressure levels, etc. of various components of the patient support apparatus 110.” and para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor.);
a network transceiver adapted to communicate with a healthcare facility computer network (Para [0131]: “System 100 includes network infrastructure which is designated diagrammatically as network 108 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Network 108 is intended to represent the infrastructure (e.g., wireless access points, Ethernet jacks such as RJ-45 connectors, wires, routers, gateways, etc.) provided in a healthcare facility and the various computer devices (e.g., personal computers, servers, laptop computers, patient care equipment, etc.) that are coupled to the infrastructure. The various subsystems described herein include components that may communicate with each other using portions of network 108. In the illustrative example, transceivers 104 or receivers 104 communicate with RTLS server 106 via portions of network 108.”); and
a controller (SEE FIG 1, UWB Hub Computer 150) adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the transceiver Para [0130]: “Tags 102 are sometimes referred to as “badges” and so the terms “tag” and “badge” are used interchangeably herein.” and para [0136]: “As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, various lines interconnect transceivers 104 with hub computer 150 and interconnect servers and computers 106, 152, 154 with each other via network 108. It should be appreciated that these lines represent bidirectional communication over wired data links (including electrical wires such as Ethernet cables or fiber optic data links) and/or wireless data links, at the discretion of the designer of system 100. UWB transceivers 104 communicate wirelessly with tags 102 using radio frequency (RF).”) to determine a position of the badge relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0137]: “According to this disclosure, the portion of system 100 that operates as a high-accuracy locating system using UWB technology is able to determine the location of each tag 102 that is in communication with at least three of transceivers 104 within about one foot (30.48 cm) or less of the tag's actual location.” and para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred.”); the controller further adapted to receive a badge identifier from the badge (Para [0151]: “In connection with determining successful rounds, server 106 and/or server 155 further determines, based on tag ID data, whether the caregiver 114 located within zone 116 is among the caregivers assigned to care for the patient 112 that is assigned to the patient room.”); to determine if the badge is positioned inside or outside of a volume of space; to issue an alert if the badge is positioned outside of the volume of space while the undesired state exists (Para [0250]: “In response to tag 102 of the caregiver 114 exiting room contact zone 312 of room B, one or more of computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 performs the following functions via communication of appropriate messages to respective devices: the dome light or nurse call indicator assembly is no longer illuminated to indicate caregiver presence in room B; the status board at the master nurse call station is updated to indicate that the caregiver 114 is no longer located in room B; any audible alarm that was previously occurring on either or both of beds 110 in room B is re-sounded or turned back on if the alarm condition causing the audible alarm prior to caregiver arrival in room B was not rectified or otherwise canceled prior to caregiver exit of room B; and if the PPM system of either or both of beds 110 in room B were armed to monitor patient position on, or exit from, the respective bed 110 prior to entry of the caregiver 114 into room B, then the PPM system monitoring is re-enabled if the patient 112 is sensed by the PPM system of the respective bed 110 to be present on the respective bed 110 and properly positioned.”); and to stop the alert if the badge is positioned inside the volume of space while the undesired state exists (Para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor. The system 100 also includes equipment locating tag 102 to the bed 110, caregiver locating tag 102 coupled to caregiver 114, a plurality of receivers 104 mounted at fixed locations and in wireless communication with the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, and at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 communicatively coupled to the plurality of receivers 104. The equipment locating tag 102, the caregiver locating tag 102, the plurality of receivers 104, and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 cooperate to form a high-accuracy locating system that is operable to determine a location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102 within at least one foot of an actual location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, respectively. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 models a patient contact zone (e.g., one or more of zones 310, 312, 314) adjacent the bed 110 based on the location of the equipment locating tag 102. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 signals the bed 110 to suppress monitoring of the bed condition by the at least one sensor in response to the caregiver locating tag 102 being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 also determines that the caregiver has successfully completed a caregiver round in response to the caregiver locating tag being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 in various circumstances in the various embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 11.”).
Receveur fails to teach a microphone adapted to convert sounds of the patient’s voice to audio signals;
to use RF communication between the ultra-wideband transceiver and a fixed locator to determine a distance therebetween: to transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is less than a threshold: and to not transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is greater than the threshold.
However, Nave teaches a microphone adapted to convert sounds of the patient’s voice to audio signals (Para [0061]: “Referring now to FIG. 2, patient support apparatus 20 includes… a microphone 88, and a speaker 96.”);
to use RF communication between the ultra-wideband transceiver and a fixed locator to determine a distance therebetween: to transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is less than a threshold: and to not transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is greater than the threshold (Para [0058]: “Patient support apparatus 20 further includes a plurality of user interfaces or control panels 48 that enable a user of patient support apparatus 20, such as a patient and/or an associated caregiver, to control one or more aspects of patient support apparatus 20… Control panels 48 may include controls for allowing a user to do one or more of the following: …communicate with a healthcare facility computer network installed in the healthcare facility in which patient support apparatus 20 is positioned. Inner siderail control panels 48b may also include a nurse call control that enables a patient to call a nurse. A speaker and microphone are included in order to allow the patient to orally communicate with the remotely positioned nurse.”, para [0091]: “Fixed locators 134 can be positioned on walls, ceilings, or in other fixed locations whose absolute positions within the healthcare facility are known. Further, each fixed locator 134 includes a location identifier that uniquely identifies and distinguishes that particular locator 134 from all other such locators 134 within the healthcare facility. Location transceivers 136 are incorporated into some or all of the patient support apparatuses 20. In the example of FIG. 3, location transceiver 136 feeds the unique location ID it receives from an adjacent fixed locator 134 to controller 58 which appends it, or otherwise incorporates it into, messages transmitted to patient support apparatus server 132 and/or to patient care server 70.”, para [0092]: “In one embodiment, a healthcare facility may have a plurality of patient support apparatuses 20 that are beds that include such transceivers 136, while other types of patient support apparatuses 20—such as stretchers, cots, and the like—might not include such locator transceivers 136. Regardless of which specific patient support apparatuses 20 have location transceivers 136 incorporated therein, any such apparatus 20 having a location transceiver 136 incorporated therein will be able to communicate with a fixed locator 134 when the apparatus is within a relatively close proximity thereto. Such proximity may be on the order of five to ten feet, or it may be other distances. In some embodiments, location transceiver 136 communicates with fixed locators 134 via infrared signals, although it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of signals may be used for communication between locators 134 and transceiver 136. Fixed locator 134 sends a location identifier that uniquely identifies the fixed locator 134 to the location transceiver 136 when the patient support apparatus 20 is positioned sufficiently adjacent the fixed locator 134.” and para [0093]: “In general, because the locations of locators 134 are known, and because the patient support apparatuses can only communicate with a given locator 134 (via transceivers 136) when they are within a close proximity to the given locator 134, the very establishment of such communication indicates that the patient support apparatus 20 is in close proximity to a given locator 134 whose location is known.”; examiner notes communication of signals is performed when the apparatus (with ‘a’ Location Transceiver 136) is within a relatively close proximity, described as ‘a distance of five to ten feet’, to the fixed locator—where communication to a remotely positioned nurse via microphone occurs when Patient Support Apparatus 20 is positioned. Therefore, when apparatus 20 is not positioned within distance to fixed locator, communication of signals is not transmitted.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Receveur to incorporate the teachings of Nave to provide a microphone adapted to convert sounds of the patient’s voice to audio signals; to use RF communication between the ultra-wideband transceiver and a fixed locator to determine a distance therebetween: to transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is less than a threshold: and to not transmit the audio signals to the fixed locator if the distance is greater than the threshold with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur. Doing so allows the patient to orally communicate with the remotely positioned nurse, as recognized by Nave (Para [0058]).
In re claim 2, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the controller is configured to stop the alert for as long as the badge remains inside the volume of space and the undesired state continues to exist (Para [0276]: “The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 models a patient contact zone (e.g., one or more of zones 310, 312, 314) adjacent the bed 110 based on the location of the equipment locating tag 102. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 signals the bed 110 to suppress monitoring of the bed condition by the at least one sensor in response to the caregiver locating tag 102 being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 also determines that the caregiver has successfully completed a caregiver round in response to the caregiver locating tag being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 in various circumstances in the various embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 11.”).
In re claim 3, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the sensor is adapted to detect an exit of the patient from the patient support apparatus, and the undesired state is the patient exiting from the patient support apparatus (Para [0086]: “In some embodiments of the sixteenth aspect, the at least one sensor may include a patient position monitoring (PPM) sensor and the alarm may be generated in response to the PPM sensor detecting that the patient may have moved toward exiting the bed by a threshold amount. Thus, after monitoring of the bed condition by the PPM sensor has been suppressed by the at least one computer, the caregiver may be able to assist the patient in getting out of the bed without the alarm being generated. If desired, the PPM sensor may be re-enabled to monitor for the alarm condition in response to the patient being returned to bed and the caregiver locating tag being detected to have left the patient contact zone.”).
In re claim 4, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches further comprising a plurality of siderails movable between raised and lowered positions (Para [0156]: “The patient support apparatus 110 further includes a headboard 130 at a head end 132, a footboard 134 at a foot end 136, and siderails 138 coupled to the patient support platform 120.”), and wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a position of at least one of the siderails, and the undesired state is the at least one of the siderails being moved to its lowered position (Para [0276]: “The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor.”).
In re claim 5, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches further comprising a sound emitting device, wherein the controller is further adapted to cause the sound emitting device to emit an alert sound when the controller issues the alert, and to cause the sound emitting device to not emit the alert sound when the controller stops the alert (Para [0255]: “In response to tag 102 of the caregiver 114 exiting bed contact zones 310 of beds 1, 2 of room D (e.g., tag 102 is not located in either of zones 310 of beds 1, 2), one or more of computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 performs the following functions via communication of appropriate messages to respective devices:… any audible alarm that was previously occurring on either of beds 110 of room D is re-sounded or turned back on if the alarm condition causing the audible alarm prior to caregiver arrival in the respective bed contact zone 310 of beds 1, 2 of room D was not rectified or otherwise canceled prior to caregiver exit from the respective bed contact zone 310 of room D…”).
In re claim 6, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches further wherein the controller is adapted to issue the alert by sending an alert message to a server hosted on the healthcare facility computer network, and to stop the alert by sending an alert cancellation message to the server hosted on the healthcare facility computer network (Para [0087]: “Optionally, the bed of the sixteenth aspect may include a nurse call input that may be selectable by the patient to place a nurse call and the at least one computer may be configured to send a message to cancel the nurse call in response to the caregiver locating tag being detected in the patient contact zone. Alternatively or additionally, generation of the alarm may result in a nurse call being sent from the bed to a nurse call computer and the at least one computer may be configured to send a message to the nurse call computer to cancel the nurse call in response to the caregiver locating tag being detected in the patient contact zone.”).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Receveur (US Patent No. 20210065885 A1), in view of Nave (US Patent No. 20200312115 A1) and further in view of Bhimavarapu (US Patent No. 20160038361 A1).
In re claim 7, Receveur and Nave teach all of the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Receveur further teaches further comprising a headwall interface adapted to communicate with a communication outlet integrated into a wall of the healthcare facility (Para [0148]: “For example, a head wall unit or bed locator unit may be mounted to a wall in a patient room and the patient bed 110 may be placed with its head end centered on the head wall unit or bed locator unit.”).
The combination fails to teach wherein the communication outlet includes a plurality of pins and the controller is adapted to issue the alert by setting an electrical state of at least one pin to a first state, and to stop the alert by setting the electrical state of the at least one pin to a second state.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Bhimavarapu teaches wherein the communication outlet includes a plurality of pins (Para [0047]: “In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, plug 50 is a 37 pin connector that includes 37 pins adapted to be inserted into 37 mating sockets of headwall connector 44. Such 37 pin connections are one of the most common types of connectors found on existing headwalls of medical facilities for making connections to the nurse call system 46 and/or the environmental controls 48. Headwall interface 38 of FIG. 2 is therefore configured to mate with one of the most common type of headwall connectors 44 used in medical facilities.”) and the controller is adapted to issue the alert by setting an electrical state of at least one pin to a first state, and to stop the alert by setting the electrical state of the at least one pin to a second state (Para [0052]: “Headwall interface 38 communicates the data and signals it receives from mobile wireless unit 36 to connector 44 by directing the incoming data and signals it receives to the appropriate pin or pins of headwall connector 44. For example, when headwall connector 44 includes 37 sockets for coupling to a 37 pin plug, it is common for pins #30 and #31 of connector 44 to be used for indicating a “priority alert,” which is often synonymous with an alert that is issued when a patient exits from person support apparatus 20. Further, depending upon the particular configuration that has been implemented at a particular healthcare facility, the connection between pins #30 and #31 may be normally open or it may be normally closed.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur and Nave to further incorporate the teachings of Bhimavarapu to provide wherein the communication outlet includes a plurality of pins and the controller is adapted to issue the alert by setting an electrical state of at least one pin to a first state, and to stop the alert by setting the electrical state of the at least one pin to a second state with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Nave. Doing so enables pins #30 and #31 of connector 44 to be used for indicating a “priority alert,” which is often synonymous with an alert that is issued when a patient exits from person support apparatus 20, as recognized by Bhimavarapu (Para [0052]).
Claims 27, 135-138 and 141 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Receveur (US Patent No. 20210065885 A1), in view of Durlach (US Patent No. 20220122724 A1).
In re claim 27, Receveur teaches all of the limitations of claim [[26]] 24 stated above but fails to teach wherein the condition is a fall risk assessment that exceeds a predetermined value.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Durlach teaches wherein the condition is a fall risk assessment that exceeds a predetermined value (Para [0033]: “The healthcare facility protocol, in some embodiments, defines when the sensing system of the respective bed is to be activated based upon whether a particular patient assigned to the respective bed has a fall risk assessment score above a threshold.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Receveur to incorporate the teachings of Durlach to provide wherein the condition is a fall risk assessment that exceeds a predetermined value with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur. Doing so enables the sensing system of a respective bed to be activated based upon whether a particular patient assigned to the respective bed has a fall risk assessment, as recognized by Durlach (Para [0033]).
In re claim 135, Receveur teaches A patient support apparatus (SEE FIG 1, Patient Support Apparatus 110) comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a patient (Para [0125]: “The illustrated patient support apparatus 110 is embodied as a patient bed 110.”);
a plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers (SEE FIG 1, Transceivers 104 and para [0002]: “The present disclosure relates to locating systems used to monitor the whereabouts of people and equipment in a facility and particularly, to ultra-wideband (UWB) locating systems and methods.”); and
a controller (SEE FIG 1, UWB Hub Computer 150) adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and a badge (Para [0130]: “Tags 102 are sometimes referred to as “badges” and so the terms “tag” and “badge” are used interchangeably herein.” and para [0136]: “As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, various lines interconnect transceivers 104 with hub computer 150 and interconnect servers and computers 106, 152, 154 with each other via network 108. It should be appreciated that these lines represent bidirectional communication over wired data links (including electrical wires such as Ethernet cables or fiber optic data links) and/or wireless data links, at the discretion of the designer of system 100. UWB transceivers 104 communicate wirelessly with tags 102 using radio frequency (RF).”) to determine a position of the badge relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0137]: “According to this disclosure, the portion of system 100 that operates as a high-accuracy locating system using UWB technology is able to determine the location of each tag 102 that is in communication with at least three of transceivers 104 within about one foot (30.48 cm) or less of the tag's actual location.” and para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred.”), the controller further adapted to receive a badge identifier from the badge (Para [0151]: “In connection with determining successful rounds, server 106 and/or server 155 further determines, based on tag ID data, whether the caregiver 114 located within zone 116 is among the caregivers assigned to care for the patient 112 that is assigned to the patient room.”), to determine if a state of a component of the patient support apparatus changes (Para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor.).
Receveur fails to teach and to store in memory a log containing the badge identifier of any badge that was within a threshold distance of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed, the log further containing an identification of the component and the change made to the state of the component.
However, Durlach teaches and to store in memory a log containing the badge identifier of any badge that was within a threshold distance of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed (Para [0240]: “Data repository 128 (FIG. 3) stores data that is received by caregiver assistance application 124 during the course of its operation. This data includes patient support apparatus status data sent from patient support apparatuses 20 (via patient support apparatus server 86 in some embodiments, and directly in other embodiments), alert data (e.g. when alerts occurred, causes, remedies, notifications, etc.), rounding completion/incompletion data, verification data verifying caregiver assistance (discussed more below), patient data from bed sore risk reduction and fall risk reduction algorithms 141 and 143, and other data. Data repository 128 may be physically located on server 90 (or another server), or it may be cloud-based, or it may be a combination of both cloud-based storage and local storage maintained at the healthcare facility.” and para [0579]: “In another implementation of this modified embodiment of system 106c, the caregiver carries a card (an RF ID card, a card with a magnetic strip, a near field communication card, or another type of card) that is detected by a corresponding sensor on the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a when the caregiver is within relatively close proximity to the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a (e.g. within the same room, or closer). In response to detecting the card, patient support apparatus 20 or 20a sends a message 310 to caregiver assistance application 124 indicating the presence of the caregiver, and caregiver assistance application 124 treats that message 310 as proof that the caregiver has completed a round with the patient. The message 310 may also include patient support apparatus data that caregiver assistance application 124 uses to determine if the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a is in a compliant or non-compliant state. This data (the compliancy data and rounding completion data) is then sent to EMR server 98, as discussed above with respect to step 256 of algorithm 140.”; FOR CLARITY OF THE RECORD: Examiner notes ‘a threshold’ is described in Durlach as ‘within the same room or closer’, and also described in Receveur as three feet from the patient bed, also SEE FIG 11 depicting contact zones 310, 312, 314, ie, both teach ‘a threshold’ (see claim 1 mapping).), the log further containing an identification of the component and the change made to the state of the component (Para [0246]: “…document to an Electronic Medical Record server 98 (FIG. 4) the successful completion of the caregiver's tasks, as well as the current state of the patient support apparatus status data at the time of completion of the tasks;”; Note FIG 4 depicting documented status change within Server 98 of ‘Brake off’ for bed ITC24, etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Receveur to incorporate the teachings of Durlach to provide and to store in memory a log containing the badge identifier of any badge that was within a threshold distance of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed, the log further containing an identification of the component and the change made to the state of the component with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur. Doing so enables patient support apparatus 20 or 20a to send a message 310 to caregiver assistance application 124 indicating the presence of the caregiver, and caregiver assistance application 124 treats that message 310 as proof that the caregiver has completed a round with the patient, as recognized by Durlach (Para [0579]).
In re claim 136, Receveur and Durlach teach all of the limitations of claim 135 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the controller is further adapted to use RF communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and an equipment tag (Para [0136]: “As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, various lines interconnect transceivers 104 with hub computer 150 and interconnect servers and computers 106, 152, 154 with each other via network 108. It should be appreciated that these lines represent bidirectional communication over wired data links (including electrical wires such as Ethernet cables or fiber optic data links) and/or wireless data links, at the discretion of the designer of system 100. UWB transceivers 104 communicate wirelessly with tags 102 using radio frequency (RF).”) to determine a position of the equipment tag relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0137]: “According to this disclosure, the portion of system 100 that operates as a high-accuracy locating system using UWB technology is able to determine the location of each tag 102 that is in communication with at least three of transceivers 104 within about one foot (30.48 cm) or less of the tag's actual location.” and para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred.”), to receive an equipment tag identifier from the equipment tag (Para [0151]: “In connection with determining successful rounds, server 106 and/or server 155 further determines, based on tag ID data, whether the caregiver 114 located within zone 116 is among the caregivers assigned to care for the patient 112 that is assigned to the patient room.”), that was within a second threshold distance (Para [0245]: “In FIG. 11, there are three different types of contact zones illustrated which will be referred to herein as a bed contact zone 310, room contact zone 312, and ward contact zone 314. Collectively, these zones are sometimes generically referred to herein as patient contact zones. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as bed contact zones 310 adjacent the beds 110, based on the locations of equipment locating tags 102 on the beds 110 or based on patient locating tags 102 of patients 112 supported on beds 110. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as room contact zones 312 and/or ward contact zones 314, based on the locations of anchors 104 within the patient rooms or wards.” Examiner notes ‘second threshold’ is described in Receveur as contact zone 312.).
The combination fails to teach and to store in the log the equipment tag identifier of any equipment tag of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed.
However, Durlach teaches and to store in the log the equipment tag identifier of any equipment tag (SEE BELOW) of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed (Para [0579]: “In another implementation of this modified embodiment of system 106c, the caregiver carries a card (an RF ID card, a card with a magnetic strip, a near field communication card, or another type of card) that is detected by a corresponding sensor on the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a when the caregiver is within relatively close proximity to the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a (e.g. within the same room, or closer). In response to detecting the card, patient support apparatus 20 or 20a sends a message 310 to caregiver assistance application 124 indicating the presence of the caregiver, and caregiver assistance application 124 treats that message 310 as proof that the caregiver has completed a round with the patient. The message 310 may also include patient support apparatus data that caregiver assistance application 124 uses to determine if the patient support apparatus 20 or 20a is in a compliant or non-compliant state. This data (the compliancy data and rounding completion data) is then sent to EMR server 98, as discussed above with respect to step 256 of algorithm 140.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur and Durlach to further incorporate the teachings of Durlach to provide and to store in the log the equipment tag identifier of any equipment tag of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Durlach. Doing so enables patient support apparatus 20 or 20a to send a message 310 to caregiver assistance application 124 indicating the presence of the caregiver, and caregiver assistance application 124 treats that message 310 as proof that the caregiver has completed a round with the patient, as recognized by Durlach (Para [0579]).
In re claim 137, Receveur and Durlach teach all of the limitiations of claim 136 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the second threshold distance is different from the threshold distance (SEE FIG 11 and para [0245]: “In FIG. 11, there are three different types of contact zones illustrated which will be referred to herein as a bed contact zone 310, room contact zone 312, and ward contact zone 314. Collectively, these zones are sometimes generically referred to herein as patient contact zones. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as bed contact zones 310 adjacent the beds 110, based on the locations of equipment locating tags 102 on the beds 110 or based on patient locating tags 102 of patients 112 supported on beds 110. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as room contact zones 312 and/or ward contact zones 314, based on the locations of anchors 104 within the patient rooms or wards.”; Examiner notes ‘a threshold’ is described in Durlach as ‘within the same room or closer’, and also described in Receveur as three feet from the patient bed; therefore different. Further, also SEE FIG 11 depicting contact zones 310, 312, 314, Receveur teaches different threshold distances.).
In re claim 138, Receveur and Durlach teach all of the limitiations of claim 136 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the second threshold distance is the same as the threshold distance (SEE FIG 11 and para [0245]: “In FIG. 11, there are three different types of contact zones illustrated which will be referred to herein as a bed contact zone 310, room contact zone 312, and ward contact zone 314. Collectively, these zones are sometimes generically referred to herein as patient contact zones. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as bed contact zones 310 adjacent the beds 110, based on the locations of equipment locating tags 102 on the beds 110 or based on patient locating tags 102 of patients 112 supported on beds 110. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as room contact zones 312 and/or ward contact zones 314, based on the locations of anchors 104 within the patient rooms or wards.”; Examiner notes ‘a threshold’ is described in Durlach as ‘within the same room or closer’, and also described in Receveur as three feet from the patient bed, therefore Durlach describes a second threshold the same as the threshold distance in Receveur. Further, SEE FIG 11 depicting contact zone 310 across multiple or in the same rooms, Receveur teaches the same threshold and second threshold distances.)
In re claim 141, Receveur and Durlach teach all of the limitations of claim 135 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the controller is further adapted to use RF communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and a smart phone equipped with a UWB transceiver (Para [0135]: “In the illustrative example of system 100 of FIG. 1, the high-accuracy locating system further includes a UWB hub computer 150 which is communicatively coupled to other UWB hub computers 152 of the high-accuracy locating system via network 108 of the healthcare facility. UWB hub computer 150 serves as an intermediary between transceivers 104 and RTLS server 106. Of course, the other UWB hub computers 152 are also communicatively coupled to respective sets of transceivers 104. In the illustrative example, the high-accuracy locating system is also communicatively coupled to a nurse call server 155 and to other servers or computers 154 of the healthcare facility, such as to an EMR server or an admission/discharge/transfer (ADT) computer, just to name a couple. Nurse call server 155 is configured to determine and/or monitor whether caregivers 114 have successfully completed their rounds and to control the display of rounding information on various display devices such as… a caregiver mobile device (e.g., a caregiver's mobile phone)…” and para [0168]: “Alternatively or additionally, one or more messages are displayed on a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, carried by the caregiver 114. For example, in response to the caregiver 114 entering a patient room, one of the computer devices 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 initiates a message for display on the caregiver's mobile device indicating that a successful round has not yet occurred. Then, in response to at least one of the computer devices 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 determining that a successful round has occurred, a message is sent to the caregiver's mobile device indicating that the round has been completed successfully.”) that was within a third threshold distance (Para [0245]: “In FIG. 11, there are three different types of contact zones illustrated which will be referred to herein as a bed contact zone 310, room contact zone 312, and ward contact zone 314. Collectively, these zones are sometimes generically referred to herein as patient contact zones. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as bed contact zones 310 adjacent the beds 110, based on the locations of equipment locating tags 102 on the beds 110 or based on patient locating tags 102 of patients 112 supported on beds 110. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as room contact zones 312 and/or ward contact zones 314, based on the locations of anchors 104 within the patient rooms or wards.” Examiner notes ‘third threshold’ is described in Receveur as contact zone 314.).
The combination fails to teach to determine a position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus, to receive a smart phone identifier from the smart phone, and to store in the log the smart phone identifier of any smart phone of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed.
However, Durlach teaches to determine a position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0558]: “Mobile electronic device 104a receives message(s) 322 when it is positioned within the vicinity of patient support apparatus 20a (FIG. 68). Mobile electronic device 104a uses the message 322 for carrying out the verification and/or compliance steps of rounding algorithm 140, for carrying out one or more aspects of bed sore risk reduction algorithm 141, and/or for carrying out one or more aspects of the fall risk reduction algorithm 143. With respect to patient rounding, in some embodiments, messages 322 are sent and captured by mobile electronic device 104a as part of step 252 of algorithm 140. The sending of messages 322 to mobile electronic device 104a takes the place of, or supplements (in some embodiments), the capturing of image data that otherwise occurs at step 252 of algorithm 140. Mobile electronic device 104a uses the messages 322, particularly the patient support apparatus ID and/or time, to verify that it was physically present adjacent patient support apparatus 20a when the rounding occurred.”), to receive a smart phone identifier from the smart phone, and to store in the log the smart phone identifier of any smart phone (SEE BELOW) of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed (Para [0327]: “At step 256 (FIG. 6), caregiver assistance application 124 sends various data to the EMR server 98 to be documented in the electronic medical record of the patient for whom the caregiver just completed his or her rounding tasks. This transmission occurs without the caregiver having to perform any additional step beyond the ones previously described. The particular data that is sent to EMR server 98 includes the following: (a) the rounding data entered by the caregiver into the mobile electronic device 104a during the rounding task (e.g. pain level, whether the patient used the restroom, etc.); (b) the verification data captured during step 252 (or data indicating that the rounding tasks was verified); (c) whether or not the patient support apparatus 20 is in a compliant state or not (or alternatively, the current status of patient support apparatus 20 with respect to its brake, siderails, litter frame height, exit detection system, nurse call cable, and/or power cable); (d) a time and date stamp; and (e) data sufficient to identify the caregiver who is currently logged into the particular mobile electronic device 104a from which caregiver assistance application 124 receives the rounding data.”, para [0492]: “More specifically, algorithm 145 begins at step 860 by determining the list of rooms and/or patients that are associated with a specific electronic device 104, and caregiver assistance application 124 executes algorithm 145 for each device 104 that is used within system 106. Thus, for example, if a specific mobile electronic device 104a is used by caregiver A, caregiver assistance application 124 determines at step 860 the list of rooms and/or patients to whom caregiver A has been assigned.” and para [0501]: “In general, caregiver assistance application 124 maintains a table (or other data format) in which each patient is listed in a row and various data corresponding to that patient is listed in a plurality of columns. In one example, separate columns are included for each of the following data items: the patient support apparatus identifier 186 of the patient's patient support apparatus 20; the room number of the patient; the bed bay identifier of the patient's patient support apparatus 20 (if there are semi-private rooms in the healthcare facility); the primary caregiver for that patient; contact information for that primary caregiver (e.g. email address, phone number, an identifier of the caregiver's mobile electronic device 104a, etc.)…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur and Durlach to further incorporate the teachings of Durlach to provide to determine a position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus, to receive a smart phone identifier from the smart phone, and to store in the log the smart phone identifier of any smart phone of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Durlach. Doing so enables Mobile electronic device 104a to use the messages 322, particularly the patient support apparatus ID and/or time, to verify that it was physically present adjacent patient support apparatus 20a when the rounding occurred, as recognized by Durlach (Para [0558]).
Claims 139 and 142 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Receveur (US Patent No. 20210065885 A1), in view of Durlach (US Patent No. 20220122724 A1) and further in view of Troester (US Patent No. 20210400439 A1).
In re claim 139, Receveur and Durlach teach all of the limitations of claim 135 stated above where Receveur further teaches wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position of the badge relative to the patient support apparatus in three dimensions (Para [0137]: “According to this disclosure, the portion of system 100 that operates as a high-accuracy locating system using UWB technology is able to determine the location of each tag 102 that is in communication with at least three of transceivers 104 within about one foot (30.48 cm) or less of the tag's actual location.”, para [0138]: “In some embodiments, the high-accuracy locating system is operable to determine the location of tags 102 in 3-dimensional space.” and para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred.”), if the badge was within the threshold distance of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed (Para [0276]: “Based on some embodiments of the foregoing, therefore, a locating and bed control system 100 includes bed 110 configured to support patient 112 thereon. The bed 110 has at least one sensor (e.g., sensors 222, load cells of scale system 224, caster braking sensors, deck section angle sensors, siderail position sensors, etc.) to monitor a bed condition and generate an alarm if the bed condition is sensed to be in an alarm state by the at least one sensor. The system 100 also includes equipment locating tag 102 to the bed 110, caregiver locating tag 102 coupled to caregiver 114, a plurality of receivers 104 mounted at fixed locations and in wireless communication with the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, and at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 communicatively coupled to the plurality of receivers 104. The equipment locating tag 102, the caregiver locating tag 102, the plurality of receivers 104, and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 cooperate to form a high-accuracy locating system that is operable to determine a location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102 within at least one foot of an actual location of the equipment locating tag 102 and the caregiver locating tag 102, respectively. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 models a patient contact zone (e.g., one or more of zones 310, 312, 314) adjacent the bed 110 based on the location of the equipment locating tag 102. The at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 signals the bed 110 to suppress monitoring of the bed condition by the at least one sensor in response to the caregiver locating tag 102 being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 and the at least one computer 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 also determines that the caregiver has successfully completed a caregiver round in response to the caregiver locating tag being detected in the patient contact zone 310, 312, 314 in various circumstances in the various embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 11.”; FOR CLARITY OF THE RECORD: Examiner notes ‘a threshold’ is described in Durlach as ‘within the same room or closer’, and also described in Receveur as three feet from the patient bed, ie, both teach ‘a threshold’ (see claim 1 mapping).).
The combination fails to teach and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the badge.
However, Troester teaches and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the badge (Para [0014]: “The processor is configured to store the current location information of the electronic device in the memory of the secure element.”, para [0015]: “In an embodiment, the processor is configured to determine the current location information as an absolute geographic location in two or three-dimensional space.” and para [0085]: “FIG. 7 shows a drawing illustrating schematically a smart device 6 configured to be worn or carried by a user comprising an electronic device 1 as described above… Other embodiments of smart devices 6 word or carried by a user include… smart cards, key cards…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur and Durlach to further incorporate the teachings of Troester to provide and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the badge with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Durlach. Doing so enables securely determining current location information regarding the electronic device, as recognized by Troester (Abstract).
In re claim 142, Receveur, Durlach and Troester teach all of the limitations of claim 141 stated above where Receveur further teaches in three dimensions (Para [0138]: “In some embodiments, the high-accuracy locating system is operable to determine the location of tags 102 in 3-dimensional space.” ), [within] the third threshold distance (Para [0245]: “In FIG. 11, there are three different types of contact zones illustrated which will be referred to herein as a bed contact zone 310, room contact zone 312, and ward contact zone 314. Collectively, these zones are sometimes generically referred to herein as patient contact zones. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as bed contact zones 310 adjacent the beds 110, based on the locations of equipment locating tags 102 on the beds 110 or based on patient locating tags 102 of patients 112 supported on beds 110. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the computers 106, 150, 152, 154, 155 of system 100 models the patient contact zones, such as room contact zones 312 and/or ward contact zones 314, based on the locations of anchors 104 within the patient rooms or wards.” Examiner notes ‘third threshold’ is described in Receveur as contact zone 314.).
The combination fails to teach wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the smart phone if the smart phone was [within] of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed.
However, Durlach teaches wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus (Para [0558]: “Mobile electronic device 104a receives message(s) 322 when it is positioned within the vicinity of patient support apparatus 20a (FIG. 68). Mobile electronic device 104a uses the message 322 for carrying out the verification and/or compliance steps of rounding algorithm 140, for carrying out one or more aspects of bed sore risk reduction algorithm 141, and/or for carrying out one or more aspects of the fall risk reduction algorithm 143. With respect to patient rounding, in some embodiments, messages 322 are sent and captured by mobile electronic device 104a as part of step 252 of algorithm 140. The sending of messages 322 to mobile electronic device 104a takes the place of, or supplements (in some embodiments), the capturing of image data that otherwise occurs at step 252 of algorithm 140. Mobile electronic device 104a uses the messages 322, particularly the patient support apparatus ID and/or time, to verify that it was physically present adjacent patient support apparatus 20a when the rounding occurred.”) if the smart phone was [within] (SEE BELOW) of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed (Para [0558]: “Mobile electronic device 104a receives message(s) 322 when it is positioned within the vicinity of patient support apparatus 20a (FIG. 68). Mobile electronic device 104a uses the message 322 for carrying out the verification and/or compliance steps of rounding algorithm 140, for carrying out one or more aspects of bed sore risk reduction algorithm 141, and/or for carrying out one or more aspects of the fall risk reduction algorithm 143. With respect to patient rounding, in some embodiments, messages 322 are sent and captured by mobile electronic device 104a as part of step 252 of algorithm 140. The sending of messages 322 to mobile electronic device 104a takes the place of, or supplements (in some embodiments), the capturing of image data that otherwise occurs at step 252 of algorithm 140. Mobile electronic device 104a uses the messages 322, particularly the patient support apparatus ID and/or time, to verify that it was physically present adjacent patient support apparatus 20a when the rounding occurred.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur, Durlach and Troester to further incorporate the teachings of Durlach to provide wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position of the smart phone relative to the patient support apparatus if the smart phone was [within] of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Durlach and Troester. Doing so enables Mobile electronic device 104a to use the messages 322, particularly the patient support apparatus ID and/or time, to verify that it was physically present adjacent patient support apparatus 20a when the rounding occurred, as recognized by Durlach (Para [0558]).
The combination fails to teach and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the smart phone.
However, Troester teaches and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the smart phone (Para [0014]: “The processor is configured to store the current location information of the electronic device in the memory of the secure element.”, para [0015]: “In an embodiment, the processor is configured to determine the current location information as an absolute geographic location in two or three-dimensional space.” and para [0085]: “FIG. 7 shows a drawing illustrating schematically a smart device 6 configured to be worn or carried by a user comprising an electronic device 1 as described above… Other embodiments of smart devices 6 word or carried by a user include… smart cards, key cards…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Receveur, Durlach and Troester to further incorporate the teachings of Troester to provide and to store in the log the three-dimensional position of the smart phone with the ULTRA-WIDEBAND LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS of Receveur as modified by Durlach and Troester. Doing so enables securely determining current location information regarding the electronic device, as recognized by Troester (Abstract).
Response to Arguments
Applicant arguments/remarks filed 02/25/2026 have been full considered but are not persuasive.
On page 7 of applicant remarks, applicant argues rejections of claim 1:
“The Receveur publication does not disclose a patient support apparatus that transmits audio signals to a fixed locator if it is positioned less than a threshold distance away from the fixed locator, and that does not transmit audio signals to the fixed locator if it is positioned more than the threshold distance away from the fixed locator. The Receveur publication discloses UWB transceivers 104 that determine the location of beds. These UWB transceivers 140, however, do not receive audio signals, and there is no disclosure or suggestion of sending, or not sending, audio signals to these UWB transceivers 140 based on their distance from the beds. Accordingly, Applicant submits that amended claim 1 and its dependent claims are neither disclosed nor suggested by the Receveur publication.”
Examiner notes applicant arguments with respect to claim 1 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new rejection(s) as necessitated by applicant amendment.
On pages 7-8 of applicant remarks, applicant argues rejections of claim 24:
“The Receveur publication discloses in paragraph [0150] that a distance may be determined between a badge 102 worn by a patient and a badge 102 worn by a caregiver. There is, however, no disclosure in the Receveur publication of sending a message when that distance is less than a threshold, not sending the message when that distance exceeds the threshold, and varying the threshold based on a condition of the patient. Instead, the threshold distance disclosed in Receveur is static and does not vary based on any parameters, let alone a patient condition parameter. Accordingly, the Receveur publication neither discloses nor suggests the subject matter of amended claim 24 or its dependent claims.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Receveur describes in para [0147]: “In some embodiments, the rounding zone 116 around patient support apparatus 100 is defined as an area within about three feet of the patient support apparatus 110. That is zone 116 is modeled as an area three feet beyond a perimeter of a footprint of the patient bed. Zone 116, therefore, may be defined as a geometric footprint, such as a rectangle, as measured with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to the patient support apparatus 110. Illustratively, the geometric footprint is a circle that is about six feet in radius from tag 102. Thus, zone 116 is defined as an area within about six feet of the equipment locating tag 102 mounted to the patient support apparatus 110.”, here, a non-ambulatory bedridden patient is subject to a threshold of about 6 feet to detect a badge worn by a healthcare provider. Further, Receveur teaches in para [0150]: “In some embodiments, one of badges 102 may also be worn by patient 112. In such embodiments, zone 116 may be defined with respect to the badge 102 worn by the patient rather than with respect to the equipment locating tag 102 that is attached to patient support apparatus 110. That is, the caregiver 114 assigned to one or more patients 112 may be required to be in proximity with each of the patients 112 by a threshold distance in order for a successful caregiver round to be considered to have occurred. In such embodiments, therefore, successful rounds are able to occur outside of patient rooms such as if the patient 112 is in a treatment room, imaging room, operating room, or the like. Similarly, successful rounds are able to occur within the patient room even if the patient is not in bed 110, but is instead seated on a chair in the room, standing by a window of the room, located in a bathroom of the room, and so forth.”, and finally in para [0151]: “…zone 116 is defined with respect to a patient locating tag 102 worn by, or otherwise carried by, the patient 112. As such, a determination of whether tags 102 of the assigned caregiver and patient are within a predefined distance (e.g., 3 to 5 feet)…”. Accordingly, an ambulatory patient is subject to a threshold of about 3 to 5 feet to detect a badge worn by a healthcare provider. Therefore, the threshold is “varied” according to the ambulatory or bedridden conditions of the patient.
On pages 8-9 of applicant remarks, applicant argues rejections of claim 135:
“The Durlach reference was cited for disclosing the limitation of storing "in memory a log containing the badge identifier of any badge that was within a threshold distance of the patient support apparatus when the state of the component changed." (Office Action, p. 20). The Durlach reference, however, discloses storing the ID of a badge that is within a threshold distance of the patient support apparatus regardless of whether a state of a component is changed or not. This is because the Durlach reference uses the proximity of the caregiver to the hospital bed merely to verify that a caregiver was present in a room when they allegedly performed their rounding duty, and such rounding duties do not require the caregiver to change the state of any component (see FIG. 6 and paragraph [0317] of Durlach).
Nevertheless, even if the Durlach reference did disclose logging the ID of a badge when a state of a bed component was changed, it does not disclose storing in a log "an identification of the component and the change made to the state of the component." Examples of these types of changes are shown in FIG. 10 and include, for example, storing in a log the fact that the brakes were activated by Nurse A. In this example, the brakes are "the component" and the activation of them is the "change" made to the state of the component. This is not disclosed or suggested by either the Receveur or Durlach publication, and the rejection of independent claim 135 and its dependent claims should therefore be withdrawn.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. As shown in FIG 4, Durlach teaches in para [0246]: “…document to an Electronic Medical Record server 98 (FIG. 4) the successful completion of the caregiver's tasks, as well as the current state of the patient support apparatus status data at the time of completion of the tasks;”, Examiner notes FIG 4 depicts ‘caregiver’ names (badge ID) stored in database. FIG 4 further depicts documented status change within Server 98 of ‘Brake off’ for bed ITC24, etc.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES EDWARD MUNION whose telephone number is (571)270-0437. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:00.
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/JAMES E MUNION/Examiner, Art Unit 2688 05/28/2026
/STEVEN LIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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