Communication/control device and method of communicating

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/388,148, filed on Jun. 12, 2002, now abandoned. The U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/388,148 is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to communication and control devices used by patients in a health care facility, such as hospital patients.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many hospitals, a communication/control device allows a patient to call a nurse by pressing a nurse-call-button on the device. The same communication/control device may also include buttons which enable the patient to alter her environment, for example, by controlling a television, turning on a light, or adjusting the position of a bed. Such communication/control devices may also include a speaker that may be used to listen to the audio portion of a television broadcast.

The number and types of devices that are controlled by such a communication/control device may vary from hospital to hospital. For example, the system which responds when a nurse-call-button is pressed in a first hospital may be designed differently from the system which responds when a nurse-call-button is pressed in a second hospital. Similarly, a television in a first hospital may be different from a television in a second hospital, and therefore the signals used to control the television in the first hospital may be different from the signals used to control the television in the second hospital. Consequently, communication/control devices in two different hospitals may be required to provide the same functions to a patient, but communicate with and control different systems.

Further, communication/control devices in two different hospitals may be required to provide different functions to patients. For example, in a first hospital, a communication/control device may be required to allow a patient to open and close the curtains, while in a second hospital, a communication/control device will not be used to open and close the curtains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A communication/control device according to the invention may include a housing, a discrete switch and a membrane switch. The discrete switch and the membrane switch may be enclosed in the housing. The discrete switch may be in communication with a life-safety device. The membrane switch may be in communication with an environment device.

In a method according to the invention, a discrete switch and a membrane switch are provided. The discrete switch may be provided in communication with a life-safety device. The membrane switch may be provided in communication with an environment device. In the method, one of the switches is actuated in order to communicate information. In one embodiment of the invention, the discrete switch is actuated, and the information is a medical emergency. In another embodiment of the invention, the membrane switch is actuated, and the information is a desired change to the environment of an individual.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

is a plan view of a device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2

is a side view of a discrete switch enclosed in a housing according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3

is a block diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4

is a plan view of a membrane switch according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5

is a side view of the membrane switch depicted in

FIG. 4

;

FIG. 6

is another side view of the membrane switch depicted in

FIG. 4

;

FIG. 7

is a block diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8

is a block diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9

is similar to

FIG. 2

, but includes a cover according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10

is a block flow diagram of a method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1

shows a communication/control device

10

according to the invention. The communication/control device has a housing

13

, a discrete switch

16

enclosed in the housing

10

and a membrane switch

19

enclosed in the housing

10

.

FIG. 1

shows the device

10

partially cut away to expose such a discrete switch

16

and a membrane switch

19

. As discussed more fully below, by including both a discrete switch

16

and a membrane switch

19

in the same housing

10

, benefits are realized that are not present in the prior art. For example, in accordance with the invention a single device

10

may be compactly configured to provide durable and reliable functionality for life-safety situations, as well as providing a multitude of environment-control functions.

FIG. 2

depicts the discrete switch

16

. The discrete switch

16

may be mounted on a substrate

17

, which may be a circuit board having thereon electrical conductors for electrically connecting the discrete switch

16

to other electrical components. The discrete switch

10

may be a type commonly referred to as a “board-mounted pushbutton switch” or “push button snap switch”. Testing has shown discrete switches to be reliable and durable. Further, discrete switches can operate at a broader range of currents and voltages, thereby making them suitable for use with a wide variety of life-safety devices. For these reasons, the present invention utilizes a discrete switch

16

for life-safety functions.

FIG. 3

shows that the discrete switch

16

may be in communication with one or more life-safety devices

22

via communication line

23

. Communication line

23

may include conductors and electrical components necessary to provide a communication link between the discrete switch

16

and the life-safety device

22

. The life-safety device

22

may be a light that signals to medical personnel that the patient needs assistance. Further, the life-safety device

22

may be a speaker that emits a warning noise to alert medical personnel of a problem.

FIGS. 4

,

5

and

6

show a membrane switch

19

. The membrane switch

19

may include buttons A

1

-A

12

located on a major surface

19

A. A bus

20

may extend from a minor edge

19

B of the membrane switch

19

. By extending from the minor edge

19

B, the housing

13

may be made thinner than if the bus

20

extended from the major surface

19

A or an opposite major surface

19

C.

FIG. 7

shows that the membrane switch

19

may be in communication with one or more environment devices

25

via communication line

27

. Communication line

27

may include conductors and electrical components necessary to provide a communication link between the membrane switch

19

and the environment device

25

. Environment devices

25

may include a television, room light, reading light, a motor that positions curtains covering a window or a motor that positions the patient's bed.

Testing has shown that a membrane switch is not as durable or reliable as a discrete switch, but a membrane switch may be made into a compact form such that more buttons may be made available to a patient in a given space. The membrane switch

19

depicted in

FIG. 4

has twelve buttons A

1

-A

12

, but fewer or more buttons may be provided. By having a large number of buttons A

1

-A

12

, a patient may be allowed to control many systems in many different ways. For these reasons, the present invention utilizes a membrane switch

19

to provide a patient with the ability to alter her environment via one or more environment devices

25

.

A device

10

according to the invention, may include a toggle switch

28

, which provides a toggle function. The toggle switch

28

may be provided as an additional discrete switch, or the toggle switch

28

may be provided as part of the membrane switch

19

. In

FIG. 1

, the toggle switch

28

is shown as a discrete switch. When the toggle switch

28

is in a first toggle state, the membrane switch

19

may have a first function, and when the toggle switch

28

is in second toggle state the membrane switch

19

may have a second function. For example, when the toggle switch

28

is in the first toggle state, the membrane switch

19

may function to allow the patient to control a television, and when the toggle switch

28

is in the second toggle state, the membrane switch

19

may function to allow the patient to adjust lights and curtains in the room. Additional toggle switches may be provided as needed to meet the needs of the patient and the hospital.

In a different embodiment of the invention, a device

10

according to the invention may utilize the toggle switch

28

so that when the toggle switch

28

is in a first toggle state, the discrete switch

16

may have a first function, and in a second toggle state the discrete switch

16

may have a second function. For example, when the toggle switch

28

is in the second toggle state, the discrete switch

16

may function to allow the patient to communicate with hospital personnel regarding non-emergency desires, such as requesting assistance getting out of bed. Further, when the toggle switch

28

is in the first toggle state, the discrete switch

16

may function to allow the patient to communicate with hospital personnel regarding an emergency situation, such as the sudden onset of severe chest pain.

The toggle switch

28

may be provided to be biased toward either the first or second state. For example, the toggle switch

28

may be biased toward a state in which the functionality of the discrete switch

16

will allow the patient to communicate with hospital personnel regarding emergency situations. In this embodiment, the patient would be required, for example, to place the toggle switch

28

in the second state in order to use the discrete switch

16

to communicate with hospital personnel regarding non-emergency desires.

In a similar manner, the toggle switch

28

may be biased toward a state in which the membrane switch

19

allows the patient to control via an environment device

25

a first set of environment parameters, for example the volume, channel and picture quality on a television. In this embodiment, the patient might be required to place the toggle switch

28

in the second state in order to use the membrane switch

19

to control via another environment device

25

a second set of environment parameters, such as adjusting the room lights or operating a motor which moves the curtains.

A device

10

according to the invention may include a speaker

31

.

FIG. 1

shows the device

10

partially cut away to expose such a speaker

31

. The speaker

31

may be utilized to provide the audio portion of a television broadcast or announcements from hospital personnel. The patient communication/control device

10

may include a microphone

34

, which may be used to allow hospital personnel to listen to sounds emanating from the patient. By including a speaker

31

or microphone

34

, the communication/control device

10

may provide one-way audio communication to or from the patient, and by including both a speaker

31

and a microphone

34

in the communication/control device

10

, two-way audio communication may be provided to the patient.

FIG. 8

shows the communication/control device

10

may be in communication with a microprocessor

37

via communication line

38

. The microprocessor

37

may be programmed to respond to signals from the communication/control device

10

in a manner commensurate with the needs of a first hospital to control a life-safety device

22

or an environment device

25

, or both via communication line

39

. A similar communication/control device

10

may be in communication with a microprocessor

37

that is programmed in a manner commensurate with the needs of a second hospital. In this manner, many communication/control devices

10

may be manufactured according to a single design, and then each may be configured to meet the needs of the particular hospital in which it is installed.

Testing indicates that many discrete switches

16

are not resistant to the presence of liquid on or near a button

40

utilized by a patient.

FIG. 2

shows that such discrete switches

16

commonly have an opening

43

in a switch panel

46

, which may be part of the housing

13

, through which the button

40

extends. The opening

43

is usually made large enough to allow the button

40

to move freely when actuated by the patient.

FIG. 9

shows an embodiment of the invention which includes a flexible cover

49

. The cover

49

may be sealed to the housing

10

in order to enclose the button

40

of the discrete switch

16

, and thereby prevent liquid from seeping into the housing

10

and damaging the electrical components therein. In a variation of this embodiment, the cover

49

may extend so as to seal not only the button

40

of the discrete switch

16

, but also the buttons A

1

-A

12

of the membrane switch

19

. In this manner, a uniform appearance may be provided to the patient.

FIG. 10

illustrates a method according to the invention. In a method according to the invention, a discrete switch is provided

100

and a membrane switch is provided

105

. A housing may be provided, and the discrete switch and the membrane switch may be provided in the housing. The discrete switch may be provided in communication with a life-safety device. The membrane switch may be provided in communication with an environment device. One of the switches may be actuated

110

, for example by a patient, in order to communicate information. The information may be that a medical emergency exists. In such a situation, the discrete switch may be used to communicate the medical emergency information. In another embodiment of the invention, the information may be that an individual, such as a patient, desires a change of the individual's environment. In such a situation, the membrane switch may be actuated in order to communicate the desired change to the individual's environment.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to one or more particular embodiments, it will be understood that other embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, the present invention is deemed limited only by the appended claims and the reasonable interpretation thereof.