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Abstract

A microprocessor based bed patient monitor receives electronic signals from a mat sensing the presence of a patient. The monitor aural alarm system includes a loudspeaker driven by a power amplifier responsive to an input signal derived from a programmable volume control. The processor synthesizes any one of multiple alarm sounds under software control, operates the programmable volume control of the alarm system and activates and deactivates the alarm in response to the electronic signals received from the sensor and a user interface. An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory external to the processor stores a plurality of alarm sounds for selection by the processor for synthesis of the selected alarm sound, stores multiple decibel levels for selection by the processor of the desired decibel level of the alarm sound, permits storage of a plurality of delay time options prior to activation of the alarm by the processor, logs usage data with respect to the monitor including the total hours of use of the monitor, the total time of alarms sounded by the monitor, the total number of alarms sounded by the monitor and the response time between the most recent sounding of an alarm and a subsequent operation of the monitor by the care giver and permits downloading the log usage data to a host computer. A nurse call interface requires no modification to accommodate the type of nurse call station with which the monitor is used.

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First Claim