US 12,186,241 B2
Time-based wireless pairing between a medical device and a wall unit
Jason M. Williams, Cary, NC (US); Shawn J. Keller, Corydon, IN (US); Gavin M. Monson, Oxford, OH (US); John D. Christie, Batesville, IN (US); Vijay Aditya Tadipatri, Madeira, OH (US); Gregory J. Shannon, Indianapolis, IN (US); John V. Harmeyer, Cleves, OH (US); Jennifer D. Slavin, Batesville, IN (US); David C. Newkirk, Lawrenceburg, IN (US); Brian Guthrie, Greensburg, IN (US); Steven V. McCaig, Greensburg, IN (US); Reece Allan Michael Caldwell, Jamesville, NY (US); and Lari E. Rutherford, Jamesville, NY (US)
Assigned to Hill-Rom Services, Inc., Batesville, IN (US)
Filed by Hill-Rom Services, Inc., Batesville, IN (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,496.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/232,737, filed on Aug. 13, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/193,680, filed on May 27, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/168,371, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/140,601, filed on Jan. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0233382 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61G 12/00 (2006.01); A61G 7/05 (2006.01)
CPC A61G 12/00 (2013.01) [A61G 7/0507 (2013.01); A61G 7/0528 (2016.11); A61G 2203/36 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for use in a healthcare facility comprising a network and a nurse call system, the system comprising
a medical device having a first wireless transceiver, a first timer, and a power cord terminating at a power plug, the medical device having a first sensor to determine that the medical device is receiving power via the power plug and power cord, and
a wall unit mounted at a fixed location in a patient room of the healthcare facility, the wall unit having a second wireless transceiver and a second timer, the wall unit receiving AC power from the healthcare facility, the wall unit carrying an AC outlet into which the power plug of the medical device is coupleable, the wall unit having an AC plug sensor that senses the power plug being plugged into the AC outlet, wherein the first timer is started to measure a first uptime in response to the first sensor sensing that the medical device is receiving power via the power plug and the power cord, wherein the second timer is started to measure a second uptime in response to the power plug being sensed by the AC plug sensor of the wall unit, wherein the wall unit is configured to transmit to the medical device from the second wireless transceiver an advertisement including the second uptime, wherein the medical device compares the second uptime with the first uptime and, if the second uptime is within a predetermined tolerance range of the first uptime, the medical device sends a pairing message to the wall unit which results in the wall unit and medical device becoming automatically paired for subsequent wireless communications.