PATIENT MONITORING DEVICE WITH IMPROVED USER INTERFACE

A system for monitoring a patient's orientation to reduce a risk of the patient developing a pressure ulcer can include one or more hardware processors that can receive and process data from a sensor to determine the patient's orientation. The one or more hardware processors can maintain a plurality of timers associated with available orientations of the patient. The one or more hardware processors can modify a value of the plurality of timers based on an amount of time the patient is oriented in the plurality of orientations. The one or more hardware processors can generate an interactive graphical user interface on the display screen. The user interface can include a graphic for illustrating an orientation history of the patient. The one or more hardware processors can modify an appearance of the graphic based upon the values the plurality of timers.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of patient monitoring. More specifically, the disclosure describes, among other things, devices, systems, and methods for monitoring and/or displaying information regarding a patient's position, orientation, and/or movement in a medical environment, and an improved graphical user interface.

BACKGROUND

In clinical settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes, skilled nursing facilities, post-surgical recovery centers, and the like, patients are frequently confined to a bed for extended periods of time. Sometimes the patients are unconscious or sedated to such an extent that they have limited ability to change or control their position and/or orientation in the bed. Such patients can be at risk of forming pressure ulcers, which pose a serious risk to the patient's health and well-being. Pressure ulcers, which may also be referred to as “bed sores,” “pressure sores,” and “decubitus ulcers,” involve injury to a patient's skin, and often the underlying tissue, which results from prolonged pressure forces applied to a site on the patient's body. Frequently, pressure ulcers develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body which have less muscle and/or fat tissue below the surface to distribute pressure applied thereto. Pressure ulcers can develop when such skin is subjected to prolonged contact with a surface of a bed or chair. Examples of such body locations include the back or side of the head, shoulders, shoulder blades, elbows, spine, hips, lower back, tailbone, heels, ankles, and skin behind the knees.

Pressure ulcers are caused by application of pressure at an anatomical site that occludes blood flow to the skin and other tissue near the location. Sustained pressure between a structural surface (such as a bed) and a particular point on the patient's body can restrict blood flow when the applied pressure is greater than the blood pressure flowing through the capillaries that deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the skin and other tissue. Deprived of oxygen and nutrients, the skin cells can become damaged, leading to tissue necrosis in as few as 2 to 6 hours. While hospital-acquired pressure ulcers commonly occur in elderly and mobility-impaired populations, such ulcers are considered to be preventable and have been termed “never events.” In some cases, medical insurance carriers have imposed restrictions on the amount they will reimburse a hospital for pressure ulcer treatment, and state and federal legislation now requires hospitals to report the occurrence of pressure ulcers in their facilities.

Risk factors for pressure ulcers can be categorized as modifiable and non-modifiable. Modifiable risk factors include actions that healthcare providers can take, while non-modifiable risk factors include aspects of patient health and behavior. It is valuable to document such non-modifiable risk factors so that caregivers can identify and attend to patients at risk of developing pressure ulcers. It is recommended that caregivers develop a documented risk assessment policy to predict the risk of a patient developing a pressure ulcer. Such an assessment can encompass all aspects of a patient's health and environment, and may employ commonly used measures in the field, such as the Braden and Norton scales. Such risk assessment tools may be used to direct preventative strategies not only when a patient is at rest in his or her bed, but also when undergoing surgery.

Additional factors that can contribute to the formation of pressure ulcers include friction and shear forces. Friction can occur when skin is dragged across a surface which can happen when patients are moved, especially when the skin is moist. Such frictional forces can damage the skin and make it more vulnerable to injury, including formation of a pressure ulcer. Shear forces occur when two forces move in opposite directions. For example, when the head portion of a bed is elevated at an incline, the patient's spine, tailbone, and hip regions tend to slide downward due to gravity. As the bony portion of the patient's body moves downward, the skin covering the area can stay in its current position, thereby pulling in the opposite direction of the skeletal structure. Such shear motion can injure the skin and blood vessels at the site, causing the skin and other local tissue to be vulnerable to formation of a pressure ulcer.

An established practice for patients at risk of forming pressure ulcers is to follow a turning protocol by which the patient is periodically repositioned, or “turned” to redistribute pressure forces placed on various points of the patient's body. Individuals at risk for a pressure ulcer are repositioned regularly. It is commonly suggested that patients be repositioned every 2 hours at specific inclination angles, and that the method of doing so minimizes the amount of friction and shear on the patient's skin. A repositioning log can be maintained and include key information, such as the time, body orientation, and outcome.

Pressure ulcer prevention programs have been effective and can reduce long-term costs associated with treatment. A 2002 study employed a comprehensive prevention program in two long-term care facilities, costing $519.73 per resident per month. Results of the program revealed pressure ulcer prevalence to be reduced by 87% and 76% in the two facilities. A later study found that prevention strategies were able to reduce pressure ulcer prevalence from 29.6% to 0% in a medical intensive care unit, and from 9.2% to 6.6% across all units of the hospital. These interventions employed strategies such as manual patient repositioning and logging, tissue visualization and palpation, pressure-reducing mattresses, and use of risk assessment tools. Turning protocols, however, do not take into consideration position changes made by the patient between established turn intervals, which, in common practice, are neither observed nor recorded. Thus, it is possible that in some circumstances, the act of following a turn protocol can have an unintended negative clinical effect.

Caregivers employ a variety of medical devices (for example, physiological sensors) that interact with patient monitoring devices which display a significant amount of patient health information. Such information is typically displayed on handheld monitoring devices or stationary monitoring devices with limited visual “real estate.” Often if not always, multiple patients are being monitored at once. Further, such health information is constantly fluctuating for multiple patients in a simultaneous manner, increasing the difficulty for a caregiver to locate, evaluate, and respond to a particular piece of health information for a particular patient. Because caregivers are under significant time pressure and only have a small amount of time to monitor, respond to, and/or treat individual patients under their care, it is incredibly difficult for caregivers to quickly obtain information regarding a patient's orientation at any given time, let alone evaluate such information and determine if the patient's orientation needs to be adjusted. Even the slightest speed advantage for caregivers in such situation can greatly reduce the likelihood that a patient will develop pressure ulcers and/or can enable caregivers to provide potentially life-saving treatment.

SUMMARY

This disclosure describes, among other things, embodiments of devices, systems, and/or methods for monitoring and/or displaying the orientation, position, and/or movement of a patient. As discussed throughout this disclosure, such monitoring can help to reduce or eliminate the formation of pressure ulcers in patients. This disclosure further describes an improved graphical user interface for displaying information related to a patient's orientation, position, and/or movement.

A patient monitor for monitoring an orientation of a patient to reduce a risk of the patient developing a pressure ulcer can comprise one or more hardware processors configured to receive output signals from a sensor attached to the patient. The sensor can be a wireless sensor and/or can include one or more accelerometers. The one or more hardware processors can be further configured to process said output signals and determine the patient's orientation. The one or more hardware processors can be further configured to maintain a plurality of timers, each of the plurality of timers associated with an available orientation of the patient and configured to account for a non-consecutive duration said patient is in said associated available orientation, wherein said non-consecutive duration is configured to vary in a first manner when said patient is oriented in said associated available orientation and vary in a second manner when said patient is not oriented in said associated available orientation. The patient monitor can further comprise a display screen configured to display an orientation trend of the patient in relation to a flat surface (for example, a bed) based on the maintained plurality of timers, wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to generate a structured display on the display screen. The structured display can comprise a patient representation configured to illustrate a current orientation of the patient in a bed, said current orientation being one of said available orientations. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to vary in the first manner by increasing when said patient is oriented in said associated available orientation and vary in the second manner by decreasing when said patient is not oriented in said associated available orientation. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to decrease down to a minimum of zero (0) when said patient is not oriented in said associated available orientation. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to increase up to a maximum value when said patient is oriented in said associated available orientation. The maximum value can equal, for example, 2 hours. When said non-consecutive duration increases above a maximum value, the one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor can be further configured to generate an alarm. The alarm can comprises at least one of a visual alarm and an auditory alarm. The one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor can be configured to generate a visual alarm by generating a flash or changing a color of the structured display. When said non-consecutive duration increases beyond a maximum value, the patient monitor can be configured to transmit a notification signal. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to vary in the first manner by decreasing when said patient is oriented in said associated available orientation and vary in the second manner by increasing when said patient is not oriented in said associated available orientation. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to decrease down to a minimum of zero (0) when said patient is oriented in said associated available orientation. The non-consecutive duration can be configured to increase up to a maximum value when said patient is not oriented in said associated available orientation. The maximum value can equal, for example, 2 hours. When said non-consecutive duration decreases below a minimum value, the one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor can be configured to generate an alarm. The alarm can comprise at least one of a visual alarm and an auditory alarm. The one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor can be configured to generate the visual alarm by generating a flash or changing a color of the structured display. When said non-consecutive duration decreases below a minimum value, the patient monitor can be configured to transmit a notification signal. The patient representation of the structured display can comprise at least a portion of a model patient. The patient representation of the structured display can comprise at least one of a 3D image of the model patient laying in a model hospital bed; an upper body of a 3D model patient; and a 3D image of the model patient in a walking or running position. The patient representation can further comprise one or more injury points. The structured display can comprise a heat map configured to graphically illustrate said non-consecutive durations of the patient in one or more of the available orientations. The heat map can be configured to vary in color based on the variability of said non-consecutive duration. The heat map can comprise a curved region bounded by a first curved segment and a second curved segment separated by a distance. The curved region can further comprise: a left end corresponding to a left side orientation of the patient in the hospital bed; and a right end corresponding to a right side orientation of the patient in the hospital bed, wherein a middle of the curved region corresponds to a supine position of the patient in the hospital bed and represents a line of symmetry of the curved region. The one or more hardware processors can be further configured to fill one or more of a plurality of lines in a selected portion of the curved region with a first color when the patient is in a first orientation less than a first time or a second color when the patient is in the first orientation greater than or equal to the first time. The one or more hardware processors can be configured to fill the one or more of the plurality of lines with either the first or second color in response to signal processing of data received from the sensor, and each of the plurality of lines can extend from the first curved segment to the second curved segment and represent a degree of orientation of the patient in the hospital bed. The one or more hardware processors can be configured to fill one or more of the plurality of lines with a third color representing an un-allowed patient orientation, and wherein the third color is different than both the first and second colors. The one or more hardware processors can be configured to display a hatched pattern between two of the plurality of lines in the curved region, wherein the hatched patent represents an un-allowed patient orientation. The structured display can further comprise an indicator located along the curved region and configured to indicate the current orientation of the patient in the hospital bed. The structured display can further comprise a patient inclination indicator configured to illustrate an incline position of the patient in the bed. The patient inclination indicator can be further configured to display an inclination degree of the patient in the bed. The structured display can further comprise a color legend. The structured display can further comprise an orientation graph configured to display a history of the patient's orientation over a time range.

For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such aspects, advantages, or features will be embodied in any particular embodiment.

While the foregoing “Brief Description of the Drawings” references generally various embodiments of the disclosure, an artisan will recognize from the disclosure herein that such embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Rather the artisan would recognize a myriad of combinations of some or all of such embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the claims. In the drawings, similar elements have similar reference numerals.

The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for monitoring and/or displaying information regarding a patient's position, orientation, and/or movement in a medical environment. The present disclosure also relates to an improved graphical user interface for displaying such information.

A system and/or method for monitoring and/or displaying information regarding a patient's position, orientation, and/or movement in a medical environment can include a patient-worn, wireless sensor including one or more sensors configured to obtain position, orientation and/or movement information from a patient and transmit such information to a patient monitor for display. The one or more sensors can include, for example, one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or magnetometers (i.e., compasses). Illustratively, the sensors can continuously or periodically (e.g., every second) obtain information that describes the patient's orientation in three dimensions. The wireless sensor can include a processor that is configured to process the obtained sensor information. The wireless sensor can also include a transmitter or transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the processed sensor data, and/or information representative to and/or responsive to the sensor data, to a patient monitor (or other processing device) for further processing. The patient monitor can be configured to store and further process the received information, to display information indicative of or derived from the received data, and to transmit information to other patient care systems such as a multi-patient monitoring system which may be accessible from, for example, a nurses' station. The patient monitor can be configured to display and/or transmit alarms, alerts, and/or notifications to an external device and/or patient care system. The patient monitor can include a structured graphical user interface which displays the above-mentioned information in a static and/or dynamic fashion.

FIG.1is a perspective illustration of a patient monitoring system100in a clinical setting. The patient monitoring system100can include a wireless sensor102(also referred to herein as “a wireless physiological sensor102,” “a patient-worn sensor102,” “a movement sensor102,” and “a wearable wireless sensor102”) that can be worn by and/or attached to a patient and a patient monitor106that can wirelessly communicate with the wireless sensor102. As an example, the wireless sensor102and the patient monitor106can be positioned in proximity with one another in a hospital room, and the patient monitor106can be located on a table116at the side of the patient's bed118. While the disclosure below discusses a wireless sensor102, the patient monitoring system100can include a plurality of wireless sensors102, such as one, two, three four, five, six or seven or more wireless sensors102. The wireless sensor102includes one or more sensors configured to measure the patient's position, orientation, and/or motion. The wireless sensor102can include one or more accelerometers configured to measure linear acceleration of the patient in one or more directions (for example, axes). The wireless sensor102can additionally or alternatively include one or more gyroscopes configured to measure angular velocity of the patient. The measured linear acceleration and/or angular velocity information can be processed to determine the patient's orientation in three dimensions. In some embodiments, a magnetometer is included in the wireless sensor102to measure the Earth's gravitational field. Information measured by the magnetometer can be used to improve accuracy of the determined orientation of the patient.

The wireless sensor102can also include a wireless transceiver206(seeFIGS.4A and4B) which can transmit to the patient monitor106information representative of sensor data obtained by the wireless sensor102from the patient. Advantageously, the patient can be physically decoupled from the bedside patient monitor106and can therefore move freely into and/or out of different positions and/or orientations on the bed118.

The wireless sensor102can be affixed to the skin of the patient's body under the patient's garment as shown inFIG.1. For example, the wireless sensor102can be placed on the patient's torso. For example, the sensor102can be placed on the patient's chest over the patient's manubrium, the broad upper portion of the sternum. In this position, the wireless sensor102can be approximately centered relative to the longitudinal axis of the patient's body and near the patient's center of mass, a position that is useful in determining the patient's orientation when, for example, the patient is in a bed118. The wireless sensor102can be affixed to or otherwise placed on various portions of the patient's body in addition to or as an alternative to placement on the patient's chest. For example, the wireless sensor102can be placed on the patient's back or more specifically, may be placed between a patient's shoulder blades or on other portions of the patient's back. The wireless sensor102can receive and/or measure signals indicative of and/or responsive to a temperature, a vibration, a movement, and/or a heartbeat, among other parameters. In some implementations, the wireless sensor102may not be affixed to the patient. For example, the wireless sensor102may be affixed to a surface of the bed and may monitor an orientation of a surface of the bed with respect to the ground which may also indicate the orientation of the patient with respect to the ground. For example, the patient may lay in the bed and/or be secured to the bed and the bed may automatically rotate and/or change orientations with respect to the ground causing the patient to also rotate and/or change orientation with respect to the ground.

The wireless sensor102can be affixed to the patient's skin using any form of medically-appropriate adherent material, including a pressure-sensitive adhesive that is coated or applied to the bottom surface of the wireless sensor102. One skilled in the art will appreciate that many other materials and techniques can be used to affix the wireless sensor102to the patient without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Frequently in clinical settings, multiple medical sensors are attached or adhered to a patient to concurrently monitor multiple physiological parameters. Some examples of medical sensors include, but are not limited to, position, orientation, and/or movement sensors, temperature sensors, respiration sensors, heart rate sensors, blood oxygen sensors (such as pulse oximetry sensors), acoustic sensors, electroencephalography (EEG) sensors, electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, blood pressure sensors, sedation state sensors, to name a few. Typically, each sensor that is attached to a patient transmits, often by cable, the obtained physiological data to a nearby monitoring device configured to receive and process the sensor data, and transform it into clinical information to be used by care providers to monitor and manage the patient's condition. When a patient is concurrently monitored by several physiological sensors, the number of cables and the number of bedside monitoring devices used can be excessive and can limit the patient's freedom of movement and impede care providers' access to the patient. The cables connecting the patient to the bedside monitoring devices can also make it more difficult to move the patient from room to room or to switch to different bedside monitors.

Advantageously, the disclosed wireless sensor102can transmit data, wirelessly, to a patient data processing environment105in which the sensor data can be processed using one or more processing capabilities. As illustrated inFIG.1, the wireless sensor102can transmit data, via a wireless communications link104, to a bedside patient monitor106and/or an extender/repeater107. Both the patient monitor106and extender/repeater107provide access, by way of high-speed and reliable communications interfaces, to the patient data processing environment105. For illustration purposes, both the patient monitor106and the extender/repeater107are illustrated inFIG.1. However, typically only one such device is required to establish a wireless connection between the wireless sensor102and the patient data processing environment105. The wireless communications link104can use any of a variety of wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi (802.11x), Bluetooth, ZigBee, cellular telephony, infrared, RFID, satellite transmission, proprietary protocols, combinations of the same, and the like. The wireless sensor102can be configured to perform telemetry functions, such as measuring and reporting position, orientation, and movement information about the patient. According to one embodiment, the wireless sensor102uses the Bluetooth wireless communications standard to communicate wirelessly with the patient monitor106.

The extender/repeater107can receive sensor data from the wireless sensor102by way of the wireless communications link104and forward the received sensor data, via a network108, to one or more processing nodes within the patient data processing environment105. For example, the extender/repeater107can forward the received sensor data to a patient monitor106that might be located beyond the range of the wireless communications link104of a particular wireless sensor102. Alternatively, the extender/repeater107can route the sensor data to other processing nodes within the patient data processing environment105, such as, for example, a multi-patient monitoring system110or a nurses' station system113(seeFIG.3B). A skilled artisan will appreciate that numerous processing nodes and systems can be used to process the data transmitted by the wireless sensor102.

FIG.1also illustrates the patient monitor106, which may also be referred to herein as “a processing device106,” “a portable computing device106,” and “a patient monitoring device106.” An example of a patient monitor106is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,010,276, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The patient monitor106is a processing device, and therefore includes the necessary components to perform the functions of a processing device, including at least one hardware processor, a memory device, a storage device, input/output devices, and communications connections, all connected via one or more communication buses. In some embodiments, the patient monitor106is a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), which can be configured to display the structured display410,610,710or components thereof, which are described further below. For example, the patient monitor106can be a mobile phone configured to display the patient representation424, bed422, heat map414,514,614,714, legend418, orientation graph433, and/or timer426, or portions or aspects thereof. As another example, the patient monitor106can be a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), which can be configured to display that which appears inFIGS.6,7,8A,8B,8C,8D,9A,9B,10,11,12,13, and/or14. As another example, the patient monitor106can be a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), which can be configured to display that which appears in the display portion415and/or412as shown in any ofFIGS.6,7,9A,11,12, and/or13. For example, the patient monitor106can be a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), which can be configured to display only the heat map414,514,614,714, the patient representation424, the model bed422, patient inclination indicator421, patient inclination degree indicator420, timer426, and/or legend418. As another example, the patient monitor106can be a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), which can be configured to display only the orientation graph433, patient inclination indicator421, patient inclination degree indicator420, timer426, and/or legend418. Given the limited visual “real estate” that may be available in many patient monitors106(such as mobile phones), limiting the display to include only one or more of these components can allow a caregiver to quickly obtain a holistic sense of the patient's orientation history and/or condition in order to provide better treatment.

In certain embodiments, the patient monitor106can process the sensor data provided by the wireless sensor102. In other embodiments, processing of the sensor data can be performed by other processing nodes within the patient data processing environment105. The patient monitor106can wirelessly communicate with the wireless sensor102. The patient monitor106can include a display120(also referred to herein as a “display screen”) and/or a docking station that can mechanically and electrically mate with a portable patient monitor122also having a display130. The patient monitor106can be contained within a movable, mountable, and portable housing formed in a generally upright, inclined shape configured to rest on a horizontal flat surface, as shown inFIG.1. Of course, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the housing of the patient monitor106can be affixed in a wide variety of positions and mountings and can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

The display120, alone or in combination with the display130of the portable patient monitor122, can present a wide variety of measurement and/or treatment data in numerical and/or graphical (e.g., waveform) forms and/or can contain various display indicia. For example, the display120can display a variety of patient-specific configurations and/or parameters, such as the patient's weight, age, type of treatment, type of disease, type of medical condition, nutrition, hydration and/or length of stay, among others. In an embodiment, the display120occupies much of a front face of a housing of the patient monitor106, although an artisan will appreciate the display120may comprise a table or tabletop horizontal configuration, a laptop-like configuration, or the like. Other embodiments may include communicating display information and data to a tablet computer, smartphone, television, or any display system recognizable to an artisan. Advantageously, the upright inclined configuration of the patient monitor106, as illustrated inFIG.1, displays information to a caregiver in an easily viewable manner. In an embodiment, the display120is a single screen display with a limited amount of screen space (also referred to herein as “real estate”). For example, the single screen display may be about 10 inches diagonal. In an embodiment, the display120is that made commercially available by Masimo Corporation of Irvine, Calif. on the patient monitoring platform called Root®.

The portable patient monitor122ofFIG.1can advantageously include an oximeter, co-oximeter, respiratory monitor, depth of sedation monitor, noninvasive blood pressure monitor, and/or vital signs monitor. The portable patient monitor122may communicate with a variety of noninvasive and/or minimally invasive devices such as, by way of non-limiting example, wireless sensor102, optical sensors with light emission and detection circuitry, acoustic sensors, devices that measure blood parameters from a finger prick, cuffs, ventilators, and the like. The portable patient monitor122can include its own display130presenting its own display indicia related to physiological parameters of a patient. The display indicia may change based on a docking state of the portable patient monitor122. When undocked, the display130may include parameter information and may alter its display orientation based on information provided by, for example, a gravity sensor or an accelerometer. Although disclosed with reference to particular portable patient monitors122, an artisan will recognize from the disclosure herein there is a large number and wide variety of medical devices that may advantageously dock with the patient monitor106.

FIG.2Ais a schematic exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed wireless sensor102including a bottom base310, a removable battery isolator320, a mounting frame330, a circuit board340, a housing350, and a top base360. The bottom base310can be a substrate having a top surface on which various components of the wireless sensor102are positioned, and a bottom surface that is used to affix the wireless sensor102to the patient's body. The bottom base310and top base360can be made of medical-grade foam material such as white polyethylene, polyurethane, or reticulated polyurethane foams, to name a few. As illustrated in the embodiment illustrated inFIG.2A, the bottom base310and the top base360can each have a substantially oval shape, with a thickness of approximately 1 mm, for example. The top base360can include a cut-out362through which the housing350fits during assembly. Of course, a skilled artisan will understand that there are numerous sizes and shapes suitable for the top and bottom bases310and360that can be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The bottom surface of the bottom base310can be coated with a high tack, medical-grade adhesive, which when applied to the patient's skin, can be suitable for long-term monitoring, such as, for example two days or longer. Portions of the top surface of the bottom base310can also be coated with a medical-grade adhesive, as the bottom base310and the top base360are adhered together during assembly of the wireless sensor102.

The removable battery isolator320can be a flexible strip made of an electrically insulating material that serves to block electrical communication between the battery214and an electrical contact (not shown) on the circuit board340. The battery isolator320can be used to preserve battery power until the wireless sensor102is ready for use. The battery isolator320can block electrical connection between the battery214and the circuit board340until the battery isolator320is removed from the wireless sensor102. The battery isolator320can be made of any material that possesses adequate flexibility to be slidably removed from its initial position and adequate dielectric properties so as to electrically isolate the battery from the circuit board340. For example, the battery isolator320can be made of plastic, polymer film, paper, foam, combinations of such materials, or the like. The battery isolator320can include a pull tab322that extends through a slot352of the housing350when the wireless sensor102is assembled. The pull tab322can be textured to provide a frictional surface to aid in gripping and sliding the pull tab322out of its original assembled position. Once the battery isolator320is removed the battery214can electrically connect with the battery contact to energize the electronic components of the wireless sensor102.

The mounting frame330is a structural support element that can help secure the battery214to the circuit board340. The mounting frame340has wings342that, when assembled are slid between battery contacts342and the battery214. Additionally, the mounting frame330serves to provide rigid structure between the circuit board340and the bottom base310. According to some embodiments that include an acoustic respiratory sensor, the rigid structure transmits vibrational motion (vibrations) emanating from the patient (such as, for example, vibrational motions related to respiration, heartbeat, snoring, coughing, choking, wheezing, respiratory obstruction, and the like) to the accelerometer210positioned on the circuit board340.

The circuit board340, which may also be referred to herein as a substrate layer340and a circuit layer340, mechanically supports and electrically connects electrical components to perform many of the functions of the wireless sensor102. The circuit board340can include conduction tracks and connection pads. Such electrical components can include without limitation, a processor202, a storage device204, a wireless transceiver206, an accelerometer210, a gyroscope212, a magnetometer216, a temperature sensor218, an acoustic respiration sensor220, an ECG sensor222, an oximetry sensor224, a moisture sensor226, and/or an impedance sensor228(seeFIGS.4A-4B). In an embodiment, the circuit board340is double-sided and has electronic components mounted on a top side and a battery contact (not shown) on a bottom side. Of course a skilled artisan will recognize other possibilities for mounting and interconnecting the electrical and electronic components of the wireless sensor102.

As illustrated inFIG.2A, a battery holder342can be attached to two sides of the top portion circuit board340and can extend (forming a support structure) under the bottom side of the circuit board340to hold the battery214in position relative to the circuit board340. The battery holder342can be made of electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the battery214is a coin cell battery having a cathode on the top side and an anode on the bottom side. Electrical connection between the anode of the battery214and the circuit board340can be made by way of the battery holder which is in electrical contact with the anode of the battery214and the circuit board340. The cathode of the battery214can be positioned to touch a battery contact (not shown) on the bottom side of the circuit board340. In some embodiments, the battery contact includes a spring arm that applies force on the battery contact to ensure that contact is made between the anode of the battery214and the battery contact. During assembly and prior to use, the battery isolator320is inserted between the anode of the battery214and the battery connector to block electrical contact.

The housing350is a structural component that serves to contain and protect the components of the wireless sensor102. The housing350can be made of any material that is capable of adequately protecting the electronic components of the wireless sensor102. Examples of such materials include without limitation thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. The housing350can include a slot352through which the battery isolator320is inserted during assembly. The housing350can also include a rim354that extends around the outer surface of the housing350. The rim354can be used to secure the housing350in position relative to the bottom base310and the top base360when the wireless sensor102is assembled.

The wireless sensor102can be assembled in a variety of ways. The circuit board340and battery holder342holding the battery214can be placed into the housing350. The wings332of the mounting frame330can be inserted in between the battery214and the battery holder342so as to align the mounting frame330with the circuit board340. The battery isolator320can then be positioned between the battery contact and the battery214. The pull tab322of the battery isolator320can then be fed through the slot352in the housing350. The top base360can then be positioned over the housing350, which can house the assembled circuit board340, battery holder342, battery214, mounting frame330, and battery isolator320, using the cut-out362for alignment. The rim354of the housing350can adhere to the bottom surface of the top base360, which can be coated with high tack, medical-grade adhesive. The partial assembly, which now includes the top base360, the housing350, the circuit board340, the battery holder342, the battery214, the mounting frame330, and the battery isolator320, can be positioned centrally onto the top surface of the bottom base310, aligning the edges of the base top360with the edges of the base bottom310. In some embodiments, a coupon (or die cutting tool) is used to cut away excess portions of the now combined top and bottom bases360and310to form a final shape of the wireless sensor102. The bottom surface of the bottom base310can then be coated with a high tack, medical-grade adhesive, and a release liner (not shown) can be placed on the bottom surface of the bottom base310to protect the adhesive until it is time for use.

A perspective view of the assembled wireless sensor102is illustrated inFIG.2B. Also illustrated inFIG.2Bis a button/switch324located on a top portion of the housing350. The button/switch324can be used to change modes of the wireless sensor102. For example, in some embodiments, pressing and holding the button/switch324can cause the wireless sensor102to switch into a pairing mode of operation. The pairing mode can be used to associate the wireless sensor102with a patient monitor106or with an extender/repeater107. Methods and systems for pairing a sensor to a patient monitor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,527, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIG.2Cprovides a side view of an embodiment of the assembled wireless sensor102.

FIG.3Ais a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the display120of the disclosed patient monitor106and the display130of the portable patient monitor122. Display120of the patient monitor106can be configured to present patient physiological data124, patient turn and/or orientation data126, and/or additional, optional patient data128. Patient physiological data124can include, by way of non-limiting example, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiration rate, fractional arterial oxygen saturation, total hemoglobin, plethysmograph variability index, methemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, perfusion index, and/or oxygen content. Advantageously, the display120can be configurable to permit the user to adjust the manner by which the physiologic parameters124, patient turn data126, and optional patient data128are presented on the display120. In particular, information of greater interest or importance to the clinician may be displayed in larger format and may also be displayed in both numerical and graphical formats to convey the current measurement as well as a historical trend of measurements for a period of time, such as, for example, the preceding hour. Further, the display120can be configurable to permit the user to modify which of patient physiological data124, patient turn and/or orientation data126, and/or optional patient data128is shown. For example, the display120can be configurable such that only patient turn and/or orientation data126is shown.

As illustrated by dotted lines inFIG.3A, the display130of the portable patient monitor130is an optional feature of the patient monitor106which may be configured to present patient physiological data134, patient turn and/or orientation data136, and additional, optional patient data138.

FIG.3Bis a simplified functional block diagram of an embodiment of patient monitoring system100. The system can include the patient-worn wireless sensor102, a wireless communications link104, through which sensor data from the wireless sensor102can be transmitted, and the patient data processing environment105. The patient data processing environment105can include a patient monitor106, a communications network108, a multi-patient monitoring system110, a hospital or facility information system112, one or more nurses' station systems113, and/or one or more clinician devices114. An artisan will appreciate that numerous other computing systems, servers, processing nodes, display devices, printers, and the like can be included in the disclosed patient monitoring system100.

The wireless sensor102can be worn by a patient who has been determined to be at risk of forming one or more pressure ulcers, for example, a patient who is confined to bed for an extended period of time. The wireless sensor102can continuously or periodically (e.g., every second) monitor the orientation of the patient to help determine whether the patient is repositioned frequently enough to reduce the patient's risk of forming a pressure ulcer. In certain embodiments, the wireless sensor102minimally processes measured acceleration and/or angular velocity data and wirelessly transmits the minimally-processed data to the patient monitor106by way of the wireless communications link104. In some cases, such minimal processing can conserve power of the wireless sensor102.

The wireless sensor102and the patient monitor106can be configured to utilize different wireless technologies to form the wireless communications link104. In certain scenarios, it may be desirable to transmit data over Bluetooth or ZigBee, for example, when the distance between the wireless sensor102and the patient monitor106is within range of Bluetooth or ZigBee communication. Transmitting data using Bluetooth or ZigBee can be advantageous because these technologies require less power than other wireless technologies. Accordingly, longevity of embodiments of the disclosed wireless sensor102using batteries may be increased by using Bluetooth or ZigBee protocols.

In other scenarios, it may be desirable to transmit data using Wi-Fi or cellular telephony, for example, when the distance between the wireless sensor102and the patient monitor106is out of range of communication for Bluetooth or ZigBee. A wireless sensor102may be able to transmit data over a greater distance using Wi-Fi or cellular telephony than other wireless technologies. In still other scenarios, it may be desirable to transmit data using a first wireless technology and then automatically switching to a second wireless technology in order to maximize data transfer and/or energy efficiency.

In some embodiments, the wireless sensor102automatically transmits data over Bluetooth or ZigBee when the wireless sensor102is within a pre-determined distance from the bedside patient monitor106. The wireless sensor102automatically transmits data over Wi-Fi or cellular telephony when the wireless sensor102is beyond a pre-determined distance away from the bedside patient monitor106. In certain embodiments, the wireless sensor102can automatically convert from Bluetooth or ZigBee to Wi-Fi or cellular telephony, and vice versa, depending on the distance between the wireless sensor102and the bedside patient monitor106.

In some embodiments, the wireless sensor102automatically transmits data over Bluetooth or ZigBee when the Bluetooth or ZigBee signal strength is sufficiently strong or when there is interference with Wi-Fi or cellular telephony. The wireless sensor102automatically transmits data over Wi-Fi or cellular telephony when the Bluetooth or

ZigBee signal strength is not sufficiently strong. In certain embodiments, the wireless sensor102can automatically convert from Bluetooth or ZigBee to Wi-Fi or cellular telephony, and vice versa, depending on signal strength.

The patient monitor106can be operable to receive, store, and process the measured acceleration and angular velocity data transmitted by the wireless sensor102to determine the patient's orientation. Once determined, the patient monitor106can display the patient's current orientation and/or information related to the orientation. In some embodiments, the patient monitor106can display the patient's current orientation along with the patient's previous orientations over time, thereby providing a user (for example, a caregiver) the ability to view a historical record of the patient's orientation. As discussed in more detail below, the patient orientation and/or information related to the patient's orientation over time can be displayed and/or illustrated by a patient representation, historical graph, “heat map” (defined below), and/or timer, enabling the clinician to readily understand the patient's present positional state and the patient's position and/or orientation history. The patient monitor106can also be configured to keep track of the length of time the patient remains in a particular orientation. In some embodiments, the patient monitor106can display the amount of time the patient has been in the current (e.g., present) orientation. Additionally, the patient monitor106can determine when the patient remains in a particular orientation for a duration greater than that prescribed by a clinician according to a repositioning (e.g., turning) protocol. Under such conditions, the patent monitor106can issue alarms, alerts, and/or notifications to the patient and/or to caregivers indicating that the patient should be repositioned to adhere to the prescribed repositioning protocol to reduce the risk of pressure ulcer formation.

As illustrated inFIG.3B, the patient monitor106can communicate over a network108in a patient data processing environment105that can include a multi-patient monitoring system110, a hospital/facility system112, nurses' station systems113, and/or clinician devices114. In general, the multi-patient monitoring system110can communicate with the hospital/facility system112, the nurses' station systems113, and/or clinician devices114. The hospital/facility system112can include systems such as electronic medical record (EMR) and/or and admit, discharge, and transfer (ADT) systems. The multi-patient monitoring system110may advantageously obtain through push, pull or combination technologies patient information entered at patient admission, such as patient identity information, demographic information, billing information, and the like. The patient monitor106can access this information to associate the monitored patient with the hospital/facility systems112. Communication between the multi-patient monitoring system110, the hospital/facility system112, the nurses' station systems113, the clinician devices114, and the patient monitor106may be accomplished by any technique recognizable to an artisan from the disclosure herein, including wireless, wired, over mobile or other computing networks, or the like.

FIG.3Cis a simplified functional block diagram of the disclosed patient monitoring system100ofFIG.3Bexpanded to illustrate use of multiple wireless sensors102with multiple patients within a caretaking environment. Advantageously, the patient monitoring system100can provide individual patient information on, for example, a patient monitor106, as well as aggregated patient information on, for example, a nurses' station server or system113. Thus, a caretaker can be presented with an overview of positional information corresponding to a population of patients located, for example, in a hospital floor or unit.

FIG.4Aillustrates a simplified hardware block diagram of an embodiment of the disclosed wireless sensor102. As shown inFIG.4A, the wireless sensor102can include a processor202, a data storage device204, a wireless transceiver206, a system bus208, an accelerometer210, a gyroscope212, a battery214, and an information element215. The processor202can be configured, among other things, to process data, execute instructions to perform one or more functions, such as the methods disclosed herein, and control the operation of the wireless sensor102. The data storage device204can include one or more memory devices that store data, including without limitation, random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). The wireless transceiver206can be configured to use any of a variety of wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi (802.11x), Bluetooth, ZigBee, cellular telephony, infrared, RFID, satellite transmission, proprietary protocols, combinations of the same, and the like. The components of the wireless sensor102can be coupled together by way of a system bus208, which may represent one or more buses. The battery214provides power for the hardware components of the wireless sensor102described herein. As illustrated inFIG.4A, the battery214communicates with other components over system bus208. One skilled in the art will understand that the battery214can communicate with one or more of the hardware functional components depicted inFIG.4Aby one or more separate electrical connections. The information element215can be a memory storage element that stores, in non-volatile memory, information used to help maintain a standard of quality associated with the wireless sensor102. Illustratively, the information element215can store information regarding whether the sensor102has been previously activated and whether the sensor102has been previously operational for a prolonged period of time, such as, for example, four hours. The information stored in the information element215can be used to help detect improper re-use of the wireless sensor102.

The accelerometer210can be a three-dimensional (3D) accelerometer. The term 3D accelerometer as used herein includes its broad meaning known to a skilled artisan. Measurements from the accelerometer210of the wireless sensor102can be used to determine the patient's orientation. The accelerometer210can measure and output signals related to a linear acceleration of the patient with respect to gravity along three axes (for example, three, mutually orthogonal axes). For example, one axis, referred to as “roll,” can correspond to the longitudinal axis of and/or extending through the patient's body (for example, along a length and/or height of the patient). Accordingly, the roll reference measurement can be used to determine whether the patient is in the prone position (for example, face down), the supine position (for example, face up), or on a side. Another reference axis of the accelerometer210is referred to as “pitch.” The pitch axis can correspond to the locations about the patient's hip (for example, an axis extending between and/or through the patient's hips). The pitch measurement can be used to determine whether the patient is sitting up or lying down. A third reference axis of the accelerometer210is referred to as “yaw.” The yaw axis can correspond to a horizontal plane in which the patient is located. When in bed, the patient can be supported by a surface structure that generally fixes the patient's orientation with respect to the yaw axis. Thus, in certain embodiments, the yaw measurement is not used to determine the patient's orientation when in a bed. The three axes that the accelerometer210can measure linear acceleration with respect to can be referred to as the “X,” “Y,” and “Z” axes.

The accelerometer210can provide acceleration information along three axes, and it can provide acceleration information which is the equivalent of inertial acceleration minus local gravitational acceleration. The accelerometer210may be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), and it may include piezo-resistors, among other forms of implementation. The accelerometer210may be a high-impedance charge output or a low-impedance charge output accelerometer210. In some embodiments, the accelerometer210may be a tri-axial accelerometer, and the output of the accelerometer210may include three signals, each of which represents measured acceleration along a particular axis. The output of the accelerometer210can be 8-bit, 12-bit, or any other appropriate-sized output signal. The outputs of the accelerometer may be in analog or digital form. The accelerometer210can be used to determine the position, orientation, and/or motion of the patient to which the wireless sensor102is attached.

In some embodiments, the gyroscope212is a three-axis digital gyroscope with angle resolution of two degrees and with a sensor drift adjustment capability of one degree. The term three-axis gyroscope as used herein includes its broad meaning known to a skilled artisan. The gyroscope212can provide outputs responsive to sensed angular velocity of the wireless sensor102(as affixed to the patient) with respect to three orthogonal axes corresponding to measurements of pitch, yaw, and roll (for example, see description provided above). A skilled artisan will appreciate that numerous other gyroscopes212can be used in the wireless sensor102without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein. In certain embodiments, the accelerometer210and gyroscope212can be integrated into a single hardware component which may be referred to as an inertial measurement unit (IMU). In some embodiments, the IMU can also include an embedded processor that handles, among other things, signal sampling, buffering, sensor calibration, and sensor fusion processing of the sensed inertial data. In other embodiments, the processor202can perform these functions. And in still other embodiments, the sensed inertial data are minimally processed by the components of the wireless sensor102and transmitted to an external system, such as the patient monitor106, for further processing, thereby minimizing the complexity, power consumption, and cost of the wireless sensor102, which may be a single-use, disposable product.

FIG.4Bis a simplified hardware functional block diagram of an embodiment of the disclosed wireless sensor102that includes the following optional (as reflected by dotted lines) sensing components: a magnetometer216(which may also be referred to as a compass), a temperature sensor218, an acoustic respiration sensor220, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor222, one or more oximetry sensors224, a moisture sensor226, and an impedance sensor228. In some embodiments, the magnetometer216is a three-dimensional magnetometer that provides information indicative of magnetic fields, including the Earth's magnetic field. While depicted inFIG.4Bas separate functional elements, a skilled artisan will understand that the accelerometer210, gyroscope212, and magnetometer214can be integrated into a single hardware component such as an inertial measurement unit.

According to an embodiment, a system and method are described herein to calculate three-dimensional position and orientation of an object derived from inputs from three sensors attached to the object: an accelerometer210configured to measure linear acceleration along three axes; a gyroscope212configured to measure angular velocity around three axes; and a magnetometer214configured to measure the strength of a magnetic field (such as the Earth's magnetic field) along three axes. In an embodiment, the three sensors210,212, and214are attached to or contained within to the wireless sensor102which is affixed to the patient. According to an embodiment, the sensors210,212, and214are sampled at a rate between approximately 10 Hz and approximately 100 Hz. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the sensors210,212, and214can be sampled at different rates without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. The sampled data from the three sensors210,212, and214, which provide nine sensor inputs, can be processed to describe the patient's position and orientation in three-dimensional space. In an embodiment, the patient's position and orientation are described in terms of Euler angles as a set of rotations around a set of X-Y-Z axes of the patient (for example, three, mutually orthogonal axes).

Also illustrated inFIG.4Bis a temperature sensor218which may be used to measure the patient's body core temperature which is a vital sign used by clinicians to monitor and manage patient conditions. The temperature sensor218can include a thermocouple, a temperature-measuring device having two dissimilar conductors or semiconductors that contact each other at one or more spots. A temperature differential is experienced by the different conductors. The thermocouple produces a voltage when the contact spot differs from a reference temperature. Advantageously, thermocouples are self-powered and therefore do not require an external power source for operation. In an embodiment, the temperature sensor218includes a thermistor. A thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance value varies depending on its temperature. Thermistors typically offer a high degree of precision within a limited temperature range.

The acoustic respiration sensor220can be used to sense vibrational motion from the patient's body (for example, the patient's chest) that are indicative of various physiologic parameters and/or conditions, including without limitation, heart rate, respiration rate, snoring, coughing, choking, wheezing, and respiratory obstruction (for example, apneic events). The ECG sensor222can be used to measure the patient's cardiac activity. According to an embodiment, the ECG sensor222includes two electrodes and a single lead. The oximetry sensor(s)224can be used to monitor the patient's pulse oximetry, a widely accepted noninvasive procedure for measuring the oxygen saturation level of arterial blood, an indicator of a person's oxygen supply. A typical pulse oximetry system utilizes an optical sensor clipped onto a portion of the patient's body (such as, for example, a fingertip, an ear lobe, a nostril, and the like) to measure the relative volume of oxygenated hemoglobin in pulsatile arterial blood flowing within the portion of the body being sensed. Oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate, a plethysmograph waveform, perfusion index (PI), pleth variability index (PVI), methemoglobin (MetHb), carboxyhemoglobin (CoHb), total hemoglobin (tHb), glucose, and/or otherwise can be measured and monitored using the oximetry sensor(s)224. The moisture sensor226can be used to determine a moisture content of the patient's skin which is a relevant clinical factor in assessing the patient's risk of forming a pressure ulcer. The impedance sensor228can be used to track fluid levels of the patient. For example, the impedance sensor228can monitor and detect edema, heart failure progression, and sepsis in the patient.

FIG.5Aillustrates an enlarged perspective view of patient monitor106fromFIG.1.FIG.5Billustrates a simplified hardware block diagram of an embodiment of the patient monitor106. As shown, the housing370of the patient monitor106can position and/or contain an instrument board374, the display120, a memory391, and/or various communication connections, including the serial ports372, the channel ports392, Ethernet ports387, nurse call port390, other communication ports388including standard USB or the like, and/or a docking station interface378. The instrument board374can include one or more substrates having communication interconnects, wiring, ports and the like to enable the communications and functions described herein, including inter-board communications. A core board382can include the main parameter, signal, and other processor(s) and memory. For example, the core board382can include a parameter processor configured to process one or more parameters, such as physiological parameters relating to the patient, one or more display processors configured to interact with and/or configure the display120of the patient monitor106, and/or a memory. A portable patient monitor board (“RIB”)380can include patient electrical isolation for the portable patient monitor102and one or more processors. A channel board (“MID”)386can control the communication with the channel ports392, including optional patient electrical isolation and/or power supply389. A radio board384can include components configured for wireless communications. Additionally, the instrument board374may advantageously include one or more processors and controllers, buses, all manner of communication connectivity and electronics, memory, memory readers including EPROM readers, and other electronics recognizable to an artisan from the disclosure herein. Each board can include substrates for positioning and support, interconnect for communications, electronic components including controllers, logic devices, hardware/software combinations and the like to accomplish the tasks designated above and others.

An artisan will recognize from the disclosure herein that the instrument board374may comprise a large number of electronic components organized in a large number of ways. Using different boards such as those disclosed above advantageously provides organization and compartmentalization to the complex system.

As discussed elsewhere herein, the patient monitor106can keep track of the orientation of a monitored patient over time and across a plurality of orientations of the patient while in a bed (for example, a hospital bed). Methods and systems for monitoring the orientation of a patient are described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,527, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The patient monitor106can receive data (continuously or intermittently) from sensor102regarding the patient's orientation over time and can store such data in memory (such as memory391). The patient monitor106can determine the time spent in each of a plurality of available orientations (for example, orientations that a patient can assume when lying on a flat surface such as a hospital bed) when the patient is in each orientation, and can store the accumulated time in such orientations in a portion of memory associated with that given orientation. For example, the patient monitor106can associate a timer with each of a plurality of available patient orientations and associate each of the plurality of available patient orientations with a degree of orientation (for example, left side position equals+90°) as discussed in more detail below. As such, the patient monitor106can keep a running log of time spent by the patient in a plurality of orientations, which can be advantageous for the purposes of following a turning protocol to avoid the development of pressure ulcers. Further, the patient monitor106can track time not spent in a plurality of orientations so as to provide a more holistic sense of the patient's orientation over time as discussed in more detail below. Monitoring non-consecutive durations of assumed patient orientations while also keeping track of accumulated and de-accumulated time in each of the assumed patient orientations can provide valuable information for caregivers in monitoring patients and preventing the patient from developing pressure ulcers, as also described in more detail below.

As mentioned above, the patient monitor106can keep a running log of time spent by the patient in a plurality of orientations to keep track of accumulated and de-accumulated time in assumed orientations. The patient monitor106can associate a plurality of timers with a plurality of available patient orientations. In an embodiment, the timers are implemented as counters. The patient monitor106can obtain data from the sensor102regarding the orientation of the patient, such as the degree of orientation of the patient relative to a reference point (for example, a hospital bed). Such degree of orientation can be indicative and/or representative of an angle between an axis extending normal to (for example, upward or downward from) a patient's torso or chest and an axis extending along a length and/or height of the patient (for example, the “roll” axis discussed above). Each of the plurality of timers can be associated with a degree of orientation of the patient. For example, each of the plurality of timers can be associated with a degree selected within a range between 0° and 360° or 0° and 180°, or −90° and 90°. As another example, each of the plurality of timers can be associated with a degree of orientation equal to 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 180°, 190°, 200°, 210°, 220°, 230°, 240°, 250°, 260°, 270°, 280°, 290°, 300°, 310°, 320°, 330°, 340°, 350°, or 360°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. As another example, each of the plurality of timers can be associated with a degree of orientation equal to −90°, −80°, −70°, −60°, −50°, −40°, −30°, −20°, −10°, 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, or 90°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. As another example, the plurality of timers can include 180 timers, each of which are associated with a different one of the degrees from 0° to 180°. As another example, each of the plurality of timers can be associated with a degree “range,” such as 0°-45°, 46°-90°, 91°-135°, 136°-180°, and/or a different range selected from any combination of the values or ranges described above.

As shown in Table 1, −90° can represent a right side position of the patient with respect to a flat plane or surface used as a reference point (such as the hospital bed). When monitoring a patient and attempting to ensure that the patient does not develop pressure ulcers, it is important to make sure the patient does not remain in a particular orientation for too long. Additionally, it is important to keep track of non-consecutive durations of assumed orientations and accumulated and de-accumulated time in assumed orientations so that a patient does not return to a previously assumed orientation before enough time has elapsed. Advantageously, the patient monitor106can track time spent in assumed orientations over time and allow tracked (for example, “accumulated”) time in previous orientations to de-accumulate (for example, decrease) when the patient is not in those orientations.

Table 1 shows a simplified diagram/format that can be utilized by the patient monitor106to keep a running log of time spent in (and/or time not spent in) a plurality of orientations. While the simplified diagram contains only 5 columns and illustrates three “degree” orientations (−90°, 0°, +90°), the patient monitor106can generate a time log for any orientation and/or degree in between these values/orientations or beyond these values/orientations (for example, between 0°-180° or 0°-360°). As shown in the non-limiting, illustrative example of Table 1, the accumulated time in the 0° (supine) orientation—which is, as illustrated by the highlighted cells, a current orientation of the patient—is 22 minutes and 15 seconds. Exemplary Table 1 can be, for example, stored in a memory of the patient monitor106, such as memory391. As also illustrated in Table 1, the accumulated time in the −90° (right side) orientation is 58 minutes and 34 seconds, and the accumulated time in the 90° (left side) orientation is 20 minutes and 25 seconds.

While the accumulated time is illustrated as having a “minute” and “second” value, the accumulated time can have additionally have an “hour” value. For example, the accumulated time can be “1:20:35” representing 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 35 seconds. As discussed above, the one or more hardware processors can track the change of accumulated time in a current orientation (in Table 1, the supine position as indicated by the underlining), and also simultaneously track the change of accumulated time in all other previously-used orientations, such as the right and left side positions. While Table 1 and the foregoing discussion mentions patient orientations with respect to and/or between −90° (right side) and 90° (left side) orientations, one skilled in the art will recognize that the same disclosure is applicable to degrees and/or orientations beyond these values and/or ranges. For example, the patient monitor106can keep track of time spent in orientations where the patient is prone (on stomach) and/or between the prone orientation and/or the right or left side position, where orientations and degrees associated with such orientations can be between −90° (right side) and 180° (stomach), for example.

Each of the plurality of timers associated with an orientation of the patient (such as a degree of orientation or range of degrees of the patient) can increase (for example, count up) from a value (such as zero) when the patient assumes a given orientation. For example, assuming the patient was recently placed in a hospital bed and therefore has spent no prior time in each of the plurality of orientations, each of the timers associated with one of the plurality of available orientations can have zero accumulated time. As soon as the patient assumes a particular orientation (for example, a “first orientation”) among the plurality of available orientations, the patient monitor106can receive and process orientation data from the sensor102and begin tracking and storing the time spent in that particular, “first” orientation. Thus, the timer associated with that particular, first orientation can begin to increase. If and/or when the patient switches to another, “second” orientation (which can be associated with a different degree of orientation compared to the first orientation, for example), the one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor106can determine that such switch or change occurred based on data received from the wireless sensor102and determine the new orientation, and thereafter trigger a timer associated with the new, second orientation, which can then begin increasing or counting up, for example. Simultaneous to the “counting up” of the timer associated with the second orientation, the timer associated with the previous, first orientation can begin changing, for example, by decreasing downward toward zero. Further, if and/or when the patient returns to the first orientation, the timer associated with the second orientation can begin counting down simultaneous to the timer associated with the first orientation counting up. Thus, the timers associated with the plurality of patient orientations can advantageously keep track of non-consecutive durations of orientations assumed by a patient.

Keeping track of non-consecutive durations of a plurality of patient orientations and such accumulation/de-accumulation of time in assumed/non-assumed orientations advantageously provides a holistic view of time spent in the plurality of orientations. Further, keeping track of time not spent in previously-assumed orientations incorporates the concept that time not spent in a previously-assumed orientation “relieves” portions of the patient's body from pressure and allows the portions to restore in their capacity to withstand pressure without developing pressure ulcers.

The patient monitor106can log accumulated and/or de-accumulated time in each of a plurality of orientations (for example, degree of orientation) in relation to time limits or maximums, for example. In following a turning and/or monitoring protocol to avoid the development of pressure ulcers in patients, caregivers may have maximum time limits that a patient can be in a given orientation. For example, the maximum time that a patient can be in a given orientation can be 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 1 hour and 15 minutes, 1 hour and 30 minutes, 1 hour and 45 minutes, or 2 hours, among other values. This maximum time limit can be the same for each of the plurality of available orientations or it may be different. For example, if a portion of the patient's body is more susceptible or vulnerable to develop pressure ulcers, a maximum time limit associated with an orientation that corresponds to that portion of the patient's body can have a smaller maximum time limit than other patient orientations. The timers associated with each of the plurality of positions can also keep track of overage time—time spent in an orientation that is beyond the maximum time limit. For example, where the maximum time limit for a given orientation is 1 hour, when the patient is in the given orientation for more than 1 hour, the timer can continue to count up to keep track of the overage time. Alternatively, the timers can stop counting up and hold steady at the maximum time limit when such limit is reached.

While the patient monitor106can keep track of accumulated and de-accumulated time spent in a particular orientation by having a timer associated with such orientation count up when a patient assumes the orientation and count down when the patient is not in such orientation, the patient monitor106can track time spent in a particular orientation in an alternative manner. For example, the patient monitor106can keep track of accumulated and de-accumulated time spent in a particular orientation by having a timer associated with such orientation count down when a patient assumes the orientation and count up when the patient is not in such orientation. For example, when a patient transitions to a new orientation, a timer associated with that orientation can count down from a maximum time limit. As discussed above, the maximum time limit can be any limit prescribed or predetermined by a caregiver, such as 2 hours, 1 hour, 30 minutes, among others. Thus, as the patient remains in that orientation, the timer associated with that orientation can continue to count down towards, for example, zero. The value of time in such timer therefore can show the instantaneous time “available” or left for the patient to remain in that orientation. When the patient switches to another orientation, a timer associated with the new orientation can begin to count down from a maximum time limit (which can be the same or different from the maximum time limit associated with the previous orientation) while the timer associated with the previous orientation can simultaneously count up, thus “restoring” the time available for the patient to assume that orientation. The timers associated with each of the plurality of positions can also keep track of time spent in an orientation that is beyond the maximum time limit. For example, where the maximum time limit for a given orientation is 1 hour, when the patient is in the given orientation for more than 1 hour, the timer can continue to count down past zero (for example, can show or keep track of a negative time value) to keep track of the overage time. Alternatively, the timers can stop counting down and hold steady when the maximum time limit is reached or runs out.

Regardless of whether the timers associated with each of a plurality of patient orientations count up when a patient is in a given position and count down when the patient is not in the given position, or count down when a patient is in a given position and count up when the patient is not in the given position, the patient monitor106can provide valuable information that can be used by a caregiver in following a patient turn protocol to prevent patients from developing pressure ulcers. As will be discussed below, such tracking of accumulated and/or de-accumulated time in various orientations can advantageously be utilized in a structured display of the patient monitor106in a variety of ways to provide valuable insight to caregivers, such as in providing visual or audio alarms or generating an orientation trend of the patient.

While the systems and methods of keeping track of the orientation of a patient are described above with reference to patient monitor106, one of skill in the art will recognize that the same can be implemented by utilizing the multi-patient monitoring system110, nurses' station systems113, and/or other components or system.

FIG.6illustrates an embodiment of a structured display410on a display screen of patient monitor106. The structured display410can include a variety of components that can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a hospital bed. For example, various components within the structured display410can provide information regarding the patient's past and present orientation (for example, degree of orientation), among other information. The structured display410can include a patient representation424. Patient representation424and other patient representations discussed herein (e.g.,624,724) can be any graphic used to illustrate the orientation and/or position of a patient, such as a current orientation of the patient. For example, as shown inFIG.6, the patient representation424can include a model or image of a patient. The model or image of the patient can be a 3D or 2D model. WhileFIG.6illustrates a 3D model of a patient, a patient representation424can be a more simplistic and/or less realistic model or image, or can even be a shape or object not resembling a human patient. For example, the patient representation424can be a square, rectangle, among other shapes, which can rotate to illustrate an orientation of the patient. As discussed above, the patient monitor106can receive and process data relating to a monitored patient's orientation from a sensor attached to a patient, such as wireless sensor102. The patient monitor106can include one or more hardware processors which can process such data and display the patient's orientation using a patient representation424. As can be seen inFIG.6, the patient representation424illustrates that the actual patient is currently oriented partially along its left side, more precisely, somewhere between a supine (back) position and a left side position. The patient representation424can be associated with and/or can illustrate a particular degree of orientation that the actual patient is assuming (e.g., currently assuming). For example, the patient representation424can illustrate a current orientation of the patient associated with a degree between 0° and 360°, between 0° and 180°, between −90° and 90°, among others. As another example, the patient representation424can illustrate a current orientation of the patient that is equal to 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 180°, 190°, 200°, 210°, 220°, 230°, 240°, 250°, 260°, 270°, 280°, 290°, 300°, 310°, 320°, 330°, 340°, 350°, or 360°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. As another example, the patient representation424can illustrate a current orientation of the patient that is equal to −90°, −80°, −70°, −60°, −50°, −40°, −30°, −20°, −10°, 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, or 90°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. Such degrees of orientation can be indicative and/or representative of an angle between an axis extending normal to (for example, upward or downward from) a patient's torso or chest and an axis extending along a length and/or height of the patient (for example, the “roll” axis discussed above). For example, the degrees listed above can represent an angle between a normal axis extending from a patient's chest and the roll axis.

The structured display410can include a bed422proximate to the patient representation424. The bed422can be a 3D or 2D model of a hospital bed, for example. The bed422can be located adjacent, proximate, and/or underneath the patient representation424. The bed422can help provide context and/or can aid a caregiver in assessing a monitored patient's orientation with reference to the patient representation424. For example, the bed422can act as a reference point to further illustrate the orientation of the patient representation424. The bed422can be configured to blink or disappear if the patient monitor106detects that the patient is not in the hospital bed as discussed further below.

The structured display410can include a timer426configured to show the time that the patient has spent in the current orientation. Timer426can display the accumulated time in a given orientation when the patient is currently in the given orientation.

As discussed above, the one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor106can associate each of a plurality of available orientations with a timer configured to keep track of accumulated and de-accumulated time spent in each of the plurality of available orientations. The current orientation of the patient is one of such plurality of available orientations. Timer426can display the current value of accumulated/de-accumulated time associated with one of the timers associated with one of the plurality of available orientations when the patient is currently in that orientation. Timer426can be configured to count up when the patient remains in an orientation or alternatively count down when the patient remains in an orientation in a similar or identical manner as that described above with reference to the timers associated with each of the plurality of patient orientations. For example, if a patient is in a first orientation for 30 minutes, switches to a second orientation for 2 minutes, and then switches back to the first orientation thereafter, the timer426can be configured to show the accumulated/de-accumulated time associated with the first orientation, which in such case will be 28 minutes. Once the first orientation is resumed by the patient in this example, the timer426can count up from 28 minutes. Alternatively, as discussed further above, the timers associated with each of the plurality of positions can be configured to count down when a patient is in a given orientation. In such alternative scenario, if the patient is in a first orientation for 30 minutes and the timer associated with the first orientation is configured to count down from 1 hour (which can be a maximum time limit for the first orientation), and the patient switches to a second orientation for 2 minutes and then back to the first orientation thereafter, the timer426will display 32 minutes. Regardless of whether the timers for each of the plurality of orientations and the timer426is configured to count up or down when the patient is in a given orientation, the timer426can advantageously display an accumulated/de-accumulated time value associated with assumed patient orientations and therefore greatly assist a caregiver in monitoring a patient's orientation and following a turn protocol.

Timer426can display the current value of the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the orientation with hour, minute, and/or second values. For example, as shown inFIG.6, “01:13” can represent that the accumulated time the patient has been in a given orientation is 1 minute and 13 seconds. Additionally or alternatively, timer426can display a value such as “01:03:30” representing that the accumulated time the patient has been in an orientation is 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 30 seconds. One of skill in the art can recognize a variety of ways to display the accumulated time the patient has been in an orientation with timer426.

Timer426can alert a caregiver when a patient has exceeded a maximum time limit in a given orientation. For example, if the patient has been in a given orientation for more than the maximum time limit, the timer426can be configured to blink at different speeds. Additionally or alternatively, if the patient has been in a given orientation for more than the maximum time limit, the timer426can be configured to change in color. For example, the timer426can display the current time in red when the patient has been in a given orientation for a time greater than the maximum time limit. Additionally or alternatively, if the patient has been in a given orientation for more than the maximum time limit, the timer426can be configured to change in size. For example, as shown inFIG.6, the time display (“01:13”) can increase in size (for example, font size) if the patient has been in a given orientation for more than the maximum time limit. Thus, the timer426can be configured to alert a caregiver when a patient has exceeded a maximum time limit in a given orientation. Such alerts of the timer426can operate independently or in combination with other alerts of the patient monitor106such as the visual and/or audio alerts discussed elsewhere herein. While the timer426is shown inFIG.6as appearing below the patient representation424, timer426can be displayed in a variety of locations within the structured display410.

The structured display410can include a patient inclination indicator421and/or a patient inclination degree indicator420. The patient inclination indicator421can be configured to display an inclination of a hospital bed and/or a patient within the hospital bed. Further, the patient inclination degree indicator420can display the degree of inclination of the patient in or with respect to the hospital bed. For example, if the patient is laying inclined at a degree of 30° with respect to a flat plane (such as a lower portion of the hospital bed), the patient inclination indicator421can visually depict such inclination by showing an upper portion of a hospital bed inclined with respect to a lower portion of the hospital bed and/or the patient inclination degree indictor can visually display “30°” as illustrated inFIG.6.

As discussed in more detail above, the one or more hardware processors of patient monitor106can be configured to log accumulated and/or de-accumulated time in each of a plurality of orientations in relation to time limits or maximums. In following a turning and/or monitoring protocol to avoid the formation of pressure ulcers in patients, caregivers may have maximum time limits that a patient can be in a given orientation. For example, the maximum permissible time a patient should be in a given orientation can be selected by a caregiver to be 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours, among other values. The patient monitor106can incorporate maximum limit adjuster which can allow a caregiver or user to select an appropriate time limit by which an alert can be triggered when the patient's accumulated time in a given orientation exceeds the time limit. The alerts that can be triggered in such situations can be any of the alerts discussed herein.

As discussed above, the patient monitor106can include one or more hardware processors that receive output signals from sensor102attached to the patient and process the output signals to determine information relating to the patient's orientation in, for example, a hospital bed. The one or more hardware processors can generate structured display410on a display screen of the patient monitor106which can include an orientation trend of a patient in a bed. The orientation trend can contain and/or illustrate information related to the patient's orientation. Further, this orientation trend can be associated with the plurality of timers—which are themselves associated with available orientations of the patient in a bed—that are configured to account for non-consecutive durations of the patient in one or more of the available orientations. The orientation trend can display (for example, illustrate) the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in various orientations in a convenient and simple manner so that caregivers can quickly assess the orientation history of a patient and determine whether the patient is likely to develop a pressure ulcer or needs to be rotated and/or moved.

The orientation trend of the structured display410can include a heat map414configured to graphically illustrate the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in a variety of orientations. The shape and/or structure of the heat map414can coincide and/or correspond with the plurality of available orientations discussed above. For example, the heat map414can be made up of a plurality of lines where each of the lines represent a degree of orientation of the patient in a hospital bed. As discussed above, the one or more hardware processors can keep track of the accumulated/de-accumulated time of a patient in a plurality of orientations. The one or more hardware processors can incorporate this information into the heat map414by varying a contrast of the heat map414as the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in a given orientation increases and/or decreases. For example, the one or more hardware processors can keep a log of the patient's accumulated/de-accumulated time in a given orientation and vary a color of one of the plurality of lines of the heat map414that is associated with that given orientation. Each of the plurality of lines and/or plurality of orientations can be associated with a degree of orientation of the patient in and/or with respect to a flat plane (for example, a bed). For example, each of the plurality of lines can be associated with a degree of orientation available to the patient that is equal to 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 180°, 190°, 200°, 210°, 220°, 230°, 240°, 250°, 260°, 270°, 280°, 290°, 300°, 310°, 320°, 330°, 340°, 350°, or 360°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. As another example, each of the plurality of lines can be associated with a degree of orientation available to the patient that is equal to −90°, −80°, −70°, −60°, −50°, −40°, −30°, −20°, −10°, 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, or 90°, or any value therebetween, or any range bounded by any combination of these values, although values outside these values or ranges can be used in some cases. The above-listed degrees of orientation can be indicative and/or representative of an angle between an axis extending normal to (for example, upward or downward from) a patient's torso or chest and an axis extending along a length and/or height of the patient (for example, the “roll” axis discussed above). For example, the degrees listed above can represent an angle between a normal axis extending from a patient's chest and the roll axis.

With reference toFIG.6, one end of the heat map414(left end) and/or a line located at such end can be associated with a right side orientation of the patient, which can be associated with a −90° orientation, for example. The other end of the heat map414(right end) and/or a line located at such end can be associated with a left side orientation of the patient, which can be associated with a +90° orientation, for example. A middle position, region, or line of the heat map414can be associated with a supine (back) position of the patient, which can be associated with a 0° orientation. Additionally, between these three degree orientations, there can be a plurality of lines which can each be associated with a given degree of orientation of the patient in the bed. Regardless of the precise thickness, angle, length, and/or other properties of such lines, however, each of these lines can be associated with an orientation of the patient (e.g., a degree of orientation) and can be linked or otherwise associated with each of the plurality of available orientations discussed above.

Based on the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in the plurality of available positions as monitored by the plurality of timers, the one or more hardware processors can vary a contrast of the plurality of lines in the heat map414. The structured display410ofFIG.6illustrates how the one or more hardware processors can vary the contrast of the heat map414based on such information.FIG.8Ashows a close up view of heat map414fromFIG.6. As shown inFIG.8A, heat map414can include a first region438and a second region440. As discussed above, the heat map414can be made up of a plurality of lines associated with a plurality of available orientations of the patient. The first and second regions438,440can thus contain some of these plurality of lines. The first region438can represent orientations that the patient has assumed, for example, in a recent timeframe (e.g., a 2 hour period). More specifically, the first region438can represent orientations of the patient where the accumulated time in each of the orientations is greater than zero and has not “counted down” to zero, or, as discussed above, “counted up” (restored back) to some value. For example, where the plurality of timers associated with available orientations of the patient are configured to count up when the patient is in a given orientation and count down when the patient is not in such orientation, the first region438can represent that the patient still has accumulated time in these orientations. The second region(s)440can represent some of the plurality of lines/available orientation that patient has not been in over a recent time range (e.g., 2 hours) and/or orientations where the patient has no accumulated time. Thus, by examining the first region438in heat map414, a caregiver can determine that certain portions of the patient's body have recently experienced some level of contact and/or pressure. For example, in the exemplary illustration ofFIGS.6and8A, a caregiver can determine that, based on the varied contrast of the lines forming heat map414, the patient's back has been subject to more pressure than some other portions of the patient's body.

As discussed above and shown inFIGS.6and8A(among others), the plurality of lines contained within the first region438can be varied in contrast according to how much and/or how little accumulated/de-accumulated time is associated with these lines.

For example, the one or more hardware processors can be configured to shade and/or hatch lines in heat map414associated with orientations having more accumulated time with a darker shade, more shading, and/or with more hatching, than lines associated with orientations which have less accumulated time. As can be seen in at leastFIG.8A, hatching in a middle region of heat map414can indicate that the patient has more accumulated time in orientations at and/or near a supine (back) orientation, whereas the sparse dotting outside this middle region may indicate that the patient has spent some, but little or less time in orientations outside this range. Further, the lack of shading and/or hatching at and proximate to the left and right ends of the heat map414may indicate that the patient has no accumulated time in orientations at and near to the left side orientation (+90 degrees) and right side orientation (−90 degrees). Advantageously, the lack of shading and/or hatching in these areas can quickly indicate to a caregiver that these positions are not only available orientations for the patient to be turned to, but that they are likely to be “safe” and/or suggested orientations, because the patient has spent no recent time there (thus the chances of developing a pressure ulcer from being placed in that orientation are low or negligible for at least the near future).

The varying of contrast discussed above can be, for example, varying of color of one or more of the plurality of lines of the heat map414. For example, based on the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in the plurality of available positions as monitored by the plurality of timers, the one or more hardware processors can vary the color plurality of lines associated with the plurality of available positions and plurality of timers. The one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the plurality of lines based on a color spectrum. For example, the one or more hardware processors can vary the color of one or more of the plurality of lines between purple or blue to red, and/or vary the color based on a wavelength range, such as from 380-450 nm (representing approximate violet/purple wavelength range) to 625-750 nm (representing approximate red wavelength range). The one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the one or more of the plurality of lines from green (at or near a wavelength of 520-560 nm) to red. For example, the color of one or more of the plurality of lines can be green when the patient has some minimum accumulated time in an orientation but less than a first threshold, and the color can be varied from green to red as the patient's time in such orientation increases. For example, after the accumulated time the patient has been in a given orientation increases beyond the first threshold, the color of a line associated with that orientation can increase in wavelength from a wavelength associated with the color green to a wavelength associated with the color red). When the color is red, such color can indicate that the patient has accumulated time in the orientation at and/or greater than a second threshold (for example, a maximum time limit or threshold). The minimum accumulated time in the orientation sufficient to trigger a green color designation can be, for example, 5 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second, or some other value. The first threshold can be, for example 30 minutes, 20 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or some other value. The second threshold can be similar and/or identical to the maximum time limit that can be preset and/or predetermined by a caregiver and which is discussed further above. The structured display410can include a color legend418(seeFIG.6), which can include a range of utilized colors/wavelengths and reference time markers proximate to the legend (e.g., “2h”, “1h”, “0h”) to provide the caregiver guidance as to what the varying colors mean.

Utilization of a color spectrum associated with accumulated time of a patient in orientations in the heat map414of structured display410can be significantly advantageous for caregivers. Caregivers monitor a great number of patients in clinical environments, and such monitoring involves keeping track of a large number of patient parameters and other data. Further, caregivers often employ multiple devices for monitoring such patients and patient parameters. The ability of the caregiver to simply glance at the heat map414and instantly obtain a holistic sense of the patient's recent orientation history and condition gives the caregiver a realistic opportunity to prevent and/or treat potentially life-threatening pressure ulcers.

Advantageously, the heat map414can include an indicator442(seeFIGS.6-8D) which can identify a current orientation of the patient. The indicator442can be positioned along a border436of the heat map414, and can slide or otherwise move depending on the current orientation of the patient. This indicator442can be linked to one of the plurality of orientations whose associated timer is currently “counting up” or “counting down”, as discussed above. Further, the indicator442can include a pointer which can point to one of the plurality of lines within the heat map414which is associated with the current orientation of the patient. While the indicator442is shown as positioned on the border436of the heat map414and can slide along the border436in accordance with the patient's variable orientation, the indicator442can be shaped and/or otherwise positioned in a different portion of the heat map414. For example, the indicator442could represent a dot or short line and could be positioned within an interior of the heat map414.

WhileFIGS.6,7, and8A, illustrate a heat map414having an arch-shaped interior region, the heat map414can have a variety of other shapes and/or designs, yet still have all the features described above. For example, as shown inFIGS.8B,8C,8D, and9A, the heat maps514,614,814, and714can have a circle shape, ellipse shape, box shape (e.g., rectangular), and/or half-circle shape, among other shapes. Each of the heat maps514,614,714, and814can have any or all the features described above with respect to heat map414.

In addition or as an alternative to the heat map414,514,614,714,814, the orientation trend of the structured display410can include an orientation graph433. The orientation graph433can illustrate a history of the patient's orientation over a recent time range. The orientation graph433can include a first axis, which can be a position axis432, and a second axis, which can be a time axis434. The position axis432can include one or more markers indicative of patient orientations or positions. For example, the position axis432can include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight or more markers indicative of patient orientations or positions. As shown inFIG.6, the position axis432includes three markers, each associated with one of a right side orientation, left side orientation, and supine (back) orientation of the patient. The one or more markers can act as a reference point by which data and/or information in the orientation graph433can be measured against. Instead of and/or in addition to showing right, left, and/or supine position markers on position axis432, the position axis432can include markers showing one or more orientation degrees, which can be utilized as reference points for data appearing in the orientation graph. For example, instead of displaying “R”, “S”, and “L” on the position axis432as shown inFIG.6, these markers could be labeled as “−90°”, “0°”, and “+90°”, and/or other degree values. Further, more markers can be included in between these values. For example, the position axis432can include markers at every 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 45 degree interval. Regardless of the precise number and/or position of the markers, such markers can be a useful tool for a caregiver to quickly compare data from the orientation graph433to the markers for reference purposes.

The time axis434can display one or more markers (such as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight or more markers) which can, similar to markers in the position axis432, act as a reference point for data appearing in the orientation graph433. Advantageously, the amount and/or position of the one or more markers of the time axis434can correspond with a time range which can appear in and/or be adjusted by time range adjuster428. For example, where the time range is selected to be 1:00 hour using the range adjuster428, the time axis434can be configured to display a 1 hour recent time range and/or can designate one or more markers spaced equally or unequally along this 1 hour recent time range on the time axis434. The range adjuster428can allow a caregiver to increase the time range and/or decrease the time range using buttons or icons, which can be “+” or “−” icons as shown inFIG.6. As shown inFIG.6, the time range can be set at 1:00 hour. However, the time range can be adjusted to other values using range adjuster428.

As discussed above, monitoring of the patient and/or orientation of the patient by the patient monitor106and the sensor102can be intermittent or continuous. Where the monitoring is continuous, the recent time range (defined by the time axis434of orientation graph433) can be continuously updated to follow the current time. As the patient is continuously monitored, data regarding the patient's current orientation—represented in the orientation graph433with orientation data point425—can be measured, processed, and plotted within the orientation graph433, and the recent time range of the time axis434tracks along with such plotting. Thus, the patient's orientation over the recent time defined by the time axis434provides a reference by which newly measured orientation data can be measured and/or compared against.

As discussed above, the position axis432and/or the time axis434of the orientation graph433can act as a reference by which data regarding the patient's orientation can be compared, for example, by a caregiver. As orientation data is received by the patient monitor106from the sensor102, such data can be associated with time and orientation values and is plotted in the orientation graph433. Such data can be continuously plotted as a continuous line in the orientation graph433, as shown inFIG.6. Such data can be the same as the data used for purposes of the heat map414,514,614,714,814. For example, orientation data processed by the one or more hardware processors of the patient monitor106from the sensor102can be associated with a plurality of available positions and a plurality of timers which can keep track of the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in various orientations. The one or more hardware processors can also keep a record of the orientations of the patient over time, for example, by recording the orientation at continuous and/or intermittent time stamps. Such data can be utilized to generate the plot line430.

Advantageously, the plot line430in the orientation graph can vary in contrast according to accumulated time in a given orientation. Based on the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in one or more of the plurality of available positions as monitored by the plurality of timers, the one or more hardware processors can vary the contrast of the plot line430. The orientation graph433of the structured display410ofFIG.6illustrates how the one or more hardware processors can vary the contrast or style of the plot line430based on processed data discussed above. As can be seen in the plot line430ofFIG.6, a first portion of the plot line (on the far left of the graph) is solid, followed by a bolded line, followed by a dotted line, followed by another bolded line. The bolded lines may represent a greater time in a given orientation than the dotted and/or solid portions of the plot line430. The varying of contrast of the plot line430can be, for example, varying of color of data points of the plot line430. For example, based on the accumulated/de-accumulated time of the patient in the plurality of available positions as monitored by the plurality of timers, the one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the data points of the plot line430associated with the plurality of available positions and plurality of timers. The one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the data points based on a color spectrum. For example, the one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the data points between purple or blue to red, and/or vary the color based on a wavelength range, such as from 380-450 nm (representing violet/purple wavelength) to 625-750 nm (representing red wavelength.

As another example, the one or more hardware processors can vary the color of the data points in the orientation graph433from green (at or near a wavelength of 520-560 nm) to red. For example, the color of the data points can be green when the patient has some minimum accumulated time in an orientation but less than a first threshold, and the color can be varied from green to red as the patient's time in such orientation increases. For example, after the accumulated time the patient has been in a given orientation increases beyond the first threshold, the color of a data point or a set of data points associated with and/or near such orientation can increase in wavelength from a wavelength associated with the color green to a wavelength associated with the color red. When the color is red, such color can indicate that the patient has accumulated time in the orientation at and/or greater than a second threshold (for example, a maximum time limit or threshold). The minimum accumulated time in the orientation sufficient to trigger the green color designation can be, for example, 5 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second, or some other value. The first threshold can be, for example 30 minutes, 20 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or some other value. The second threshold can be similar and/or identical to the maximum time limit that can be preset and/or predetermined by a caregiver and which is discussed further above. The structured display410can include a color legend418, which can include a range of utilized colors/wavelengths and reference time markers proximate to the legend (e.g., “2h”, “1h”, “0h”) to provide the caregiver with guidance as to what the varying colors mean. Utilization of a color spectrum associated with accumulated time in orientations in the plot line430of structured display410can be significantly advantageous for caregivers. Caregivers monitor a great number of patients in clinical environments, and such monitoring involves keeping track of a high number of patient parameters and other data. Further, caregivers often employ multiple devices for monitoring such patients and patient parameters. The ability of the caregiver to simply glance at the plot line430and instantly obtain a holistic sense of the patient's recent orientation history and condition gives the caregiver a realistic opportunity to prevent and/or treat potentially life-threatening pressure ulcers.

Additionally, the orientation graph433can provide other valuable information to the caregiver regarding the patient's wellbeing and condition. For example, the variability in shape of the plot line430can provide information to the caregiver regarding the patient's movement and/or rotation, and can also provide insight into what orientations the patient prefers or does not prefer, especially since the orientation graph433can display the orientation history over a variable time range. For example, if the time axis434is configured to display the patient's orientation history over a 4-hour time range, the caregiver may be able to assess a wider range of the patient's orientation and/or preference/lack of preference for a given position. Such information can be helpful to a caregiver, for example, in determining if there are other afflictions and/or conditions affecting the patient. For example, if analysis of the orientation graph over a wide time range reveals that the patient never assumes a 45° degree orientation, the patient may have an injury or other issue on a portion of its body that would be pressured if the patient assumed such orientation. As another example, a high degree of fluctuations in the plot line430as displayed in the orientation graph433may be indicative of conditions such as seizures, falls, pain/discomfort, or other conditions or events, especially if such fluctuations occur in a high frequency over a small time range. In some embodiments, the one or more hardware processors can determine whether the patient's orientation has changed more than a threshold amount of a given time period, and can issue an alarm, alert, and/or notification if such scenario occurs. For example, the one or more hardware processors can determine whether the patient has not maintained a given orientation (for example, degree of orientation or degree range) for more than a threshold time (for example, 5 seconds) over a 10 minute time period, and issue an alarm, alert, and/or notification if such scenario occurs. Thus, the orientation graph can advantageously provide valuable insight to a caregiver regarding the patient's wellbeing and/or conditions affecting the patient.

The orientation graph433and heat map414,514,614,714,814can be generated alone or in combination with each other in structured display410. Where the structured display includes both, each can be partitioned into a different area of the structured display410. For example, the orientation graph433can be partitioned into a first portion415of structured display410and the heat map(s)414,514,614,714,814can be partitioned into a second portion412of structured display410. Where both are shown and partitioned in the structured display410, the first portion415can be larger than the second portion412, which can give the orientation graph more real estate so as to allow for larger time ranges to be displayed (and thus a larger history of the patient's orientation). Advantageously, the orientation graph and the heat map414,514,614,714,814can work in tandem with one another, and as discussed above, can be generated based on the same data received and processed by the hardware processors of the patient monitor106.

The structured display410can include a drop down bar416which can provide various functionality. For example, drop down bar416can allow a user or caregiver to place the patient monitor106and/or the sensor102coupled to the patient monitor106in a stand-by mode, which will temporarily stop the transmission and/or reception of data from the sensor102to the patient monitor106and/or stop analysis of data from the sensor102. Drop down bar416can also allow a user or caregiver to replace or switch the sensor102with another sensor, by breaking the pairing or communication between the sensor102and pairing with another sensor. Such pairing is described further in U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,527, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The orientation graph433and/or heat map414,514,614,714,814of structured display410can include features that illustrate orientations that are pre-determined (e.g., by a caregiver) as un-allowed. Caregivers may desire to limit or prevent the patient from utilizing a particular orientation for a variety of reasons. Such reasons may include avoiding pressure on an injury point456caused by surgery or a wound and/or may include trying to force the patient to utilize un-preferred orientations (seeFIG.7). Such un-allowed orientations can be displayed to the caregiver by displaying region448within the heat map414,514,614,714,814and/or by displaying region450within the orientation graph433. Region448and/or region450can be displayed within heat map414,514,614,714,814and/or orientation graph433using the techniques described above with reference to shading, hatching, and/or varying the color of one or more of a plurality of lines within the heat map(s) and/or data points of the orientation graph433associated with one or more orientations. As shown inFIG.7, regions448,450can be hatched with a bold line so as to stand out from other features of the structured display410. The patient monitor106can be configured to generate an alert if the patient rotates to or is assuming an orientation that falls within regions448,450(which can be defined by one or more degrees or degree ranges), and is thus deemed un-allowed. For example, the structured display410can be configured to display a visual alert452when such situation occurs. Such visual alert452may include varying the contrast of a portion of the structured display410, as exemplified by the change in shading/hatching of border453. The indicator442can also be configured to change contrast when the patient rotates to or is assuming an orientation that is un-allowed, as shown inFIG.7. The structured display410can additionally or alternatively be configured to display an alert message or notification to the caregiver, as shown by notification452inFIGS.7and11(“ALERT”). Incorporation of the un-allowed regions448,450and/or the visual alert452can advantageously assist caregivers in preventing further injury to the patient which can occur in typical orientation management and monitoring techniques in clinical settings.

As shown byFIG.7, the structured display410can include other patient parameter or information, such as heart rate information444and/or respiratory rate information446.

As discussed above, structured display410can include a model or image of a bed422underneath a patient representation424. As illustrated inFIG.11, structured display410,610,710can be configured to display a visual alert452when the sensor102and/or patient monitor106detects that the patient is not in the bed and/or has fallen out of the bed. Techniques and/or systems for determining fall detection are described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,527, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. When the sensor102and/or patient monitor106detects that the patient is not in the bed and/or has fallen out of the bed, the structured display410,610,710can be configured to not show the bed422underneath the patient representation424or can cause the bed422to blink, which can notify a caregiver of the incident. Alternatively and/or additionally, such situation can trigger visual alerts452as discussed above with reference toFIG.7.

FIG.9Aillustrates another embodiment of a structured display710on a display screen of patient monitor106. Structured display710is the same as structured display410in every way except with respect to the overall size and shape of the heat map714. As shown, the patient representation424is placed to the left of the heat map714. This allows the structured display710to have a smaller height than structured display410, which can be advantageous where structured display710is combined with other displays on a display screen of patient monitor106(see, for example,FIG.18). As discussed above, heat map714has all the features described with respect to heat map414except that heat map714has a half-circle shape.FIG.9Bshows an enlarged view of heat map714.

The structured displays discussed herein can include one or both of the orientation graph433and heat map414,514,614,714,814.FIG.10illustrates an embodiment of a structured display610which shows multiple first portions412. Structured display610does not include an orientation graph433in order to accommodate the multiple heat maps414for multiple patients. The first portions412include the features shown, labeled, and described with reference toFIG.6. Structured display610can advantageously allow caregivers to monitor the “heat maps” of multiple patients at once.

As discussed above, the structured display410,610,710can include a patient representation424to illustrate the position or orientation of a patient.FIG.12illustrates a patient presentation624generated by the one or more hardware processors in the structured display410,610,710when it is determined that the patient is in an upright position. Advantageously, patient representation624can quickly notify a monitoring caregiver that the patient is not laying in a hospital bed, but rather, is inclined with respect to the hospital bed. The structured display410,610,710can be configured to display patient representation624when the patient's body (e.g., upper body) is oriented at a threshold degree with respect to a horizontal plane and/or the hospital bed. This threshold degree can be for example, 70, 80, or 90 degrees. Techniques and/or systems for determining a patient's orientation are described in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2017/0055896, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Structured display410,610,710can also be configured to display a notification626alerting a caregiver of the patient's change to an upright position. As shown inFIG.12, timer426can be configured to display no time when the patient is in an upright position, which represents that the patient is not assuming one of the available orientations.

FIG.13illustrates a patient presentation724generated by the one or more hardware processors in the structured display410,610,710when it is determined that the patient is in a walking or running position. Advantageously, patient representation724can quickly notify a monitoring caregiver that the patient is not laying in a hospital bed, but rather, moving around in a manner which could be dangerous and/or life threatening. The structured display410,610,710can be configured to display patient representation724when sensor102and/or patient monitor106detects that the patient's acceleration is above a threshold value, for example. Techniques and/or systems for determining a patient's position and/or movement are described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,226,187 and U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2017/0055896, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Structured display410,610,710can also be configured to display a notification626alerting a caregiver of the patient's change to a walking or running position. As shown inFIG.13, timer426can be-configured to display no time when the patient is in an upright position, which represents that the patient is not assuming one of the available orientations. Further, since the patient is not in the hospital bed when running or walking, the patient inclination degree indicator420can be configured to display no degree value.

FIG.14illustrates a simplified display1000which can be generated on a patient monitor106to illustrate information regarding the patient's orientation to a caregiver. Simplified display1000can include a current orientation arrow1004which displays the current orientation of the patient. The direction and/or angle of arrow1004can vary depending on and/or association with a degree of orientation of the patient in a hospital bed, such as is discussed above. Simplified display1000can also include a previous orientation arrow1006which displays the previous orientation of the patient. The direction and/or angle of arrow1006can vary depending on and/or association with a degree of orientation of the patient in a hospital bed, such as is discussed above. For example, the direction of arrow1004can indicate that the patient is currently in a right side orientation, and the direction of arrows1006can indicate that the patient was previously in a left side orientation. The length of arrows1004,1006can vary depending on the length of time and/or accumulation of time the patient was in or is in the orientation. For example, as shown, arrow1004has a length1008that is longer than a length1010of arrow1006, which can indicate that the length of time the patient has been in the current orientation is greater than the length of time that the patient was in the previous orientation, or it could represent that the accumulated time the patient has been in the current orientation is greater than the accumulated time that the patient was in the previous orientation. Simplified display1000can also include a timer1002, which can be the same in some, many, or all respects as timer426described above.

FIGS.15-16illustrate patient monitor106with a different configuration of a display screen400, wherein the display screen400includes structured display410in addition to other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIGS.15-16thus illustrate what the structured display410ofFIG.6looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408. Display portion402can include information relate to connectivity battery life, notifications and alerts, and/or other information. Display portion404can include information related to oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory rate, among other physiological parameters. Display portion406can include information relate to a temperature of the patient. Display portion408can include information related to a non-invasive blood pressure of the patient.

FIG.17illustrates what the structured display410ofFIG.7looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.18illustrates what the structured display710ofFIG.9Alooks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.19illustrates what the structured display610ofFIG.10looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.20illustrates what the structured display410,610,710ofFIG.11looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.20illustrates what the structured display410,610,710ofFIG.11looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.21illustrates what the structured display410,610,710ofFIG.12looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408.FIG.22illustrates what the structured display410,610,710ofFIG.13looks like when combined with other display portions402,404,406, and408. The visual alert/icon454and audio alert/icon464can operate alone or in combination with the alerts described above. As shown inFIG.22, the structured display410can include a patient representation724of a patient that is ambulatory when the system or devices determine that the patient is ambulatory or standing up. In some implementations, when the patient is ambulatory, the structured display410may not indicate a current orientation of the patient. For example, the structured display410may not include an indicator adjacent a graphic of the history of orientations.

Caregivers face increasing demands and pressures in modern healthcare settings. Consequentially, such caregivers can dedicate only a small fraction of their time to each individual patient. Furthermore, as technological advances in the medical field continue to be made, caregivers are tasked with employing an increasing number of physiological monitoring devices, each of which measure enormous amounts of physiological information and transmit such information to patient monitors for display. Such physiological information often continuously fluctuates and it is often impossible, or at least extraordinarily difficult, for a caregiver to monitor, let alone react to, such information. As a result, caregivers are often unable to prevent or satisfactorily treat a number of medical conditions, such as pressure ulcers. As discussed above with respect to pressure ulcer formation, it is incredibly difficult for caregivers to quickly obtain information regarding a patient's orientation at any given time, let alone evaluate such information and determine if the patient's orientation needs to be adjusted. Given that patient orientation is just one of a significant number of patient physiological parameters that caregivers continuously monitor via patient monitors that have limited visual real estate, improvements in displaying orientation-related information via user interfaces are desperately needed so that caregivers can properly care for, and treat, their patients.

The disclosed structured displays and components thereof provide notable improvements to the current state of patient monitoring, especially with respect to monitoring a patient's orientation. The disclosed structured displays and components thereof also provide practical solutions to technical problems associated with displaying a large amount of patient physiological information on graphical user interfaces of patient monitoring devices. More specifically, the disclosed structured displays and components thereof can display a significant amount of orientation-related information while taking up only minimal visual real estate on a display and/or user interface of a patient monitor. Further, the structured displays and components thereof disclosed herein can present such orientation-related information in an efficient and easily “digestible” manner so as to enable caregivers to quickly assess and treat patients at risk of developing, or suffering from, pressure ulcers. For example, the disclosed heat maps414,514,614,714,814and/or orientation graph433, alone or in combination with the disclosed patient representation424, can provide a caregiver with a holistic sense of a patient's recent orientation history and/or current orientation in a matter of seconds. At the same time, as discussed and shown herein, such components (and others discussed herein) can be organized and/or configured as part of a structured display which takes up minimal space on a user interface of a display screen. As discussed, such minimal utilization of visual real estate can be critical where the user interface and/or display screen is small (for example, handheld devices or mobile phones) or where the user interface is cluttered with a significant number of displays related to other physiological parameters (for example, seeFIGS.15-22).

As used herein, the term “patient” is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. In some implementations, the term “patient” may refer to a person in a hospital receiving medical care. In some implementations, the term “patient” may refer to a person who is not in a hospital or other medical care facility. For example, the term “patient” may refer to a person at home.

FIGS.23A-23Dillustrate example interactive graphical user interfaces2300A-2300D including orientation maps. The user interfaces2300A-2300D may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example user interface or display screen shown and/or described herein, such as example display screen400. The user interfaces2300A-2300D may be displayed by a monitoring hub such as on a display screen of patient monitor106described herein. In some implementations, the user interfaces2300A-2300D, or portions thereof, may be displayed by other devices such as a phone, a watch, a sensor, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interfaces2300A-2300D may include more or less than what is illustrated in the provided examples. For example, the user interfaces2300A-2300D may only display an orientation map.

As shown inFIG.23Athe interactive graphical user interface2300A can include an orientation map2314A. The orientation map2314A can include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the example heat maps discussed herein, such as heat maps414,514,614,714, and/or814. For example, the orientation map2314A can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The orientation map2314A can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, the orientation map2314A, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the orientation map2314A.

The orientation map2314A can include one or more zones. For example, the orientation map2314A can be partitioned into various zones. In the example shown, the orientation map2314A is partitioned into six zones. The zones may correspond to an orientation of a patient. For example, the zones may be labeled with a name that corresponds to a certain patient orientation. As another example, the position of the zones within the orientation map2314A and/or with respect to the other zones may correspond to the physical orientation of the patient. As another example, the angle of the zones, as oriented within the semi-annular orientation map2314A, may correspond to the physical angle of orientation of the patient. In the example shown, the zones of orientation map2314A can include R2 (Right 2), R1 (Right 1), SR (Supine Right), SL (Supine Left), L1 (Left 1), L2 (Left 2). As an example, the R2 zone may correspond to an orientation in which the patient is laying on their right side. The L2 zone may correspond to an orientation in which the patient is laying on their left side. The other zones may similarly correspond to various orientations of the patient.

The number of zones is not intended to be limiting. Orientation map2314A, or any of the other orientation maps shown and/or discussed herein, can include any number of zones, such as two zones, three zones, four zones, five zones, six zones, seven zones, eight zones, nine zones, ten zones, or more than ten zones. The orientation map2314A can be semi-annular. In some implementations, the orientation map2314A can comprise one or more other shapes, such as shown and/or discussed with reference toFIGS.24A-24D. In some implementations, the size of the zones of orientation map2314A may be uniform. In some implementations, the size of zones may vary. For example, one or more zones may be a different size than one or more of the other zones. The size of the zones may be adjusted by a user of the user interface or may be adjusted automatically such as by a processor of the patient monitor106.

In some implementations, one or more zones of the orientation map2314A may not be labelled with various names. In some implementations, orientation map2314A may be displayed within user interface2300A as bigger or smaller than what is shown in this example. In some implementations, orientation map2314A may be displayed in a different location within user interface2300A than what is shown in this example.

The zones of the orientation map2314A may be colored, shaded, textured (such as cross hatching) or otherwise varied to visually indicate via the user interface2300A information relating to each of the zones. For example, the zones may be shaded a certain color depending on the amount of time the patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to a given zone within a certain time frame. This may help a care giver quickly determine in which orientations a patient may be safely oriented (such as indicated by a green zone) or which orientations may present potential risk to the patient (such as indicated by a red zone or yellow zone).

In this example, zones R2, R1, SR and L2 may include a first shading or coloring, indicating the patient has spent a relatively small amount of time, such as less than 10 minutes, for example, in any one of those zones within a recent time frame, such as less than 30 minutes, less than 1 hour, less than 1.5 hours, less than 2 hours etc. In this example, zone L1 may include a second shading or coloring, which may indicate that the patient has spent more than a first threshold amount of time and less than a second threshold amount of time in an orientation corresponding to zone L1 within a recent time frame. In this example, the SL zone may include a third shading or coloring which may indicate that the patient has spent more than the second threshold amount of time in an orientation corresponding to zone SL within a recent time frame and that it may be unsafe or pose risks to the patient to orient the patient in that position in the near future, such as before a certain length of time has passed.

The examples shown and/or described are not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. In some implementations, the user interface2300A may display the zones as any one of a number of various shades, colors, textures, or the like based on whether a patient has been oriented in an orientation associated with a particular zone for more than a certain threshold amount of time. For example, a first threshold of time may be associated with a first shade or color etc., a second threshold of time may be associated with a second shade or color etc., a third threshold of time may be associated with a third shade or color etc., a fourth threshold of time may be associated with a fourth shade or color etc., and so forth.

The zones of orientation map2314A may transition between displaying various colors, shading, textures, etc. based on an amount of time that the patient had spent in an orientation corresponding to a zone (within a recent time frame). For example, if the patient spends more time in zone L1 such that the time exceeds a threshold, zone L1 may transition to different color or shading, such as to match the color or shading of zone SL. The zones of orientation map2314A may transition between displaying various colors, shading, textures, etc. based on an amount of time the patient has not spent in an orientation corresponding to that zone (within a recent time frame). For example, if the patient spends a certain amount of time not oriented in a position corresponding to zone SL, then zone SL may transition to different color or shading, such as to match the color or shading of zone L1, or any of the zones R2, R1, SR, L2. As an example, the systems and devices, such as patient monitor106may increment a timer associated with a patient orientation associated with a zone if a patient is oriented in that orientation and may decrement the timer if the patient is not oriented in that orientation. The systems and devices, such as patient monitor106may change the display of the zone, such as coloring, shading, etc. associated with the timer based on the time of the timer.

The user interface2300A may include timer2326A. Timer2326A may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example timers discussed herein such as timer426. Timer2326A may indicate the amount of time a patient has spent in a current orientation. Timer2326A may count up or may count down. In this example, the timer2326A is 1 hour and 13 minutes. In some implementations, this may indicate that the patient is has been oriented in the Left 1 position for 1 hour and 13 minutes. In some implementations, this may indicate that the patient may be safely oriented in the Left 1 position for another 1 hour and 13 minutes before a risk is posed to the patient and the L1 zone transitions to a different shading or coloring to indicate the increased risk associated with that orientation.

The user interface2300A may include indicator2342A. Indicator2342A may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example indicators shown and/or discussed herein. The indicator2342A may be adjacent to the orientation map2314A. The indicator2342A may be adjacent to a zone corresponding to a physical orientation in which the patient is currently oriented. In this example, the indicator2342A is displayed adjacent to zone L1 which may indicate that the patient is currently oriented in the Left 1 position. In some implementations, the indicator2342A may change color, shading, contrast, texture, or the like based on the amount of time the patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to the zone adjacent to the indicator2342A. For example, the color of the indicator2342A may match the color of the zone to which the indicator2342A is adjacent.

The user interface2300A may include a plot line2330A. The plot line2330A may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other plot lines discussed herein, such as plot line430. An axis of the plot line2330A, such as the Y axis or vertical axis, may correspond to zones of the orientation map2314A and/or may correspond to physical orientations of a patient. The Y axis of plot line2330A may be labelled with labels corresponding to the zones of orientation map2314A. For example, the Y axis may include one or more of the following labels: “R2” “R1” “SR” “SL” “L1” “L2”. The positions of the labels along the Y axis of the plot line2330A may correspond to the positions of the zones within the orientation map2314A and/or may correspond to the physical orientations of the patient. In some implementations, the user interface2300A may display horizontal lines along the vertical axis corresponding to the zone labels to demarcate the various zones along plot line2330A.

As shown inFIG.23Bthe interactive graphical user interface2300B can include an orientation map2314B. The orientation map2314B can include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example orientation maps discussed herein, such as orientation map2314A. For example, the orientation map2314B can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The orientation map2314B can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, portions of the orientation map2314B, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the orientation map2314B. In the example shown, the orientation map2314B is partitioned into five zones. In the example shown, the zones of orientation map2314B can include R2 (Right 2), R1 (Right 1), S (Supine), L1 (Left 1), L2 (Left 2). As an example, the S zone may correspond to an orientation in which the patient is laying on their back.

As shown inFIG.23Cthe interactive graphical user interface2300C can include an orientation map2314C. The orientation map2314C can include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example orientation maps discussed herein, such as orientation map2314A. For example, the orientation map2314C can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The orientation map2314C can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, portions of the orientation map2314C, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the orientation map2314C. In the example shown, the orientation map2314C is partitioned into four zones. In the example shown, the zones of orientation map2314C can include R (Right), SR (Supine Right), SL (Supine Left), L (Left).

As shown inFIG.23Dthe interactive graphical user interface2300D can include an orientation map2314D. The orientation map2314D can include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example orientation maps discussed herein, such as orientation map2314A. For example, the orientation map2314D can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The orientation map2314D can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, portions of the orientation map2314D, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the orientation map2314D. In the example shown, the orientation map2314D is partitioned into three zones. In the example shown, the zones of orientation map2314D can include R (Right), S (Supine), L (Left).

FIGS.24A-24Eillustrate example orientation maps2414A-2414E. The orientation maps2414A-2414E may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example orientation maps shown and/or discussed herein, such as orientation maps2314A-2314D. The orientation maps2414A-2414E may be displayed within a user interface. The orientation maps2414A-2414E may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the orientation maps2414A-2414E may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein. The orientation maps2414A-2414E can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The orientation maps2414A-2414E can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, the orientation maps2414A-2414E, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the orientation maps2414A-2414E.

FIG.24Aillustrates an example orientation map2414A. The orientation map2414A can be circular, such as semi-circular. For example, the orientation map2414A may be a half circle. The orientation map2414A can include three zones, such as an R (Right) zone, an S (Supine) zone, and/or an L (Left) zone. In some implementations, the orientation map2414A can include more or less than three zones.

As shown inFIG.24E, the zones may include various shading, coloring, contrast, texture, etc. within respective zones. For example, the L zone may include more than one coloring or shading etc. As another example, the S zone may include more than one coloring or shading etc. As another example, the R zone may include a single coloring or shading etc. The coloring or shading etc. may correspond to the amount of time a patient has spent in a certain orientation associated with the zone or portion thereof.

FIG.25illustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2500.

The user interface2500, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2500may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein. The user interface2500can include one or more selectable components such as components2511,2513,2515, and/or2517.

A user may select component2511to select a monitoring mode. The monitoring mode may determine one or more features of any of the example user interfaces or display shown and/or discussed herein. For example, depending on the monitoring mode, a system or computing device may display a heat map or orientation map differently. Monitoring modes can include a standard monitoring mode in which a display may display a heat map such as any of the heat maps414,514,614,714, and/or814shown and/or discussed herein. Monitoring modes can include a 6 zone mode, 5 zone mode, 4 zone mode, 3 zone mode, or the like, during which a display may display user interfaces2300A-2300D and/or orientation maps2314A-2314D, respectively. Accordingly, a user may select, via user interface2500, to change the display of a heat map and/or orientation map. For example, a user may select, via user interface2500, to change the number of zones displayed in an orientation map. As another example, a user may select, via user interface2500, whether a heat map and/or orientation map includes any zones at all. As another example, a user may select, via user interface2500, to change the shape of a heat map and/or orientation map to any of the shapes shown and/or discussed herein, such as semi-circular, annular, ellipsoidal, parallelogram, etc., for example.

A user may select component2513to select a zone width of an orientation map. The zone width may be expressed as angular (e.g., degrees, radians), for example, in implementations where an orientation map, is ellipsoidal, circular, annular, or the like. The zone width may be expressed as a length (e.g., centimeters, inches, etc.), for example, in implementations where an orientation map is a parallelogram. The zone width may be expressed as a unitless number or size, such as small, medium, or large, or1,2, or3. In the example shown, a user may select or input 15 degrees (as shown) such that each of the zones within an orientation map spans 15 degrees.

A user may select component2515to select a mode of operation. Modes of operation can include a standby monitoring mode and a normal monitoring mode. During a standby monitoring mode, one or more devices or systems such as the patient monitor106and/or the sensor102may pause or cease one or more operations or functions. During a standby mode, a sensor may continue to operate or collect data and a monitor or other device may discontinue displaying one or more features such as a heat map or orientation map. During a standby mode, a monitor or other device may display a heat map and/or orientation map that does not include data related to the orientation of a patient. For example, a heat map or orientation map may not be shaded or colored etc.

A user may select component2517to select to clear a sensor history. Clearing the sensor history may reset one or more alarms associated with a patient orientation. Clearing the sensor history may reset one or more timers associated with a patient orientation. Clearing the sensor history may reset information displayed on a user interface or display.

FIG.26Aillustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2600.

The user interface2600, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2600may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein. The user interface2600can include one or more selectable components such as components2601,2603,2605, and/or2607.

A user may select component2601to select or input a position duration (e.g., 2 hours). The position duration may be a threshold length of time a patient can be in an orientation position before the system or devices generates an alarm or before a corresponding portion of a heat map or orientation map, such as a zone, changes state, such as changing shading, coloring, or the like.

A user may select component2603to select or input a position decay rate (e.g., 1 hour 45 minutes). The position decay rate can be a threshold length of time that a patient is not in an orientation position before a corresponding portion of a heat map or orientation map, such as a zone, changes state, such as changing shading, coloring, or the like.

A user may select component2605to select or input an upright angle (e.g., 50 degrees). The upright angle may be a preferred angle at which to orient the patient or may be a threshold angle which may trigger the patient monitor106to output an alarm if exceeded.

A user may select component2607to turn a fall detection alarm on or off. The patient monitor may output an alarm if it detects the patient has fallen when the fall detection alarm is turned on and may not output an alarm if it detects the patient has fallen when the fall detection alarm is turned off.

The user interface2600can include a zone map2613. The zone map2613may be associated with a corresponding orientation map and/or heat map. For example, the zone map2613may display the same number and types of zones as an associated orientation map. The zone map2613may be a same shape as an associated orientation map. The zone map2613may include a similar zone configuration or arrangement as an associated orientation map. In some implementations, the zone map2613may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the example orientation maps shown and/or discussed herein. For example, the zone map2613can provide information to a caregiver relating to the patient's orientation, position, and/or movement with respect to a surface such as a bed and/or the ground. The zone map2613can provide information relating to the patient's past, present, and/or suggested future orientation. For example, the zone map2613, or portions thereof, may change color, shading, contrast, or the like based on the amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation corresponding to that portion of the zone map2613.

A user may select, via the zone map2613, whether to allow or to restrict each of the various zones of the zone map2613. A user may allow or restrict the various zones by touching any portion of the zone. A user may toggle a zone between allowed or restricted as many times as required or desired. A zone that is restricted may be displayed differently than a zone that is allowed. For example, a zone that is restricted may have a different shading, coloring, texture, etc. than a zone that is allowed. In some implementations, all zones may be displayed as allowed as a default. In some implementations, confirmation may be required to change the status of a zone between allowed and restricted. Restricted zones may also be referred to as un-allowed zones herein.

An allowed zone may be a zone associated with a patient orientation which may be safe for a patient to assume. In some implementations, the systems and devices, such as patient monitor106, would not immediately trigger an alarm if a patient were oriented in an orientation associated with an allowed zone. In some implementations, the systems and devices, such as patient monitor106, may trigger an alarm if a patient has been oriented in an orientation associated with an allowed zone in excess of a threshold amount of time. A restricted zone may be a zone associated with a patient orientation that may be unsafe for a patient to assume. In some implementations, the systems and devices, such as patient monitor106, would automatically and/or immediately trigger an alarm if a patient were oriented in an orientation associated with a restricted zone. In some implementations, the systems and devices, such as patient monitor106, would trigger an alarm if a patient were oriented in an orientation associated with a restricted zone regardless of a timer associated with said patient orientation or an amount of time a patient has spent orientated in said orientation. A restricted zone may be a zone that is not allowed. In some implementations, a zone may be allowed or restricted regardless of a timer associated with a patient orientation associated with the zone. For example, a zone may be allowed or restricted regardless of an amount of time a patient has spent orientated in an orientation associated with the zone.

In some implementations, the zones of orientation map2613may be grouped into sections. For example, the L1 and L2 zone may be grouped as a “Left” section, the S zone may be grouped as a “Supine” section, and the R1 and R2 zones may be grouped as a “Right” section. In some implementations, a section may include one or more zones. In some implementations, a zone may be a part of only one section. A user may allow or restrict various zones of the zone map2613by touching any portion of a section of zones. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will allow all zones of the section. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will restrict all zones of the section. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will change the status of all zones of the section. For example, all allowed zones would become restricted, and all restricted zones would become allowed. In some implementations, a section with one or more allowed zones may be displayed differently (e.g., different shading, coloring, texture, etc.) than a section with one or more restricted zones.

FIG.26Billustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2650. The user interface2650, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2650may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

The user interface2600can include a zone map2617. The zone map2617may be associated with a corresponding orientation map and/or heat map. For example, the zone map2617may display the same number and types of zones as an associated orientation map. In some implementations, the zone map2617may be a different shape and/or include a different zone configuration than an associated orientation map. For example, the zone map2617may correspond to orientation map2314D shown and/or described herein.

The zone map2617can include three zones such as a right zone, a supine zone, and a left zone. In some implementations, the zone map2617may include more or less than three zones. The zone map2617can include patient representations such as patient representations2619A,2619B,2619C. The patient representations2619may correspond to respective zones. For example, patient representation2619A may correspond to the right zone, patient representation2619B may correspond to the supine zone, and patient representation2619C may correspond to the left zone. The patient representations2619may be displayed in an orientation corresponding to the zone with which they are associated. For example, patient representation2619A may be displayed as laying on a right side of the body corresponding to the right zone, patient representation2619B may be displayed as laying on the back corresponding to a supine zone, and patient representation2619C may be displayed as laying on a left side of the body corresponding to the left zone.

A user may select, via the zone map2617, whether to allow or to restrict each of the various zones of the zone map2617. A user may allow or restrict the various zones by touching any portion of the zone such as a patient representation or an area surrounding a patient representation. A user may toggle a zone as allowed or restricted as many times as required or desired. A zone that is restricted may be displayed differently than a zone that is allowed. For example, a zone that is restricted may have a different shading, coloring, texture, etc. than a zone that is allowed. For example, a patient representation or area surrounding a patient representation of an allowed zone may have a different shading, coloring, texture, etc. than a patient representation or area surrounding a patient representation of a restricted zone.

FIG.27Aillustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2700. The user interface2700, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2700may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

User interface2700can include an orientation map2714. Orientation map2714may correspond to a zone map. For example, orientation map2714may correspond to zone map2613shown and/or discussed with reference toFIG.26Aand/or may correspond to zone map2617shown and/or discussed with reference toFIG.26B. As an example, the zones that are allowed or restricted in a corresponding zone map, such as zone map2613and/or zone map1617, may also be allowed or restricted in orientation map2714. For example, the zones L1 and L2 of orientation map2714may be restricted because a user restricted zone L1 and L2 of corresponding zone map2613. In some implementations, a user may be able to select orientation map2714, via user interface2700, to change whether a zone of orientation map2714is allowed or restricted.

Orientation map2714may display restricted zones differently than allowed zones. For example, zones L1 and L2 may be restricted and may be displayed differently than the other zones, such as zones R2, R1, and S, which may be allowed. For example, the restricted zones, such as L1 and L2 may have a different coloring, shading, texture, etc. than allowed zones.

The user interface2700may include a plot line2713. The user interface2700may display the background of plot line2713differently based on whether the portions of the background of plot line2713are associated with allowed or restricted zones. For example, the user interface2700may display the portion2703, which may correspond to restricted zones L1 and L2 differently than portion2701which may correspond to allowed zones R2, R1, and S.

FIG.27Billustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2750. The user interface2750, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2750may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

User interface2750can include an orientation map2754. Orientation map2754can include similar structural and/or operation features as orientation map2714shown and/or discussed herein. In this example implementation, a patient may have been oriented to an orientation associated with the L1 zone. The L1 zone may be restricted. In response, the user interface2750may display one or more alarms2758. The user interface2750may display the alarm(s)2758immediately after a patient enters an orientation associated with a restricted zone, such as L1 zone. The alarm may include auditory and/or visual signals.

The indicator2742may change color, shading, etc. based on whether the patient is oriented in an orientation associated with a restricted zone or an allowed zone. For example, the indicator2742may change a shading, coloring, etc. when the patient moves from an allowed zone, such as the S zone, to a restricted zone, such as the L1 zone.

The restricted zones may change color, shading, etc. based on whether the patient is oriented in an orientation associated with the restricted zones. For example, the L1 zone which may be restricted may change color, shading, etc. when the patient moves to the L1 zone. As shown in this example, the L2 zone and L1 zones, which may both be restricted, may be displayed differently because the patient is oriented in an orientation associated with the L1 zone and not oriented in an orientation associated with the L2 zone.

FIG.28Aillustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2800. The user interface2800, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2800may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

The user interface2800can include a zone map2813. The zone map2813may be associated with a corresponding orientation map and/or heat map. For example, the zone map2813may display the same number and types of zones as an associated orientation map. The zone map2813may be a same shape as an associated orientation map. The zone map2813may include a similar zone configuration or arrangement as an associated orientation map.

A user may select, via the zone map2813, whether to allow or to restrict each of the various zones of the zone map2813. A user may allow or restrict the various zones by touching any portion of the zone. A user may toggle a zone between allowed or restricted as many times as required or desired. A zone that is restricted may be displayed differently than a zone that is allowed. For example, a zone that is restricted may have a different shading, coloring, texture, etc. than a zone that is allowed. In this example, the zones R2, R1, and L2 may be restricted. The zones S and L1 may be allowed.

In some implementations, the zones of orientation map2813may be grouped into sections. For example, the L1 and L2 zone may be grouped as section2815C representing the “Left” zones, the S zone may be grouped as section2815B representing the “Supine” zone, and the R1 and R2 zones may be grouped as section2815A representing the “Right” zones. In some implementations, a section may include one or more zones. In some implementations, a zone may be a part of only one section.

A user may allow or restrict various zones of the zone map2813by touching any portion of a section of zones. For example, a user may toggle whether a zone is allowed or restricted by touching the title of a section of zones, such as “right”, “supine”, or “left”. As another example, a user may toggle whether a zone is allowed or restricted by touching any area within any of sections2815A-2815C. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will allow all zones of the section. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will restrict all zones of the section. In some implementations, touching a section of zones will change the status of all zones of the section. For example, all allowed zones would become restricted, and all restricted zones would become allowed. In some implementations, a section with one or more allowed zones may be displayed differently (e.g., different shading, coloring, texture, etc.) than a section with one or more restricted zones.

A section background may be displayed differently based on whether the zones of the section are allowed or restricted. For example, a section background may be displayed with a first shading, coloring, and/or texture if most or all zones within that section are restricted and may be displayed with a second shading, coloring, and/or texture if most or all zones within that section are allowed. As another example, a section outline may be displayed with a first shading, coloring, and/or texture if any zone within that section is restricted and may be displayed with a second shading, coloring, and/or texture if all zones within that section are allowed.

As shown in this example, the section background2815A may be displayed with a first shading, coloring, and/or texture which may be because most or all of the zones within that section are restricted. Section backgrounds2815B and2815C may be displayed with a second shading, coloring, and/or texture which may be because at least of the zones within the respective sections is allowed. As further shown in this example, the section outlines2817A and2817C may be displayed with a first shading, coloring, and/or texture which may be because at least one zone within respective sections is restricted. Section outline2817B may be displayed with a second shading, coloring, and/or texture which may be because all zones within that section are allowed.

FIG.28Billustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2850. The user interface2850, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2850may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

The user interface2850can include a zone map2853. The zone map2853can include one or more zones. One or more of the zones may be allowed. One or more of the zones may be restricted. As shown, the R2 and L2 zones may be restricted. The R1, S, and L1 zones may be allowed. A user may toggle the zones between allowed and restricted, via the user interface2850, as shown and/or discussed herein.

The zones of zone map2853may be locked or unlocked. In some implementations, a locked zone may not be changed between being allowed or restricted. For example, a locked allowed zone may not be changed to be restricted and a locked restricted zone may not be changed to be allowed. An allowed zone may be locked or not locked. A restricted zone may be locked or not locked.

A zone may be locked or not locked based at least in part on an amount of time a patient has spent in an orientation associated with the zone. For example, the system or devices such as patient monitor106may lock a zone as restricted if a patient has exceeded a threshold amount of time in an orientation associated with that zone. A zone may be locked or not locked based at least in part on the lock status of other zones within the orientation map. For example, the system or devices such as patient monitor106may lock a zone as allowed if all other zones are restricted because at least one zone may be required to be allowed. As another example, the system or devices such as patient monitor106may lock a zone as allowed if adjacent zones are allowed. A zone may be locked or not locked based at least in part on a user selection such as via user interface2850. For example, a user may select various zones or sections of zones to lock or unlock them.

User interface2853may display an icon2855B to indicate that a zone is locked. Icon2855B may be a symbol of a lock. Icon2855B may be displayed within a zone that is locked. As shown, icon2855B is displayed within the S zone indicating that the S zone may be locked. The other zones of zone map2853may not be locked and may not display an icon similar to2853. In some implementations, the user interface2853may display a locked zone with a coloring, shading, texture, etc. that is different than an allowed zone, a restricted zone, and/or an unlocked zone.

In some implementations, the zones of orientation map2653may be grouped into sections. A section may include one or more zones. In some implementations, a section may include icon2855A if one its zones is locked. In some implementations, a section may include icon2855A if most or all of its zones are locked. As shown, the supine section may display icon2855A because most or all of its zones are locked.

FIG.28Cillustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2870. The user interface2870, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2870may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein.

The user interface2870can include a zone map2873. The zone map2873can include one or more zones. One or more of the zones may be allowed. For example, the R1 zone may be allowed. One or more of the zones may be restricted. For example, the R2, S, L1, and L2 zones may be restricted. One or more zones may be locked. For example, the R1 and L1 zones may be locked. The R1 zone may be locked as allowed. The L1 zone may be locked as restricted. One or more zones may be not locked. For example, the R2, S, and L2 zones may not be locked.

As an example, the R1 zone may be locked as allowed because it is the only allowed zone and at least one zone must be allowed. As an example, the L1 zone may be locked as restricted because a patient has spent more than a threshold amount of time in an orientation associated with zone L1. As another example, the L1 zone may be locked as restricted because a user has set it as such, such as via the user interface2870.

The user interface2870may display icon2875A within zone R1 to indicate zone R1 is locked. The user interface may2870display icon2875B within zone L1 to indicate zone L1 is locked. In some implementations, the user interface2870may display a locked allowed zone differently than a locked restricted zone. For example, the user interface2870may display zone R1, which may be locked allowed, with a different coloring, shading, texture, etc. than zone L1 which may be locked restricted.

FIG.29illustrates an example interactive graphical user interface2900.

The user interface2870, or portions thereof, may be displayed by a device such as a monitoring hub, a watch, a sensor, a phone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, or other computing device. In some implementations, the user interface2870may be displayed by patient monitor106described herein. A device, such as the patient monitor106, may display the user interface2900if a user attempts to change the allowed or restricted status of a zone. For example, if a user attempts to change the R1 zone ofFIG.28Cfrom allowed to restricted, the patient monitor106may display user interface2900. As another example, if a user attempts to change the L1 zone ofFIG.28Cfrom restricted to allowed, the patient monitor106may display user interface2900or a similar user interface.

FIG.30Aillustrates an example sensor3000A. Sensor3000A may include similar structural and/or operational features as example sensor102shown and/or described herein. Sensor3000A may be configured to monitor an orientation and/or history of orientations of a patient and/or surface to which the sensor3000A is attached. Sensor3000A may include a display portion which may include a heat map3001A. Heat map3001A may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example heat maps shown and/or described herein. A user, such as a patient to which the sensor3000A is attached and/or a health care provider, may view the heat map3001A on the sensor3000A to view an orientation and/or history of orientations of the patient.

FIG.30Billustrates an example sensor3000B. Sensor3000B may include similar structural and/or operational features as example sensor102shown and/or described herein. Sensor3000B may be configured to monitor an orientation and/or history of orientations of a patient and/or surface to which the sensor3000B is attached. Sensor3000B may include a display portion which may include an orientation map3001B. Orientation map3001B may include similar structural and/or operational features as any of the other example orientation maps shown and/or described herein. The orientation map3001B may include zones. For example, the orientation map3001B may be partitioned into discrete sections corresponding to various orientations or positions. The orientation map3001B can include any number of zones, such as two zones, three zones, four zones, five zones, six zones, etc. A user, such as a patient to which the sensor3000B is attached and/or a health care provider, may view the orientation map3001B on the sensor300B to view an orientation and/or history of orientations of the patient.

Additional Considerations

The various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by one or more hardware processors, such as microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. Hardware processors can include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, a hardware processor includes an FPGA or other programmable device that performs logic operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A hardware processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. A computing environment can include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a microprocessor, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.

The steps of a method, process, or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module stored in one or more memory devices and executed by one or more processors, or in a combination of the two. A software module can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, media, or physical computer storage known in the art. An example storage medium can be coupled to the hardware processor such that the hardware processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium can be integral to the hardware processor. The storage medium can be volatile or nonvolatile.

The term “and/or” herein has its broadest, least limiting meaning which is the disclosure includes A alone, B alone, both A and B together, or A or B alternatively, but does not require both A and B or require one of A or one of B. As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” A, B, “and” C should be construed to mean a logical A or B or C, using a non-exclusive logical or.

Although the foregoing disclosure has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure herein. Additionally, other combinations, omissions, substitutions and modifications will be apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the disclosure herein. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited by the description of the preferred embodiments, but is to be defined by reference to claims.