Patent Publication Number: US-2021169376-A1

Title: Location detection systems and methods

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/720,590 filed Dec. 29, 2019, by inventors Michael Hayes et al. and entitled LOCATION DETECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS, which in turn claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/988,373 filed May 24, 2018, by inventors Michael Hayes et al. and entitled LOCATION DETECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/075,747 filed Mar. 21, 2016, by inventors Michael Joseph Hayes et al. and entitled LOCATION DETECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS, and which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/145,276 filed Apr. 9, 2015 by inventors Michael Hayes et al. and entitled LOCATION DETECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS, the complete disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to patient support apparatuses (e.g. beds, stretchers, cots, recliners, etc.), and patient care devices, and more particularly to systems and methods for determining and communicating the location of the patient support apparatuses and/or patient care devices within medical facilities. 
     Patient support apparatuses and patient care devices used in medical facilities often are designed to include one or more alerts states and/or to generate data that is desirably communicated to another location within the healthcare facility (e.g. a nurses&#39; station, an electronic medical records (EMR) server, to mobile devices carried by individuals, etc.). In order for the alerts and/or data to be meaningful to the recipient, it is typically desirable to identify the room number or other location identifier that indicates where the patient support apparatus or patient care device is currently positioned. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to improved manners of identifying the location of medical devices such as patient support apparatuses and/or patient care devices within a medical facility. The various aspects of the disclosure are applicable to devices that communicate via a wired connection to a medical facility system (e.g. nurse call system, computer network, etc.), as well as devices that communicate via a wireless connection to one or more medical facility systems, and in some cases, devices that communicate via both wired and wireless connections. Aspects of the disclosure allow the locations of such devices to be determined automatically and communicated off the device so that the recipient of the outgoing alerts and/or other information from the device is apprised of the location of that particular device. This allows caregivers to respond to the correct location of an alert, as well as software systems (e.g. EMR systems, admission discharge and transfer (ADT) systems, etc.) to correlate the received data with the location and/or patient assigned to that location. 
     According to one aspect, a location detection system is provided that includes a mobile patient support apparatus and a stationary module positioned at a known location with a healthcare facility. The mobile patient support apparatus has a first unique identifier, a sensor, and a first wireless transceiver. The mobile patient support apparatus is adapted to transmit via the first wireless transceiver the unique identifier and at least one signal that is based on data from the sensor. The stationary module includes a second unique identifier and a second wireless transceiver that is adapted to receive both the first unique identifier and the signal from the mobile patient support apparatus. The stationary module also includes a third wireless transceiver that is adapted to transmit the first and second unique identifiers to a wireless access point of a computer network. The stationary module further includes a wired transceiver that is adapted to transmit the signal over a cable to a nurse call system. 
     In other embodiments, the stationary module does not transmit the first unique identifier over the cable to the nurse call system, but instead exclusively transmits the first unique identifier over the third wireless transceiver. 
     The first and second wireless transceivers operate in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.15.1 (e.g. Bluetooth), and the third wireless transceiver operates in accordance with IEEE standard 802.11 (e.g. WiFi), in some embodiments. 
     The stationary module further includes, in some embodiments, a fourth wireless transceiver, and the mobile patient support apparatus further includes a fifth wireless transceiver that is adapted to communicate with the fourth wireless transceiver. In some of such embodiments, the fourth and fifth wireless transceivers are infrared transceivers. 
     In still other embodiments, the mobile patient support apparatus also includes a sixth wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with the wireless access point of the computer network. In such embodiments, the stationary module is adapted to transmit the second unique identifier to the mobile patient support apparatus using the fourth wireless transceiver, and the mobile patient support apparatus is adapted to not communicate the second unique identifier using the sixth wireless transceiver. 
     The signal that is transmitted over a cable to a nurse call system indicates that a patient positioned on the mobile patient support apparatus may be exiting the mobile patient support apparatus, in at least one embodiment. 
     According to other aspects, the wired transceiver is in communication with a first port of the stationary module that is adapted to physically couple to a first end of the cable, and a second end of the cable is adapted to physically couple to a second port of the nurse call system. 
     In some embodiments, the stationary module is contained within a housing adapted to be mounted to a wall of a hospital room. 
     In at least one embodiment, the mobile patient support apparatus is a bed, the sensor is a switch adapted to detect activation of a nurse call button on the bed, and the signal indicates that a patient on the bed desires to speak with a nurse. The bed may further include a microphone and be adapted to transmit audio signals from the microphone to the stationary module using the first wireless transceiver. In such cases, the stationary module is adapted to transmit the audio signals to the nurse call system via the wired transceiver. 
     The bed may further include a scale adapted to detect a patient&#39;s weight, wherein the bed is adapted to transmit the patient&#39;s weight using the first wireless transceiver. In such cases, the stationary module is adapted to transmit the patient&#39;s weight to a server on the computer network using the third wireless transceiver. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile patient support apparatus further includes a fourth wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with the wireless access point of the computer network. The mobile patient support apparatus transmits status data regarding the mobile patient support apparatus to the computer network using the fourth wireless transceiver. 
     The location detection system is configured in some embodiments to include a second mobile patient support apparatus. The stationary module is adapted to receive a third unique identifier from the second mobile patient support apparatus and to transmit the second and third unique identifiers to the wireless access point. The stationary module receives the third unique identifier via the third wireless transceiver. 
     According to another embodiment, a location detection system is provided that includes a stationary module and a mobile patient support apparatus. The stationary module is positioned at a fixed and known location within a facility. The stationary module includes a first unique identifier and a first wireless transceiver adapted to transmit the first unique identifier. The mobile patient support apparatus has a second unique identifier and a second wireless transceiver. The mobile patient support apparatus is adapted to receive the first unique identifier from the stationary module via the second wireless transceiver. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile patient support apparatus further includes a data table that correlates the first unique identifier to the known location within a healthcare facility. The mobile patient support apparatus transmits the known location to a wireless access point of a computer network using a third wireless transceiver. The data table correlates the first unique identifier to a room number of the healthcare facility. Still further, in some embodiments, the mobile patient support apparatus is adapted to receive the data table from a server coupled to the computer network. The data table is received at the mobile patient support apparatus via the third wireless transceiver. In some embodiments, the mobile patient support apparatus requests the data table from the server in response to a triggering event. 
     In other aspects, the mobile patient support apparatus only transmits the known location to the wireless access point of the computer network if the mobile patient support apparatus and the stationary module successfully link to each other utilizing fourth and fifth wireless transceivers. The fourth and fifth wireless transceivers have a shorter communication range than the first and second wireless transceivers. 
     According to another embodiment, a location detection system is provided that includes a mobile patient support apparatus and a stationary module. The mobile patient support apparatus has a first unique identifier and a first wireless transceiver. The mobile patient support apparatus is adapted to transmit the first unique identifier via the first wireless transceiver. The stationary module is positioned at a fixed location within a healthcare facility and includes a second unique identifier and a second wireless transceiver adapted to receive the first unique identifier from the mobile patient support apparatus. The stationary module also includes a data table that correlates the first unique identifier to the fixed location within the healthcare facility. 
     In some embodiments, the stationary module is adapted to transmit the fixed location and the first unique identifier to a wireless access point of a computer network using a third wireless transceiver. The stationary module is also adapted to transmit the fixed location to the mobile patient support apparatus via the second wireless transceiver, in some embodiments. 
     According to other aspects, the stationary module receives the data table from a server coupled to the computer network. The stationary module receives the data table via the third wireless transceiver. 
     In some embodiments, the transmission of the fixed location to the wireless access point includes transmitting a room number of a room that includes the fixed location. 
     According to another embodiment, a patient support apparatus system is provided that includes a stationary module, an off-board device, and a patient support apparatus having a support surface for supporting a patient thereon, a first transceiver for communicating with the stationary module, a second transceiver for communicating with the off-board device, and a controller. The controller is adapted to transmit a unique identifier corresponding to the patient support apparatus to both the stationary module and the off-board device. The controller uses the first transceiver to communicate the unique identifier to the stationary module, and the controller uses the second transceiver to communicate the unique identifier to the off-board device. 
     In some embodiments, the off-board device is a server located on a healthcare facility computer network, the first transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver, and the second transceiver is a WiFi transceiver. Further, in some embodiments, the stationary module forwards the unique identifier to the server using a third transceiver positioned on-board the stationary module. 
     The stationary module transmits a unique stationary module identifier to the server, in some embodiments, and the server uses the unique stationary module identifier and the unique identifier to determine the location of the patient support apparatus within the healthcare facility. 
     According to still another embodiments of the disclosure, a patient support apparatus system is provided that includes an off-board device and a patient support apparatus having a support surface for supporting a patient thereon, a first transceiver for communicating with the off-board device, a second transceiver for communicating with the off-board device, and a controller. The controller is adapted to transmit a first data item to the off-board device using the first transceiver, and to transmit a second data item to the off-board device using the second transceiver. The first data item is different from the second data item. 
     In some embodiments, the off-board device is a server located on a healthcare facility computer network. 
     The first data item is a unique identifier corresponding to the patient support apparatus and the second data item is a status of a component of the patient support apparatus, in at least some embodiments. The status of the component may be any one or more of the following: a position of a siderail, a state of a brake, a height of the support surface, and a state of an exit detection system. 
     In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus is further adapted to transmit the first data item to the off-board device using the second transceiver. 
     According to still another embodiment of the disclosure, a patient support apparatus system is provided that includes a stationary module and a patient support apparatus. The stationary module includes a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and a third transceiver. The patient support apparatus includes a support surface for supporting a patient thereon, a fourth transceiver for communicating with the first transceiver of the stationary module, and a controller. The controller is adapted to transmit a data item to the stationary module using the fourth transceiver, and the stationary module is adapted to forward the data item to both a first destination using the second transceiver and to a second destination using the third transceiver. 
     In some embodiments, the first destination is a headwall connector of a nurse call system, and the second destination is a server located on a healthcare facility computer network. The second transceiver may be a wired transceiver and the third transceiver may be a wireless transceiver. 
     The data item indicates that an alert has issued regarding the patient support apparatus, in some embodiments. 
     The patient support apparatus may be further adapted to transmit a second data item to the stationary module using the fourth transceiver, and the stationary module may be further adapted to forward the second data item to only one of the first and second destinations. The second data item is a unique identifier corresponding to the patient support apparatus, in at least some embodiments. 
     Before the various embodiments disclosed herein are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the claims are not to be limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments described herein are capable of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the claims to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the claims any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a location detection system for a mobile patient support apparatus according to a first embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the internal components of the various structures of the location detection system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the location detection system of  FIG. 2  shown with the patient support apparatus implemented as a bed and with the system coupled to an illustrative example of a healthcare facility&#39;s information technology (IT) infrastructure; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the location detection algorithm followed by the components of the location detection system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the location detection system of  FIG. 2  expanded to determine the location of multiple patient support apparatuses; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a modified location detection system shown with the patient support apparatus implemented as a bed and the system coupled to an illustrative example of a healthcare facility&#39;s IT infrastructure; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart of the location detection algorithm followed by the components of the modified location detection system of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of the internal components of the various structures of yet another modified location detection system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     An illustrative example of a location detection system  20  according to a first embodiment is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 1 . Location detection system  20  includes a mobile patient support apparatus  22  having a mobile wireless unit  24  and a stationary module  26 . For purposes of visual description herein, patient support apparatus  22  is shown in the accompanying drawings as a hospital bed, but it will be understood that patient support apparatus  22  can be alternatively implemented as a cot, stretcher, chair, recliner, or other apparatus that is capable of supporting a person. Indeed, location detection system  20  can be applied to determine the location of other types of medical devices besides patient support apparatuses, such as, but not limited to, thermal management systems such as shown in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/282,383 filed May 20, 2014 by inventors Christopher J. Hopper et al. and entitled THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     Patient support apparatus  22  of  FIG. 1  includes a support surface  28  on which a mattress  30  is positioned to allow a person to lie or sit thereon. Patient support apparatus  22  further includes a base  32  having a plurality of wheels  34  that allow patient support apparatus  22  to be moved to different locations. Still further, patient support apparatus  22  of  FIG. 1  includes a headboard  36 , a footboard  38 , and a plurality of siderails  40 . 
     The construction of patient support apparatus  22  may take on a wide variety of different forms. In some embodiments, other than the components described below, patient support apparatus  22  is constructed in any of the manners described in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,376 issued Apr. 8, 2014 by inventors David Becker et al. and entitled PATIENT HANDLING DEVICE INCLUDING LOCAL STATUS INDICATION, ONE-TOUCH FOWLER ANGLE ADJUSTMENT, AND POWER-ON ALARM CONFIGURATION, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, those components of patient support apparatus  22  not described below are constructed in any of the manners described in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/775,285 filed Feb. 25, 2013 by inventors Guy Lemire et al. and entitled HOSPITAL BED, the complete disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated herein by reference. Still further, in other embodiments, those components of patient support apparatus  22  not described below are constructed in any of the manners disclosed in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/212,009 filed Mar. 14, 2014 by inventors Christopher Hough et al., and entitled MEDICAL SUPPORT APPARATUS. In still other embodiments, patient support apparatus  22  takes on other constructions. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , patient support apparatus  22  further includes mobile wireless unit  24 . Mobile wireless unit  24  is adapted to wirelessly communicate with stationary module  26 . Stationary module  26  is mounted to a fixed and known location within a healthcare facility, such as, but not limited to, a headwall  42  of a room  44 . As will be discussed in greater detail below, mobile wireless unit  24  and stationary module  26  are adapted to establish a communication link that allows the location of patient support apparatus  22  within the facility to be determined and/or communicated to one or more off-board devices/systems. In one embodiment, stationary module  26  includes a unique identifier that is transmitted to a wireless access point  46  of the healthcare facility&#39;s network  48  ( FIG. 3 ). Stationary module  26  also receives a patient support apparatus identifier that corresponds to a unique patient support apparatus  22  when the patient support apparatus  22  is positioned within close proximity (e.g. within about 5-10 feet) to stationary module  26 . Stationary module  26  also forwards this unique identifier to the wireless access point  46 . One or more servers  50  on the computer network  48  include a map or data table that correlates the location of each stationary module  26  with each room, bed bay, or other specific location within the healthcare facility. Upon receipt of the unique stationary module identifier  98  and the unique patient support apparatus identifier, the server  50  consults the map or data table and determines that that particular patient support apparatus  22  is in the location of the particular stationary module  26  that transmitted the identifiers. In at least one embodiment, as will be discussed further below with respect to  FIG. 3 , the patient support apparatus  22  does not send any additional data to the stationary module  26  that is forwarded to server  50  other than the unique identifier or patient support apparatus  22 . Any further data from patient support apparatus  22  that is to be forwarded to server  50 , or another device on network  48 , is forwarded from patient support apparatus  22  directly to wireless access point  46  without passing through stationary module  26 . 
     One example of the internal components of both mobile wireless unit  24  and stationary module  26  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As can be seen, mobile wireless unit  24  includes a controller  52  that is in electrical communication with a radio module  54 , as well as a headwall hardware interface  56 , a mobile locator transceiver  58 , a main patient support apparatus controller  60 , an audio amplifier  62 , a microphone  64 , and a display  66 . Audio amplifier  62 , in turn, is in electrical communication with one or more speakers  68 . Controller  52  of mobile wireless unit  24 , as well as main controller  60  of patient support apparatus  22 , may take on a variety of different forms, such as, but not limited to, commercially available off-the-shelf microcontrollers. 
     For example, in one embodiment, controller  52  is any one of the i.MX family of system-on-chip (SoC) processors, and main controller  60  is anyone of the Kinetis K60 family of microcontroller units (MCUs), both of which are marketed by Freescale Semiconductor of Austin, Tex. Other types of commercially available microcontrollers may also be used. Still further, controllers  52  and  60  may take on still other forms, such as any combination of any one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, systems on a chip, volatile or nonvolatile memory, discrete circuitry, and/or other hardware, software, or firmware that is capable of carrying out the functions described herein, as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such components can be physically configured in any suitable manner, such as by mounting them to one or more circuit boards, or arranging them in other manners, whether combined into a single unit or distributed across multiple units. The instructions followed by controllers  52  and  60  in carrying out the functions described herein, as well as the data necessary for carrying out these functions, are stored in one or more accessible memories (not shown). 
     Main controller  60  is responsible for carrying out the overall operations of patient support apparatus  22 , while controller  52  is responsible for carrying out the communication between patient support apparatus  22  and stationary module  26 . In some embodiments, a single controller that combines the functions of main controller  60  and controller  52  is used. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , main controller  60  is in communication with one or more indicators scale/exit detection system  70 , one or more sensors  72 , and one or more motors  74 . Scale/exit detection system  70  is adapted to measure the weight of a patient support on patient support apparatus  22  and/or to detect when the patient is about to exit, or has exited, patient support apparatus  22 . In at least one embodiment, scale/exit detection system  70  is a combined scale and exit detection system that is constructed and designed in the manner disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,432 issued to Travis and entitled PATIENT EXIT DETECTION MECHANISM FOR HOSPITAL BED, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     Sensors  72  include sensors that are adapted to detect parameters of patient support apparatus  22 , such as, but not limited to, the status of a brake for wheels  34 ; the height of support surface  28  relative to base  32 ; the status (raised or lowered) of one or more siderails  40 ; the armed or disarmed state of exit detection system  70 ; and/or other parameters. Motors  74  provide movement to one or more components of patient support apparatus  22 , such as, but not limited to, raising and lowering the height of support surface  28  relative to base  32 , and/or raising and lowering one or more sections of support surface  28 . As will be discussed in greater detail below, main controller  60  is adapted to forward information from one or more of sensors  72  to controller  52  of mobile wireless unit  24  for forwarding to either stationary module  26  or to wireless access point  46 . 
     Controller  52  of mobile wireless unit  24 , in addition to being in communication with main controller  60 , is also in communication with audio amplifier  62  for purposes of delivering audio signals to speakers  68 . Such audio signals include the audio signals received by mobile wireless unit  24  from stationary module  26  that correspond to the voice of a caregiver who is speaking from a remote location, such as a nurses&#39; station  78 , to an occupant of patient support apparatus  22 . Further, in some embodiments, controller  52  may send audio signals to audio amplifier  62  and speakers  68  that are received from other sources, such as from a server (e.g. server  50  or some other server) located on local area network  48  of the healthcare facility in which patient support apparatus  22  is positioned. 
     When an occupant of patient support apparatus  22  wishes to speak to a caregiver at a remote location via the facility&#39;s nurse call system  76 , he or she speaks into microphone  64 . Controller  52  digitizes the audio signals from microphone  64  and forwards them to either radio module  54  or to headwall interface  56 , depending upon what type of wired connection exists at a nearby headwall connector  80 . A cable  82  runs from headwall connector  80  to either stationary module  26  or to patient support apparatus  22 , depending upon how a particular healthcare facility has decided to implement location detection system  20 . If cable  82  runs between patient support apparatus  22  and headwall connector  80 , controller  52  forwards the digitized audio signals to headwall hardware interface  56 , which in turns forwards them over cable  82  to headwall connector  80 . If cable  82  runs between headwall connector  80  and stationary module  26 , then controller  52  forwards the digitized audio signals to radio module  54 , which in turn wirelessly transmits them to stationary module  26 . Stationary module  26  then forwards them to headwall connector  80  via cable  82 . 
     Radio module  54  detects when a wireless link exists between itself and stationary module  26 . A message indicating the existence or non-existence of this link is forwarded by radio module  54  to controller  52 . Similarly, headwall hardware interface  56  also detects when a wired link (e.g. cable  82 ) is present between interface  56  and headwall connector  80 . Headwall hardware interface  56  forwards a message to controller  52  indicating the existence or non-existence of this link. Controller  52  utilizes these messages from radio module  54  and interface  56  to determine how to route data that is to be transmitted off of patient support apparatus  22 . 
     Headwall connector  80  is part of, or electrically coupled to, a conventional nurse call system  76 . Headwall connector  80  is a conventional connector that often includes 37 pins adapted to be inserted into 37 mating sockets of cable  82 , or vice versa. Such 37 pin connections are one of the most common types of connectors found on existing headwalls of medical facilities for making connections to the nurse call system  76  and/or environmental controls  84  (e.g. television, temperature, curtains, etc.). Such 37 pin connectors, however, are not the only type of connectors, and it will be understood that headwall connector  80  can include a different number of pins. 
     Mobile wireless unit  24  communicates wirelessly with stationary module  26  via radio module  54 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , radio module  54  includes four separate transceivers: a Bluetooth transceiver (IEEE 802.15.1)  86   a,  a WiFi transceiver (IEEE 802.11)  88   a,  a ZigBee transceiver (IEEE 802.15.4)  90   a,  and a 900 MHz transceiver  92   a.  It will be understood that the number of transceivers within radio module  54  can vary from the four shown in  FIG. 2 , and that the protocols used for the transceivers can take on different forms than those illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Radio module  54  communicates wirelessly with a radio module  94  contained within stationary module  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, radio module  94  includes two transceivers: a Bluetooth transceiver  86   b  that communicates with Bluetooth transceiver  86   a  of mobile wireless unit  24  and a WiFi transceiver  88   b  that communicates with wireless access point  46  ( FIG. 3 ). In some alternative embodiments, stationary module  26  also includes a ZigBee transceiver  90   b  that communicates with ZigBee transceiver  90   a  of mobile wireless unit  24  and a 900 MHz transceiver  88   b  that communicates with 900 MHz transceiver  88   a  of mobile wireless unit  24 . 
     In addition to the components previously described, mobile patient support apparatus  22  includes a unique identifier  96  ( FIG. 2 ) that distinguishes one patient support apparatus  22  from another, and also, in some embodiments, distinguishes a specific patient support apparatus  22  from other types of patient care devices that may be utilizing location detection system  20 . Stationary module  26  also includes a unique identifier  98  that distinguishes each particular stationary module  26  from other stationary modules  26 . At the time of installation of location detection system  20 , stationary modules  26  are mounted at fixed locations throughout a healthcare facility, such as, but not limited to, headwalls  42  in patient rooms. Once mounted, the locations of each stationary module  26  within the facility are surveyed and stored electronically in a data table or map. As will be discussed more below, this data table or map is stored, in at least some embodiments, on server  50 . In other embodiments, however, it is stored elsewhere and/or duplicated and stored in multiple locations. 
     Mobile patient support apparatus  22  and stationary module  26  each further include a short range locator transceiver  100   a  and  100   b,  respectively. In at least one embodiment, short range locator transceivers  100   a  and  100   b  are infrared transceivers that are able to communicate with each other when they are positioned in line of sight with each other, and within a relatively short range of each other, such as, but not limited to, five to ten feet. Short range locator transceivers  100   a  and  100   b,  identifiers  96  and  98 , and the data table or map are used to determine the location of patient support apparatus  22  within a facility in several different manners, one of which is explained in more detail below with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an illustrative example of a first embodiment of a location detection system  20  that is configured for determining the location of a patient support apparatus  22  that is implemented as a bed.  FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart of steps taken by various components of the location detection system  20  of  FIG. 3  that are used to determine which room  44  (and/or bay) patient support apparatus  22  of  FIG. 3  is located in. More specifically,  FIG. 4  illustrates a first location detection algorithm  104  executed by location detection system  20  according to a first embodiment. Location detection algorithm  104  includes three components: a patient support apparatus algorithm  106 , a stationary module algorithm  108 , and a server algorithm  110 . Patient support apparatus algorithm  106  is executed by controller  52  of patient support apparatus  22 . Stationary module algorithm  108  is executed by a controller  112  ( FIG. 2 ) on board stationary module  26 . Server algorithm  110  is executed by a server located outside of room  44 , such as, but not limited to, server  50 . 
     Location detection algorithm  104  begins at an initial step  114  when patient support apparatus  22  detects a triggering event. The specific triggering event may vary. In some embodiments, the triggering event is the application of the brakes on board patient support apparatus  22 . In other embodiments, the triggering event is the plugging in of an AC power cable on board the patient support apparatus  22  to an AC wall outlet. In still other embodiments, the both of these events are triggering events and/or still other triggering events are used. 
     Regardless of the specific triggering event, once it is detected by patient support apparatus  22 , controller  52  moves onto step  116  where it sends out an interrogation signal. The interrogation signal is sent out via short range locator transceiver  100   a  and is configured to be detected by a stationary module  26 . Because it is sent out via short range transceiver  100   a,  it is only detected by a stationary module  26  if the patient support apparatus  22  is within close proximity to stationary module  26  (e.g. within the same room, or adjacent a particular bay within a room if the room is semi-private and adapted to accommodate multiple patients). The interrogation signal includes patient support apparatus ID  96 . 
     Short range locator transceiver  100   b  of stationary module  26  receives the interrogation signal from patient support apparatus  22  and passes it to controller  112 . Controller  112  executes stationary module algorithm  108  in response to receipt of this interrogation signal. Controller  112  begins this algorithm at step  118 , where it responds to the interrogation signal. This response is sent from stationary module  26  via short range locator transceiver  100   b.  In at least one embodiment, this response includes the patient support apparatus identifier  96  that was received at stationary module  26  from patient support apparatus  22  in the interrogation message. This identifier  96  is used to address the response to the specific patient support apparatus  22  that broadcast the interrogation signal at step  116 . This ensures that, in the unlikely event that multiple patient support apparatuses  22 , or other medical devices, are within communication range of stationary module  26 , the response message is processed by only the originator of the interrogation message. 
     After responding to the interrogation message at step  118 , controller  112  of stationary module  26  proceeds to step  120  where it transmits both the patient support apparatus identifier  96  and its stationary module ID  98  to server  50 . This transmission is done wirelessly, in at least one embodiment. More specifically, in at least one embodiment, controller  112  uses WiFi transceiver  88   b  to transmit the identifiers  96  and  98  from stationary module  26  to a wireless access point  46  ( FIG. 3 ) of healthcare facility network  48 . Once the identifiers  96  and  98  reach access point  46 , they are forwarded via the internal routing procedures of network  48  to server  50 , which is part of the network  48 . 
     Server  50  begins server algorithm  110  at step  122  when it receives the identifiers  96  and  98  from stationary module  26  via network  48  and wireless access point  46 . Server  50  uses the identifiers  96  and  98  to determine the location of the patient support apparatus  22  within the healthcare facility at step  124 . This is done with reference to the data table or map described previously that was generated during installation of stationary modules  26 . As noted, this data table identifies the room and/or bays of each stationary module  26  with the healthcare facility. When server  50  receives a particular pair of identifiers  96  and  98 , its looks in the table to determine where in the healthcare facility the stationary module  26  having that particular identifier  98  is located. Once the location of that particular stationary module  26  is identified, server  50  associates that location with the patient support apparatus  22  having the identifier  96  that was transmitted with the identifier  98 . In other words, upon receipt of a message from a particular stationary module  26  wherein the message includes that particular stationary module identifier  98  and a corresponding patient support apparatus identifier  96 , server  50  concludes that the particular patient support apparatus  22  having ID  96  is located at the same location as that particular stationary module  26 . This conclusion is justified because, as noted earlier, patient support apparatus  22  is only able to communicate with stationary module  26  when it is within close range, and indeed, is unable to communicate with other stationary modules  26  that may be within the same room, but are positioned at other bays or other designated areas. Thus, the fact that patient support apparatus  22  was able to forward its ID  96  to module  26 , which in turn forwarded it to server  50 , is an indication that patient support apparatus is located close to module  26 . 
     Returning to the patient support apparatus algorithm  106 , controller  52  of patient support apparatus  22  proceeds to step  126  after transmitting its interrogation signal at step  116 . At step  126 , patient support apparatus  22  awaits receipt of a message from stationary module  26  acknowledging receipt of its interrogation signal. Once patient support apparatus  22  receives this acknowledgement at step  126 , controller  52  of patient support apparatus  22  considers patient support apparatus  22  and stationary module  26  to be linked together. 
     After this linkage is established, controller  52  moves to step  128  where it transmits patient support apparatus data to server  50  via WiFi transceiver  88   a  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and wireless access point  46 . Such data includes status data regarding any one or more of the following components of patient support apparatus  22 : siderails  40  (e.g. up or down), a brake for wheels  34  (e.g. braked or unbraked), support surface  28  (e.g. its height), scale/exit detection system  70  (e.g. whether the system is armed, disarmed, alerting, or not alerting), sensors  72 , motors  74 , and still other components. Such data may also include data regarding the patient, such as the patient&#39;s weight, the patient&#39;s vital signs, one or more therapies or protocols performed on the patient while on or near the patient support apparatus  22 , and other patient data. Regardless of its specific content, the transmission of such data by patient support apparatus  22  at step  128  includes the transmission of patient support identifier  96 . 
     In addition to transmitting patient support status at step  128  to server  50 , controller  52  of patient support apparatus  22  also transmits nurse call audio and alerts to nurse call system  76 , as appropriate. The transmission of such audio and/or alerts takes place in one of two different manners. When a cable  82  is connected between headwall hardware interface  56  of patient support apparatus  22  and headwall connector  80 , controller  52  transmits the patient support apparatus status data at step  130  first to headwall hardware interface  56 , which forwards the information via cable  82  to headwall connector  80 , and from there it is passed to nurse call system  76 . Alternatively, if a cable  82  is connected between stationary module  26  and headwall connector  80 , controller  52  transmits the patient support apparatus status data at step  130  first to radio module  54 , which forwards the data wirelessly to radio module  94  of stationary module  26 . (This latter situation is illustrated in  FIG. 3 , although it will be understood that the location of cable  82  in  FIG. 3  can be modified to extend directly from patient support apparatus  22  to connector  80 ). From radio module  94 , controller  112  of stationary module  26  forwards the data to a headwall hardware interface  132  of stationary module  26 . Headwall hardware interface  132  forwards the data via cable  82  to connector  80 , which then passes the data to nurse call system  76 . In at least one embodiment, the transmission of such data from radio module  54  to radio module  94  takes place via a Bluetooth protocol (e.g. IEEE 802.15.1). 
     At step  134  of server algorithm  110 , server  50  receives the data from patient support apparatus  22 . After receiving this data, server  50  proceeds to step  136  where it associates the data it received at step  134  with either the location of stationary module  26  or a particular patient associated with patient support apparatus  22 . Such location association is carried out using the pairing of identifiers  96  and  98  that were received by server  50  at step  122 . That is, when server  50  receives identifiers  96  and  98  at step  122 , it knows that the patient support apparatus  22  with the identifier  96  is located at the location of stationary module  26 , and that any future data received from the patient support apparatus  22  with identifier  96  at step  134  is data coming from the location of the stationary module  26  having the identifier  98 . 
     If server  50  associates the data received at step  136  with a particular patient, rather than a location, it does so by consulting another database that maintains a log of the current locations of particular patients within the healthcare facility. This database may be stored in another server on network  48 , such as an Admission, Discharge, and Tracking (ADT) server, or some other server, which forwards the relevant information to server  50 . In other embodiments, this database may be stored elsewhere. Regardless of its location, server  50  uses this database correlating patients to locations to associate the data received at step  136  with a particular patient. 
     Once the data received at step  136  is associated with either a location or a patient (or both), server  50  proceeds to step  138  where it stores the received data and/or forwards it to one or more other network devices (e.g. servers). For example, in at least one embodiment, server  50  is configured to automatically forward patient information to an electronic medical records (EMR) server. In such an embodiment, server  50  associates the incoming data from a particular patient support apparatus  22  at step  134  with a patient identifier at step  136 . Once associated, server  50  forwards this data to the EMR server for entry into that particular patient&#39;s electronic medical record. 
     In the embodiments shown and described with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the stationary module identifier  98  is never forwarded from patient support apparatus  22  to server  50  via the WiFi transceiver  88   a  on-board patient support apparatus  22 . Instead, as noted, stationary module identifier  98  is forwarded to server  50  from stationary module  26  itself. 
     From the description provided herein of the location detection system  20  of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , it can be seen that patient support apparatus  22  forwards its identifier  96  to two different entities using two different types of transceivers. That is, it forwards its identifier  96  to short range locator transceiver  100   b  using its own short range locator transceiver  100   a,  and it also forwards its identifier  96  to server  50  via WiFi transceiver  88   a  and wireless access point  46 . Although forwarded to two different entities using two different communication protocols, the identifier  96  arrives at the same destination: server  50 . Server  50 , as noted above, uses the identifier  96  to determine the location of the patient support apparatus  22  using the message received from stationary module  26 . Server  50  also uses the identifier to determine what location and/or patient to associate the data with that it receives from patient support apparatus  22  at step  134 . 
     It will be understood that, in a typical healthcare facility, server  50  will be in communication with a plurality of stationary modules  26  and associated patient support apparatuses  22 . One such example is shown in  FIG. 5 . Room  44  of  FIG. 5  includes a first patient support apparatus  22   a  and a second patient support apparatus  22   b.  Patient support apparatus  22   a  and patient support apparatus  22   b  each individually carry out algorithm  106  ( FIG. 4 ). Similarly, stationary modules  26   a  and  26   b  each individually carry out algorithm  108 . Server  50 , in turn, carries out algorithm  110  with respect to each of these different support apparatuses  22   a,    22   b,  and modules  26   a,    26   b.  That is, server  50  determines the locations of each of support apparatuses  22   a  and  22   b  and associates the data received from each of them at step  134  either with their location or with the patient who is associated with support apparatuses  22   a  and  22   b.  Location detection system  20  can, of course, be applied to facilities having more than two patient support apparatuses  22 . Indeed, location detection system  20  can be utilized with other devices besides patient support apparatuses  22 , as mentioned previously. 
     Another embodiment of a location detection system  20   a  is depicted in diagram form in  FIG. 6 . The location detection algorithm  104   a  followed by the components of location detection system  20   a  are shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 7 . Those components of location detection system  20   a  that are the same as the components of location detection system  20  are labeled herein with the same reference numbers as system  20 . Similarly, those steps of algorithm  104   a  that are the same as the steps of algorithm  104  are labeled with the same reference numbers. Those components or steps of system  20   a  and algorithm  104   a  that have been modified in some fashion as compared to system  20  and/or algorithms  104  have been labeled with the same reference number followed by the letter “a.” Finally, those components or steps of system  20   a  and algorithm  104   a  that are completely new have been provided a new reference number. 
     Location detection system  20   a  differs structurally from location detection system  20  in that patient support apparatus  22   c  does not include a WiFi transceiver  88   a.  Instead, patient support apparatus  22   c  communicates data to server  50  using stationary module  26  as an intermediary. This is described in greater detail below with respect to location detection algorithm  104   a.    
     Location detection algorithm  104   a  differs from location detection algorithm  104  in that it includes modified steps  128   a,    120   a,  and  122   a,  as well as new step  140 . With reference to  FIG. 7 , algorithm  104   a  begins with a patient support apparatus algorithm  106   a  at step  114 , which is the same as step  114  of algorithm  104 , and need not be described further. Patient support apparatus algorithm  106   a  then proceeds to steps  116  and  126 , which are the same as previously described. Patient support algorithm  106   a  differs from algorithm  106  when it reaches modified step  128   a.  At step  128   a,  patient support apparatus transmits the patient support apparatus data wirelessly to stationary module  26  using, in at least one embodiment, Bluetooth transceiver  86   a.  This differs from step  128  where patient support apparatus  22  transmits its patient support apparatus data to wireless access point  46  (and from there to server  50 ) using WiFi transceiver  88   a.  Thus, algorithm  106   a  differs from algorithm  106  in that patient support apparatus  22   c  transmits its data to stationary module  26  using a Bluetooth transceiver  86   a,  rather than to wireless access point  46  using a WiFi transceiver  88   a  (which patient support apparatus  22   c  does not have, as noted above). 
     Stationary module algorithm  108   a  differs from algorithm  108  in that it includes the new step  140  of receiving the transmitted patient support apparatus data from patient support apparatus  22   c . This transmitted data includes the patient support apparatus identifier  96 . Upon receiving this data at step  140 , controller  112  of stationary module  26  proceeds to modified step  120   a,  where it transmits—in addition to patient support apparatus identifier  96  and stationary module identifier  98 —the patient support apparatus data received at step  140 . These items—identifiers  96 ,  98 , and the patient support apparatus data—are transmitted at step  120  to wireless access point  46  via WiFi transceiver  88   b  on board stationary module  26 . The patient support apparatus data includes any of the data previously mentioned and described above with respect to algorithm  104 . 
     Server algorithm  110   a  includes the same steps as server algorithm  110  with the exception of a modified step  122   a  and the omission of step  134 . Step  122   a  differs from step  122  in that server  50  also receives at step  122   a  the patient support apparatus data from stationary module  26 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , this patient support apparatus data is received by server  50  at step  134  from patient support apparatus  22  itself in algorithm  104 . The patient support apparatus data therefore follows a different path to server  50  in algorithm  104   a  than it follows in algorithm  104 . 
     It will be understood that the transmission of patient support data at steps  128 ,  128   a  in both algorithms  104  and  104   a  may take place repetitively. That is, the transmitted data can occur repeatedly while the patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  is positioned at particular location. It is not necessary for another triggering event to occur at step  114  before such additional data is transmitted. Thus, for example, when any status data regarding patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c , or the patient associated therewith changes, additional data may be transmitted off of patient support apparatus  22 ,  22 a- c.    
     It will further be understood that the transmission of nurse call audio and alerts to nurse call system  76  at step  130  of algorithm  104   a  can occur in either of two ways—as described previously with respect to algorithm  104 —depending upon whether cable  82  is coupled between stationary module  26  and headwall connector  80  or between patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  and headwall connector  80 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the internal details of another modified location detection system  20   b . Those components of location detection system  20   b  that are the same as the components of location detection systems  20  and/or  20   a  are labeled herein with the same reference numbers as systems  20  and/or  20   a.  Those components of system  20   b  that have been modified in some fashion as compared to systems  20  and/or  20   a  have been labeled with the same reference number followed by the letter “a” or “b.” 
     Location detection system  20   b  differs from location detection systems  20  and  20   a  in that it includes a modified stationary module  26   c.  Stationary module  26   c  differs from stationary module  26  in that it does not include a headwall hardware interface  132 . Stationary module  26   c  therefore is not capable of receiving a nurse call cable  82 . As a result, stationary module  26   c  does forward any data received from patient support apparatus  22  onto headwall connector  80 . Any data or messages from patient support apparatus  22  that are destined to headwall connector  80  (and any of the downstream components, such as nurse call system  76 , nurses&#39; station  78 , and/or the entertainment controls  84 ) are transmitted from patient support apparatus  22  via cable  82 . All of the other components of stationary module  26   c  are the same as the components of stationary module  26 . 
     Location detection system  20   b  may follow either location algorithm  104  or location algorithm  104   a.  The only modification to these algorithms is that step  130  is carried out via the cable  82  running from patient support apparatus  22  to connector  80 , rather than wirelessly, as is an option for location detection systems  20  and  20   a.  This is because, as noted, stationary module  26   c  does not include structure for receiving a cable  82  and therefore all communication between patient support apparatus  22  and nurse call system  76  (or the entertainment controls  84 ) bypasses stationary module  26   c  via cable  82 . 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made to location detection systems  20 ,  20   a,  and  20   b.  For example, in one such modification, the data table or map that correlates the identifiers of each stationary module  26  (or  26   c ) within the healthcare facility is stored onboard each patient support apparatus  22 . In such modified embodiments, the step of associating a patient support apparatus  22  to a particular location—which is carried out in step  136  by server  50  in algorithms  104  and  104   a —is carried out by patient support apparatus  22  (or  22   a - c ). With such a modification, it is not necessary for patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c - to transmit its identifier  96  to wireless access point  46  or to server  50 . Instead, any data or messages that are to be communicated from patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  to wireless access point  46  and/or to server  50  are instead transmitted with the location of patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a.  In other words, instead of transmitting its identifier with each message, patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  transmits its location with each message. The transmitted location may be a room number, or it may be the combination of a room and a bed bay identifier within the room. In still other situations, stationary modules  26 ,  26   c  may be positioned at locations other than in rooms, and the transmitted location may take on other forms, such as “hallway X,” or “elevator Y,” or still other forms. 
     When server  50  receives the messages and data from the patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c , it uses the location information transmitted therewith to correlate the transmitted messages and/or data with the correct patient. That is, as noted previously, server  50  either contains, or has access to, a database that identifies patients according to their room number and/or bed bay number. By determining the patient from the transmitted location, server  50  is able to determine, for example, what electronic medical record to file certain the receiving information with and/or what caregiver is assigned to that patient, and/or still other information. 
     In any of the various embodiments described herein, radio modules  54  and  94  include transceivers that are able to transmit binary data packets at a rate of at least 10 kilobits per second with a delay of less than 100 milliseconds. Further, the modules include transceivers that are used to communicate audio signals and that have a bandwidth of at least 8 kilohertz and transmits the audio signals with less than 400 milliseconds of delay. Other bandwidths and delay thresholds can, of course, be used for either or both sets of transceivers. 
     In still other embodiments, stationary module  26  may be modified so as to communicate wirelessly with headwall connector  80 , instead of using cable  82 . Such wireless communication between stationary module  26  and headwall connector  80  is described in more detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/035,656 filed Aug. 11, 2014 by inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH WIRELESS HEADWALL COMMUNICATION, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     In still other embodiments, mobile wireless unit  24  is a unit that is physically separate from patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  but is adapted to be selectively plugged into and unplugged from patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  (such as, but not limited to, a dongle). For example, in one embodiment, mobile wireless unit  24  is plugged into the connector in headwall hardware interface  56  that is otherwise used to couple cable  82  between patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  and connector  80 . Thus, if a wireless connection to connector  80  is desired, mobile wireless unit  24  is plugged into headwall hardware interface  56  instead of a cable. This enables wireless communication between patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  and stationary module  26  without having to make any modifications to patient support apparatus. When so constructed, mobile wireless unit  24  can therefore be used to convert existing patient support apparatuses  22  that do not include wireless communication abilities into patient support apparatuses that are capable of wireless communication. Further, when so constructed, mobile wireless unit  24  communicates with main controller  60 , audio amplifier  62 , and mobile locator transceiver  58  via headwall hardware interface  56 , rather than directly (as it does in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     It will be understood that radio modules  54  and  94  can be modified to include a different number of transceivers than what is shown in  FIG. 2 , as well as one or more transceivers that use different wireless communication protocols from those shown in  FIG. 2 . It will also be understood that the use of the term “transceiver” herein is intended to cover not only devices that include a transmitter and receiver contained within a single unit, but also devices having a transmitter separate from a receiver, and/or any other devices that are capable of both transmitted and receiving signals or messages. 
     In at least one embodiment, in addition to sending signals received from mobile wireless unit  24  of patient support apparatus  22  to headwall connector  80 , stationary module  26  is also adapted to forward signals received from headwall connector  80  via cable  82  to mobile wireless unit  24  of patient support apparatus  22 . Stationary module  26  is therefore adapted, in at least one embodiment, to provide bidirectional communication between patient support apparatus  22  and headwall connector  80 . Such bidirectional communication includes, but is not limited to, communicating audio signals between a person supported on patient support apparatus  22  and a caregiver positioned remotely from patient support apparatus  22  (which is accomplished by stationary module  26  forwarding the audio signals of the person on patient support apparatus  22  to nurse call system  76 , and vice versa). 
     As was noted above with respect to algorithms  104  and  104   a,  patient support apparatuses  22 ,  22   a - c  are adapted to transmit patient support apparatus data in steps  128  and  128   a,  respectively. In algorithm  104 , this status data is transmitted to server  50  via WiFi transceiver  88   a  on-board the patient support apparatus, which forwards the data to a wireless access point  46 , which in turn forwards it to  50 . In algorithm  104   a,  this status data is first transmitted to stationary module  26  via Bluetooth transceiver  86   a , and stationary module  26  then transmits this data to server  50  via its own WiFi transceiver  88   b.  In at least some embodiments, patient support apparatuses  22 ,  22   a - c  are adapted to also transmit some or all of this status data to nurse call system  76 . In such embodiments, this data is transmitted to nurse call system  76  in one of two ways, depending upon whether cable  82  is coupled to patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - c  or to stationary module  26 . When cable  82  is coupled to the patient support apparatus, controller  52  sends this data, or a portion of it, to headwall hardware interface  56 , which then forwards the data via cable  82  to connector  80 , from which it then travels to nurse call system  76 . When cable  82  is coupled to stationary module  26 , controller  52  sends this data, or a portion of it, to radio module  54 , which then forwards it via Bluetooth transceiver  86   a  to stationary module  26 . Stationary module  26  then forwards it to its own headwall hardware interface  132  ( FIG. 2 ), which passes the data via cable  82  to connector  80  and nurse call system  76 . 
     In such embodiments, it can therefore be seen that at least some of the data transmitted at step  128  of algorithm  104  is sent off of the patient support apparatus  22 ,  22   a - b  via two different methods. One such method is the transmission of the data by way of headwall hardware interface  56 , cable  82 , and connector  80  to nurse call system  76  (or alternatively by way of Bluetooth transceiver  86   a,  stationary module  26 , headwall hardware interface  132 , and connector  80  to nurse call system  76 ). Another such method is the transmission of the data by way of WiFi transceiver  88   a  and wireless access point  46  to server  50 . 
     It can also be seen that at least some data transmitted at step  128   a  of algorithm  104   a  is sent off of the patient support apparatus  22   c  via two different methods, in at least some embodiments. One such method is the transmission of the data by way of headwall hardware interface  56 , cable  82 , and connector  80  to nurse call system  76 . Another such method is the transmission of the data by way of Bluetooth transceiver  86   a,  stationary module  26 , WiFi transceiver  88   b,  and wireless access point  46  to server  50 . 
     Still further, it can also be seen that, at least in some embodiments, patient support apparatuses  22 ,  22   a - c  are adapted to transmit the same data to two different locations. In such embodiments, some of the data is transmitted to nurse call system  76  and some of the same data is transmitted to server  50 . Still further, in some embodiments, the transmission of the data to these two different locations is accomplished via the patient support apparatus transmitting the data via different on board transceivers (e.g. Bluetooth transceiver  86   a,  WiFi transceiver  88   a,  and/or headwall hardware interface  56 ), while in other embodiments, the patient support apparatus  22  transmits the data only once to stationary module  26  and stationary module  26  splits the data for forwarding to both nurse call system  76  and to server  50 . 
     In the embodiment of location detection system  20  shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , stationary module  26  communicates the data and signals it receives from mobile wireless unit  24  to connector  80  by directing the incoming data and signals it receives to the appropriate pin or pins of headwall connector  80 . For example, when headwall connector  80  includes  37  sockets for coupling to a  37  pin plug, or vice versa, it is common for pin numbers  30  and  31  of connector  80  to be used for indicating a “priority alert,” which is often synonymous with an alert that is issued when a patient exits from patient support apparatus  22 . Further, depending upon the particular configuration that has been implemented at a particular healthcare facility, the connection between pin numbers  30  and  31  may be normally open or it may be normally closed. Regardless of whether it is normally open or normally closed, whenever stationary module  26  receives a message from mobile wireless unit  24  that a person has exited from patient support apparatus  22 , stationary module  26  changes the status of pins  30  and  31  such that they switch from whatever state they are normally in to their opposite state. Stationary module  26  therefore reacts to the exit message it receives from mobile wireless unit  24  by either opening or closing pins  30  and  31 . The nurse call system  76  that is communicatively coupled to headwall connector  80  interprets this opening or closing of pins  30  and  31  in the same manner as if a cable were coupled between patient support apparatus  22  and headwall connector  80 , such as by sending the appropriate signals to one or more nurse&#39;s stations, flashing a light outside the room of patient support apparatus  22 , forwarding a call to a mobile communication device carried by the caregiver assigned to the occupant of patient support apparatus  22 , and/or taking other steps, depending upon the specific configuration of the nurse call system. 
     In addition to sending data indicating that an occupant of patient support apparatus  22  has exited, or is about to exit, from support surface  28 , mobile wireless unit  24  is configured, in at least one embodiment, to wirelessly send to stationary module  26  at least the following additional messages: messages to turn on or off one or more room lights; messages to turn on or off one or more reading lights; messages to increase or decrease the volume of a nearby television set; messages to change a channel of the nearby television set; and messages containing audio packets generated from one or more microphones on the patient support apparatus  22  into which an occupant of patient support apparatus  22  speaks when desiring to communicate with a remote caregiver. 
     In other embodiments, mobile wireless unit  24  is configured to wirelessly send to stationary module  26  any one or more of the following messages, either in addition to or in lieu of any one or more of the messages previously mentioned: messages indicating the current status of one or more siderails  40  of patient support apparatus  22  (e.g. whether the side rails are up or down, or have changed position); messages indicating the current status of a brake on patient support apparatus  22 ; messages indicating the current status of the height of support surface  28  relative to base  32  (e.g. such as whether support surface  28  is at its lowest height or not); messages indicating the current angle of a head section of support surface  28  that is adapted to support a patient&#39;s torso and head; messages indicating the current status of exit detection system  70  (e.g. whether the exit detection system is armed or not); messages indicating the current charging status of one or more batteries on patient support apparatus  22 ; messages indicating the current status of an alternating current (A/C) power cable on patient support apparatus  22  (e.g. whether it is plugged in or not); diagnostic information about patient support apparatus  22 ; and/or any other messages containing information about patient support apparatus  22  which may be useful to communicate to a remote location. 
     In at least one embodiment, stationary module  26  is further configured to transmit information to headwall connector that does not originate from patient support apparatus  22 , but instead is generated internally within stationary module  26 . For example, in one embodiment, stationary module  26  is adapted to forward to headwall connector  80  an alert whenever the communication link between stationary module  26  and mobile wireless unit  24  is unintentionally lost. In other embodiments, stationary module generates any one or more of the following messages to be sent to mobile wireless unit  24 : the charge status of a battery  142  ( FIGS. 2, 8 ) contained within stationary module  26 ; acknowledgements of messages transmitted from mobile wireless unit  24  to stationary module  26 ; and messages used to establish, maintain, and disestablish the communication link between mobile wireless unit  24  and stationary module  26 . Still other types of signals that originate from within stationary module  26  may also be sent to headwall connector  80 . 
     When stationary module  26  is coupled via cable  82  to connector  80 , it is also adapted, in at least some embodiments, to forward the following messages to wireless unit  24  based on information it receives from headwall connector  80 : messages indicating the establishment and disestablishment of a nurse-call communication link (e.g. messages used for turning on and off a “nurse answer” light on patient support apparatus  22 ); and messages containing audio packets of a caregiver&#39;s voice (generated from a microphone into which the caregiver speaks and forwarded to the appropriate pins of connector  80 ). 
     It will be understood that, in those embodiments of location detection system  20  where patient support apparatus  22  communicates status data to stationary module  26 , such as during step  128   a  of algorithm  106   a  ( FIG. 7 ), patient support apparatus  22  can be configured to utilize the stationary module unique identifier  98  to ensure that patient support apparatus  22  does not communicate with an incorrect stationary module  26 . For example, with specific reference to  FIG. 5  where two stationary modules  26   a  and  26   b  are present in a single room  44 , the acknowledgement from stationary module  26   a  that first patient support apparatus  22   a  receives at step  126  will include the unique identifier  98  of stationary module  26   a . Patient support apparatus  22   a  uses this unique identifier  98  as an address in subsequent communications with stationary module  26   a,  such as during step  128   a.  The use of this unique identifier  98  ensures that, for example, if stationary module  26   b  inadvertently detects the transmission from patient support apparatus  22   a  to stationary module  26   a,  stationary module  26   b  will know that this message is not intended for it because it is addressed to stationary module  26   a.  The unique stationary identifiers can therefore be used to ensure that wireless messages between patient support apparatuses  22  and stationary modules  26  that use any of the longer range transceivers (e.g. not transceiver  100 ) are only acted upon by their intended recipients. 
     In some embodiments, when stationary module  26  are initially installed within a room of a healthcare facility, the unique identifiers  98  of the modules  26  are input into these modules  26 . The inputting of this data into each of modules  26  may take on a variety of different forms, such as by setting appropriate dip switches on each of module  26  that corresponds to their unique identifier  98 ; uploading the unique identifiers  98  via a USB port, or other type of electronic port, integrated into each stationary module  26 ; having each stationary module  26  connect to a server on a local area network using, for example, WiFi transceiver  88   b,  and downloading from the server the corresponding unique identifiers  98 ; or by other means. Regardless of the manner of inputting this information, each stationary module  26  is configured during set-up to have stored in its memory a unique identifier  98  that distinguishes itself from the unique identifiers  98  of the other stationary modules  26 . 
     Various additional alterations and changes beyond those already mentioned herein can be made to the above-described embodiments. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, and without limitation, any individual element(s) of the described embodiments may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such as those that might be currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development, recognize as an alternative. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.