Patent ID: 7589634

Claim:
Apparatus for detecting an RFID tagged object in the body of a surgical patient situated on an operating table, the apparatus comprising: RF transducer means situated above the body of the surgical patient, said transducer means comprising means for generating a signal for energizing a RFID tag associated with an object situated within the body of the surgical patient to transmit an RF signal and antenna means for receiving said RF signal from said RFID tag energized by said energizing signal; a mattress pad situated under the body of the surgical patient; auxiliary antenna means located within said mattress pad remotely from said RF transducer means for receiving said RF signal from said RFID tag energized by said energizing signal; said transmitted RF signal; and signal processing means operably connected to said antenna RF signal receiving means and said auxiliary antenna means for determining when an RF signal from said RFID tag energized by said energizing signal has been received by either said antenna means or said auxiliary antenna means.