Patent ID: 6998986

Claim:
An electronic patient monitor for use with a patient sensor, said patient sensor at least for detecting a presence or an absence of a patient, comprising: (a) monitor circuitry in electronic communication with said patient sensor, said monitor circuitry at least for monitoring the patient sensor and initiating an alarm in response to the patient's absence; (b) a manually activated reset/hold switch; (c) power control circuitry in electrical communication with said patient sensor, said reset/hold switch and said monitor circuitry, said power control circuitry at least for (i) supplying power to said monitor circuitry upon a detection of the patient on said patient sensor, (ii) continuing to supply power to said monitor circuitry operation of the monitor for so long as said detection of the patient on said sensor continues, and, (iii) terminating power to said monitor circuitry only after (1) said sensor detects the absence of the patient, and, (2) said reset/hold switch is manually activated; and, (d) a speaker in electronic communication with said monitor circuitry, said speaker at least for sounding an audible alarm under control of said monitor circuitry.