Patent ID: 8102254

Claim:
A location detection system for a facility, comprising: a patient handling device having a support surface for supporting a patient and being mobile for positioning at a location in the facility; a locator fixed relative to said patient handling device for transmitting a unique location identifier corresponding to the location of said patient handling device; a processing station remote from said patient handling device and said locator for receiving said unique location identifier such that the location of said patient handling device can be determined and monitored remotely from said patient handling device; a communication device mounted to said patient handling device for receiving said unique location identifier from said locator; and a communication module mounted to said patient handling device and in communication with said communication device, said communication module having a unique ID for said patient handling device and transmitting said unique ID and said unique location identifier received by said communication device from said patient handling device to said processing station such that said patient handling device acts as a communication link between said locator and said processing station, and said processing station receiving said unique location identifier and said unique ID and correlating said unique location identifier with said unique ID and further correlating said unique ID of said patient handling device with a patient supported by said patient handling device wherein said processing station can track said patient and/ or said patient handling device, said communication device transmitting a request signal to said locator, and said locator including a receiver for receiving said request signal from said communication device.