JP2010200021A - Nurse call system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To configure a nurse call system which achieves communication between a nurse call master unit and mobile master unit by using a simply configured IP exchange without network control function. <P>SOLUTION: A master unit IP transmitting and receiving circuit 25 and mobile master unit IP transmitting and receiving circuit 34 for carrying out IP communication therebetween are arranged in the nurse call master unit 2 and mobile master unit 3. A master unit CPU 27 for carrying out notification control of a call from the nurse call slave unit 1 to the mobile master unit 3 and a command conversion circuit 24 for carrying out the IP communication between the nurse call slave unit 1 and mobile master unit 3 are arranged in the nurse call master unit 2. Also, an IP exchange 6 for controlling the communication between the nurse call master unit 2 and mobile master unit 3 is connected to the nurse call master unit 2 through LAN. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a nurse call system, and more particularly to a nurse call system suitable for a small hospital with a small number of beds.

A nurse call system that allows a nurse to carry a portable parent machine and respond when a call is made from a patient without being at the nurse station has become widespread. In such a conventional nurse call system, a centralized control exchange is arranged between a nurse call parent device installed in a nurse station and a portable parent device carried by a nurse, thereby enabling communication between the two. .
For example, in the exchange used in the nurse call device described in Patent Document 1, when the terminal number and the call type of the portable master are transmitted from the nurse call master (or nurse call slave), the exchange is Recognizing that it is a signal from the nurse call master unit, the terminal number is specified and a call is made. In order to realize such a communication sequence smoothly, the exchange employs an input / output terminal equipped with a network control function capable of inputting / outputting a large amount of data for communication with the nurse call master unit. . For this reason, it has become a relatively large exchange such as a mobile phone relay station, which has been a factor in increasing costs.

JP 2002-247218 A

However, some hospitals that require a nurse call system that can use a portable master unit have small hospitals with a small number of beds. In such hospitals, a system that uses an existing switchboard introduces high costs. It was difficult.
Therefore, in view of such problems, the present invention constructs a nurse call system that enables communication between a nurse call parent device and a portable parent device by using an IP exchange having a simple configuration without a network control function. For the purpose.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention of claim 1 is characterized in that a nurse call child device for a patient in a hospital room to call a nurse and a nurse responding to a call from the nurse call child device installed in the nurse station. In the nurse call system having a nurse call master device for performing a call and a portable master device that can be carried by a nurse and responding to calls from the nurse call slave device, both the nurse call master device and the portable master device are And a call control means for notifying the portable master unit of a call from the nurse call slave unit, and the nurse call slave unit and the portable master unit. And a command conversion circuit for enabling IP communication with the mobile phone, and an IP exchange for controlling communication with the portable base unit is connected to the nurse call base unit via a LAN. Control means transmits the call from the nurse call handset to a portable base unit via the IP switch, also nurse call base unit, characterized in that to the calling operation.
According to this configuration, since the call from the nurse call slave unit can be notified to the portable master unit by IP communication, an IP switch having a simple configuration close to the wireless router can be used. Therefore, it can be configured at a lower cost than a system using a conventional exchange that performs network control. In particular, in the case of a small hospital with a small number of beds, a smooth operation comparable to that of using a conventional exchange can be realized at a low cost.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the first aspect, the camera is provided with a camera that images the inside of the hospital, and the nurse call parent device and the portable parent device are each provided with a monitor that displays a captured image of the camera. When the master unit receives a call from the nurse call slave unit, it obtains a video signal from the camera and displays it on the monitor of the nurse call master unit, and a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP switcher from the camera. And a video signal conversion unit that converts the video signal into a packet signal in accordance with the transmission of the call signal.
According to this configuration, since the patient image can be confirmed and responded to the call from the patient, the nurse can accurately grasp the patient's situation.

  According to the present invention, since the call from the nurse call slave unit can be notified to the portable base unit by IP communication, an IP switch having a simple configuration close to the wireless router can be used. Therefore, it can be configured at a lower cost than a system using a conventional exchange for performing network control. In particular, in the case of a small hospital with a small number of beds, a smooth operation comparable to that of using a conventional exchange can be realized at a low cost.

It is a schematic structure figure showing an example of a nurse call system concerning the present invention. It is the block diagram which showed the principal part of FIG. 1 with the block diagram.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a nurse call system according to the present invention. 1 is a nurse call slave set installed for each bed so that a patient in a hospital calls a nurse, and 2 is installed in a nurse station. The nurse call master unit 3 for the nurse to respond to the call from the nurse call slave unit 1, 3 is a portable master unit that can be carried by the nurse and respond to the call from the nurse call slave unit 1, 4 Corridor lamp for displaying call from patient in front of patient room, 5 is a camera installed in each patient room to image the patient room, and 6 is a portable master unit for calling from nurse call slave unit 1 by IP (Internet Protocol) communication 3 is a wireless transceiver for communicating with the portable parent device 3 by wireless communication. Note that the number of installed wireless transceivers 7 is determined according to the size of the hospital, and at least one wireless transmitter / receiver 7 is installed.

  The nurse call cordless handset 1 is connected to the corridor lamp 4 via the cordless handset transmission line L1 for each hospital room, and the corridor lamp 4 is connected to the nurse call master set 2 via the corridor lamp transmission line L2. The camera 5 is a WEB camera that sends out a digital video signal, and is connected to the nurse call parent device 2 via the LAN cable L3. Further, the nurse call master unit 2 and the IP exchange 6, and the IP exchange 6 and the wireless transceiver 7 are connected by LAN cables L4 and L5, respectively.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main part of FIG. 1 in a block diagram. As shown in FIG. 2, the nurse call handset 1 has a call button 11 for calling a nurse and a call with the nurse who has responded. For example, a slave unit acoustic unit 12 and a slave unit interface (slave unit IF) 13 for communicating with the corridor lamp 4 are provided.

  The nurse call base unit 2 includes a base unit monitor 21 that displays a captured image of the camera 5, a call button 22 for responding to a call from the nurse call handset 1, and a patient who makes a call and reports a call. This is an interface for communicating with the main unit acoustic unit 23 for making a call, a command conversion circuit 24 for converting a call signal, a voice signal, and a video signal into a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP switch 6, and the IP switch 6. Storage unit 26 for storing parent device IP transmission / reception circuit 25, relationship between nurse call child device 1 and portable parent device 3, and relationship between nurse call child device 1 and camera 5, and parent device CPU 27 for controlling nurse call parent device 2 The parent device interface (parent device IF) 28 for communicating with the nurse call slave device 1 and the camera 5 converts the video signal into a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP switch 6. And a video signal converter 29 or the like that.

  Specifically, the storage unit 26 stores a table in which the nurse call slave unit 1 is associated with the portable master unit 3 so that the nurse who is in charge of the nurse call operation is notified of the call. A table in which the nurse call slave unit 1 and the camera 5 are associated with each other is stored so that the patient who operates the nurse call slave unit 1 is imaged.

  The portable parent device 3 includes a portable parent device monitor 31 that displays an image captured by the camera 5, a call button 32 for responding to a call, and a portable parent device sound unit for reporting a call and making a call. 33, a portable parent device IP transmission / reception circuit 34 that is an interface for performing IP communication with the wireless transceiver 7, a portable parent device CPU 35 that controls the portable parent device 3, and the like.

  The IP exchange 6 includes a first extension input / output circuit 61 for communicating with the nurse call master unit 2, a second extension input / output circuit 62 for communicating with the wireless transceiver 7, an exchange CPU 63 for controlling the IP exchange, and the like. ing.

In the nurse call system configured as described above, calling from the nurse call handset 1 and calling are performed as follows.
When the call button 11 of the nurse call slave unit 1 is pressed, a call signal is transmitted from the slave unit IF 13 to the nurse call master unit 2 via the corridor lamp 4. The call signal transmitted to the nurse call parent device 2 is recognized by the parent device CPU 27 via the parent device IF 28, and the parent device CPU 27 reports the ringing sound from the parent device acoustic unit 23.

  Further, based on the nurse call slave device identification information included in the call signal, the master device CPU 27 reads out information on the portable master device 3 associated with the nurse call slave device 1 from the storage unit 26, and associates the associated mobile phone. A call signal for calling the type parent device 3 is generated and transmitted. The calling signal to the portable base unit 3 is converted into a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP exchange 6 by the command conversion circuit 24 and sent out through the base unit IP transmission / reception circuit 25. The command conversion circuit 24 converts the call signal into a signal that can be recognized by the IP exchange 6, that is, a format as if it was transmitted from the portable base unit 3, and converts the converted call signal from the base unit IP transmission / reception circuit 25 to the IP switch. 6 to send.

  On the other hand, the master CPU 27 reads out and identifies the camera 5 associated with the caller's nurse call slave 1 from the storage unit 26 and sends a video request signal to the corresponding camera 5. When a captured video is obtained from the camera 5 that has started imaging in response to this signal, it is displayed on the master monitor 21. Further, the video signal obtained from the camera 5 is converted into a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP exchange 6 by the video signal conversion unit 29 in the same manner as the calling signal, and is transmitted via the command conversion circuit 24 and the parent device IP transmission / reception circuit 25. It is sent to the IP exchange 6.

  The IP exchange 6 to which the call signal has been transmitted is recognized by the exchange CPU 63 via the first extension input / output circuit 61. When the exchange CPU 63 recognizes that the call signal is a call signal, it transmits the call signal from the second extension input / output circuit 62 to the wireless transceiver 7, and the call signal is transmitted from the wireless transceiver 7 to the portable base unit 3. The

  The calling signal transmitted from the wireless transmitter / receiver 7 is received by the portable parent device IP transmission / reception circuit 34 of the portable parent device 3 and recognized by the portable parent device CPU 35. Recognizing the call signal, the portable parent device CPU 35 recognizes that it is called from the call signal and causes the portable parent device sound unit 33 to report a ringing sound.

In this way, a call is made between the nurse call parent device 2 and the portable parent device 3, and a communication path is formed with the nurse call child device 1 when the response operation is performed first.
When the call button 22 of the nurse call parent device 2 is pressed first, the parent device CPU 27 is connected between the parent device acoustic unit 23 of the nurse call parent device 2 and the child device acoustic unit 12 of the nurse call child 1 that has been called. Thus, two-way communication is possible between the nurse call slave unit 1 and the nurse call master unit 2. In this way, the nurse can talk with the patient while confirming the patient image already displayed on the patient on the master monitor 21. Note that, when a response operation is performed from the nurse call parent device 2, the transmission of the calling signal to the portable parent device 3 is terminated.

When the call button 32 of the portable parent device 3 is pressed first, the portable parent device CPU 35 transmits a response signal from the portable parent device IP transmission / reception circuit 34 to the IP exchange 6 via the wireless transceiver 7. To do. When the exchange CPU 63 receives this response signal via the second extension input / output circuit 62, the IP exchange 6 transmits a speech path formation signal from the first extension input / output circuit 61 to the nurse call master unit 2.
When a call path formation signal is transmitted from the IP exchange 6, the nurse call parent device 2 is converted into a signal of a predetermined format that can be recognized by the parent CPU 27 by the command conversion circuit 24. When the master CPU 27 recognizes this signal, the communication path with the nurse call slave device 1 is formed and controlled, and a speech path is formed between the portable master device 3 and the nurse call slave device 1. Also, the ringing tone reporting sound at the nurse call master unit 2 is terminated.

  On the other hand, the exchange CPU 63 that has received the response signal from the portable parent device 3 transmits the video signal received from the nurse call parent device 2 to the portable parent device 3. The portable parent device 3 that has received this video signal decodes the packet signal under the control of the portable parent device CPU 35 and displays it on the portable parent device monitor 31. As a result, even when the portable base unit 3 responds first, the patient video can be confirmed in accordance with the call.

As described above, since the call from the nurse call slave can be notified to the portable base unit by IP communication, an IP switch having a simple configuration close to the wireless router can be used. Therefore, it can be configured at a lower cost than a system using a conventional exchange that performs network control. In particular, in the case of a small hospital with a small number of beds, a smooth operation comparable to that of using a conventional exchange can be realized at a low cost.
In addition, since the patient image can be confirmed and responded to the call from the patient, the nurse can accurately grasp the patient's situation.

In the above-described embodiment, the portable parent device 3 associated with the nurse call child device 1 that has been operated for calling is selected from a plurality of portable parent devices 3, and calling is performed. When the number of parent devices 3 is small, the call from the nurse call child device 1 may be notified to all portable parent devices 3. In that case, it is not necessary to store the relationship between the nurse call slave unit 1 and the portable master unit 3 in the storage unit 26.
Moreover, although the picked-up image of the camera 5 displayed on the portable parent device 3 is after the response operation, it may be displayed in accordance with the ringing sound.

  1 ・ ・ Nurse call slave unit 2 ・ ・ Nurse call master unit 3 ・ ・ Portable base unit 5 ・ ・ Camera, 6 ・ ・ IP switch, 7 ・ ・ Radio transceiver, 21 ・ ・ Monitor of master unit, 24 ..Command conversion circuit, 25..Master IP transmission / reception circuit (IP transmission / reception means), 27..Master CPU (call control means, video control section), 29..Video signal conversion section, 31..Portable parent Machine monitor, 34 .. Portable base unit IP transmission / reception circuit (IP transmission / reception means).

Claims (2)

A nurse call handset for a patient in the hospital to call the nurse, a nurse call base set installed in the nurse station for the nurse to respond to the call from the nurse call handset, and a nurse. In a nurse call system having a portable master unit that can respond to calls from a nurse call slave unit,
The nurse call parent device and the portable parent device have IP transmission / reception means for enabling IP communication between them, and the nurse call parent device calls a call from the nurse call child device. And a command conversion circuit for enabling IP communication between the nurse call slave unit and the portable master unit,
Further, an IP exchange that controls communication with the portable master unit is connected to the nurse call master unit via a LAN,
The call control means transmits a call from the nurse call slave unit to the portable master unit via the IP exchange, and also causes the nurse call master unit to perform a call operation. Provided with a camera for imaging a hospital room, the nurse call parent device and the portable parent device each have a monitor for displaying a captured image of the camera,
The nurse call master unit, when receiving a call from the nurse call slave unit, obtains a video signal from the camera and displays the video signal on the monitor of the nurse call master unit; A video signal converter that converts the packet signal into a packet signal that can be transmitted by the IP switch;
2. The nurse call system according to claim 1, wherein the call control means also transmits a video signal converted into a packet signal in accordance with transmission of the call signal to the portable master unit.

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