WO2018197023A1

WO2018197023A1 - Hygiene compliance indicator device

Info

Publication number: WO2018197023A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/074813
Authority: WO
Inventors: Håkan Lindström
Original assignee: Essity Hygiene And Health Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2017-04-27
Filing date: 2017-09-29
Publication date: 2018-11-01

Abstract

Determining a hygiene compliance indicator which indicates a usage of hygiene equipment by a user, said device being adapted to be carried by said user, by a device comprising a detection unit configured to receive signals; a notification unit adapted to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator; and a processing unit being configured to process information carried by a first received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment; process information carried by a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; determine said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and instruct said notification unit to convey said signal.

Description

HYGIENE COMPLIANCE INDICATOR DEVICE

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to determining a compliance indicator in the context of hygiene equipment, such as soap, disinfectant, and/or towel dispensers, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to determining a hygiene compliance indicator by means of a device that can be carried by a user, i.e. a person or individual who is supposed to use hygiene equipment at specific instances and/or according to applicable rules.

Background

Hygiene equipment is commonplace today in many facilities, such as hospitals, medical service centers, intensive care units, day clinics, nursing homes, private practices, lavatories, rest rooms, hotels, restaurants, cafes, food service places, schools, kindergartens, manufacturing sites, administration and office buildings, and, in general, places and facilities in which hygiene may be critical and /or that are accessible to the public or to a considerable number of individuals. The mentioned hygiene equipment thereby includes various types of individual devices and installations such as soap dispensers, dispensers for disinfectant solutions, gels or substances, towel dispensers, glove dispensers, tissue dispensers, hand dryers, sinks, radiation assisted disinfectant points, ultraviolet (UV) light, and the like.

Although such hygiene equipment is commonplace today in many places, the use thereof by the individuals visiting these places or working in these places is still oftentimes not satisfactory. For example, hospitals, and, in general, medical service centers often suffer from hygiene deficiencies, which, in turn, may lead to the spread of infections and related diseases. In particular, such insufficient hygiene amongst medical care personnel coming into close contact with patients and bodily fluids can lead to the spread of infectious diseases amongst the personnel and other patients. It is also known that infections by highly resistant bacteria pose a severe problem in such places, especially in hospitals. In general, so-called Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) are a real and tangible global problem in today's healthcare. HAI can be found to be currently the primary cause of death for 140.000 patients/year, affecting millions more and costs society in the range of billions of EUR/year.

At the same time, however, it is known that hygiene, and, in particular, hand hygiene, is an important factor as far as the spread of infectious diseases are concerned. Specifically, medical care personnel should make proper use of hand hygiene as often as possible so that the spread of bacteria and other disease causing substances is minimized. The actual usage of such hygiene equipment, however, may depend on - amongst others - the management of the facility, accessibility and usability of the equipment, culture, the cooperation and will exercised by the individuals working in these places or visiting such places, training of individuals, time pressure and possibly also other factors. In other words, an important factor remains the fact that individuals may not make use of installed and provided hygiene equipment although they are supposed to. Furthermore, it is generally accepted that an increased use of hygiene equipment can substantially contribute in reducing the spread of bacteria and the like, which, in turn, can drastically reduce the appearance of related infections and diseases.

For example, a corresponding relatively "low" compliance may indicate that the actual use of hygiene equipment is not satisfactory, whilst relatively "high" compliance may indicate that the actual use of hygiene equipment corresponds, within a given threshold, to some target usage, and, consequently, may be regarded as being satisfactory. A tangible figure for estimating the quality of hygiene compliance may be found in a so-called compliance metric that as such may provide many advantages, since it can give a concise picture to operators of the corresponding facility so that they may initiate measures for increasing the actual use of hygiene equipment.

Therefore, there are already ways of measuring and/or estimating such a compliance metric in the arts, wherein the conventional approaches usually rely on measuring and/or observe "manually" by a human observer so-called opportunities and comparing these obtained opportunities to a measured/detected/observed actual use of the hygiene equipment. In other words, the opportunities indicate any event when hygiene equipment should or could have been used. By then comparing this "should/could"-value to an actual usage value a compliance metric can be calculated, as e.g. a percentage value or a ratio.

In general, the opportunities can be well defined figures, since they may be associated to specific rules and/or recommendations. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the so-called "Five Moments Of Hand Hygiene" (cf. www.who.int/psc/tools/Five_moments/en/) including as explicit definitions for opportunities: 1. Before patient contact; 2. Before aseptic task; 3. After body fluid exposure risk; 4. After patient contact; and 5. After contact with patient surroundings.

Besides manually measuring opportunities and detecting the usage of hygiene equipment there exist also fully automated systems, where opportunities are detected by means of devices carried by an individual subject to hygiene compliance and associated equipment for detecting when a device moves into a given vicinity as, for example, taught by US 2013/0027199 Al . The latter may define a zone, for example around a patient's bed that requires the use of hygiene equipment before entering and/or after leaving the zone. For example, having not used hygiene equipment before entering a zone around a patient's bed may indicate non-compliance, whilst having used hygiene equipment before entering the zone and after leaving the zone may indicate compliance.

However, the conventional arts determine metrics on hygiene compliance by a more or less pronounced surveillance and tracking of individuals. Amongst others, the positions of known individuals are detected and corresponding information is compared to usage events at some kind of central entity, e.g. a server computer. This not only requires sophisticated equipment distributed over a facility, e.g. the entire premises of a hospital, for locating the devices carried by personnel, but also a central collecting of the involved data. Besides the cost and efforts involved for the sophisticated locating equipment and the central collection of in-field data, especially the latter may be problematic with regard to user acceptance and/or applicable regulations and laws. For example, the acceptance of devices by the individuals may be diminished because of - at least perceived - surveillance or data with sufficient precision on location of the individuals may not be obtained anyway due to applicable labor regulations and/or privacy protecting laws.

There is therefore a need for improved concepts of promoting the usage of hygiene equipment, preferably with less of any possibly perceived privacy infringements. Equally there is a need for improved equipment that determines a hygiene compliance and conveys corresponding information to the individuals who ultimately should be encouraged to use hygiene equipment . Summary

The mentioned problems and drawbacks are addressed by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a device configured to determine a hygiene compliance indicator which indicates a usage of hygiene equipment by a user, said device being adapted to be carried by said user, and said device comprising a detection unit configured to receive signals; a notification unit adapted to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator; and a processing unit being configured to process information carried by a first received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment; process information carried by a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; determine said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and instruct said notification unit to convey said signal.

According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a system for encouraging use of hygiene equipment by users, the system comprising a piece of hygiene equipment transmitting a signal for determining a usage of said hygiene equipment; a device transmitting a signal for determining an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; and a device according to one of the embodiments as described in conjunction with the present disclosure.

According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for locally determining a hygiene compliance indicator in a device adapted to be carried by a user, said indicator indicating a usage of hygiene equipment by said user, said method comprising the steps of processing, in the device, a first received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment; processing, in the device, a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; determining, in the device, said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and instructing a notification unit in the device to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the present invention, which are presented for better understanding the inventive concepts but which are not to be seen as limiting the invention, will now be described with reference to the figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a typical environment where the actual usage of hygiene equipment is subject to compliance;

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a deployment of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 3A to 3C show schematic views of a deployment of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4A shows a schematic view of a deployment of a piece of hygiene equipment as part of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4B shows a schematic view of a deployment of a opportunity device as part of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention ; Figures 5A to 5D show the determination of positional information for determining a usage or an opportunity according to respective embodiments of the present invention, and

Figure 6 shows a flowchart of a general method embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description

In general, the embodiments of the present invention provide that a compliance indicator or metric of the individual is calculated and possibly also presented on the device, which may be seen or perceived only by the individual. The information on the compliance may in a second stage be uploaded to a central entity (e.g. a server) possibly anonymously without any connection between the information on the compliance and the individual. In doing so, information on compliance can i) be displayed to the individual with the possible effect of influencing his/her behavior and, optionally, ii) uploaded to the central entity for anonymous, aggregated compliance analysis of e.g. the group while iii) maintaining personal integrity and allowing aggregated analysis. Certainly, also non-anonymously variants a likewise possible .

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a typical environment where the actual usage of hygiene equipment is subject to compliance, and where the individuals are usually encouraged to use the hygiene equipment at specific instances. As an example, there is shown as a facility an intensive care unit 400 with corresponding intensive care points: first and second patient stations 41, 42 and first and second patient care equipment 411, 421. As can be seen, the intensive care unit 400 may be occupied by one or two patients in the shown configuration, whilst the embodiments of the present invention may envisage also other intensive care units with any number of patients and personnel and/or other facilities as mentioned elsewhere in the present disclosure. Examples for other possible working environments include hospitals and medical service centers in general, day clinics, private practices, nursing homes, lavatories, rest rooms, hotels, restaurants, cafes, food service places, schools, kindergartens, manufacturing sites, administration and office buildings, and, in broad terms, places and facilities that are accessible to the public or to a considerable number of individuals.

The configuration shown in Figure 1 can acquire data indicating the usage of the hygiene equipment from equipment sensor arrangement provided for or in one or more of the individual pieces of hygiene equipment, such as a washing sink

11, a soap dispenser 12, and a first and a second disinfectant dispenser 13, 14. In this way, the system is able to receive usage data from these pieces of equipment 11 - 14 as possibly individual signals from each corresponding device/sensor. Likewise, opportunities can be detected by corresponding sensors including a vicinity sensor 21, a light barrier sensor 22 and a door passing sensor 23. As already mentioned earlier, the data on the usage and on the opportunities can be collected and processed for calculating a hygiene compliance metric or indicator, which, in turn, indicated to what degree the individuals (e.g. nurses, doctors, and caretakers) use the hygiene equipment at appropriate opportunities.

Normally, the data generated by the distributed equipment 11,

12, 13, 14, 21, 22, and 23 is retrieved by some kind of central data processing and storage entity (not shown, e.g. a server) , where the hygiene compliance metric is calculated. This, however, may imply that the information on the usage and information on the actual location of an individual is retrieved and collected. Such data acquisition may be perceived negatively by the individuals or may be even forbidden by labor regulation and privacy protecting laws. Eventually, such circumstances may result in a decreased acceptance of the system so that the ultimate goal of promoting the use of hygiene equipment by the individuals may be missed.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a deployment of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the deployment is explained again along an example of a hospital environment, which is seen from atop and comprises patient stations (beds) 41, 42, 43, and 44. An individual 1, e.g. a doctor, a nurse, a member of personnel, another patient or a visitor, can move freely in the ward 400 for fulfilling any given task(s) . The individual 1 carries a device 2 which is explained in greater detail in conjunction with the applicable embodiments of the present invention. For example, the individual 1 may be assumed to have visited the restroom/bathroom 401 and is now heading toward a patient lying in patient station 42.

A compliance rule may require that an individual 1 uses hygiene equipment (e.g. a soap dispenser 102) before leaving a restroom such as bathroom 401 having a shower, a toilet, and a hand wash basin. A "compliant" individual 1 may wash his/her hands and may use the soap dispenser 102. This piece of hygiene equipment 102 may be configured to detect the usage instance and send out a signal S that indicates use of the hygiene equipment. The signal S can be of any suitable type, frequency, protocol, standard, and format, including a pulse (burst) signal at specific frequency, an optical flash signal of any suitable color (including infrared, visible and ultraviolet) , a Bluetooth™, Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) , and the like. The device 2 has a detection unit configured to receive signals and a processing unit being configured to process information carried by a received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment. In this way, the device receives the signal S and can determine an instance of using hygiene equipment.

Likewise, a door passing sensor 203 may be configured to detect the leaving of the restroom 401 and send out a signal S' that indicates an opportunity of having used hygiene equipment. The device 2 has the detection unit and receives the signal S' and processes information carried by the received signal S' to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment. As far as the nature of signal S' is concerned the same examples as for signal S apply. The processing unit of the device 2 is further configured to determine a hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity and instruct a display element to convey a signal based on the determined indicator. In this example, the determined pair of a usage and an opportunity may correspond to a "good" compliance indicator, indicating the compliance to the respective rule.

Accordingly, the display element of the device 2 may convey compliance to the individual, e.g. by activating a green light signal, displaying a symbol (e.g. a smiley or an emoticon) , by vibrating in a specific manner, and/or by emitting an audible signal. The processing unit of the device may further also be configured to aggregate information on the obtained hygiene compliance and maintain in some way statistics for the individual. For example, this may be achieved by maintaining logs or aggregated figures that are updated from a start of a shift, or for some kind of predetermined time span incl . an hour, half a day, a day, a week, a month, etc. In this way a combination of two advantages are achieved. First, the - in this case - positive feedback can be conveyed immediately to the individual 1, who immediately receives the appreciation for his/her compliant behavior, and, secondly, all involved determinations are effected locally within the device 2 without any employment of data forwarding and/or central data processing and repository entities. To one end, the individual 1 can be sure that only his/her device is aware of the opportunity, the use, and the positive feedback. Naturally, the situation could also be the opposite that the hygiene compliance indicator needs to convey a "bad" compliance, but also in this situation the opportunity, the non-appropriate use, and the accordingly negative feedback would only be present locally in the device 2. In this situation, a permissible time period may be considered requiring that the use of hygiene equipment may not have taken arbitrarily long before a restroom is left. Generally, the indicator or feedback can be conveyed to the individual, an indicator and/or a related compliance metric can be displayed (e.g. on a display of the device), and/or information on the indicator or metric can be stored on the device for later upload to a server or central processing entity.

The individual 1 may then proceed toward patient station 420. A further compliance rule may require that individual 1 uses hygiene equipment (e.g. a disinfectant dispenser 101) before coming into contact with the patient at station 420. Here, the determination of the usage and the opportunity may be vicinity or location based. Specifically, the dispenser 101 may emit signals (e.g. optical and/or radio signals) that allow the device to determine that the individual 1 is likely to be in the vicinity of the dispenser so that a usage event can be assumed. This location based approach may employ the determination of a signal strength of a signal from the dispenser 101 and received at the device 2, a time-of-flight of a radio signal between the dispenser 101 and the device 2 and/or an angle-of-arrival of a signal from the dispenser 101 and received at the device 2. It is noted that these possible mechanisms are detailed in greater detail in the embodiments described in conjunction with Figures 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D. Further, the emission of the signal can also be configured to define a zone in which the signal can be received. In particular, an optical signal can be emitted in a way that it can only be detected in a well-defined vicinity that can be reliably associated with a usage event. This may employ means for guiding and/or confining the optical signals (mirrors, apertures, screens, etc.).

Similarly, an opportunity can also be determined based on a location relative to the target, in this case the patient station 420. Here, a beacon 201 is provided at the patient station which emits radio or optical signals for defining a zone 420 around the station 42. Specifically, the device 2 can receive one or more signals from the beacon, for example one from toward the left end of beacon 201 and one from toward the right end of beacon 201, and determine its location based on an angle of arrival of the radio signals. Again, also determination on the location can be made based on a signal strength or on a time of flight of a corresponding signal (e.g. employing ultra wide band (UWB) signaling, two way ranging (TWR) , and/or time difference of arrival (TDOA) ranging) . Further applicable technologies include ultrasonic ranging, radar/lidar ranging, and infrared, light barrier, inductive, and capacitive distance/proximity sensors. The determined location, possibly only in terms of a distance, may be compared against the zone 420, for example defined in terms of a constant distance (e.g. in the order of an arm length) around the station 42. When the device 2 moves into the zone 420, then an opportunity for a prior usage of hygiene equipment can be determined. If, however, individual 420 remains outside the zone 420, then no opportunity is determined in connection with the station 42.

Further, the device can be configured to employ the processing unit to use information indicating a positional relationship to, for example, a dispenser, for determining a usage of said hygiene equipment and/or an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment. Specifically, the mentioned ranging techniques can be used for defining a zone, e.g. of a given distance from a dispenser, where presence within the zone indicates usage and or an opportunity.

Specifically, a way for determining an opportunity and/or a usage can employ the transmission and/or sending of radio signals from different sources or toward different sinks as depicted in conjunction with the beacon device 204. Generally, a patient station (bed), a dispenser or any other object that has a vicinity (which indicates a usage event or an opportunity) can be equipped with a beacon arrangement, e.g. 204 of Figure 2, which can receive and/or transmit radio signals so as to act as a beacon and to define some zone or borderline that, in turn, defines the difference of determining a usage or not determining a usage, or, respectively, determining an opportunity or not determining a opportunity. This solution may have several advantages, including the freedom from any centrally managed systems to define local zones, and the fact that the associated zone or borderline moves with the object itself. As regards the latter, it is noted that a beacon affixed to a bed (as one form of an object) provides a moving zone/borderline in the event that the bed is moved. Of course, a beacon can also be affixed or associated to a patient as an "object" that then can define a moving zone/borderline for determining an opportunity .

A specific example may be the zone 410 shown in connection with bed 41 in Figure 2. There, the bed 41 has an associated beacon arrangement 204 that can be affixed to the bed itself or also arranged in the ward 400 at a position that usually accommodates a bed. In any way, the beacon arrangement 204 can emit radio signals that can be received by a device carried by an individual 1' that would relate to a corresponding position 2/1' . The device can then be configured to determine information on a distance or position relative to the bed. For example, the device can determine a time of flight (ToF) or an angle of arrival (AoA) from the individual radio signals emitted from the beacon arrangement 204. With this, the device can determine whether or not it moves into zone 410. For example, the shown position 2/1' is shown outside 410 so that the device may not determine an opportunity at this point. However, once the device detects a position or a distance that indicates a location 2/1' of the device inside zone 410, a corresponding opportunity can be determined. For example, a determination of a prior use of hygiene equipment may be considered in order to determine the hygiene compliance indicator. This would, for example, correspond to a rule that requires individuals to have used hygiene equipment before approaching a bed zone (patient) . A time period may be considered that could invalidate a usage when too much time elapses between using the hygiene equipment and visiting the patient. Applicable time spans may include 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or 1 minute. In a sense, the solution in connection with the patient station 41 can be identified as a high- precision solution, in which the exchanged radio signals may allow a relatively precise localization of the device 2, and, with this, a very reliable determination whether or not the user 1 has caused an opportunity to use hygiene equipment or not .

As far as a suitable beacon arrangement as such is concerned, it is noted that usually two or more signal sources may be employed to have the possibility for determining a location or a distance relative to some reference point, boundary or zone. The beacon arrangement may be arranged to emit radio signals in a predefined pattern or interval or may be in an inactive mode until the presence of a device is detected. Specifically, the device may also send beacon signals that, once within a mutual receiving range of the beacon arrangement, can be received and thus activate the beacon arrangement to emit its corresponding beacon signals. The latter may be synchronized or at least associated to each other (e.g. by means of respective payload data) so as to allow the device to employ two or more received signals for determining a location or a distance in a reliable manner. For example, in a ward there may be several patient stations with possibly a respective plurality of beacon arrangements. The device should be able to attribute more than one received signal to one bed in order to reliably determine a usage and/or an opportunity on the basis of corresponding zones or distances, originating possibly from neighboring beds. The mentioned payload may at the same time assist the location process by carrying information on an identification of the beacon arrangement, an association of several individual signals to one beacon arrangement (and with this to one zone), and/or information on transmission and/or reception timings.

Thus, in general, embodiments of the present invention can enable a fully local determination of positions or distances and a corresponding determination of usage events and/or opportunities in relation with a use of hygiene equipment - this without any involvement of central data processing entities. While allowing this fully local implementation of the hand hygiene indication to users, the device 2 may still make use of virtually defined and possibly also dynamic zones that imply a use or an opportunity to use hygiene equipment. At the same time, all involved information flow may remain strictly local in order to provide legal conformity or good acceptance and a perception of a good level privacy.

A similar implementation can be described also with the elements shown in Figure 2 and the patient zone 41. Specifically, an alternative may involve a consideration of a so-called angle of arrival of radio signals that arrive from the beacon arrangement 204 at a device. Likewise, this technology also allows the retrieval of positional or distance information so as to make a determination whether a device is inside or outside a zone, such as patient bed zone 410. Further implementation details are described in conjunction with Figure 4B. In general the beacon arrangement 204 can thus be described as an originator or a detector for more than one radio signal and/or line-of-flight of one radio signal. For example, the beacon arrangement can comprise at least two type beacons that may initiate ranging with the device, where a possible implementation may consider TWR by means of UWB . Likewise, the beacon arrangement can comprise an antenna array that stretches from one end to the other and is prepared to receive signals (e.g. BLE) from the device and determines its position by means of AoA.

Thus, in general, an embodiment of the present invention may consider a device that is configured to determine information on a distance and/or on an angle of arrival of more than one radio signals received from a beacon arrangement. Moreover, the radio signals may convey payload data to the device for defining a zone and/or one or more distances in relation to the sources of the radio signals. Further, the radio signals may convey payload data to the device for defining a type of zone in the sense that a zone, entering or leaving that zone, or being inside that zone may indicate an opportunity to use hygiene equipment or an actual use of hygiene equipment. Further such payload data may also be used to inform the device of a specific rule associated with a zone, so that the device can determine the hygiene compliance properly (e.g. a zone can be associated with a prescribed usage of a specific piece of hygiene equipment within a specific time) . In this way, the device can be operated fully independently from any remote data processing or storage entities and can thus fulfil the requirements with regard to compliance to privacy and/or user acceptance considerations.

Likewise, an embodiment of the present invention may consider a beacon arrangement that comprises two or more radio sources for emitting respective radio signals. This beacon arrangement may be adapted to be affixed to a bed or to any other object in the context of hygiene compliance detection (equipment, patients, instruments, pieces of hygiene equipment, dispensers, and the like) . The beacon arrangement may be arranged to convey as payload data on the radio signals information indicating a distance and/or a zone in relation to the position (s) of the radio source (s) . Furthermore, the beacon arrangement may be arranged to convey as payload data on the radio signals information indicating a type of event associated with the beacon arrangement. This event may include any one of an opportunity of using hygiene equipment and a usage of hygiene equipment.

In any way, a feedback sequence can now be employed as explained above for conveying information on the hygiene compliance indicator by means of the device's display element. A yet further rule may consider further zones 410, 430, associated zone beacons or light barriers 204, and or pieces of hygiene equipment 103. A general rule, for example, may be that any individual 1 needs to use a disinfectant dispenser 103 after entering the room 400, for example being determined as an opportunity by means of the passing sensor / light barrier 202. However, the common concept remains that any encouraging or educating feedback can be effected locally and immediately .

Yet further, a two-beacon arrangement may be considered for determining an opportunity and/or a usage as described, as an example, in conjunction with the two beacons 202-A and 202-B. The signals being emitted from the beacons 202-A, -B can be of any suitable type, frequency, protocol, standard, and format, including an optical signal (IR, Visible, or UV) , a pulse (burst) signal at specific frequency, a Bluetooth™, Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) , and the like, and can be configured to avoid "leaking" into the emission zone of their mutual neighbors. The device may be correspondingly configured to receive these radio or optical signals and to consider a sequence or order of two associated signals. Specifically, the device may determine a sequence of received signals from 202-B -> 202-A, which can be interpreted as entering ward 400 and thus be in relation to a determination of an opportunity to use hygiene equipment. Likewise, a sequence 202-A -> 202-B, which can be interpreted as leaving ward 400. A prolonged or repeated reception of a signal from beacon 202-B may be interpreted as a corridor passage and may thus be not associated with a specific event, i.e. one of an opportunity and a usage.

With the exemplary patient station 44 a further embodiment is described, where optical beacon devices 205 are mounted for example on the top of the bed on the ceiling. These beacon devices 205 emit a light cone so as to project circles or other shapes for defining a patient zone 440. A device carried by a user who enters the zone 440 can detect this optical signal (modulated or non-modulated visible, infrared or ultraviolet light) so as to determine an opportunity to use hygiene equipment before and/or after entering the zone 440.

In general, the first and second signals can be thus any one of an optical or radio signal, including suitable wavelengths, wavelength ranges, frequencies, frequency bands, modulations, protocols, and standards. However, the first and second signals can also be sound, ultrasound, infrasound or vibration signals, while the most important aspect remains that the device is or can be made aware of both an opportunity and a usage. As a consequence, various scenarios and possibilities are envisaged, in which for example an opportunity is determined based on high-precision radio signals, whereas a usage is determined by receiving an optical signal. It should be clear that any one or more combination ( s ) of such signal types are envisaged.

This flexibility allows for many solutions, where a solution may be preferred in which the device 2 is a smartphone (or DECT phone) which has processing resources to execute a software app . The device 2 may thus employ an optical sensor (e.g. camera or IR-sensor of the phone) to detect usage signals in an optical form, e.g. from a dispenser that emits a flash of light whenever used. An opportunity may also be determined by means of receiving optical signals and/or by employing the radio functionality that the device as a telephone certainly provides. In general and applying to the entire present disclosure, a signal can thus be a radio signal, a detection unit can be a radio unit, and/or a device can be a tag.

Figures 3A to 3C show schematic views of deployments of devices according to respective embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3A shows a schematic view of a device 2 from a functional point of view. Specifically, a device 2 is configured to determine a hygiene compliance indicator which indicates a usage of hygiene equipment by a user. The device 2 is generally adapted to be carried by the user and comprises a detection unit 213 that is configured to receive signals via a detector 215 (e.g. antenna, light/IR-detector, etc.), and a processing unit 211, and a notification unit 214. The device 2 may further comprise a memory unit 212 that may store code for instructing the processing unit 211 to implement any desired functionality. However, the configuration may well be integrated into the processing unit 211, so that no separate or individual memory unit 212 is necessary. The detection unit 213 may employ any suitable technology and protocols and preferred technologies include Bluetooth (TM) , WiFi, WLAN, WiMAX, UWB (Ultra wide band), Infrared, IrDA, and the like.

The processing unit 211 is generally configured, for example by means of respective programming, to process information carried by a first signal received via the detection unit 213 to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment and to process information carried by a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment. The processing unit 211 is further configured to determine said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity and to instruct said notification unit 214 to convey a corresponding signal to the user in accordance with the determined hygiene compliance indicator .

The determination of the hygiene compliance indicator may be effected by applying one or more rules and/or conditions to indicators of a determined usage of said hygiene equipment and of a determined opportunity in relation to the usage of the hygiene equipment. In general, an opportunity can be determined prior (in time) to determining a usage or vice versa. Specifically, a determined opportunity may require that a usage of hygiene equipment should follow in order to be compliant. For example, the entering of a patient's room may be determined as an opportunity which should be followed by a usage of hygiene equipment, e.g. within a predefined time. Likewise, the usage can also be determined prior to the opportunity: For example, the usage of hygiene equipment prior to entering a bed zone, which, as such, may be assumed as an indicator for contact with a patient, may be taken as compliant behavior.

Similarly, a determination of an opportunity (e.g. entering of a bed zone) without a prior usage determination will indicate non-compliance, just as the elapse of a time span after a determined opportunity (e.g. entering of a room) without an associated usage determined. In general, a determined usage or opportunity may be internally handled by the processing unit 211 as a data record carrying type and association information. For example the association information of an opportunity record can store information on an associated type of usage record, in the sense that one opportunity indicates one specific usage (e.g. leaving one zone requires the usage of a dispenser) . The association may reflect the hygiene rules to be implemented and to be observed and obeyed by the individuals. If a corresponding pair is determined within a corresponding time span the processing unit 211 may determine compliance and accordingly set the compliance indicator to a corresponding value, e.g. "1". Likewise, if no corresponding pair is determined within a time span the processing unit 211 may determine non-compliance and accordingly set the compliance indicator to a corresponding non-compliance value, e.g. "0". The processing unit 211 may alternatively or additionally store opportunities and usages as individual values in the memory unit 212.

The notification unit 214 is adapted to convey a signal to said user (individual) in accordance with the hygiene compliance indicator via the processing unit 211 instructing the unit 214 to convey such a signal. Generally, the signal can be any one of an optical signal, acoustic signal, vibrational signal, displayed information and content, audio, music, video, and the like. The notification unit may thus comprise any one of a display element (simple LED arrangement) , a display (LCD, LEDD, OLED, etc..) , a sound generator, a loudspeaker, a vibrator, etc. In general, the device 2 may store at least two patterns for generating two distinguishable signals, where one is intended to convey compliance to the user, and where the other one is intended to convey non-compliance. Examples include a green and red light, a positive and a negative emoticon (smiley) , a relatively cheerful melody and a relatively alarming melody, a first and a second vibrating pattern. It should be noted that any combination of several signal types is envisaged by corresponding embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 3B shows a schematic view of a device 2 ' in the form of compact electronic device. The device 2 ' will internally comprise all the necessary functional features as described above in conjunction with Figure 3A. In this embodiment, however, the notification unit at least comprises a display 214' which can be instructed to display a positive emoticon in case of determining compliance. A negative emoticon may be displayed for conveying a non-compliance to the user. This display may be accompanied by any acoustic and/or vibrational signal in order to make the user aware of the feedback also in situations where the device 2 ' is carried inside a pocket or not in the immediate visible range of the user (e.g. attached to a shirt) .

Figure 3C shows a schematic view of a device 2 " in the form of a smartphone or similar electronic device. The device 2 " will comprise all the necessary functional features as described above in conjunction with Figure 3A. In this embodiment, however, the notification unit at least comprises the device 214" which can be instructed to display any content for indicating compliance and non-compliance. It should be clear that the functionalities may be implemented by means of a program or application ("app") which instructs the device's resources as a form of radio unit, a notification unit, and a processing unit. Again, any display may be accompanied by any acoustic and/or vibrational signal in order to make the user aware of the feedback also in situations where the device is outside the immediate visible range for the user. Further, the device 2 " may comprise a detector 215" for an optical signal, e.g. in the form of an infrared detector. As far as an actual implementation of the device is concerned, any suitable device may be chosen, including mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, cordless phones, DECT phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) , tags, tablet computers, portable computers, notebooks, etc.

Figure 4A shows a schematic view of a deployment of a piece of hygiene equipment as part of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a piece 102' of hygiene equipment is shown in the form of a dispenser that is arranged to dispense an amount 100 of a consumable (e.g. soap, disinfectant, etc.) to a user. The dispenser 102' comprises an ejection mechanism with a lever 112 that can be actuated by the user so as to expel the soap, disinfectant or the like. Specifically, the ejection mechanism is arranged to dispense an amount of the consumable when a user actuates the lever and hence provides mechanical force of a pump or dosing mechanism. In the present embodiment, the user's action of actuating the lever is one form of a user operation or usage event that triggers the emission of a flash of light as an optical signal .

Specifically, the dispenser 102' according to this embodiment comprises a flash unit 122 that is arranged to emit a flash of light as an optical signal S in response to a user action, i.e. the actuation of lever 112. The unit 121 is shown as being arranged inside dispenser 102' but will, however, comprise at least means that allow light (i.e. optical signal) to penetrate to the closer surrounding of dispenser 102'. In any way, however, the flash unit 122 emits the optical signal S so that it can be detected by a device in the vicinity of the dispenser, preferably in the form of a device carried by the user. The device may then be provided with a detection unit having a light detector that can "receive" the optical signal (flash) S emitted by the dispenser 102'. Suitable components include in this embodiment a camera section, a photodiode, an infrared (IR) sensor, a luminosity sensor, and the like.

With regard to the interaction between the ejection mechanism and the flash unit several solutions may apply. First, the ejection mechanism may be purely mechanical, while the only electric components reside in the flash unit. Specifically, the ejection mechanism may be mechanically coupled to a switch that is electrically coupled to the flash unit. Whenever the ejection mechanism is activated, e.g. by activating the lever 112, the switch may provide an electrical signal. The flash unit may be configured so as to consider a delay before the flash is actually emitted. Further, the possibility that a user activates the lever several times (e.g. for expelling a greater amount of soap) may be considered in that the flash unit only emits a flash in some given time after activation by a (first) activation of the lever. However, the lever 112 (or a proximity sensor) may also activate an electric ejection mechanism in which a pump is arranged to eject an amount of the consumable 100. The dispenser 102' may comprise a power source in the form of a battery, solar cell, power adaptor and mains connection, RF power harvester, power over Ethernet, universal serial bus (USB) or the like. Further, the mechanical ejection mechanism may be coupled to a generator device that generates an electrical power pulse from the mechanical energy exerted onto the lever. This may employ means including magnets, inductive coils, piezoelectric elements and the like. As the flash may be short in time, all the available electrical energy may be used for intensity instead .

Figure 4B shows a schematic view of a deployment of an opportunity device as part of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, a device 23' is provided for allowing a device to determine an opportunity to use hygiene equipment. For this purpose, the device 23' comprises a signal emitter 230 that for example emits an optical signal S in, e.g., the form of an infrared light signal. This signal S can be detected by a device only in a limited area which is in turn associated with an opportunity to use a piece of hygiene equipment. The device 23' can be for example mounted close to an entry or door, where detection of the signal S may be associated with entering a room. This, in turn, may be indicative of an opportunity to now use hygiene equipment. The optical signal S may be modulated so as to carry information toward a device. The device may thus process this information carried by the signal S in order to specify a specific opportunity or related and applicable rule.

The device 23' can further be mounted on the ceiling atop a dispenser that is intended to be used every time an individual approaches it. Here, it may be assumed that the mere existence and installation of a piece of hygiene equipment - possibly at a particular location - implies an opportunity to use it. In this scenario the device 23' may be implemented also as part of the piece of hygiene equipment, or, a piece of hygiene equipment may not only emit a signal upon use, but may always (or in intervals, or based on a proximity sensor output) emit an opportunity signal. These both signals may be distinguishable (different modulation, color, frequency, and or carried payload information) so that a device can detect coming close to the dispenser and thus determine the opportunity, and an associated usage signal when the individual carrying the device has actually used the piece of hygiene equipment.

Figures 5A to 5D show the determination of positional information for determining a usage or an opportunity according to respective embodiments of the present invention. In the situation of Fig. 5A a position or distance is estimated on the basis of a power level of a radio signal, also referred to as received signal strength (RSS) . As shown, a source 31 (e.g. dispenser or generally any beacon device) emits a radio signal, the receivable power P of which decreases with distance d from the sender. A device 2 approaching the source 31 will be able to receive the signal and to determine some indicator indicating the power, such as for example a voltage level of the received signal. Further, the device 2 can be configured to compare a figure indicative of the power - or ultimately the distance - to some kind of threshold value, here in the example a reference power Pr. The device 2 can thus determine the entering of a vicinity 440, and, in turn, determine a usage and/or an opportunity. Alternatively or additionally, the device 2 can be configured to analyze the shape of the curve P (d) to find a threshold at certain characteristics of the curve such as a certain increase in slope etc.

In the situation of Fig. 5B a position or distance is estimated on the basis of an angle of arrival (AoA) . As shown, a device 32 (e.g. dispenser or generally any device) can emit at least two radio signals A and B from different locations, wherein both signals are receivable by device 2 approaching the device 32. In this way, the device can receive both signals A and B, which may be as such distinguishable in terms of frequency and/or payload content, and measure information indicating an angle aA and aB of arrival at device 2.

This can be effected, for example, by means of antenna array known as such in the arts. From such an array, time or phase differences of the same signal received at different points in the device 2 or different angles relative to the device 2 can be employed for compiling a position and/or a distance relative to the device 32 for determining whether or not a zone 441 has been entered and/or left. It is to be noted that also the device 2 could emit a signal that has two possible paths A and B to reach the device 32. In this case, the device 32 could determine AoA information and determine information i on the position and/or distance. This information i could be conveyed to the device by a separate radio signal. Thirdly, the signals A and B can be synchronized by in e.g. the frequency and/or time domain so that differences in the travel time between the two signals can be measured, thus allowing for the calculation of the position and/or distance of device 2 in relation to device 32.

Figure 5C shows a schematic view of a mechanism for ranging by employing a time-of-flight determination of radio signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 5C shows a schematic view of a general variant of so-called two way ranging (TWR) between a piece of hygiene equipment 33 (or generally a beacon or positioning device) and a device 2, when, for example, the device 33 acts as a beacon. It is thus assumed that the device 33 transmits beacon signals Sl-1, Sl-2, in regular or irregular intervals. At some given time, the device 2 comes into range and can receive the beacon signal Sl-3. The device 2 can obtain information on the timing when the signal Sl-3 was emitted (Tl) and received (T2) and obtain information on when a response signal S2 is transmitted (T3) toward and received

(T4) at the device 33. Optionally, a third signal S3 can be employed to convey all the required information and data to device 2.

A payload in the beacon signal SI may contain information on identifying the device 33, and this information may be encoded, together with relative or absolute information on the receiving/transmission timings, onto the payload of the response signal S2. The dispenser can thus obtain information on the timing when the signal S2 was received (T4) and obtain information on the timing when the signal Sl-3 was transmitted (Tl) . Together with the timing information contained in payload data of signal S2, the processing unit of the device 2 is able to determine the distance d between the device 33 and the device 2 by employing a calculation such as

[ (T4 - Tl) (T3 - T2) ]

d (1)

where c denotes the speed of light, the applicable propagation speed for radio signals. Further, the conveyed payload may also be employed to ensure that the signal S2 is in actual response to the beacon signal Sl-3. In addition to this, further signals may be employed for any one of improving accuracy, employing cancelling techniques or adding redundancy. In any way, the device 2 can compile at least a distance relative to the device 33 for determining whether or not a zone 442 has been entered and/or left. If one or more additional distance (s) to another or other device (s), or one or more additional distance to device 33 (e.g. with respect to a second and further antenna thereof) is obtained, multiple distances are available for also compiling information on a relative position in two or even three dimensions.

A similar ranging scheme can be employed where it is assumed that the device 2 transmits beacon signals Sl-1, Sl-2, in regular or irregular intervals. The ranging is carried out similar to the situation of Figure 5C, taking into account - at least indirectly - the timings Tl to T4. An additional signal may be employed if the distance determination is made at the site of the device 33 but information on the determined distance should be conveyed back to the device 2.

Figure 5D shows a schematic view of time difference of arrival (TDOA) scheme between more than one device and the device 2. Specifically, two pieces 34 and 35 of hygiene equipment represent beacon devices and transmit beacon signals Sll-1,... and, respectively, S12-1,... into some overlapping range. At some point in time, the device 2 is assumed to have received the two beacon signals Sll-2 and S12-1. Both devices 34 and 35 obtain information on timing when the signals Sll-1 and S12-1 are transmitted by their respectively coupled antennae. In this embodiment, the information on the timing can be identified as an instruction or synchronization signal employed for the plurality of devices 34 and 35 to transmit the signals Sll-1 and S12-1 at substantially the same time Tl.

In this way, the device 2 may determine different timings when the different signals are received. Namely, the signal Sll-2 can be assumed to be received at T2 at device 2, and the signal S12-1 can be assumed to be received at T3 at device 2. With this knowledge, the device 2 can initiate ranging calculations. Again, further signals may be employed for any one of improving accuracy, employing cancelling techniques or adding redundancy. In addition, any determined distance or difference may be conveyed via an optional signal S21 to any one of the involved devices. Similarly to the one described in conjunction with Figure 5D, the device 2 can be the originator of the beacon signal. Therefore, also the device 2 can be assumed to transmit the beacon signals at regular or irregular intervals. It may now be assumed that device 34 receives a particular signal at time T2, whereas device 35 receives this particular signal at time T3. Again, the payload carried by the signal may be employed for facilitating identification and association of any received signals. The devices can obtain information on the receiving times T2 and T3 and can decode any payload to accomplish the mentioned association, so as to determine a time difference of arrival of one signal at different locations. This information may be fed back to the device 2.

As for further possible ways of initiating the sequence, it is noted that the configuration shown in the Figure 5A to 5D can be modified so that a device, including device 2, is passive and listening' until another device sends out a signal to initiate the process (ranging) . When, for example, a device 2 comes into reach and receives this ^xping' request, it can proceed with any one of applicable ranging schemes.

Figure 6 shows a flowchart of a general method embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, this embodiment provides a method of determining a hygiene compliance indicator locally in a device adapted to be carried by a user, said indicator indicating a usage of hygiene equipment by said user. This method comprises a step (S100) of processing, in the device, a first received radio signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment; a step (S200) of processing, in the device, a second received radio signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; a step (S300) of determining, in the device, said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and a step (S400) of instructing a notification unit in the device to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator. It is noted that in general the mentioned notification can be either, both or combinations of a so-called "direct" feedback, where the feedback relates to the compliance, i.e. appropriate use, for the most recent opportunity, and/or aggregated compliance for a number of selected opportunities, e.g. opportunities within the last hour, all opportunities the present shift, or the like.

Although detailed embodiments have been described, these only serve to provide a better understanding of the invention defined by the independent claims and are not to be seen as limiting .

Claims

Claims :

1. A device configured to determine a hygiene compliance indicator which indicates a usage of hygiene equipment by a user, said device being adapted to be carried by said user, and said device comprising: a detection unit configured to receive signals;

a notification unit adapted to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator; and

a processing unit being configured to process information carried by a first received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment ;

process information carried by a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment;

determine said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and instruct said notification unit to convey said signal .

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive a first radio signal, and wherein said processing unit is configured to process information carried by a received first radio signal to determine the usage of said hygiene equipment.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive a second radio signal, and wherein said processing unit is configured to process information carried by a received second radio signal to determine the opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive a first optical signal, and wherein said processing unit is configured to process information carried by a received first optical signal to determine the usage of said hygiene equipment.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive the first optical signal from a piece of the hygiene equipment.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive a second optical signal, and wherein said processing unit is configured to process information carried by a received second optical signal to determine the opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment.

7. The device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive an infrared light signal, and, preferably, the detection unit and the processing unit are configured to receive a modulated optical signal and to extract information carried by the optical signal on the basis of the modulation.

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the processing unit is configured to process the first and/or second received signal for determining information indicating a positional relationship.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to process information on a received signal strength, on a time of flight, and/or on an angle of arrival for determining information indicating a positional relationship.

10. The device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the processing unit is configured to use the information indicating a positional relationship for determining a usage of said hygiene equipment and/or an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to process information obtained from two or more radio signals originating from a beacon arrangement for determining said positional relationship.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the processing unit is configured to process information on a distance and/or a zone received as payload data from one of the two or more radio signals for determining an opportunity and/or a usage.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the processing unit is configured to process information on a type of event received as payload data from a radio signal, said type of event including an opportunity and/or a usage.

14. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the processing unit is configured to process data records comprising information on a type of usage and/or opportunity and information on an association to another record for determining said hygiene compliance indicator.

15. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the processing unit is configured to consider a time between a determination of a usage and a determination of an opportunity for determining said hygiene compliance indicator.

16. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the processing unit is configured to store information on several hygiene compliance indicators, each indicator relating to at least one determined usage and one determined opportunity.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to instruct said notification unit to convey said signal based on an aggregated hygiene compliance indicator calculated from said information on several hygiene compliance indicators.

18. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein said detection unit is also configured to transmit radio signals, and wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a message based on information on at least one of said hygiene compliance indicators, and to instruct said radio unit to transmit said message by means of radio signals.

19. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the notification unit comprises any one of a display element, an LED, an LED arrangement, a display, an LCD, an LED display, an OLED display, a sound generator, a loudspeaker, and a vibrator.

20. A system for encouraging use of hygiene equipment by users, the system comprising: a piece of hygiene equipment transmitting a signal for determining a usage of said hygiene equipment; a device transmitting a signal for determining an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment; and

a device according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the piece of hygiene equipment is any one of a soap dispenser, a towel dispenser, a disinfectant dispenser, an alcogel dispenser, a tissue dispenser, a hygiene article dispenser, a waste bin, a used towel bin, and a toilet paper dispenser.

22. The system according to claim 20 or 21, wherein said device transmitting the radio signal is arranged for defining a zone, said zone defining an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment.

23. A method of determining a hygiene compliance indicator locally in a device adapted to be carried by a user, said indicator indicating a usage of hygiene equipment by said user, said method comprising the steps of: processing, in the device, a first received signal to determine a usage of said hygiene equipment; processing, in the device, a second received signal to determine an opportunity in relation to a usage of said hygiene equipment;

determining, in the device, said hygiene compliance indicator based on said determined usage and opportunity; and

instructing a notification unit in the device to convey a signal to said user in accordance with said hygiene compliance indicator.