US 6,982,639 B2
Wireless subject locator
C. Cameron Brackett, Naperville, Ill. (US); Steven L. Fors, Chicago, Ill. (US); and Mark M. Morita, Arlington Heights, Ill. (US)
Assigned to GE Medical Systems Information Technologies, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. (US)
Filed on Nov. 26, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/304,568.
Prior Publication US 2004/0100377 A1, May 27, 2004
Int. Cl. H04Q 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 340—539.13 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for tracking one or more caregivers in a health care facility, each caregiver having at least one identification device with a unique signal identifier, the system comprising:
a wireless proximity detector capable of detecting a signal identifier positioned in the health care facility;
a monitoring unit that monitors the proximity detector by monitoring which signal identifier has been detected by the proximity detector, the monitoring unit generating a data signal representative of which signal identifier has been detected by the proximity detector; and
a data output unit separately coupled to and receiving the data signal from the monitoring unit, the data output unit configured to generate and display real-time location data based upon the data signal;
wherein the proximity detector further detects a real-time non-location signal from a signal device;
wherein non-location data is displayed along with the location data; and
wherein the non-location data is selected from a group consisting of calendar information and availability information.