The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 22, 2011
Joseph D. Farley, Warwick, MA (US);
Heinrich Zettler, Munich, DE;
Werner Schuhmann, Munich, DE;
Tyco Fire & Security GmbH, Neuhausen am Rheinfall, CH;
Total Walther GmbH, Feuerschutz und Sicherheit, Cologne, DE;
Abstract
A system and method for providing backup communications over an Ethernet cable are disclosed. A backup communication system (BCS) is provided as part of a networked (TCP/IP) hospital communication system. The BCS is coupled to an Ethernet cable used for normal TCP/IP communications. When TCP/IP communications are interrupted, the BCS receives patient call signals from patient room terminals over a secondary communication mode of the Ethernet cable, and transmits those call signals to a nurses' station. The call signals are transmitted as voltage coded data such as voltage pulses or static levels. The voltage can include call information. 10V can represent a normal patient call, 15V can represent a patient emergency call, and 24V can represent a code call. Information can be relayed back to the room terminals using the same signaling technique. Thus, basic communications can be achieved when TCP/IP communications are unavailable. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.