Patents by Inventor Benjamin E. Howell

Benjamin E. Howell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150082295
    Abstract: A hospital bed is programmable with new firmware that is downloaded to the bed over a network. The firmware is downloaded to the bed automatically from a remote computer device. The remote computer device receives a message from the hospital bed which includes data regarding the version number of the bed's current firmware, and if the version number indicates that the firmware is an outdated version, the remote computer device downloads a new version of the firmware to the bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, JR., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Patent number: 8917166
    Abstract: A hospital bed has a bed frame and communication circuitry operable to transmit bed status data to a network of a healthcare facility and to receive messages from the network. The messages include information indicating whether bed status conditions are being monitored by a remote computer of the network for generation of alert messages to at least one caregiver in response to alert conditions being indicated by the bed status data. The bed has at least one user input that is used locally at the bed to enable and suspend monitoring of the bed status conditions by the remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, Jr., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Publication number: 20140297327
    Abstract: A care system includes a mobile communication device, a remote server, and a patient support system in communication with either or both of the mobile communication device and the remote server. The mobile communication device operates as a user interface for the patient support system. The remote server provides computing power for the patient support system for resource intensive computing tasks. A system for use in a healthcare facility includes patient care devices located in a patient room. The system also includes an application server located remotely from the patient room. The application server stores application software associated with each patient care device. The system further includes a universal caregiver interface situated in the patient room and in communication with the application server. The universal caregiver interface receives application software from the application server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Heil, Eric D. Agdeppa, Steven A. Dixon, Charles A. Howell, Thomas M. Gillis, Benjamin E. Howell, Christian Saucier, Kelli F. Rempel, Keith A. Huster, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Andrew S. Robinson, Mary Butler, Bryan J. Bello, Michael S. Hood
  • Publication number: 20140091913
    Abstract: A hospital bed has a bed frame and communication circuitry operable to transmit bed status data to a network of a healthcare facility and to receive messages from the network. The messages include information indicating whether bed status conditions are being monitored by a remote computer of the network for generation of alert messages to at least one caregiver in response to alert conditions being indicated by the bed status data. The bed has at least one user input that is used locally at the bed to enable and suspend monitoring of the bed status conditions by the remote computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, JR., James M. Allwn, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Publication number: 20140020175
    Abstract: A monitoring system comprises a lift assembly configured to lift a patient; a control system configured to control operation of the lift system; and a reporting system in communication with the control system and configured to receive operational information for the lift assembly. The reporting system compares the operational information to a predetermined set of values to determine if the operation of the lift is in compliance with the protocols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Steven A. Dixon, Nelda R. Johnson, Benjamin E. Howell, William Brian Bishop, Christian Saucier, David M. Girardeau, Joshua W. Shenk, Kelli F. Rempel, Richard J. Schuman, Whitney Pesot, Erik Roehl, Elin Dovervik, David Lundberg, Hanna Youngstrom, Catherine Ringbjer, Ronnie Arespong, Lars Eklof
  • Patent number: 8604917
    Abstract: A hospital bed has a bed frame and communication circuitry operable to transmit bed status data to a network of a healthcare facility and to receive messages from the network. The messages include information indicating whether bed status conditions are being monitored by a remote computer of the network for generation of alert messages to at least one caregiver in response to alert conditions being indicated by the bed status data. The bed has at least one user input that is used locally at the bed to enable and suspend monitoring of the bed status conditions by the remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Publication number: 20130021143
    Abstract: A hospital bed has a bed frame and communication circuitry operable to transmit bed status data to a network of a healthcare facility and to receive messages from the network. The messages include information indicating whether bed status conditions are being monitored by a remote computer of the network for generation of alert messages to at least one caregiver in response to alert conditions being indicated by the bed status data. The bed has at least one user input that is used locally at the bed to enable and suspend monitoring of the bed status conditions by the remote computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, JR., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Patent number: 8284047
    Abstract: A hospital bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data. A surface supported by the bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly surface status data. The wireless communication circuitry of the hospital bed and the wireless communication circuitry of the surface communicate with a network independently. A hospital bed with an integrated surface has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data and surface status data. The wireless bed status data and the wireless surface status data are received by wireless access points of a network of a healthcare facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, Jr., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidewell, Irwin J. Vanderpohl, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Publication number: 20110074571
    Abstract: A hospital bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data. A surface supported by the bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly surface status data. The wireless communication circuitry of the hospital bed and the wireless communication circuitry of the surface communicate with a network independently. A hospital bed with an integrated surface has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data and surface status data. The wireless bed status data and the wireless surface status data are received by wireless access points of a network of a healthcare facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, JR., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidwell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman
  • Patent number: 7852208
    Abstract: A hospital bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data. A surface supported by the bed has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly surface status data. The wireless communication circuitry of the hospital bed and the wireless communication circuitry of the surface communicate with a network independently. A hospital bed with an integrated surface has wireless communication circuitry operable to transmit wirelessly bed status data and surface status data. The wireless bed status data and the wireless surface status data are received by wireless access points of a network of a healthcare facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Williams F. Collins, Jr., James M. Allen, Keith A. Huster, Carl W. Riley, Patricia A. Glidwell, Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III, Richard J. Schuman, Benjamin E. Howell, Timothy D. Wildman