Electronic Motion-Sensing and Notification Adapter for Patient Room-Entry Sanitizer

Abstract

A wall-mounted medical apparatus includes a dispenser configured to be actuated to dispense one or more of a soap and a sanitizer. One or more motion sensors detect the motion of a person entering into a patient room, and a controller determines whether actuation of the dispenser occurs within a predetermined time following the detected motion of a person entering into the room. If the actuation is determined not to have occurred within the predetermined period of time, then an alarm is activated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a dispenser configured to be actuated to dispense one or more of a soap and a sanitizer;   one or more motion sensors to detect motion of a person entering into a patient room; and   a controller to determine whether actuation of the dispenser occurs within a predetermined time following the detected motion of a person entering into the room, and, if not, to activate an alarm.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , in which the dispenser is configurable to dispense a gel. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the gel comprises one or more of the soap and the sanitizer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the gel is provided in a gel container which is removable, disposable, and replaceable. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , further comprising a counterfeit prevention device for detecting whether a gel container placed into the dispenser is from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising a rejection device for disallowing placement of the gel container into the dispenser upon detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising a disabling device for disabling operation of the dispenser upon detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising a notification device for notifying a remote entity upon a detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , in which the one or more sensors comprises a plurality of optical motion sensors. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 providing a dispenser configured to be actuated to dispense one or more of a soap and a sanitizer;   using one or more motion sensors to detect motion of a person entering into a patient room; and   determining with a controller whether actuation of the dispenser occurs within a predetermined time following the detected motion of the person entering into the room, and, if not, activating an alarm.   
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , in which the one or more sensors comprises one or more optical motion sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , in which the dispenser dispenses a gel. 
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the gel dispensed comprises one or more of the soap and the sanitizer. 
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the gel is provided in a gel container which is removable, disposable, and replaceable. 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising detecting whether a gel container placed into the dispenser is from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising disallowing operation or operative placement of the gel container into the dispenser upon detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising disabling operation of the dispenser upon detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising notifying a remote entity upon a detection that the gel container is not from a pre-authorized entity. 
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising providing one or more of a rejection device and a notification device. 
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising mounting the dispenser on a wall.