Sanitization Protocol Monitoring/Compliance Systems, Apparatuses, Methods, and Software

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software for monitoring compliance of sanitizees (e.g., health care workers, food service workers, sanitization/janitorial workers etc.) with sanitization protocols to be followed for encounters with sanitization-protocol targets (e.g., patients, food-preparation areas, health care facilities/appurtenances, restrooms, etc.). In one example, a system includes sanitization verification systems located close to the targets and mobile node devices issued to the sanitizees. Each verification system can be configured to test the efficacy of sanitization procedures performed by the sanitizees prior to encountering a target, to provide authorizations, via the node devices, to the sanitizees to proceed with target encounters, and to open monitoring sessions during which the node devices record information concerning interactions with the targets. The node devices are configured to annunciate sanitization statuses of the sanitizees throughout a work period as the sanitizees continually interact with verification stations and encounter targets.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of monitoring compliance of a sanitizee with a sanitization protocol, wherein the sanitizee carries an electronic node device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the electronic node device, a monitoring session authorization from a sanitization verification system;   automatedly starting, within the electronic node device, an initial contact timer as a function of the first indication;   recognizing, by the electronic node device, the occurrence of a sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter via an identification of a sanitization-protocol-target identifier;   recording, by the electronic node device, the sanitization-protocol-target identifier to a data store located onboard the electronic node device along with a corresponding encounter-entry time stamp;   detecting, by the electronic node device, when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter; and   recording, by the electronic node device, a time stamp indicating the end of the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising, in response to said receiving the monitoring session authorization, indicating that the electronic node device is in an authorized status. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising, in response to the initial contact timer timing out, indicating that the electronic node device is in a neutral status. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said detecting when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter includes detecting when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter as a function of the electronic node device having lost contact with an electronic identification device containing the sanitization-protocol-target identifier. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said detecting when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter includes detecting of a temporary-leave timer timing out. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising automatedly increasing a read-range power of the electronic node device as a function of said receiving of the monitoring session authorization. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the sanitization-protocol-target identifier is contained on an identification device associated with the sanitization-protocol target and that includes a plurality of linked tags, the method further comprising reducing a read-range power of the electronic node device as a function of concurrently detecting an increasing number of linked tags. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said receiving a monitoring session authorization includes receiving a monitoring session authorization indicating that the sanitizee has performed a first sanitizing operation that includes a sanitation efficacy test. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said recognizing includes detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, the method further comprising changing the electronic node device to a suspect-pending status as a function of said detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , further comprising detecting, while in the suspect-pending status, the presence of a second sanitization-protocol-target identification device different from the first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, and, in response thereto, changing the electronic node device to a suspect status. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29 , further comprising issuing, as a function of said changing the electronic node device to a suspect status, an alarm indicating that the sanitizee is suspected of violating the sanitization protocol. 
     
     
         31 . A machine-readable storage medium containing machine-executable instructions for performing a method of monitoring compliance of a sanitizee with a sanitization protocol, wherein the sanitizee carries an electronic node device, said machine-executable instructions comprising:
 a first set of machine-executable instructions for receiving, by the electronic node device, a monitoring session authorization from a sanitization verification system;   a second set of machine-executable instructions starting, within the electronic node device, an initial contact timer as a function of the first indication;   a third set of machine-executable instructions recognizing, by the electronic node device, the occurrence of a sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter via an identification of a sanitization-protocol-target identifier;   a fourth set of machine-executable instructions recording, by the electronic node device, the sanitization-protocol-target identifier to a data store located onboard the electronic node device along with a corresponding target zone entry time stamp;   a fifth set of machine-executable instructions detecting, by the electronic node device, when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter; and   a sixth set of machine-executable instructions recording, by the electronic node device, a time stamp to the sanitization protocol tracking health-care-zone record indicating the end of the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter.   
     
     
         32 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , further comprising machine-executable instructions for, in response to said receiving the monitoring session authorization, indicating that the electronic node device is in an authorized status. 
     
     
         33 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , further comprising machine-executable instructions for, in response to the initial contact timer timing out, indicating that the electronic node device is in a neutral status. 
     
     
         34 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , wherein said fifth set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for detecting when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter as a function of the electronic node device having lost contact with an electronic identification device containing the sanitization-protocol-target identifier. 
     
     
         35 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , wherein said fifth set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for detecting of a temporary-leave timer timing out. 
     
     
         36 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , further comprising machine-executable instructions for automatedly increasing a read-range power of the electronic node device as a function of said receiving of the monitoring session authorization. 
     
     
         37 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , wherein the sanitization-protocol-target identifier is contained on an identification device associated with the sanitization-protocol target and that includes a plurality of linked tags, said machine-executable instructions further comprises machine-executable instructions for reducing a read-range power of the electronic node device as a function of concurrently detecting an increasing number of linked tags. 
     
     
         38 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , wherein said first set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for receiving a monitoring session authorization indicating that the sanitizee has performed a first sanitizing operation that includes a sanitation efficacy test. 
     
     
         39 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 31 , wherein said third set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, said machine-executable instructions further comprising machine-executable instructions for changing the electronic node device to a suspect-pending status as a function of said detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device. 
     
     
         40 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 39 , further comprising machine-executable instructions for detecting, while in the suspect-pending status, the presence of a second sanitization-protocol-target identification device different from the first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, and, in response thereto, changing the electronic node device to a suspect status. 
     
     
         41 . A machine-readable storage medium according to  claim 40 , further comprising machine-executable instructions for issuing, as a function of said changing the electronic node device to a suspect status, an alarm indicating that the sanitizee is suspected of violating the sanitization protocol. 
     
     
         42 . An electronic node device, comprising:
 memory containing machine-executable instructions for performing a method of monitoring compliance of a sanitizee with a sanitization protocol, wherein the sanitizee carries an electronic node device, said machine-executable instructions comprising:
 a first set of machine-executable instructions for receiving, by the electronic node device, a monitoring session authorization from a sanitization verification system indicating that the sanitizee has performed a first sanitizing operation that includes a sanitation efficacy test; 
 a second set of machine-executable instructions for starting, within the electronic node device, an initial contact timer as a function of the first indication; 
 a third set of machine-executable instructions for recognizing, by the electronic node device, the occurrence of a sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter via an identification of a sanitization-protocol-target identifier; 
 a fourth set of machine-executable instructions for recording, by the electronic node device, the sanitization-protocol-target identifier to a data store located onboard the electronic node device along with a corresponding target zone entry time stamp; 
 a fifth set of machine-executable instructions for detecting, by the electronic node device, when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter; and 
 a sixth set of machine-executable instructions for recording, by the electronic node device, a time stamp to the sanitization protocol tracking health-care-zone record indicating the end of the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter; and 
   a central processor in communication with said memory and designed and configured to execute said machine-executable instructions.   
     
     
         43 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein said memory further contains machine-executable instructions for, in response to said receiving the monitoring session authorization, indicating that the electronic node device is in an authorized status. 
     
     
         44 . An electronic node device according to  claim 43 , further comprising at least one annunciator designed and configured to provide to a user an indicator indicating the authorized status. 
     
     
         45 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein said memory further contains machine-executable instructions for, in response to the initial contact timer timing out, indicating that the electronic node device is in a neutral status. 
     
     
         46 . An electronic node device according to  claim 45 , further comprising at least one annunciator designed and configured to provide to a user an indicator indicating the neutral status. 
     
     
         47 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein said fifth set of machine-executable instructions in said memory includes machine-executable instructions for detecting when the sanitizee has ended the sanitizee/sanitization-protocol-target encounter as a function of the electronic node device having lost contact with an electronic identification device containing the sanitization-protocol-target identifier. 
     
     
         48 . An electronic node device according to  claim 47 , further comprising at least one annunciator designed and configured to provide to a user an indicator indicating the loss of contact with the electronic identification device. 
     
     
         49 . An electronic node device according to  claim 47 , wherein said fifth set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for detecting of a temporary-leave timer timing out. 
     
     
         50 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , further comprising a standoff reader having multiple read-range powers, said memory further containing machine-executable instructions for automatedly changing between ones of said multiple read-range powers as a function of said receiving of the monitoring session authorization. 
     
     
         51 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein the sanitization-protocol-target identifier is contained on an identification device associated with the sanitization-protocol target and that includes a plurality of linked tags, the electronic node device further comprising a standoff reader having multiple read-range powers, and said memory further containing machine-executable instructions for changing between ones of said read-range powers as a function of the number of the linked tags that said standoff reader concurrently detects. 
     
     
         52 . An electronic node device according to  claim 51 , wherein each of said plurality of linked tags comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and said standoff reader comprises an RFID-tag reader. 
     
     
         53 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein said first set of machine-executable instructions in said memory includes machine-executable instructions for receiving a monitoring session authorization indicating that the sanitizee has performed a first sanitizing operation that includes a sanitation efficacy test. 
     
     
         54 . An electronic node device according to  claim 42 , wherein said third set of machine-executable instructions in said memory includes machine-executable instructions for detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, said memory further containing machine-executable instructions for changing the electronic node device to a suspect-pending status as a function of said detecting the presence of a first sanitization-protocol-target identification device. 
     
     
         55 . An electronic node device according to  claim 54 , wherein said memory further contains machine-executable instructions for detecting, while in the suspect-pending status, the presence of a second sanitization-protocol-target identification device different from the first sanitization-protocol-target identification device, and, in response thereto, changing the electronic node device to a suspect status. 
     
     
         56 . An electronic node device according to  claim 55 , wherein said memory further contains machine-executable instructions for issuing, as a function of said changing the electronic node device to a suspect status, an alarm indicating that the sanitizee is suspected of violating the sanitization protocol. 
     
     
         57 - 101 . (canceled)