DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a unique method and apparatus for connecting to and coordinating data communications of various devices of differing protocols and parameter settings.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a way to recognize common parameters of a protocol type and separate out only that part of the communication that is different between and specific to the various monitors and therapeutic devices.
The invention efficiently utilizes defined common parameters of a protocol and selectively configures the specific parameter settings when required, automatically.
Specifically, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of communicating with various medical devices is provided which includes, for each connected device, identifying the common parameters for a specific protocol type and automatically configuring settings for said specific parameters.
The common parameters are substantially standard between various devices having the same protocol type.
For example, the common parameters for the RS-232 hardware protocol type are baud rate, data bits, stop bits, and parity.
Within each of these parameters, there are specific settings which vary from device to device (e.
g.
, baud rates of 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, etc.
).
The specific settings for each connected device are substantially non-standard between various devices.
In a preferred embodiment, the specific parameter settings are automatically configured for each device by generally polling each connected device, comparing response from the polling step to a list of specific responses for each device, and setting the specific parameter settings for each device based on the comparison.
This can be accomplished by sending a specific request string on a port for a device in a list of devices, and if a response to the request string is matched identifying a specific device, configuring settings for the common parameters associated with the protocols for the device on the port, otherwise repeat sending request strings for next device in the list until a match
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Communications 
