A patient monitor comprising: a data connector configured to connect to a corresponding data connector of an approved physiological data acquisition device to provide data transmission to and from the approved physiological data acquisition device; a power connector configured to connect to a corresponding power connector of the approved physiological data acquisition device to provide power to the approved physiological data acquisition device; a control module configured to: detect connection of a corresponding power connector of an unidentified device to the power connector and/or a corresponding data connector of the unidentified device to the data connector; provide a limited power amount to the unidentified device through the power connector; perform an authentication process to determine if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device, provide a full power amount through the power connector to the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is not the approved physiological data acquisition device, continue to provide the limited power amount to the unidentified device or terminate the power supplied to the unidentified device; wherein the full power amount is sufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the physiological data acquisition device and wherein the limited power amount is sufficient to power the authentication process but is insufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the unidentified device. a data connector configured to connect to a corresponding data connector of an approved physiological data acquisition device to provide data transmission to and from the approved physiological data acquisition device; a power connector configured to connect to a corresponding power connector of the approved physiological data acquisition device to provide power to the approved physiological data acquisition device; a control module configured to: detect connection of a corresponding power connector of an unidentified device to the power connector and/or a corresponding data connector of the unidentified device to the data connector; provide a limited power amount to the unidentified device through the power connector; perform an authentication process to determine if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device, provide a full power amount through the power connector to the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is not the approved physiological data acquisition device, continue to provide the limited power amount to the unidentified device or terminate the power supplied to the unidentified device; wherein the full power amount is sufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the physiological data acquisition device and wherein the limited power amount is sufficient to power the authentication process but is insufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the unidentified device. detect connection of a corresponding power connector of an unidentified device to the power connector and/or a corresponding data connector of the unidentified device to the data connector; provide a limited power amount to the unidentified device through the power connector; perform an authentication process to determine if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is the approved physiological data acquisition device, provide a full power amount through the power connector to the approved physiological data acquisition device; and if the unidentified device is not the approved physiological data acquisition device, continue to provide the limited power amount to the unidentified device or terminate the power supplied to the unidentified device; wherein the full power amount is sufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the physiological data acquisition device and wherein the limited power amount is sufficient to power the authentication process but is insufficient to power physiological data acquisition by the unidentified device.