Patent ID: 8596537

Claim:
An anesthesia system comprising: an anesthesia apparatus; an anesthetic dispenser operatively connected to the anesthesia apparatus; a parameter detection means for detecting at least one parameter of the anesthetic dispenser at the anesthesia apparatus; an apparatus interface unit associated with the parameter detection means, the apparatus interface unit comprising a camera at the anesthesia apparatus, the camera having a single two dimensional field of vision area and providing a two dimensional signal; and a dispenser interface unit associated with the parameter detection means, the dispenser interface unit having an image pattern at the anesthetic dispenser, wherein the image pattern is detected by the camera, the dispenser interface unit being a passive dispenser interface unit, wherein: the image pattern does not change during operation of the anesthesia system and presents data relating to a predefined parameter of the anesthetic dispenser and the dispenser interface unit includes another image pattern at the anesthetic dispenser that does change during operation of the anesthesia system and presents data relating to a current state of the anesthetic dispenser based on a parameter that changes during operation of the anesthesia system; the image pattern and the another image pattern are in the single two dimensional field of vision area and are both detected by the camera; the apparatus interface unit further comprises a radiation source emitting at least one of infrared radiation, visible light and UV radiation at the image pattern and the another image pattern; the camera operates in at least one of a visible spectral range, infrared range and UV range in coordination with the radiation source; and the image pattern detection by the camera includes a transmission of data from the anesthetic dispenser to the anesthesia apparatus, the transmission of data being by means of infrared radiation or visible light or UV radiation.