Patent ID: 8920317

Claim:
A device configured to allow digital communication between a sensor port of a patient monitor and a digital data source external to the patient monitor and external to an analog physiological sensor, the device comprising: a first data path in electrical communication with a signal processor, and configured to communicate analog drive signals to the analog physiological sensor and digital data signals to the digital data source; a second data path in electrical communication with the signal processor, and configured to communicate analog signals indicative of light detected by said analog physiological sensor that has been attenuated by body tissue to the patient monitor and digital data signals from the digital data source to the patient monitor; a sensor port interface configured to provide mechanical and signal level compliance between said sensor port and said digital data source, said sensor port digitally communicating through said sensor port interface with said digital data source, said sensor port communicating said analog signals with said analog physiological sensor; and a reader configured to detect which of the analog physiological sensor and the data source is connected to the sensor port, said signal processor configured to receive an output from said reader and operate in an analog or digital mode responsive thereto.