Patent ID: 7990382

Claim:
A display method comprising: defining a plurality of display objects in a patient monitor configured to visually indicate at least one measurement of at least one physiological parameter, wherein the at least one measurement is determined using sensor signals received via a sensor port; organizing the plurality of display objects within a virtual display area corresponding to at least a portion of a physical display to create a first display layout; communicatively coupling a sensor to the sensor port; receiving a display upgrade object through the sensor port, wherein the display upgrade object is different from the sensor signals; associating at least one display object from the plurality of display objects with an additional physiological parameter previously undefined by the patient monitor in accordance with the display upgrade object; organizing the at least one display object within the virtual display area in accordance with the display upgrade object to create a second display layout; associating a plurality of data objects corresponding to the additional physiological parameter with the at least one display object; determining whether the sensor is capable of measuring the additional physiological parameter characterized by the display upgrade object; and upon determining that the sensor is capable of measuring the additional physiological parameter, automatically altering the virtual display based at least in part on the first display layout and the second display layout.