Patent ID: 7840694

Claim:
A converter which converts communication methods and/or communication protocols in order to enable communications between medical equipment and a medical support control device for controlling the medical equipment, comprising: a first communication interface corresponding to a communication interface of the medical support control device; a plurality of second communication interfaces corresponding to a respective communication interface of each piece of medical equipment in order to connect the medical support control device and a plurality of pieces of medical equipment whose communication methods and/or communication protocols are different; a storage unit for storing at least a connection program from among plural communication programs about the medical equipment; a determination unit for determining whether a communication connection can be established between each of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and the converter on a basis of the connection program; a communication control unit for obtaining a difference between the communication program corresponding to the medical equipment identified by the determination unit and the connection program from the medical support control device, and converting the communication protocols of the medical equipment and the medical support control device with each other by means of a communication program composed of the difference and the connection program; and a selection unit capable of selecting a category of prescribed medical equipment of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment, wherein the first communication interface obtains a connection program corresponding to medical equipment in the selected category of all the connection programs obtained by the medical support control device.