A) TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a patient monitoring system such as central nursing station (CNS) and more particularly to a display-sv^itching device for changing the data trend displayed on the display window of the patient monitoring system like CNS.
B) BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0002] Generally the various physiological parameters of an individual are measured using monitors known as, "vital sign parameter bed side monitor" or " vital sign monitoring systems", to measure heart rate level, blood pressure, artery pressure etc. One of the important vital signs measured by the healthcare providers is electrocardiography (ECG), impedance cardio vasography, and non-invasive cardiac output. The monitored parameters are displayed at a central nursing station to enable medical personnel like doctors, nursing assistants, medical attendants to monitor patients under critical conditions or under intensive care to take immediate remedial care during emergency conditions.
[0003] The Patient monitoring system (PMS) has different screens to provide an efficient and convenient way to display the real-time patient related data as well as the trend data of different patients. The Patient monitoring systems (PMS) has different display formats to provide an efficient and convenient way to display the real-time patient related data corresponding to different patients.

[0004] The primary function of the CNS is to enable the constant monitoring of all the patients connected to the CNS. The CNS is provided with two display windows. The vital parameters such as ECG, heart rate etc., of all the patients under observation are displayed individually in one display window through several split screens. All the measured physiological parameters of a specific selected patient are displayed in the display window. Though some of the patients may be in a more critical condition than the rest of the other patients in an intensive care unit, equal care and attention must be given to all the patients under intensive care at all times. The monitored parameters are displayed in graphical trend as well as in tabular trend.
[0005] The Graphical Trend represents the measured physiological parameters acquired from the monitors installed at the bedside of the patient in a graphical format. The physiological parameters collected from the monitors in the past 24 hours are displayed at the CNS in a graphical pattern. The displayed data is made available to the user in different resolutions through 4 zoom modes. It is vital that the user should relate the stored and displayed data with specific alarm conditions to identify or diagnose the cause for the variation in the measured data in the past 24 hours.
[0006] The Tabular Trend on the other hand lists the same physiological parameter measured in the past 24 hours in the form of digital parameter values. At a given alarm condition, the digital parameter values are displayed in red color. It is important that the user or medical personnel should study and compare the parameter under alarm condition with respect to other measured parameter values at the same

instant. Based on the comparison of the parameter under alarm limit with the other measured parameters, the user/ medical personnel estimates the overall condition of the patient at a given instance to handle an abnormal health condition and to suggest the future treatment methods. Thus the facility for viewing all the parameters related to a particular alarm condition at once will help the medical practitioner to estimate the critical health condition of the patient and the treatment method required to mitigate such an emergency condition of the patient in the intensive care unit (ICU).
[0007] Hence there is a need to compare all the parameter data collected from the patient at a particular event and displayed in a single screen to diagnose an abnormal health condition of a patient to suggest further treatment method to be provided to the patient. Also there is a need to switch a data display trend between the graphical trend and the tabular trend to enable a medical personnel to diagnose the past 24 hour history of a patient under critical care condition during the generation of an alarm condition to estimate a suitable and appropriate medical care to be provided to the patient to mitigate the emergency situation. Also there is a need to protect the primary function of the CNS by immediately displaying the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the Tabular Trend. Also there is a need to provide an immediate access to a series of data for medical personnel to study the manner in which the various parameters behaved in response or during an event of interest. Also there is a need to display both the real time data for the vital signs and to retain the screen for the past event to diagnose an abnormal condition to treat a critically ill patient effectively.

C) OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The primary object of the invention is to provide a system to change the data trend display format between the graphical trend and tabular trend to enable medical personnel to diagnose the critical condition of a patient quickly and efficiently thus providing the best possible medical care.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to immediately display the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the Tabular Trend to provide immediate access to a series of data to study the maimer in which the various parameters behaved during an event of interest.
[0010] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to provide a visual display of all the measured parameters in a desired trend to help the physician to diagnose an abnormality in the health condition easily to provide appropriate and suitable medical care to the patient in the intensive care unit.
[0011] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to protect the primary function of the CNS by immediately displaying the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the Tabular Trend.

[0012] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to provide an immediate access to a series of data for medical personnel to study the manner in which the various parameters behaved in response or during an event of interest.
[0013] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to display both the real time data for the vital signs and to retain the screen for the past event to diagnose an abnormal condition to treat a critically patient effectively.
[0014] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to display all the collected parameter data in a single screen to enable the medical personnel to compare all the available parameter data easily to estimate the treatment to be provided to a patient.
[0015] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to display all the measured parameters in a single screen to correlate the stored data with specific alarm conditions to diagnose an abnormality in health condition to provide suitable medical care to the patient.
[0016] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to display all the measured parameters in a single screen in the desired format to enable the medical personnel to handle an abnormal health condition to suggest the future treatment methods.

[0017] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to provide a direct link between the tabular trend and the graphical trend of the displayed parameters measured during an event to help the physician to diagnose an abnormality to provide suitable medical care to the patient in a critical condition.
[0018] Yet another object of the invention is to develop a data trend display switching system to display all the measured parameters in the desired trend to enable the medical personnel to study the effect of one measured parameter on the rest of the measured parameters to diagnose an event to suggest the best possible medical treatment to be given to a patient to mitigate an emergency condition.
[0019] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
D) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and will be understood by reading and studying the following specifications:
[0021] The various embodiments of the present invention provides a data trend display switching system and method for patient monitoring system such as CNS to

immediately display the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the Tabular Trend to provide an immediate access to a series of data to study the modus operandi of the various parameters during an event of interest or emergency condition.
[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the CNS is provided with a direct link between the Tabular and graphical trends. A particular event of interest is selected by double clicking on the digital parameter value displayed in a tabular trend format. Then the graphical trend of the selected parameter collected during the particular event is displayed along with the other parameters collected during the same period to compare the displayed parameters to diagnose an event to estimate the most appropriate medical care to be given to a patient. The selected event in the Tabular Trend will be marked with the time line on the Graphical Trend and is represented with the resolution available on the Graphical Trend.
[0023] When a critical event has occurred with respect to a patient under critical care/ ICU, the critical event has to be closely studied to recommend a treatment procedure to the patient. The graphical trend of all the monitored parameters is displayed so that the event can be studied as a whole. The effect of one parameter on all other parameters collected during the given critical event is studied to determine the medical treatment to be administered.
[0024] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the central nursing station is connected to the pluralities of the monitors to collect and display the

measured physiological parameter data on a display screen. The CNS has multibed screen and the multipara screen to display the measured vital parameters of all the patients and the all the measured parameters of a specific selected patient respectively. The measured physiological parameter is displayed either in the graphical format or in the digital format. The display trend switching system provides a graphical user interface to provide an option to medical monitoring personnel to enable the medical monitoring personnel to select a desired portion of the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter. A desired portion is selected by marking the beginning and the end points of the desired portion in the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient on the multibed screen. Then a split screen is generated to display the selected portion in the graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter in a tabular trend fashion. Similarly the time period for which the display of the measured parameter in the tabular trend is required, is specified so that the measured physiological parameter is displayed in the tabular trend for the selected period of time. Thus the user is able to scan the past critical event indicated in the health condition of a patient to study the event in a desired maimer to evaluate the measured parameter with respect to the other parameters to suggest suitable and appropriate medical care to the patient under critical condition.
[0025] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a display trend switching method is provided to change the display format of the measured physiological parameter from the graphical trend format to the tabular trend format. According to the embodiment a central nursing station is coimected to the pluralities of the monitors that are installed at the bedside of each patient in the intensive care

unit to collect and display the measured physiological parameter data on a display screen. The CNS has muUibed screen and the multipara screen to display the measured vital parameters of all the patients and all the measured parameters of a specific selected patient respectively. The measured physiological parameter is displayed either in the graphical format or in the digital format. A graphical user interface is provided to provide an option to medical monitoring personnel to enable the medical monitoring personnel to select a desired portion of the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter, when a display format switching option is selected. A desired portion on the displayed graphical trend of the measured parameter is selected by marking the beginning and the end points of the desired portion in the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient on the multibed screen. A split screen is generated to display the selected portion in the graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter in a tabular trend fashion. Similarly the time period for which the display of the measured parameter in the tabular trend is required, is also specified so that the measured physiological parameter is displayed in the tabular trend for the selected period of time. Thus the user is able to scan the past critical event indicated in the health condition of a patient to study the event in a desired manner to evaluate the measured parameter with respect to the other parameters to suggest suitable and appropriate medical care to the patient under critical condition.
[0026] Thus the various embodiments of the present invention provides a system and method to immediately display the tabular trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the displayed graphical trend to provide the physician with

immediate access to a series of data to study the manner in which the various parameters behaved with respect to each other during an event of interest. Thus the user/medical persormel is able to compare and study all the parameter data that is collected from the patient at a particular event and displayed in one screen easily, to provide the best possible medical care to the patient under critical care.
[0027] The data trend display format is changed between the graphical trend and tabular trend to enable medical personnel to diagnose the critical condition of a patient quickly and efficiently to provide the best possible medical care. The display switching system enables the CNS to display all parameter data collected from a patient at a particular event in a single display screen and to enable medical personnel to compare the displayed data to diagnose an emergency condition to prescribe suitable and appropriate medical care and treatment to the patient under intensive care.
[0028] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
E) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0030J FIGURE.l illustrates a functional block diagram of a central nursing station provided with a data trend display-switching device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIGURE.2 illustrates a flow chart explaining the data trend display switching method in the central nursing station according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.
F) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0034] The various embodiments of the present invention provides a data trend display switching system and method for patient monitoring system such as CNS to immediately display the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the Tabular Trend to provide immediate access to a series of data to study the modus operandi of the various parameters during an event of interest or critical situation.
[0035] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the CNS is provided with a direct link between the Tabular and graphical trends. A particular event of interest is selected by double clicking on the digital parameter value displayed in a tabular trend format. Then the graphical trend of the selected parameter collected during the particular event is displayed along with the other parameters collected during the same period to compare the displayed parameters to diagnose an event to estimate the most appropriate medical care to be given to a patient. The selected event in the Tabular Trend will be marked with the time line on the Graphical Trend and is represented with the resolution available on the Graphical Trend.
[0036] When a critical event has occurred with respect to a patient under emergency care/ ICU, the critical event has to be closely studied to recommend a treatment procedure to the patient. The graphical trend of all the monitored parameters is displayed so that the event can be studied as a whole. The effect of one parameter on all other parameters collected during the given critical event is studied to determine the medical treatment to be administered.

[0037] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the central nursing station is connected to the pluralities of the monitors to collect and display the measured physiological parameter data on a display screen. The CNS has multibed screen and the multipara screen to display the measured vital parameters of all the patients and the all the measured parameters of a specific selected patient respectively. The measured physiological parameter is displayed either in the graphical format or in the digital format. The display trend switching system provides a graphical user interface to provide an option to medical monitoring personnel to enable the medical monitoring personnel to select a desired portion of the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter. A desired portion is selected by marking the beginning and the end points of the desired portion in the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient on the multibed screen. Then a split screen is generated to display the selected portion in the graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter in a tabular trend fashion. Similarly the time period for which the display of the measured parameter in the tabular trend is required, is specified so that the measured physiological parameter is displayed in the tabular trend for the selected period of time. Thus the user is able to scan the past critical event indicated in the health condition of a patient to study the event in a desired manner to evaluate the measured parameter with respect to the other parameters to suggest suitable and appropriate medical care to the patient in critical condition.
[0038] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a display trend switching method is provided to change the display format of the measured physiological parameter from the graphical trend format to the tabular trend format.

According to the embodiment a central nursing station is connected to the pluralities of the monitors, which are installed at the bedside of each patient in the intensive care unit, to collect and display the measured physiological parameter data on a display screen. The CNS has multibed screen and the multipara screen to display the measured vital parameters of all the patients and the all the measured parameters of a specific selected patient respectively. The measured physiological parameter is displayed either in the graphical format or in the digital format, a graphical user interface is provided to medical persoimel to allow them to select a desired portion of the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter, when a display format switching option is selected. A desired portion on the displayed graphical trend of the measured parameter is selected by marking the beginning and the end points of the desired portion in the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient on the multibed screen. Then a split screen is generated to display the selected portion in the graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter in a tabular trend fashion. Similarly the time period for which the display of the measured parameter in the tabular trend is required, is also specified so that the measured physiological parameter is displayed in the tabular trend for the selected period of time. Thus the user is able to scan the past critical event indicated in the health condition of a patient to study the event in a desired manner to evaluate the measured parameter with respect to the other parameters to suggest suitable and appropriate medical care to the patient under critical condition.
[0039] Thus the various embodiments of the present invention provides a system and method to immediately display the tabular trend of a series of data, when a particular

reading is selected in the displayed graphical trend to provide physician with an immediate access to a series of data to study the manner in which the various parameters behaved with respect to each other during an event of interest. Thus the user/medical personnel is able to compare and study all the parameter data, that are collected from the patient at a particular event in one screen easily, to provide the best possible medical care to the patient under critical care.
[0040] The data trend display format is changed between the graphical trend and tabular trend to enable medical personnel to diagnose a critical condition of a patient quickly, and efficiently to provide the best possible medical care. The display switching system enables the CNS to display all parameter data collected from a patient at a particular event in a single display screen and to enable medical personnel to compare the displayed data to diagnose an emergency condition, to prescribe suitable and appropriate medical care and treatment to the patient in the ICU.
[0041] The FIG.l illustrates a functional block diagram of a central nursing station provided with a data trend display-switching device according to one embodiment of the present invention. With respect to FIG.l, The CNS is connected to the pluralities of the monitors that are installed at the bed side of each patient in the intensive care unit to detect and measure the various physiological parameters like ECG, EEG, artery pressure, cardiac output etc., though a converter card module. The CNS has an acquisition module to collect all the measured physiological parameters of the patients. The collected physiological parameters are stored in a shared buffer. The stored parameters in the shared buffer are forwarded to a display subsystem through a

decoder. The stored parameters are decoded with the decoder. The decoded parameters are displayed in the display windows such as multipara screen, multibed screen and split screen in a digital format or waveform format by using a driver of the display subsystem. The CNS has multibed screen and the multipara screen to display the measured physiological parameters to medical persormel like doctor, nurses, medical attendants, etc. The mutipara screen displays all the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient, while the multibed screen displays the most vital parameters of all the patients. The measured physiological parameters are displayed in a digital format or waveform format. The alarm limits for each of the physiological parameters are set with respect to each patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) and are stored in an alarm recall database.
[0042] The measured physiological parameter is displayed either in the graphical format or in the digital format. A graphical user interface is provided to medical personnel to enable them to select a desired portion of the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter, when a display format switching option is selected. A desired portion on the displayed graphical trend of the measured parameter is selected by marking the beginning and the end points of the desired portion in the displayed graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter of a specific patient on the multibed screen. Then a split screen is generated to display the selected portion in the graphical trend of the measured physiological parameter in a tabular trend fashion. Similarly the time period, for which the display of the measured parameter in the tabular trend is required, is also specified so that the measured physiological parameter is displayed in the tabular trend for the selected period of

time. Thus the user is able to scan the past critical event indicated in the health condition of a patient to study the event in a desired maimer to evaluate the measured parameter with respect to the other parameters to suggest suitable and appropriate medical care to the patient in critical condition.
[0043] The FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart explaining the operation of the alarm display priority-setting device according to one embodiment of the preset invention. Pluralities of the monitors are installed at the bedside of each patient in ICU to detect and measure the vital signs or the physiological parameters of each patient. The measured physiological parameters include electrocardiograph data, electro encephalograph data, artery pressure value, cardiac output, heart rate, artery pulse pressure, blood pressure value, etc.
[0044] A central nursing station (CNS) is connected to all the bedside monitors to receive all the measured physiological parameters of all the patients in the ICU. The received most vital parameter data from all the monitors are displayed in a multibed screen and in a mutipara screen. The mutipara screen displays all the measured physiological parameters of a given or specified or selected patient. The multibed screen displays the measured most vital physiological parameters of each patient. When a mutipara option is selected on the menu bar and a bed number is chosen corresponding to a specific patient, all the measured physiological parameters of the specific patient are displayed in the multipara screen. The measured parameters may be displayed in a graphical trend format or in a tabular trend format. An option is provided in the menu bar to enable the monitoring medical personnel to select a

display format such as graphical trend or tabular trend for displaying the measured physiological parameter.
[0045] A graphical user interface is arranged to provide a menu bar with several options such as trend selection, marker selection and time selection buttons. When the medical personnel want to select the tabular trend of a portion data displayed in the graphical trend format in the mutipara screen of the CNS, the tabular trend option is selected first. Then the starting and the ending points of the measured physiological parameter data displayed in the graphical trend are marked using the start and the end selection buttons. When the measured parameters during a given time period are to be selected, then the start time and the end time end buttons are used to specify a required time period. Then the physiological parameter data which are collected during the specified time period and are present in the region marked with the starting and the end points in the displayed graphical trend data are shown in a tabular format to enable medical personnel to study the effect of one measured parameter with respect to other parameters to diagnose an abnormal health condition and an event to suggest the best possible and suitable medical care to the patient in the ICU.
[0046] The various embodiments of the present invention provides a system and method to immediately display the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the displayed Tabular Trend, to provide an immediate access to a series of data to study the maimer in which the various parameters behaved during an event of interest. Thus the user/medical personnel is able to compare and study all the parameter data, that are collected from the patient at a

particular event and displayed in one screen, easily to provide the best possible medical care to the patient under critical care.
[0047] The data trend display format is changed between the graphical trend and tabular trend to enable medical persoimel to diagnose a critical condition of a patient quickly, and efficiently provide the best possible medical care. The display switching system enables the CNS to display all parameter data collected from a patient at a particular event in a single display screen and to enable medical personnel to compare the displayed data to diagnose an emergency condition to prescribe a suitable and appropriate medical care and treatment to the patient in the ICU.
G) ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0048] The various embodiments of the present invention provides a system and method to immediately display the Graphical Trend of a series of data, when a particular reading is selected in the displayed Tabular Trend, to provide immediate access to a series of data to study the maimer in which the various parameters behaved during an event of interest. Thus the user/medical personnel is able to compare and study all the parameter data, that are collected from the patient at a particular event and displayed in one screen, easily to provide the best possible medical care to the patient under critical care. The system helps the medical personnel to relate the measured/stored data with specific alarm conditions to diagnose an abnormal condition to prescribe suitable medical treatment.

[0049] The data trend display format is changed between the graphical trend and tabular trend to enable the monitoring medical personnel to diagnose a critical condition of a patient quickly, and efficiently provide the best possible medical care. The display switching system enables the CNS to display all parameter data collected from a patient at a particular event in a single display screen and to enable medical personnel to compare all the displayed data to diagnose an emergency condition to prescribe a suitable and appropriate medical care and treatment to the patient in the ICU.
[0050] This helps the physician to study an alarm condition of one specifically measured physiological parameter with respect to the rest of the measured physiological parameters at a given instant to get an overall condition of a patient at a particular instance, by displaying the measured physiological parameter at a given time during an event in a desired display format. The system helps the doctor to view all the measured physiological parameters in a desired format at once during an alarm condition to handle a critical condition to diagnose an abnormal health condition and suggest suitable medical care to the patient in the ICU.
[0051] The system provides a direct link between the tabular and the graphical trends to diagnose an event easily, efficiently and effectively. The system enables the doctor to diagnose a critical health condition to suggest suitable medical treatment to a patient easily, by displaying the graphical trend of multiple parameters acquired during a particular event. The system assists the doctor to view, compare and study all the collected parameter data of a specific patient in a single screen to provide the best

possible medical treatment to the patient. The system displays the multiple trends of all the parameters collected during a particular event in the same screen to enable the doctor to analyse the health condition of a patient efficiently. The system helps the doctor to study the effect of one measured parameter on all other measured parameters during an alarm condition or an event to analyse an event thus delivering the best possible medical treatment to the patient in the ICU. The system provides a visual display of the trends of all the measured parameters to enable the physician to diagnose a critical health condition of a patient efficiently to provide effective medical treatment easily.
[0052] Although the invention is described with various specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims.
[0053] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the present invention described herein and all the statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between.

Date: October 06,2008. RAKESH PRABHU
Place: Bangalore, Patent Agent

CLAIMS
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A data trend display switching device for central nursing station connected to
plurality of monitors installed at bed side of each patient to collect
physiological parameter data, the system comprising:
A graphical user interface to provide a link between pluralities of display formats to change the display format of collected physiological parameter data.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface provides menu bar with selection buttons to change the display format.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the selection button is used to select a desired region in the parameter data trend displayed on the central nursing station.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the selection button is used to mark a starting point and the ending point in the displayed parameter data trend.
5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the selection button is used to choose a time period in the displayed parameter data trend.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pluralities of the display format includes a graphical display trend.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pluralities of the display format includes a tabular display trend.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display format is changed between the graphical display trend and the tabular display trend.
9. The device according to claim 3, wherein the selection button is used to mark a starting point and an ending point to specify a region in the displayed graphical trend of the parameter data.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the graphical user interface displays the parameter in the selected region in the displayed graphical trend data in a tabular trend format.
11. A data trend display switching method for central nursing station connected to plurality of monitors installed at bed side of each patient to collect physiological parameter data, the method comprising:
Displaying a graphical user interface to provide a link between pluralities of display formats to change the display format of collected physiological parameter data.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface is displayed to provide a menu bar with selection buttons to change the display format.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selection button is used to select a desired region in the parameter data trend displayed on the central nursing station.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the selection button is used to mark a starting point and the ending point in the displayed parameter data trend.
15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selection button is used to choose a time period in the displayed parameter data trend.
16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pluralities of the display format includes a graphical display trend.
17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pluralities of the display format includes a tabular display trend.
18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the display format is changed between the graphical display trend and the tabular display trend.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the selection button is used to
mark a starting point and an ending point to specify a region in the displayed
graphical trend of the parameter data.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the graphical user interface
displays the parameter in the selected region in the displayed graphical trend
data in a tabular trend format.