Abstract: A method and system for patient monitoring wherein data acquired by parameter measuring modules is downloaded to an information processing and display station. Table data structures resident within the modules are downloaded to the display station during initialization of the module on the link. The tables completely define the number, functionality and visual attributes of all control keys associated with each channel of the module. The tables include: text and parse tables which define the number, size, attributes and text for each key; a process table which contains a plurality of control programs which are executed by an interpreter portion of the display software in response to activations of a control key; and a channel control table which modifies the operating conditions of the channel in response to preselected control keys.