Abstract: A centralized patient monitoring system includes a central station which receives patient information from bedside monitors. The patient information is presented on a video display screen and may include patient demographic information, physiological parameters and a waveform. The display screen is divided into sectors, with each sector containing information for one patient. When an alarm condition occurs at one of the bedside monitors, the alarm condition is transmitted to the central station and is displayed in the corresponding sector of the video display screen. In addition, the alarm condition is highlighted by changing the background in the alarming sector from its normal color, typically black, to a neutral color such as blue, which is easily distinguishable from the normal color and which does not obscure the patient information being displayed. The background of the sector is changed back to the normal color when the alarm is acknowledged by a user.

Abstract: A carrier web of sheet metal material joining stamped and formed components of an electrical connector is disclosed. The component is carried through the stamping and forming process by the carrier web of the sheet metal material. The component is stamped and formed from the material such that at least a portion of the component projects from one side of the original plane of the sheet metal material. The carrier web is formed into a three-dimensional configuration to reduce the spacing between adjacent components. A portion of the web may project a sufficient distance from the one side of the original plane of the sheet metal material to protect the projecting portion of the component during subsequent manufacturing operations on the component. A retaining structure may also be provided to retain the components at a predetermined spacing on the carrier web. A method of manufacturing the carrier web is also disclosed.

Abstract: An input device, in particular for a medical monitoring system, comprises a keyboard, a screen and a control processor. The keyboard comprises various hardkeys enabling access to an object mode in which the user may enter an object to be manipulated. Once an object is selected, the device enters a task/action mode in which the user may define an action to be performed on the selected object.

Abstract: An input device, in particular for a medical monitoring system, comprises a keyboard, a screen and a control processor. The keyboard comprises various hardkeys enabling access to an object mode in which the user may enter an object to be manipulated. Once an object is selected, the device enters a task/action mode in which the user may define an action to be performed on the selected object.

Abstract: The windshield for a motor vehicle is characterized by a transparent panel having a lower region normally outside the driver's field of vision and where at least one windshield wiper is located in the rest position of the wiper. An electric resistance heating element, formed either as a continuous layer or as a plurality of individual conductors connected in parallel by bus bars, is carried on the windshield only in the lower region for heating the area on which the wipers rest. A continuous layer of a heat radiation absorbing ceramic material opaque to ambient light and coextensive with the area of the heating element is disposed on the windshield between the heating element and the windshield wiper to shield the heating element from view from the front of the windshield and to uniformly distribute heat over the lower portion of the windshield. The windshield is a laminate including inner and outer glass panes with a plastic layer therebetween.