An implementation of the IEEE Medical Information Bus Standard

The IEEE P1073 family of documents defines the Medical Information Bus (MIB), which is a local area network for the bidirectional interconnection of medical devices and computers. This network is intended to aid in the registering of information such as alarms from medical instruments, the storage of data gathered by these devices, and their control from a central computer. A technical description of the MIB is presented. The implementation of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) software and of the interbed network, which links existing bedside communications controllers to a central station, are described. A test designed to assess the performance of an implemented MIB and the first real application of the MIB implementation, consisting of its inclusion in a unit for the acquisition and processing of physiological signals from patients with intracranial hypertension are discussed. The authors suggest eliminating the network and transport layers of the intrabed network, since they are inactive.<>