Monitoring unit for monitoring and automatic clearance of faults in medical applications

A method of monitoring a plurality of applications in a network using a monitoring unit, the method comprising:

• providing a uniform monitoring interface for all applications;
• providing a database having a plurality of stored mechanisms for fault clearance;
• establishing communication between at least two of the applications using the uniform monitoring interface;
• and
• requesting a status report from such applications engaged in the communication by the uniform monitoring interface, wherein, if the status report includes a fault condition related to at least one application engaged in the communication, the monitoring un it:
• searches the database for such stored mechanism corresponding to the fault condition, the searched mechanism including application-specific commands for clearing the fault condition, and
• transmits the searched mechanism to the application having the fault condition.

A device for monitoring a plurality of applications in a network, the applications configured to communicate via a uniform monitoring interface, the device comprising:

• a monitoring unit for recording a status report of at least one of the applications;
• at least one acquisition module for acquiring from the applications:
• key variables for generating the status report, and
• application-specific commands executable on the applications for fault clearance;
• a database including:
• a plurality of fault conditions related to the applications, each fault condition assigned to a mechanism for clearing the fault condition, and
• application-specific commands for clearing the fault condition;
• and
• at least one fault clearance module configured to clear a fault condition included in the status report by accessing the database and retrieving from the database at least one such application-specific command suitable for clearing the fault condition, the retrieved application-specific command sent via the monitoring interface to the application having the fault condition.

A system for monitoring a plurality of applications in a network, the system comprising:

• a uniform monitoring interface;
• a plurality of medical technology applications configured to communicate via the uniform monitoring interface;
• a monitoring unit for recording a status report of at least one of the applications;
• at least one acquisition module for acquiring from the applications:
• key variables for generating the status report, and
• application-specific commands executable on the applications for fault clearance;
• a database including:
• a plurality of fault conditions related to the applications, each fault condition assigned to a mechanism for clearing the fault condition, and
• application-specific commands for clearing the fault condition;
• and
• at least one fault clearance module configured to clear a fault condition included in the status report by accessing the database and retrieving from the database at least one such application-specific command suitable for clearing the fault condition, the retrieved application-specific command sent via the monitoring interface to the application having the fault condition.