System for producing prioritized alarm messages in a medical instrument

A method of controlling the reaction of a medical instrument to a plurality of different conditions identified by the instrument, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a different priority for each of the different conditions;
• (b) associating at least one of a plurality of outputs with each different condition;
• (c) producing an output associated with a particular condition identified by the instrument, the particular output produced being dependent upon:
• (i) the duration of time since the particular condition was identified;
• (ii) whether any other conditions have been identified;
• and
• (iii) the priorities of the particular condition and any other conditions identified.

A medical system comprising:

• a medical instrument;
• sensing means for monitoring the operation of said instrument to detect a plurality of predetermined conditions;
• initial message generation means for producing an initial message, in response to the sensing of a predetermined condition by said sensing means, for a predetermined interval of time;
• and
• steady state message generation means for producing a steady state message upon the expiration of the predetermined interval of time.