9.2.3 Medical Alarm Generation

All medical devices implementing an alarm system shall comply to IEC60601-1-8 standard for medical alarms (as per IEC60601-1 Ed 3.1). The regulatory tests are done at a system level; therefore, system level acoustics play a major role in the compliance. A medical alarm is a common functional block in many medical devices. A portable implementation is needed that can also be customized to fit mechanical and audio or acoustic requirements. The DACx3401-based design is aimed at providing a programmable, standalone, and robust implementation at a very low cost.

There are three types of alarms with different timing requirements: low priority, medium priority, and high priority. Usually, for easy identification, different timings are employed for different equipment. Medical device manufacturers prefer using their signature melodies within the limits of the standard.

Figure 70. Medical Alarm