Handheld processing device including medical applications for minimally and non invasive glucose measurements

A processing system configured to monitor one or more physiological parameters of a patient, the processing system comprising:

• a noninvasive optical sensor including a light source and a detector, said sensor configured to receive and output optical sensor signals responsive to light attenuated by patient tissue at a measurement site on the patient;
• a strip reader configured to accept a strip including a blood sample, configured to analyze the blood sample, and configured to output strip reader signals responsive to the analysis;
• and
• a handheld housing comprising:
• a cellular communication device configured to access a cellular network;
• one or more parameter processors configured to receive at least said optical sensor signals, to electronically process said optical sensor signals, and to determine measurement values of at least some of said one or more physiological parameters, said measurement values responsive to said optical sensor signals;
• an applications processor in communication with said cellular communication device, said strip reader, and at least or more of said one or more parameter processors, said application processor configured to execute one or more medical applications and one or more cellular applications, wherein said one or more cellular application are configured to control said cellular communication device;
• a shared operating system executing on said applications processor and configured to control operation of said cellular application and said medical application;
• a shared input-output device in communication with said applications processor, said shared input-output device comprising a display device and a user input mechanism;
• and
• a priority mode processing application configured to execute on said applications processor and configured to control priority of access to, and use of, said application processor, said shared operating system, and at least portions of said shared input-output device by said medical application in response to receiving a triggering event signal responsive to a triggering event, wherein said priority of access overrides access by said cellular application to exclusively perform medical functions of said medical application and wherein said triggering event comprises an initiation of communication from said at least one of said one or more parameter processors to said application processor or an activation of said medical application.