Variable indication estimator

A system comprising:

• an analog signal conditioning circuit that receives signals corresponding to attenuated light transmitted through body tissue of a patient, the analog signal conditioning circuit comprising an analog-to-digital conversion circuit that provides first discrete signal values at a first time and second discrete signal values at a second time subsequent to the first time;
• a digital-to-analog conversion circuit that provides control signals to emitter current drivers to cause the light to transmit through the body tissue;
• and
• a processor that:
• receives the first discrete signal values and the second discrete signal values from the analog signal conditioning circuit;
• calculates first physiological parameter values based on the first discrete signal values and second physiological parameter values based on the second discrete signal values;
• calculate a first signal confidence based on first noise in the first discrete signal values and a second signal confidence based on second noise in the second discrete signal values;
• adjusts the first physiological parameter values to produce first adjusted physiological parameter values by smoothing the first physiological parameter values, wherein the processor uses said smoothing based at least in part on the first signal confidence;
• adjusts the second physiological parameter values to produce second adjusted physiological parameter values by applying filtering to the second physiological parameter values, wherein the processor uses said filtering based at least in part on the second signal confidence;
• wherein the processor uses said smoothing instead of said filtering for the first physiological parameter values based on the first signal confidence being lower than the second signal confidence;
• and
• provide the first and second adjusted physiological parameter values for output to a display.