Auditory alarms for physiological data monitoring

A pulse oximeter monitoring unit for measuring at least one blood flow characteristic through the application of at least one sensor having a plurality of light sources and at least one photodetector, comprising:

• a processor in data communication with the sensor wherein the processor transmits control signals to the light sources;
• a data acquisition module in data communication with said processor and said sensor unit wherein the data acquisition module receives input signals from the photodetectors;
• a memory module in data communication with said data acquisition module;
• and
• a sonification module in data communication with the memory module wherein the sonification module generates tones, at a plurality of predetermined transition points, corresponding to a measured SpO2 level, wherein the transition points represent an appreciable change in the measured SpO2 level.

A method of monitoring a patient's physiological status using a monitoring system that measures at least one physiological characteristic, comprising the steps of:

• sensing a value for a physiological characteristic;
• transmitting the value to a sonification module;
• receiving in the sonification module the transmitted value;
• comparing the value to a plurality of predetermined transition points;
• if the value matches one of said transition points, selecting a corresponding stored frequency value;
• based on the frequency value selected, generating signal waveforms having a frequency corresponding to the stored frequency value;
• transmitting the waveforms to a digital to analog converter;
• amplifying the converted waveforms;
• if the value does not match one of said transition points, identifying at least two transition points that approximate the value;
• selecting at least two frequency values corresponding to the at least two transition points;
• based on the at least two frequency values, generating at least two signal waveforms having frequencies corresponding to the at least two transition points;
• modifying amplitudes of the at least two signal waveforms;
• and
• mixing the at least two amplitude adjusted signal waveforms.