Pulse oximetry data confidence indicator

A method of providing a caregiver an indication of signal quality acquired from a physiological signal output from a physiological sensor, the method comprising:

• acquiring a physiological data set from the physiological sensor output, wherein the physiological sensor output is related to one or more physiological parameters of a patient;
• deriving a plurality of signal quality measures from the physiological sensor output;
• comparing the plurality of signal quality measures to a corresponding plurality of thresholds to determine a confidence measure, the confidence measure corresponding to the physiological data set;
• and
• presenting data representative of the confidence measure and data representative of the physiological data set, wherein the step of presenting the data representative of the confidence measure further comprises issuing an audible signal, wherein the step of issuing the audible signal further comprises varying a volume of the audible signal to indicate the confidence measure, and wherein the step of varying the volume of the audible signal further comprises raising the volume as the confidence measure becomes more positive and lowering the volume as the confidence measure becomes less positive.

A method of providing a caregiver an indication of signal quality acquired from a physiological signal output from a physiological sensor, the method comprising:

• acquiring a physiological data set from the physiological sensor output, wherein the physiological sensor output is related to one or more physiological parameters of a patient;
• deriving a plurality of signal quality measures from the physiological sensor output;
• comparing the plurality of signal quality measures to a corresponding plurality of thresholds to determine a confidence measure, the confidence measure corresponding to the physiological data set;
• presenting data representative of the confidence measure and data representative of the physiological data set;
• timeshifting the physiological data set by a delay to generate a delayed data set, wherein the delay is a function of the confidence measure;
• comparing the physiological data set and the delayed data set to a threshold;
• and
• generating a warning when levels of the physiological data set and the delayed data set are beyond said threshold.

A method of providing a caregiver an indication of signal quality acquired from a physiological signal output from a physiological sensor, the method comprising:

• acquiring a physiological data set from the physiological sensor output, wherein the physiological sensor output is related to one or more physiological parameters of a patient;
• deriving a plurality of signal quality measures from the physiological sensor output;
• comparing the plurality of signal quality measures to a corresponding plurality of thresholds to determine a confidence measure, the confidence measure corresponding to the physiological data set and depending on at least one of an integrity measure, a pulse rate density measure and a harmonic ratio measure;
• presenting data representative of the confidence measure and data representative of the physiological data set;
• and
• generating an alert when each of the integrity measure, the pulse rate density measure, and the harmonic ratio measure falls below one or more thresholds associated with each of the integrity measure, the pulse rate density measure, and the harmonic ratio measure.

A data confidence indication method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a signal from a physiological sensor;
• calculating a physiological data set from said signal;
• calculating a plurality of signal quality measures from said signal;
• setting an alarm threshold for said data set;
• and
• delaying an alarm trigger when said data set exceeds said threshold as a function of at least one of said signal quality measures so as to reduce the probability of false alarms.

A data confidence indication method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a signal from a physiological sensor;
• calculating a physiological data set from said signal;
• calculating a plurality of signal quality measures from said signal;
• setting an alarm threshold for said data set;
• delaying an alarm trigger when said data set exceeds said threshold as a function of at least one of said signal quality measures so as to reduce the probability of false alarms;
• comparing the plurality of signal quality measures to a corresponding plurality of thresholds to determine a confidence measure, the confidence measure corresponding to the physiological data set;
• and
• presenting data representative of the confidence measure and data representative of the physiological data set, wherein the step of presenting the data representative of the confidence measure further comprises issuing an audible signal, wherein the step of issuing the audible signal further comprises varying a volume of the audible signal to indicate the confidence measure, and wherein the step of varying the volume of the audible signal further comprises raising the volume as the confidence measure becomes more positive and lowering the volume as the confidence measure becomes less positive.