System for monitoring physiological characteristics

A device, comprising:

• a sensor input capable of receiving a signal from a sensor, the signal being based on a sensed physiological characteristic value of a user;
• and
• a processor coupled to the sensor input for operating an alarm based on the sensed physiological characteristic value of the user from the received signal from the sensor;
• wherein the processor activates the alarm and delays accepting input from the user when the alarm awakens the user.

A device, comprising:

• a sensor input capable of receiving at least one signal from a sensor, the signal being based on a plurality of sensed physiological characteristic values of a user of the device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the sensor input for operating a plurality of alarms based on the received signal from the sensor, wherein;
• the processor is capable of activating each of the plurality of alarms according to a different sensed physiological characteristic value of the plurality of sensed physiological characteristic values;
• the plurality of sensed physiological characteristic values include:
• blood glucose concentrations in the user;
• and
• the rate of change of blood glucose concentrations in the user over a predetermined time period;
• a first alarm is activated when glucose concentrations exhibit a predetermined rate of change and a second alarm is activated when glucose concentrations reach a predetermined value;
• and
• the criteria for activating the first alarm are more stringent than the criteria for activating the second alarm.