Method and circuit for indicating quality and accuracy of physiological measurements

A method of manufacturing a system, comprising:

• providing a sensor comprising a detector configured to generate signals that are indicative of a physiological characteristic of a patient;
• providing a memory coupled with the sensor, the memory storing data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals, the at least one sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal, wherein the at least one sensor signal specification boundary is indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of the patient, and
• providing a monitor configured to receive the signals indicative of the physiological characteristic from the sensor, to provide the estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals, to receive the data defining the at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the sensor, to compare the signals against the at least one sensor signal specification boundary, and to generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition and to determine whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime based on the comparison of the signals to the at least one sensor signal specification boundary.

A method of manufacturing a system, comprising:

• providing a sensor comprising a detector configured to generate signals that are indicative of a physiological characteristic of a patient;
• providing a memory coupled to the sensor, the memory storing data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals, the at least one sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal, wherein the at least one signal specification boundary is characteristic of a model of the sensor or of individual components used in the sensor;
• and
• providing a monitor configured to receive the signals from the sensor, to receive the data defining the at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the sensor, to determine an estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals, to compare the received signals with the at least one sensor signal specification boundary, and to generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition and to determine whether the signals are within a normal regime for the sensor in the sensor's usual application or an abnormal regime for the sensor in the sensor's usual application based on the comparison of the received signals to at least one sensor signal specification boundary.

A method of operating a system for detecting at least one physiological characteristic, comprising:

• generating, with a sensor, signals from a patient that are indicative of the physiological characteristic;
• and
• accessing a memory coupled to the sensor to facilitate transmission of data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal, wherein the at least one sensor specific boundary is indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of the patient;
• transmitting from the sensor to a monitor the signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic;
• determining the estimated physiological condition of the patient via the monitor based on the signals;
• transmitting data defining the at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the sensor to the monitor;
• comparing via the monitor the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary;
• generating via the monitor an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition;
• and
• determining via the monitor whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime.

A monitor for providing an indication of an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of a patient, the monitor being coupleable to a sensor that generates signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic of the patient, the monitor comprising:

• a first receiving circuit configured to receive the signals indicative of the at least one physiological characteristic from the sensor;
• a first processing circuit configured to provide an estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals;
• a second receiving circuit configured to receive data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the sensor, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the sensor signal specification boundary is indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal;
• and
• a second processing circuit configured to compare the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary and to generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition, wherein the second processing circuit is further configured to determine whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime.

A method of operating a monitor for providing an indication of an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of a patient, comprising:

• receiving from a sensor signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic;
• determining the estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals;
• receiving data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a quality of the signals detected by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the at least one sensor signal specification boundary is indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal;
• comparing the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary;
• generating an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition;
• and
• determining whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime.

A system, for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of a patient, comprising:

• a sensor, comprising:
• a detector configured to generate signals that are indicative of the physiological characteristic;
• a memory coupled to the sensor, the memory storing data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a transition between a signal regime considered normal for the sensor in the sensor's usual application and a signal regime considered to be abnormal and being indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor;
• and
• an integrated circuit providing access to the memory to facilitate transmission of the data defining the at least one sensor signal specification boundary;
• and
• a monitor, comprising:
• a processing circuit configured to determine an estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals, compare the signals with the at least one sensor signal specification boundary, generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition, and determine whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime;
• and
• a receiving circuit configured to receive the signals indicative of the at least one physiological characteristic and to receive data defining the at least one sensor signal specification boundary, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic.

A system for detecting at least one physiological characteristic of a patient, comprising:

• a detector of a sensor adapted to generate signals indicative of the at least one physiological characteristic;
• and
• a memory coupled to or integral with the sensor storing data defining at least one specific boundary characteristic of a model of the sensor, the at least one specific boundary characteristic being indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the at least one specific boundary characteristic is indicative of a transition between a normal signal regime considered to be of sufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to a patient and an abnormal signal regime considered to be of insufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to the patient, the memory adapted to allow transmission of the boundary to a monitor to enable the monitor to display the estimated physiological characteristic when the signals fall within the normal signal regime and to display an indication of when the signals fall within the abnormal signal regime;
• and
• the monitor, comprising:
• a first receiving circuit configured to receive the signals indicative of the at least one physiological characteristic from the sensor;
• a first processing circuit configured to provide the estimated physiological characteristic of the patient based on the signals;
• a second receiving circuit configured to receive data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the memory;
• and
• a second processing circuit configured to compare the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary and to generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic, wherein the second processing circuit is further configured to determine whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime.

A method of operating a system for detecting at least one physiological characteristic, comprising:

• generating, with a sensor, signals from a patient that are indicative of the physiological characteristic;
• accessing a memory coupled to the sensor to facilitate transmission of data defining at least one specific boundary characteristic of a model of the sensor, the at least one specific boundary characteristic being indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the at least one specific boundary characteristic is indicative of a transition between a normal signal regime considered to be of sufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to a patient and an abnormal signal regime considered to be of insufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to the patient;
• transmitting from the sensor to the monitor the signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic;
• determining the estimated physiological characteristic of the patient via the monitor based on the signals;
• transmitting data defining the at least one specific boundary characteristic for the signals;
• comparing via the monitor the signals against the at least one specific boundary characteristic;
• generating via the monitor an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic;
• and
• determining via the monitor whether the signals are within the normal signal regime or the abnormal signal regime.

A monitor for providing an indication of an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of a patient, the monitor being coupleable to a sensor that generates signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic of the patient, the monitor comprising:

• a first receiving circuit configured to receive the signals indicative of the at least one physiological characteristic from the sensor;
• a first processing circuit configured to provide an estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals;
• a second receiving circuit configured to receive data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals from the sensor, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a quality of the signals generated by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the sensor signal specification boundary is indicative of a transition between a normal signal regime considered to be of sufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to a patient and an abnormal signal regime considered to be of insufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to the patient, and the at least one sensor signal specification boundary is characteristic of a model of the sensor or individual components of the sensor;
• and
• a second processing circuit configured to compare the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary and to generate an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition, wherein the second processing circuit is further configured to determine whether the signals are within the normal regime or the abnormal regime.

A method of operating a monitor for providing an indication of an accuracy of an estimated physiological condition of a patient, comprising:

• receiving from a sensor signals indicative of at least one physiological characteristic;
• determining the estimated physiological condition of the patient based on the signals;
• receiving data defining at least one sensor signal specification boundary for the signals, the sensor signal specification boundary being indicative of a quality of the signals detected by the sensor and an accuracy of the estimated physiological characteristic estimated from the signals, wherein the at least one sensor signal specification boundary is indicative of a transition between a normal signal regime considered to be of sufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to a patient and an abnormal signal regime considered to be of insufficient quality and accuracy for the sensor when applied to the patient, and the at least one sensor signal specification boundary is characteristic of a model of the sensor or individual components of the sensor;
• comparing the signals against the sensor signal specification boundary;
• generating an indication of the accuracy of the estimated physiological condition;
• and
• determining whether the signals are within the normal signal regime or the abnormal signal regime.