METHOD FOR PROCESSING A CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF MEASUREMENTS OF A TIME DEPENDENT PARAMETER

• US 20090271729A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Disetronic Licensing Ag (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Heaton, Kelly, Killoren Clark, Amy
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for processing a chronological sequence of measurements of a time dependent parameter measured in or on a human body, in particular of a physiological glucose concentration, and a system thereof are disclosed. A database stores a plurality of chronological sequences of measurements of the time dependent parameter and computing and display equipment graphically displays on a user interface display at least three of the measurements of a stored sequence simultaneously. The method as well as the system enable a patient to improve self-management skills concerning a therapy that affects the behavior of the parameter.

Claims

1. A method for processing a chronological sequence of measurements of a time dependent parameter measured in or on a human body comprising:

storing a time segment of the sequence of measurements as a record in a database; and

simultaneously graphically displaying at least three of the measurements of the stored segment on a user interface display.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising defining a temporal start point and an end point of the segment and including measurements of the sequence lying in between said start point and said end point in the record stored in the database.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising creating automatically a plurality of records subject to a number of selection parameters, wherein a plurality of segments each having a temporal start point and a temporal end point are selected from the chronological sequence of measurements according to the selection parameters, and generating for each selected segment a record to be stored in the database.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the values of the at least three measurements are displayed in a time-value coordinate system as time-value data pairs in relation to a reference line.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising connecting temporally adjacent data pairs to build a curve and highlighting a geometrical area between the curve and the reference line to build a characteristic shape corresponding to the stored time segment.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the reference line corresponds to a reference value, such as a target or threshold value, of the parameter.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising accepting a user input changing the reference value and updating all data stored in the database according to the changed reference value.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising supplementing the record with meta-data associated with the time segment, in particular with at least one of the following:

a description identifying the segment, supplied by a user;

start and end points of the segment;

time and/or date information;

complementary measurements of parameters measured in or on the human body; and

user specified notes such as a log book commentary.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising obtaining automatically at least part of the metadata via a communication link from one or more data gathering and/or storage devices selected from insulin delivering devices, blood glucose meters, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and personal computers.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising accepting user input which facilitates at least one of the following:

editing meta-data;

saving records at a specified location in user-definable folders;

recalling records;

searching records;

sorting records;

deleting records;

exporting records; and

comparing records.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein measurements of a first segment and measurements of a second segment stored in the database are simultaneously graphically displayed.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein measurements of a segment stored in the database and a real-time sequence of measurements are simultaneously graphically displayed, and said method further comprising placing the graphical representation of the segment at a desired location along a timeline of the real-time measurement sequence.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising displaying all measurements being simultaneously displayed on equal value and time scales.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising continuously dynamically supplementing the sequence of measurements with real-time measurements and continuously updating the display of the measurements and the stored record accordingly.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising automatically comparing the sequence of measurements with segments previously stored in the database, the comparison involving graphical, statistical or metadata characteristics of the sequence and of the segments, respectively.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising collecting a number of measurements belonging to a given time span and averaging the values of the collected measurements in order to build an average value to be displayed.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising storing the average value in the database.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising storing the initial sequence of measurements in the database.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating interpolated values of the parameter corresponding to intermediate times such that a smooth curve segment is generated.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter is a glucose concentration measured by a continuous glucose measurement system.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising using a continuous glucose sensor device placed in or on the human body to provide measurements of glucose values in interstitial fluid and transmitting the measurements to a computing and display equipment selected from a PDA, a personal computer, a cellular or smart phone, a specific remote control for an infusion pump, an analyte measuring device, and combinations thereof.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the measurements are transmitted from the sensor device to the computing and display equipment by wireless communication.

26. Computer program comprising code means that when executed by a data processing system carry out each of the steps of method claim 1.

23. A system for processing a chronological sequence of measurements of a time dependent parameter measured in or on a human body, in particular of a physiological glucose concentration, the system comprising a computing and display equipment selected from a PDA, a personal computer, a cellular or smart phone, a specific remote control for an infusion pump, an analyte measuring device, and combinations thereof, the computing and display equipment comprising a database storing a plurality of chronological sequences of measurements of the time dependent parameter and the computing and display equipment being designed and controlled in such a way that at least three of the measurements of a sequence stored in the database is simultaneously graphically displayable on a user interface display.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the computing and display equipment comprises means for receiving user input, and means for editing and managing sequences stored in the database, depending on the user input.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the system comprises a continuous glucose sensor device to be placed in or on the human body in order to measure glucose values in interstitial fluid and in that the computing and display device comprises an RF receiver which receives measurements performed by the sensor device.