Variable indication estimator
First Claim
1. A signal processor capable of reducing unwanted fluctuations in oxygen saturation values while substantially tracking the occurrence and severity of desaturation events, wherein the oxygen saturation values were derived by processing absorption signals representative of light attenuated by body tissue carrying pulsing blood, the signal processor comprising:
- a buffer capable of storing a plurality of input oxygen saturation values corresponding to a plurality of time values;
a signal confidence indicator;
a selected time value based upon said signal confidence indicator; and
an estimator capable of determining an oxygen saturation output value at the selected time value, said oxygen saturation output value comprising an estimate for the plurality of input oxygen saturation values;
wherein the estimator is an oxygen saturation versus time curve fit to the input oxygen saturation values within the buffer;
wherein the oxygen saturation output value is a point along said curve fit at the selected time value; and
wherein the selected time value is between an average of the time values and a maximum of the time values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A variable indication estimator which determines an output value representative of a set of input data. For example, the estimator can reduce input data to estimates of a desired signal, select a time, and determine an output value from the estimates and the time. In one embodiment, the time is selected using one or more adjustable signal confidence parameters determine where along the estimates the output value will be computed. By varying the parameters, the characteristics of the output value are variable. For example, when input signal confidence is low, the parameters are adjusted so that the output value is a smoothed representation of the input signal. When input signal confidence is high, the parameters are adjusted so that the output value has a faster and more accurate response to the input signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A signal processor capable of reducing unwanted fluctuations in oxygen saturation values while substantially tracking the occurrence and severity of desaturation events, wherein the oxygen saturation values were derived by processing absorption signals representative of light attenuated by body tissue carrying pulsing blood, the signal processor comprising:
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a buffer capable of storing a plurality of input oxygen saturation values corresponding to a plurality of time values; a signal confidence indicator; a selected time value based upon said signal confidence indicator; and an estimator capable of determining an oxygen saturation output value at the selected time value, said oxygen saturation output value comprising an estimate for the plurality of input oxygen saturation values; wherein the estimator is an oxygen saturation versus time curve fit to the input oxygen saturation values within the buffer; wherein the oxygen saturation output value is a point along said curve fit at the selected time value; and wherein the selected time value is between an average of the time values and a maximum of the time values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A signal processor capable of reducing unwanted fluctuations in oxygen saturation values while substantially tracking the occurrence and severity of desaturation events, wherein the oxygen saturation values were derived by processing absorption signals representative of light attenuated by body tissue carrying pulsing blood, the signal processor comprissing:
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a buffer capable of storing a plurality of input oxygen saturation values corresponding to a plurality of time values; a signal confidence indicator; a selected time value based upon said signal confidence indicator; and an estimator capable of determining an oxygen saturation output value at the selected time value, said oxygen saturation output value comprising an estimate for the plurality of input oxygen saturation values; wherein the estimator is further capable of segmenting said plurality of said oxygen saturation values; wherein the estimator is capable of determining a plurality of segment oxygen saturation estimates; and wherein each segment oxygen saturation estimate is determined from the oxygen saturation values corresponding to a respective segment. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of reducing a time delay in a determination of oxygen saturation when a confidence in the determination is high, the oxygen saturation being determined from one or more signals output from a detector capable of detecting light attenuated by body tissue, the method comprising:
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providing a buffer capable of storing a plurality of input values corresponding to a plurality of time values, wherein the input values are indicative of oxygen saturations; providing a signal confidence indicator; and providing a signal processor capable of selecting a time value based upon said signal confidence indicator and including an estimator capable of determining an output value at the selected time value, said output value comprising an estimate for the plurality of input values, wherein the estimator comprises an input values to time curve fit to the input values within the buffer, said output value comprising a point along said curve fit at the selected time value, and said selected time value is between an average of the time values and a maximum of the time values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification