Graphical User Interface For Monitor Alarm Management

• US 20090247851A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Batchelder, Keitch, Li, Li, Amundson, Scott, Ochs, James, Boyce, Robin, Vargas, Steve
• Application Number:
  US12/409,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247851A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for facilitating user input of alarm settings for a patient monitor. In various embodiments, a pulse oximetry monitor may include a graphical user interface (GUI) which is capable of displaying a graph of blood oxygen saturation percentage over time. The system may be capable of allowing a user to enter an alarm threshold value and/or an alarm integration threshold value. The alarm threshold value may be displayed as a line on the graph, and the alarm integration threshold value may be displayed as a shaded area on the graph. The GUI may include an indicator of where an alarm would be initiated given the graph, the input alarm threshold value, and/or the alarm integration threshold value. The disclosed GUI may provide the user with a clear illustration of how the alarm threshold value and alarm integration threshold value may affect the alarm.

Claims

1. A monitor, comprising:

a display;

a graphical user interface capable of being illustrated on the display, the graphical user interface comprising;

an indication of an alarm threshold value;

an indication of an alarm integration threshold value; and

a graphical representation of a physiological parameter, wherein the indication of the alarm threshold value generally comprises a line on the graphical representation, and the indication of the alarm integration threshold value generally comprises a shaded area on the graphical representation; and

a processor capable of calculating the physiological parameter for illustration on the display.

2. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the processor is capable of integrating the difference between the line and a real-time plot of the physiological parameter measured over time when the physiological parameter is below the line.

3. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the physical parameter comprises a blood oxygen saturation.

4. The monitor of claim 1, comprising soft keys capable of enabling user input of an alarm threshold value and/or an alarm integration threshold value.

5. The monitor of claim 4, comprising an alarm capable of alerting a caregiver when the calculated physiological parameter exceeds the alarm threshold value and/or the alarm integration threshold value.

6. The monitor of claim 1, comprising a second graphical user interface capable of being illustrated on the display, wherein the second graphical user interface comprises a real-time plot of the physiological parameter measured over time.

7. A system, comprising:

a monitor, comprising;

a graphical user interface capable of illustration on the display, the graphical user interface comprising;

an indication of an alarm threshold value;

an indication of an alarm integration threshold value; and

a graphical representation of a physiological parameter, wherein the indication of the alarm threshold value generally comprises a line on the graphical representation and the indication of the alarm integration threshold value generally comprises a shaded area on the graphical representation; and

a sensor capable of providing information to the monitor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises a pulse oximetry sensor.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the monitor is capable of determining an alarm integration parameter based at least in part upon a real-time measurement of the physiological parameter compared to the indicated alarm threshold value line when the real-time measurement is below the line.

10. The system of claim 9, comprising an alarm capable of indicating an anomaly when an alarm integration parameter exceeds the indicated alarm integration threshold value.

11. One or more tangible, machine-readable media comprising code which, if executed by a processor, cause the processor to display a user interface, the user interface comprising:

an alarm threshold value;

an alarm integration threshold value; and

a generally graphical representation of a physiological parameter, wherein the alarm threshold value is generally illustrated as a line on the graphical representation, and the alarm integration threshold value is generally illustrated as a shaded area on the graphical representation.

12. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 11, wherein the physiological parameter comprises a blood oxygen saturation.

13. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 11, comprising code executable to illustrate the alarm threshold value and the line in a first color.

14. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 11, comprising code executable to illustrate the alarm integration threshold value and the shaded area in a second color.

15. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 11, comprising code executable to illustrate a symbol indicative of the alarm integration threshold value.

16. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 15, comprising code executable to illustrate the alarm integration threshold value, the shaded area, and/or the symbol in a second color.