ANALYTE MONITORING SYSTEM ALARMS

1 . A method for determining whether to activate an analyte concentration status indicator in an analyte monitoring system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an initial monitoring period;

receiving a target range for a concentration of an analyte in a bodily fluid;

determining measurements of the concentration of the analyte in a sample of the bodily fluid during the course of the initial monitoring period;

determining whether the concentration of the analyte falls within the target range; and

determining whether to activate the analyte concentration status indicator by evaluating whether the measurements meet one or more progress conditions that demonstrate acceptable progress toward the target range, if the concentration of the analyte does not fall within the target range.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the measurements meet one or more progress conditions comprises:

determining a direction of change of the concentration of the analyte; and

determining whether the direction of change reflects that the concentration of the analyte is approaching the target range.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the measurements meet one or more progress conditions comprises:

determining a rate of change of the concentration of the analyte; and

determining whether the rate of change falls within an acceptable range.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the measurements meet one or more progress conditions comprises:

calculating an expected rate of change of the concentration of the analyte using at least the duration of the initial monitoring period and a value within the target range;

determining an expected range for the concentration of the analyte that adjusts according to the expected rate of change during the initial monitoring period; and

determining whether the concentration of the analyte falls within the expected range.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

ending the initial monitoring period when the concentration of the analyte falls within the target range;

determining measurements of the concentration of the analyte in the sample after the initial monitoring period; and

activating the analyte concentration status indicator when the concentration of the analyte falls outside the target range and when the initial monitoring period is ended.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target range comprises at least one of an acceptable range, an unacceptable range, a desired range, a suboptimal range, or an unhealthy range.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the measurements meet one or more progress conditions comprises:

determining a trend line from one or more analyte measurements during the initial monitoring period;

calculating a functional value of the trend line at a future time; and

determining whether the functional value at the future time falls within an unacceptable range.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the future time comprises the sum of a current time and an advanced warning time period.

9 . A method for determining whether to activate an analyte concentration advance warning indicator in an analyte monitoring system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an advance warning time period;

measuring a concentration of an analyte in a bodily fluid;

maintaining at least one previous measurement of the concentration of the analyte in the bodily fluid;

projecting a future value of the analyte concentration within the advance warning time period; and

activating the analyte concentration status indicator if the projection of the future value of the analyte concentration meets one or more advance warning criteria.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the advance warning criteria comprises whether the projection of the future value of the analyte concentration falls within a specified range

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the specified range comprises a range of analyte concentrations that indicates an unhealthy condition.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein projecting a future value of the analyte concentration within the advance warning time period comprises determining a projected future value of the analyte concentration at a future time equal to the sum of a current time and the advance warning time period.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein projecting a future value of the analyte concentration comprises:

determining a trend line from the measurement of the analyte concentration and the at least one previous measurement of the analyte concentration; and

calculating a functional value of the trend line at a future time.

14 . A method for determining whether to activate a notification in an analyte monitoring system, the method comprising:

receiving a projection time period;

determining a measurement of a concentration of an analyte in a sample of bodily fluid;

determining whether the measurement of the concentration of the analyte is within a specified range; and

determining whether to activate the notification by evaluating whether the concentration of the analyte is projected to be within the specified range at a future time during the projection time period, if the measurement of the concentration of the analyte is not within the specified range.

15 . A method for determining whether to suppress an alarm in an analyte monitoring system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an initial monitoring period;

determining measurements of the concentration of the analyte in a sample of the bodily fluid during the course of the initial monitoring period;

determining whether the measurements of the concentration of the analyte fall within a desired range;

evaluating whether one or more progress conditions that demonstrate acceptable progress in the analyte concentration toward the desired range are met; and

suppressing the alarm when the one or more progress conditions are met, if the concentration of the analyte does not fall within the desired range.

16 . The method of claim 15 , evaluating whether one or more progress conditions are met comprises:

determining a direction of change of the concentration of the analyte; and

determining whether the direction of change reflects that the concentration of the analyte is approaching the desired range.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein whether one or more progress conditions are met comprises:

determining a rate of change of the concentration of the analyte; and

determining whether the rate of change falls within an acceptable range.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein whether one or more progress conditions are met comprises:

calculating an expected rate of change of the concentration of the analyte using at least the duration of the initial monitoring period and a value within the target range;

determining an expected range for the concentration of the analyte that adjusts according to the expected rate of change during the initial monitoring period; and

determining whether the concentration of the analyte falls within the expected range.