Plethysmograph pulse recognition processor

1. A method of determining a pulse rate measurement of a monitored patient from a signal responsive to light absorption by tissue of the monitored patient, said method comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of sensors including a noninvasive optical sensor, wherein said data is responsive to light attenuated by tissue;

electronically processing said data using an electronic signal processor including:

identifying candidate pulses from the received data based on a triangular wave model;

extracting pulse features from the identified candidate pulses;

determining physiologically acceptable pulses from the identified candidate pulses based on the extracted pulse features;

extracting one or more pulse statistics from the determined physiologically acceptable pulses, wherein said one or more pulse statistics represent a confidence associated with the physiologically acceptable pulses;

selecting a pulse rate from pulse measurements derived from the plurality of sensors based on the extracted one or more pulse statistics representing the confidence associated with the physiologically acceptable pulses; and

displaying the selected pulse rate,

wherein said one or more pulse statistics comprise pulse density.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pulse statistics comprise at least one of median value of pulse periods, signal strength of pulses, and signal strength confidence level.

3. A system for determining a rate measurement of a monitored patient from a signal responsive to light absorption by tissue of a monitored patient, said system comprising an electronic signal processor configured to:

receive data from a plurality of sensors including a noninvasive optical sensor, wherein said data is responsive to light attenuated by tissue, wherein said tissue may vary in optical density over time due to volumetric changes;

identify candidate pulses from the received data based on a triangular wave model;

extract pulse features from the identified candidate pulses;

determine physiologically acceptable pulses from the identified candidate pulses based on the extracted pulse features;

calculate one or more pulse statistics of the determined physiologically acceptable pulses;

select a pulse rate from pulse measurements derived from the plurality of sensors based on the calculated one or more pulse statistics of the determined physiologically acceptable pulses; and

display the selected pulse rate,

wherein the one or more pulse statistics comprise pulse density.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the pulse features comprise at least one of the following: pulse starting point, period, and signal strength.