Pulse and confidence indicator displayed proximate plethysmograph
According to some embodiments of the present invention, a display is used to show an indication of the signal's quality. This indication of the signal's quality may be provided in a number of ways, including audibly or visually.
1. A method of indicating signal quality in an electronic patient monitor when a displayed plethysmograph alone may not be a sufficient visual indicator, the method comprising:
electronically receiving a sensor output signal indicative of light attenuated by pulsing blood of a patient;
determining with a signal processor plethysmographic data responsive to said sensor output signal;
determining with said signal processor a measurement of confidence that said plethysmographic data accurately reflects physiological parameters occurring in said patient;
displaying said plethysmographic data on a display of a patient monitoring device;
displaying a visual indicator in proximity to said plethysmographic data; and
modifying a color of said visual indicator, said modification responsive to said measurement of confidence.
2. The method of claim 1 , where said visual Indicator comprises a vertical bar.
3. The method of claim 2 , where said modification comprises modifying a height of said vertical bar.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising modifying an associated sound.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said modification comprises a thickness of said vertical bar.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the visual indicator corresponds to an occurrence of a pulse of said patient.
7. An electronic patient monitor including a signal processor communicating with a noninvasive optical sensor and a display device responsive to measurements and calculation made by said signal processor, said patient monitor configured to indicate signal quality, the monitor comprising:
a sensor signal input receiving a sensor output signal indicative of light attenuated by pulsing blood of a patient;
a signal processor receiving said sensor output signal, determining plethysmographic data responsive to said sensor output signal, determining a measurement of confidence that said plethysmographic data accurately reflects physiological parameters occurring in said patient; and
a display device displaying said plethysmographic data, displaying a visual indicator in proximity to said plethysmographic data to indicate to a caregiver which of said displayed plethysmographic data corresponds to an occurrence of a pulse of said patient, wherein a color of the visual indicator is dynamically modified responsive to said measurement of confidence.
8. The monitor of claim 7 , where said visual indicator comprises a vertical bar coinciding with the peak of arterial pulsations in said plethysmographic data.
9. The monitor of claim 8 , where said modification comprises modifying a height of said vertical bar.
10. The monitor of claim 8 , wherein an associated sound with the occurrence of the pulse is modified responsive to the measurement of confidence.
11. The monitor of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the vertical bar is modified.
12. An electronic patient monitor Including a signal processor communicating with a noninvasive optical sensor and a display device responsive to measurements and calculation made by said signal processor, said patient monitor configured to indicate signal quality, the monitor comprising:
a sensor signal input receiving a sensor output signal indicative of light attenuated by pulsing blood of a patient;
a signal processor receiving said sensor output signal, determining plethysmographic data responsive to said sensor output signal, determining a measurement of confidence that said plethysmographic data accurately reflects physiological parameters occurring in said patient; and
a display device displaying said plethysmographic data, displaying a visual indicator in proximity to said plethysmographic data to indicate to a caregiver which of said displayed plethysmographic data corresponds to an occurrence of a pulse of said patient, wherein a color of the visual indicator is modified with a time delay and responsive to said measurement of confidence.
13. The monitor of claim 12 , where said visual indicator comprises a vertical bar coinciding with the peak of arterial pulsations in said plethysmographic data.
14. The monitor of claim 13 , where said modification comprises modifying a height of said vertical bar.
15. The monitor of claim 13 , wherein an associated sound with the occurrence of the pulse is modified responsive to the measurement of confidence.
16. The monitor of claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the vertical bar is modified.