Method and apparatus for providing data processing and control in a medical communication system

1. A method, comprising:

initiating, using one or more processors, a calibration routine associated with an in vivo analyte sensor based on a current calibration parameter, the current calibration parameter including a current sensitivity value determined from a current reference analyte measurement and one or more signals from the in vivo analyte sensor;

retrieving, from a memory, a prior calibration parameter including a previously determined sensitivity value from a prior calibration routine to calibrate the analyte sensor based on a reference analyte measurement and one or more previously obtained signals from the in vivo analyte sensor;

comparing, using the one or more processors, the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter; and

determining, using the one or more processors, a stability status associated with the analyte sensor based at least in part on comparing the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter;

wherein when the stability status indicates that the in vivo analyte sensor is stable, completing the calibration routine including determining a composite sensitivity value based on the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter, and when the stability status indicates that the in vivo analyte sensor is not stable, re-initiating the calibration routine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyte sensor is determined to be within or outside a predetermined stability range based on the comparison of the current and the prior calibration parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined stability range is approximately 50 percent difference or less between the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined stability range is approximately 25 percent difference or less between the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the composite sensitivity value is determined based on a weighted average of the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the weighted average of the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter includes a variable weighted average of the current and the prior calibration parameters.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the composite sensitivity determined based on the variable weighted average provides a nonlinear correction.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter are each associated with the sensitivity of the in vivo analyte sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiated calibration routine and the prior calibration routine associated with the prior calibration parameter are based on a predetermined calibration schedule for the analyte sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein when the current calibration parameter compared with the retrieved prior calibration parameter is within a predetermined range, the determined stability status indicates the stable status associated with the analyte sensor.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein when the current calibration parameter compared with the retrieved prior calibration parameter is not within a predetermined range, the determined stability status indicates the art unstable status associated with the analyte sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 including performing, using the one or more processors, a further calibration routine.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior calibration routine and the calibration routine are performed based on a predetermined calibration schedule to calibrate the analyte sensor during a predetermined time period when the analyte sensor is in continuous fluid contact with an interstitial fluid under a skin layer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the calibration routine includes receiving a current blood glucose data, the received current blood glucose data corresponding to the current reference analyte measurement.

15. The method of claim 1 further including outputting one or more real time monitored analyte information, analyte trend information, analyte level rate of change information, or one or more combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyte sensor is an electrochemical glucose sensor.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a data storage unit; and

a processing unit coupled to the data storage unit, the processing unit configured to initiate a calibration routine associated with an in vivo analyte sensor based on a current calibration parameter, the current calibration parameter including a current sensitivity value determined from a current reference analyte measurement and one or more signals from the in vivo analyte sensor, to retrieve a prior calibration parameter including a previously determined sensitivity value from a prior calibration routine to calibrate the analyte sensor based on a reference analyte measurement and one or more previously obtained signals from the in vivo analyte sensor from the data storage unit, to compare the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter, to determine a stability status associated with the analyte sensor based at least in part on comparing the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter, and when the stability status indicates that the in vivo analyte sensor is stable, to complete the calibration routine including determining a composite sensitivity value based on the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter, and when the stability status indicates that the in vivo analyte sensor is not stable, to re-initiate the calibration routine.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processing unit determines the analyte sensor to be within or outside stability a predetermined stability range based on the comparison of the current and the prior calibration parameters.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined stability range is approximately 50 percent difference or less between the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined stability range is approximately 25 percent difference or less between the current calibration parameter and the retrieved prior calibration parameter.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter are each associated with the sensitivity of the in vivo analyte sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processing unit initiates the calibration routine and the prior calibration routine associated with the prior calibration parameter based on a predetermined calibration schedule for the analyte sensor during the time period that the analyte sensor is in continuous fluid contact with an interstitial fluid under a skin layer.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein when the processing unit determines the current calibration parameter compared with the retrieved prior calibration parameter is within a predetermined range, the processing unit determines the stability status indicating the stable status associated with the analyte sensor.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein when the processing unit determines the current calibration parameter compared with the retrieved prior calibration parameter is not within a predetermined range, the processing unit determines the stability status indicating the unstable status associated with the analyte sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the current reference analyte measurement includes a blood glucose measurement.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 including a blood glucose meter to provide the blood glucose measurement.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the processing unit is in signal communication with the blood glucose meter to receive the blood glucose measurement.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 including a housing, the processing unit and the blood glucose meter provided substantially within the housing.

29. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the composite sensitivity value based on a weighted average of the current calibration parameter and the prior calibration parameter.