Patent ID: 8456295

Claim:
A method for managing alarms in a physiological monitoring apparatus, the method comprising: determining a plurality of averages of a physiological parameter derived from at least one physiological signal acquired from a subject, wherein the averages represent a corresponding plurality of averaging periods; assigning respective alarm limits to the plurality of averages; defining at least one alarm indicator, wherein each alarm indicator is defined based on at least one of the respective averages and corresponding alarm limits; and detecting an alarm based on the at least one alarm indicator: wherein the assigning includes assigning a basic alarm limit to a first average of the plurality of averages, wherein the first average represents the longest averaging period of the plurality of averages; and wherein the assigning further includes determining an ultimate alarm limit based on the basic alarm limit and assigning the ultimate alarm limit to a second average of the plurality of averages, wherein the second average represents the shortest averaging period of the plurality of averages.