Patent ID: 7315753

Claim:
A pulse oximeter comprising: a sensor configured to detect first and second electromagnetic radiation signals from a patient corresponding to first and second wavelengths of light; an analog to digital converter, coupled to the sensor, for converting the first and second electromagnetic radiation signals into first and second digital signals; and a processor, coupled to the analog to digital converter, the processor being programmed with a filter module for filtering the first and second digital signals, a normalization module configured to normalize the first and second digital signals; a first oxygen saturation calculation module configured to determine a first oxygen saturation value using a first saturation calculation algorithm applied to the first and second digital signals, a second oxygen saturation calculation module configured to determine a second oxygen saturation value using a second saturation calculation algorithm applied to the first and second digital signals, a best saturation module configured to arbitrate between the first and second oxygen saturation values based on a saturation confidence associated with the first and second oxygen saturation values to select a best oxygen saturation value, a first pulse rate calculation module configured to determine a first pulse rate from the first and second digital signals using a first pulse rate algorithm, a second pulse rate calculation module configured to determine a second pulse rate from the first and second digital signals using a second pulse rate algorithm, and a best rate module configured to arbitrate between the first and second pulse rates based on a pulse rate confidence associated with the first and second pulse rate signals to select a best pulse rate.