AMENDMENTSTO THE CLAIMS
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`Please amend the claims as follows:
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`1.
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`(Amended) A system for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient
`
`monitoring system, the system comprising:
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`an optical sensor configured to transmit optical radiation into a tissue site
`
`of a patient and detect attenuated optical radiation indicative of at
`
`least one
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`physiological parameter of a patient; and
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`one or more hardware processors in electronic communication with the
`
`optical sensor, the one or more hardware processors configuredto:
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`[measure] determine oxygen saturation values of [a] the patient
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`overa first period of time;
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`[determine if] when at least one oxygen saturation value obtained
`
`over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold[;], determine
`
`whether a first alarm should be triggered[ based on the determination that
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`the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of
`
`time exceedsthe first alarm threshold]:
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`[determine] access a second alarm threshold to be applied during a
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`second period of time subsequentto the first period of time, the second
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`alarm threshold replacing the first alarm threshold, wherein the second
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`alarm threshold [being determined by:]
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`[comparing at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained
`
`during thefirst time period with a lowerlimit associated with oxygen
`
`saturation; and]
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`[computing a
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`second alarm threshold based on the
`
`comparison where the second alarm threshold is computed to be
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`at] has_a value less than the at least first oxygen saturation value
`
`and greater than [the] a lowerlimit and at an offset from theatleast
`
`first oxygen saturation value, wherein the offset [is configured to
`
`diminish] is diminished as a difference between the at leastfirst
`
`oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes;
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`-3-
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`

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`[measure] determine oxygen saturation values of [a] the patient
`
`over the second period of time [to determine at least a second oxygen
`
`saturation value]; and
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`[determine whether] trigger a second alarm [should be triggered by
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`determining if] based on at least one value of the oxygen saturation values
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`obtained [during] over the second period of time [exceeds] exceeding the
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`second alarm threshold [and triggering an alarm if
`
`it
`
`is determined the
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`second alarm should betriggered].
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`2.
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`(Amended) The system of Claim 1, wherein the one or more hardware
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`processors are configured to calculate a first baseline measurement
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`from the
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`[measured] oxygen saturation values overthe first period of time and wherein the at
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`least one [oxygen saturation] value obtained during the first period of time corresponds
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`to the first baseline measurement.
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`3.
`
`(Amended) The system of Claim 2, wherein the one or more hardware
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`processors are configured to calculate a second baseline measurement from the
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`[measured] oxygen saturation values over the second period of time and wherein the at
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`least one [oxygen saturation] value obtained during the second period of
`
`time
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`corresponds to the second baseline measurement.
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`4.
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`(Amended) The system of Claim 1, wherein the lower limit is [predefined]
`
`predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen saturation.
`
`5.
`
`(Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the one or more hardware
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`processors are further configured to wait for a time delay prior to the triggering of the
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`second alarm, and wherein the time delay is a function of the second alarm threshold.
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`6.
`
`(Amended) The system of Claim 5, wherein the time delay decreases as
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`the difference between the at least one [first oxygen saturation] value and the lower limit
`
`diminishes.
`
`t.
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`(Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the first alarm threshold is
`
`predetermined.
`
`-4.
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`

`

`8.
`
`(Amended) A system for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient
`
`monitoring system including a pulse oximeter in communication with an optical sensor,
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`the system comprising one or more hardware processors configured to:
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`[measure] determine oxygen saturation values of a patient over a first
`
`period of time;
`
`period of time exceedsafirst alarm threshold;
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`determine if at least one oxygen saturation value obtained overthefirst
`
`[determine whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the
`
`determination that the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained overthe first
`
`period of time exceeds thefirst alarm threshold; ]
`
`[compare at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained during the first
`
`time period with a lowerlimit associated with oxygen saturation; ]
`
`[compute] access a second alarm threshold [based on the comparison];
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`[determine] apply_a time delay based on the [computed] second alarm
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`threshold, wherein the time delay approaches zero as the [first] at_least_one
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`oxygen saturation value obtained over the first_period of time approaches the
`
`lower limit:
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`[measure] determine oxygen saturation values of [a] the patient over [the]
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`a_second period of time different from the first period [to determine at least a
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`second oxygen saturation value]; and
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`trigger
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`[determine whether] a second alarm [should be triggered by
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`determining if] based on the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during
`
`the second period of time [exceeds] exceeding the second alarm threshold [for
`
`the time delay and triggering an alarm if it is determined the second alarm should
`
`be triggered].
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`9.
`
`(Original) The system of Claim 8, wherein the first alarm threshold is
`
`predetermined.
`
`10.
`
`(Amended) The system of Claim 8, wherein the lower limit is [predefined]
`
`predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen saturation.
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`5-
`
`

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`11.
`
`(Amended) The system of Claim 8, where the second alarm threshold is
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`[computed to be] at a value less than the at least first oxygen saturation value and
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`greater than the lower limit and at an offset from the first oxygen saturation value,
`
`wherein the offset is [configured to] diminished as a difference between the at leastfirst
`
`oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes.
`
`12.
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`(Amended) An electronic method [for] ofreducing electronic alarms in a
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`medical patient monitoring system, the electronic method comprising:
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`measuring, with a pulse oximeter including a light source, an optical
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`detector and one or more hardware processors configured to receive
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`signals responsive to light attenuated by tissue of a patient, oxygen
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`saturation values of [a] the patient over a first period of time;
`
`determining, using the one or more hardware processors, if at least
`
`one oxygen saturation value [determined] measured over the first period
`
`of time exceedsa first alarm threshold;
`
`[determining whethera first alarm should be triggered based on the
`
`determination that at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during
`
`the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold; ]
`
`[comparing at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained during
`
`the first time period with a lower limit associated with oxygen saturation; ]
`
`[computing the]applying,
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`using the one or more hardware
`
`processors, a second alarm threshold [based on the comparison where
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`the second alarm threshold is computed to be] at a value (i) less than [the
`
`at least first] anoxygen saturation value_of the patient, [and] (ii) greater
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`than [the] a_lower limit__(ili) and at an offset from the [first] oxygen
`
`saturation value_of the patient, wherein the offset
`
`[is configured to
`
`diminish] is diminished as a difference between the [at leastfirst] oxygen
`
`saturation value and the lower limit diminishes and wherein [the second
`
`alarm threshold is configured to be applied during a second period of time
`
`subsequent
`
`to the first period of
`
`time,]
`
`the second alarm threshold
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`[replacing] replaces the first alarm threshold;
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`-6-
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`

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`measuring, using the pulse oximeter, oxygen saturation values of
`
`[a] the patient over the second period of time to determine at least a
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`second oxygen saturation value; and
`
`determining, using the one or more hardware processors, whether
`[a] to trigger a second alarm [should be triggered] by at least determiningif
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`at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second period of
`
`time exceeds the second alarm threshold [and triggering an alarm if it is
`
`determined the second alarm should be triggered].
`
`13.
`
`(Amended) The electronic method of Claim 12, wherein [the one or more
`
`hardware processors are configured to] the electronic method further comprises, using
`
`the one or more hardware processors,
`
`[calculate]
`
`calculating a first baseline
`
`measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the first period of time
`
`and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the first period of
`
`time corresponds to the first baseline measurement.
`
`14.
`
`(Amended) The electronic method of Claim 13, wherein [the one or more
`
`hardware processors are configured to] the electronic method further comprises, using
`
`the one or more hardware processors,
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`[calculate] calculating a second baseline
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`measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the second period of
`
`time and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second
`
`period of time corresponds to the second baseline measurement.
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`15.
`
`(Amended) The electronic method of Claim 12, wherein the lower limit is
`
`[predefined] predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen
`
`saturation.
`
`16.
`
`(Amended) The electronic method of Claim 12, wherein [the one or more
`
`hardware processors are configured to] the electronic method further comprises, using
`
`the one or more hardware processors, waiting for a time delay prior to the triggering of
`
`the second alarm, and wherein the time delay is a function of the second alarm
`
`threshold.
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`-7-
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`

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`17.
`
`(Original) The electronic method of Claim 16, wherein the time delay
`
`decreases as the difference between the at least first oxygen saturation value and the
`
`lower limit diminishes.
`
`18.
`
`(Original) The electronic method of Claim 12, wherein the first alarm
`
`threshold is predetermined.
`
`19.
`
`(New) A system for reducing electronic alarms in_a patient_monitoring
`
`system, the system comprising:
`
`an optical sensor configured to transmit optical radiation into a tissue site
`
`of a patient_and_detect_attenuated_ optical
`
`radiation indicative of an oxygen
`
`saturation of a patient; and
`
`one or more hardware processors in electronic communication with the
`
`optical sensor, the one or more hardware processors configured to use an alarm
`
`threshold in determining whether to activate an alarm, the alarm threshold being
`
`at_a value less than a prior oxygen saturation of the patient by a difference,
`
`wherein the difference diminishes based on the prior oxygen saturation of the
`
`patient.
`
`20.
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`(New) The system of Claim 19, wherein the difference diminishes in
`
`responseto a decrease in the patient’s oxygen saturation until it reaches zero.
`
`21.
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`(New) The system of Claim 19, wherein the diminishmentis proportional
`
`to the difference.
`
`22.
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`(New) The system of Claim 19, wherein the diminishment is a stepwise
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`function of discrete diminishment steps.
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`23.
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`(New) The system of Claim 19, wherein the system automatically
`
`determines the alarm threshold.
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`-8-
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