System and methods for processing analyte sensor data

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for initializing a glucose sensor, comprising:
 analyzing, with an electronic device, a glucose related signal from a glucose sensor to determine a sensor stability, wherein at least a portion of the glucose sensor is beneath a skin surface of a host; and   reporting glucose related information when the sensor is determined to be stable, wherein the glucose related information is not reported prior to determining that the sensor is stable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sensor stability is determined using reference data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reference data is obtained by sampling blood of the individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reference data is obtained from a glucose test strip. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the sensor signal to determine whether a sensor sensitivity variability exists that exceeds a predetermined threshold, over a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reporting glucose related information is performed after about one hour following the insertion of the sensor.