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A telemetered characteristic monitor system includes a remotely located data receiving device, a sensor for producing signal indicative of a characteristic of a user, and a transmitter device. The transmitter device includes a housing, a sensor connector, a processor, and a transmitter. The transmit

A telemetered characteristic monitor system includes a remotely located data receiving device, a sensor for producing signal indicative of a characteristic of a user, and a transmitter device. The transmitter device includes a housing, a sensor connector, a processor, and a transmitter. The transmitter receives the signals from the sensor and wirelessly transmits the processed signals to the remotely located data receiving device. The processor coupled to the sensor processes the signals from the sensor for transmission to the remotely located data receiving device. The data receiving device may be a characteristic monitor, a data receiver that provides data to another device, an RF programmer for a medical device, a medication delivery device (such as an infusion pump), or the like.

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What is claimed is: 1. A telemetered characteristic monitor system for monitoring a characteristic of a user, the system comprising: a sensor for producing a signal indicative of the glucose level in the body of a user; and a transmitter device including: a housing; a sensor interface on a first se

What is claimed is: 1. A telemetered characteristic monitor system for monitoring a characteristic of a user, the system comprising: a sensor for producing a signal indicative of the glucose level in the body of a user; and a transmitter device including: a housing; a sensor interface on a first semiconductor chip within the housing coupled to the sensor to provide an interface between the sensor and the transmitter device; processing electronics on a second semiconductor chip within the housing coupled to the sensor interface to process the signals from the sensor; data formatting electronics on a third semiconductor chip within the housing and coupled to the processing electronics for converting the signals processed by the processing electronics into a stream of data having a predetermined format; and a transmitter coupled to the data formatting electronics for wirelessly transmitting the stream of data to a remotely located data receiving device that is configured to be worn on the user's body and includes a tactile indicator for providing to the user at least one of a reminder and an indication of a condition of said characteristic monitor system, said characteristic monitor system being calibrated by inputting a calibrating glucose reading into said remotely located data receiving device. 2. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip, and the third semiconductor chip are the same semiconductor chip. 3. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip, and the third semiconductor chip are each separate semiconductor chips. 4. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter device further includes one or more timers on a semiconductor chip within the housing and coupled to the data formatting electronics, and wherein the stream of data is transmitted to the remotely located data receiving device in accordance with a time-slicing transmission protocol. 5. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 4 wherein the sensor interface, the processing electronics, the data formatting electronics, and the one or more timers, are each on separate semiconductor chips. 6. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 4 wherein the sensor interface, the processing electronics, the data formatting electronics, and the one or more timers, are all on the same semiconductor chip. 7. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter device further includes a rechargeable battery within the housing and coupled to the transmitter to provide power to the transmitter. 8. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 7 wherein the transmitter device further includes solar cells on the housing and coupled to the battery and adapted to provide power to recharge the battery. 9. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter device further includes a user input mechanism on the housing, wherein the user input mechanism is adapted to turn the transmitter device on or off. 10. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter device further includes a user input mechanism on the housing, wherein the user input mechanism is adapted to turn the sensor on or off. 11. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the size of the housing is not greater than 2.0 square inches by 0.35 inches thick. 12. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the size of the housing is not greater than 1.0 square inches by 0.25 inches thick. 13. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor set comprising the sensor and a sensor connector coupled to the sensor, and wherein the transmitter device further comprises a transmitter connector coupled to the sensor interface, and wherein the sensor connector is directly connected to the transmitter connector without any intermediate cable between the two. 14. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics and the data formatting electronics are each independently capable of operating in a temperature range of 0° C. to 50° C. 15. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor interface is adapted to connect to more than one type of sensor. 16. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor interface is adapted to connect to different sensors placed in different locations on the user's body. 17. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor has a sensing portion that is implanted in tissue selected from the group consisting of sub-dermal, intra-peritoneal, and peritoneal tissue. 18. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a percutaneous sensor. 19. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter device further includes a wireless receiver to receive data and instructions from the data receiving device. 20. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the data receiving device is an insulin pump. 21. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the processed signals by radio frequencies. 22. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor has a sensing portion that is implanted in the user's subcutaneous tissue. 23. A telemetered characteristic monitor system for monitoring a characteristic of a user, the system comprising: a sensor for producing a signal indicative of the glucose level in the body of the user; and a transmitter device including: a housing; a sensor interface on a semiconductor chip within the housing coupled to the sensor to provide an interface between the sensor and the transmitter device; processing electronics and data formatting electronics on the semiconductor chip and coupled to the sensor interface to process the signals from the sensor and for converting the signals processed by the processing electronics into a stream of data having a predetermined format; and a transmitter coupled to the data formatting electronics for wirelessly transmitting the stream of data to a remotely located data receiving device that is configured to be worn on the user's body and includes a tactile indicator for providing to the user at least one of a reminder and an indication of a condition of said characteristic monitor system, said characteristic monitor system being calibrated by inputting a calibrating glucose reading into the remotely located data receiving device. 24. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 23 wherein the transmitter device further includes one or more timers on the semiconductor chip and coupled to the data formatting electronics, and wherein the stream of data is transmitted to the remotely located data receiving device in accordance with a time-slicing transmission protocol. 25. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 24 wherein the size of the housing is not greater than 1.0 square inches by 0.25 inches thick. 26. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 24, further comprising a sensor set comprising the sensor and a sensor connector coupled to the sensor, and wherein the transmitter device further comprises a transmitter connector coupled to the sensor interface, and wherein the sensor connector is directly connected to the transmitter connector without any intermediate cable between the two. 27. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 23, wherein the sensor has a sensing portion that is implanted in tissue selected from the group consisting of sub-dermal, intra-peritoneal, and peritoneal tissue. 28. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 23, wherein the sensor has a sensing portion that is implanted in the user's subcutaneous tissue. 29. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 23, wherein the remotely located data receiving device is an insulin pump. 30. A telemetered characteristic monitor system for monitoring a characteristic of a user, the system comprising: a sensor for producing a first signal indicative of the glucose level in the body of a user and a second signal indicative of a temperature of the sensor; and a transmitter device including: a housing; a sensor interface on a semiconductor chip within the housing coupled to the sensor to provide an interface between the sensor and the transmitter device; processing electronics and data formatting electronics on the semiconductor chip and coupled to the sensor interface to process the signals from the sensor and for converting the signals processed by the processing electronics into a stream of data having a predetermined format; and a transmitter coupled to the data formatting electronics for wirelessly transmitting the stream of data to a remotely located data receiving device, said characteristic monitor system being calibrated by inputting a calibrating glucose reading into said remotely located data receiving device. 31. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 30, wherein the remotely located data receiving device is configured to be worn on the user's body and includes a tactile indicator for providing to the user at least one of a reminder and an indication of a condition of said characteristic monitor system. 32. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 30, wherein the remotely located data receiving device is an insulin pump. 33. The telemetered characteristic monitor system of claim 30, wherein the sensor is calibrated based on the sensor's temperature.