1. A computer readable program storage unit encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method for detecting epileptic seizures based upon a time of beat sequence of the patient's heart comprising: obtaining a time series of fiducial time markers for candidate heart beats; identifying valid beats from said candidate heart beats by subjecting a plurality of candidate beats to at least one beat validity test, said at least one beat validity test comprising at least one beat interval test applied to a candidate beat interval derived from a candidate heart beat and at least one preceding heart beat; and accepting as valid beats the candidate beats that pass said at least one beat validity test; identifying valid beats suitable for seizure detection by forming a first window for each valid beat, said first window comprising a first valid beat and at least one preceding heart beat; testing said first window with at least one window test; and accepting as suitable for seizure detection said first valid beat from each said first window that passes said at least one window test; and detecting an epileptic seizure by at least one of: (1) forming a second window for each valid beat suitable for seizure detection, said second window comprising a first valid beat suitable for seizure detection and at least one prior valid beat suitable for seizure detection; determining a foreground heart rate parameter comprising a statistical measure of central tendency of heart rate in said second window; forming a third window for each valid beat suitable for seizure detection, said third window comprising said first valid beat suitable for seizure detection from said second window and at least two prior valid beats suitable for seizure detection; determining a background heart rate parameter comprising a statistical measure of central tendency of heart rate in said third window; determining a relative heart rate comprising at least one of the ratio of said foreground and said background heart rate parameters and the ratio of said background and said foreground heart rate parameters; and comparing said relative heart rate to a first seizure threshold value associated with an epileptic seizure event; (2) a) determining at least one short-term heart rate comprising at least one of i) a first instantaneous heart rate from said first valid beat and the immediately preceding valid beat, or ii) a fourth window heart rate comprising a statistical measure of central tendency of heart rate using said valid beats in said fourth window; and b) comparing said at least one short-term heart rate to a short-term heart rate threshold associated with an epileptic seizure event; or (3) a) determining a fifth window heart rate comprising a statistical measure of central tendency of heart rate using said valid beats in said fifth window; b) determining a slope of the least squares linear fit of the valid beats in said fifth window; c) comparing said fifth window heart rate to at least one of an upper fifth window heart rate threshold and a lower fifth window heart rate threshold associated with an epileptic seizure event; d) comparing said slope of the least squares linear fit of said valid beats in said fifth window to at least one of a lower slope threshold and an upper slope threshold associated with an epileptic seizure event; further comprising, if at least one of said relative heart rate exceeds said first seizure threshold value, said short-term heart rate exceeds said short-term heart rate seizure threshold value, said fifth window heart rate is below said upper fifth window heart rate threshold, said fifth window heart rate exceeds said lower fifth window heart rate threshold, said slope of said least squares linear fit is below said upper slope threshold, or said slope of said least squares linear fit exceeds said lower slope threshold, indicating the occurrence of a seizure event.