Glucose meter with alarm

• US 10,290,201 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Linda Marc
• Original Assignee: Linda Marc
• Inventors: Marc, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Murillo Garcia, Fabricio R
• Application Number:
  US15/394,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20170186305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A glucose meter with an adjustable alarm and an integral wireless transmitter to send a user a reminder to take a second glucose level measurement. The glucose meter with an alarm features a housing with a display and input buttons connected to a microprocessor. The housing has a slot designed to accept a strip with a sample of blood. A glucose level sensor within the housing is adapted to measure the glucose level of the blood sample. After the measurement is taken, an alarm is set to activate after a predetermined period of the time, reminding a user to take a second glucose level measurement. The alarm can be an auditory or a vibrating alarm. Additionally, the wireless transmitter is designed to send an email or text message to a user as a reminder to take a second glucose level measurement.

Claims

1. A glucose meter, comprising:

a housing including;

an input slot configured to receive a test strip, wherein a glucose sensor detects a glucose level of blood from the test strip when inserted therein;

the glucose meter configured to set a post-meal blood glucose alarm to test a post-meal blood glucose level, the post-meal blood glucose alarm configured to activate after a period of time based on an immediately preceding pre-meal blood glucose level;

a computer readable memory configured to store testing data;

wherein the testing data includes the post-meal blood glucose level and the pre-meal blood glucose level;

a display screen configured to display the testing data;

a secondary alarm programmable via a plurality of buttons, the plurality of buttons disposed on the housing;

wherein the period of time increases in duration upon a detection of a higher than predetermined blood glucose level;

wherein a wireless transmitter is configured to communicate a message to a remote receiver when either the post-meal blood glucose alarm or the secondary alarm is activated.

2. The glucose meter of claim 1, further comprising a vibrating motor configured to vibrate when the post-meal blood glucose alarm or the secondary alarm is activated.

3. The glucose meter of claim 1, further comprising an auditory alarm configured to sound when the post-meal blood glucose alarm or the secondary alarm is activated.

4. The glucose meter of claim 1, wherein the remote receiver is a mobile device, such as a cellular phone or a tablet computer.

5. The glucose meter of claim 1, wherein the message is sent to the remote receiver over a short distance communication protocol.

6. The glucose meter of claim 5, wherein the short distance communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

7. The glucose meter of claim 1, wherein the message is a digital text message sent over a wireless network.

8. The glucose meter of claim 1, wherein the message is an email message sent over a wireless network.

9. A method of setting an alarm for a blood glucose meter, comprising:

receiving a test strip in an input port;

detecting a glucose level of a blood sample from the test strip via a glucose sensor;

setting a post-meal blood glucose alarm to test a post-meal blood glucose level, the post-meal blood glucose alarm configured to activate after a period of time based on an immediately preceding pre-meal blood glucose level;

adjusting the period of time increases in duration upon a detection of a higher than a predetermined blood glucose level;

recording testing data on a computer readable medium, wherein the testing data comprises the post-meal blood glucose level and the pre-meal blood glucose level;

displaying the testing data on a display screen;

activating the post-meal blood glucose alarm after the period of time has elapsed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the post-meal blood glucose alarm is an auditory alarm.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the post-meal blood glucose alarm is a vibrating alarm.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the post-meal blood glucose alarm is a message sent to a remote receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the message is in the form of a text message sent over a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the message is in the form of an email message sent over a wireless network.