ANALYTE TEST INSTRUMENT SYSTEM INCLUDING DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A hand-held analyte test instrument comprising:
- a housing;
a barcode reader disposed in the housing for scanning a barcode associated with a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
a port disposed in the housing for receiving the test strip;
electronic circuitry in electrical communication with the port for processing an analyte signal received from the test strip and generating analyte data therefrom;
a display in electrical communication with the circuitry for displaying certain analyte data; and
a connector in electrical communication with the circuitry and electrically connectable to a host computer via a data communications network, wherein the circuitry automatically uploads the analyte data to the host computer upon connection thereto.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of managing data for a plurality of analyte test instruments connected to a data communication network. The method comprises the steps of: detecting via a host computer the connection of each instrument to the data communication network; uploading data received from each instrument to the host computer; processing the uploaded data on the host computer for operator review; and downloading configuration data from the host computer to each test instrument, the downloaded data comprising instrument-specific setup and control data. The invention further involves a hand-held analyte test instrument and a docking station for the test instrument.
-
Citations
4 Claims
-
1. A hand-held analyte test instrument comprising:
-
a housing;
a barcode reader disposed in the housing for scanning a barcode associated with a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
a port disposed in the housing for receiving the test strip;
electronic circuitry in electrical communication with the port for processing an analyte signal received from the test strip and generating analyte data therefrom;
a display in electrical communication with the circuitry for displaying certain analyte data; and
a connector in electrical communication with the circuitry and electrically connectable to a host computer via a data communications network, wherein the circuitry automatically uploads the analyte data to the host computer upon connection thereto.
-
-
2. A hand-held analyte test instrument comprising:
-
a housing;
a port disposed in the housing for receiving a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
electronic circuitry in electrical communication with the port for processing an analyte signal received from the test strip and generating analyte data therefrom;
a display in electrical communication with the circuitry for displaying certain analyte data;
a connector in electrical communication with the circuitry and electrically connectable to a power source; and
a battery compartment formed in the housing and comprising a pair of electrical contacts for providing power from a battery to the electronic circuitry and a pair of recharge contacts;
a rechargeable battery pack disposed in the battery compartment and comprising (1) a rechargeable battery and (2) a battery holder in which the rechargeable battery is disposed, a bus bar disposed on the battery holder and in electrical communication with the pair of recharge contacts for recharging the battery when the instrument is connected to the power source.
-
-
3. A docking station for receiving a hand-held analyte test instrument, the docking station comprising:
-
a connector electrically connectable to the instrument for receiving analyte data therefrom;
a switch in electrical communication with the connector;
a first data port in electrical communication with the switch and being electrically connectable to a computer;
a second data port in electrical communication with the switch and being electrically connectable to a peripheral device;
a control mechanism for controlling the switch to selectively pass the analyte data to the computer via the first data port or to the peripheral device via the second data port.
-
-
4. A method of managing data for a plurality of analyte test instruments connected to a data communication network comprising the steps of:
-
detecting via a host computer the connection of each instrument to the data communication network;
uploading data received from each instrument to the host computer;
processing the uploaded data on the host computer for operator review; and
downloading configuration data from the host computer to each test instrument, the downloaded data comprising instrument-specific setup and control data.
-
Specification