System for providing blood glucose measurements to an infusion device

• US 20040068230A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Talbot, Cary D., Estes, Mark C., Yonemoto, Jay A., Tolle, Mike Charles Vallet
• Application Number:
  US10/624,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/154
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1405 Patient controlled analgesia [PCA]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body

Abstract

An infusion system includes a characteristic determining device and an infusion device. The characteristic determining device includes a receptacle for receiving and testing an analyte from the user to determine a concentration of the analyte in the user. The characteristic determining device also includes a communication system for transmitting a communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user, and the infusion device includes a communication system for receiving the communication from the characteristic determining device. The infusion device further includes a bolus estimator for calculating an estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the received data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and a target concentration of the analyte in the user, and an indicator to indicate when the estimated amount of fluid to be infused has been calculated.

Claims

1. An infusion system for infusing a fluid into a body of a user, the infusion system comprising:

a characteristic determining device including;

a determining device housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a receptacle coupled to the determining device housing for receiving and testing an analyte from the user to determine a concentration of the analyte in the user;

a determining device processor contained in the determining device housing and coupled to the receptacle for processing the determined concentration of the analyte from the receptacle; and

a determining device communication system contained in the determining device housing and coupled to the determining device processor for transmitting a communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user; and

an infusion device including;

an infusion device housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a drive mechanism contained in the infusion device housing and operatively coupled with a reservoir containing the fluid for infusing the fluid into the body of the user;

an infusion device communication system contained in the infusion device housing for receiving the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user from the determining device communication system;

an infusion device processor contained in the infusion device housing and coupled to the infusion device communication system for processing the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and controlling the infusion device;

a bolus estimator used in conjunction with the infusion device processor for calculating an estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the received data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user-and a target concentration of the analyte in the user; and

an infusion device indicator to indicate when the estimated amount of fluid to be infused has been calculated.

2. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device communication system automatically transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device communication system.

3. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting commands, and the determining device communication system transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device communication system in response to a command from the user input device.

4. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes an indicator to indicate a status of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user being transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system.

5. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes a time at which the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

6. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined, and wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes the elapsed amount of time.

7. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined, and causes the determining device communication system not to transmit the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user if the elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

8. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user was received, and causes the bolus estimator not to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused based upon the determined concentration of the analyte if the elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

9. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined, and causes the bolus estimator not to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused based upon the determined concentration of the analyte if the elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

10. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device processor has unique identification information, and further wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes the unique identification information of the determining device processor such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

11. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device processor has unique identification information, and further wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes the unique identification information of the infusion device processor such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

12. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device communication system is capable of being deactivated and reactivated.

13. The infusion system according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting commands, and further wherein the determining device communication system is capable of being deactivated in response to a first command from the user input device and being reactivated in response to a second command from the user input device.

14. The infusion system according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting commands, and the determining device communication system is capable of being deactivated in response to a command from the user input device, and further wherein the determining device processor causes the determining device communication system to be automatically reactivated after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

15. The infusion system according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting commands, and the determining device communication system is capable of being deactivated in response to a command from the user input device, and further wherein the determining device processor causes the determining device communication system to be automatically reactivated at a predetermined time of day.

16. The infusion system according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a memory for storing data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user that is determined when the determining device communication system is deactivated, and further wherein the determining device communication system transmits a communication including the stored data to the infusion device communication system when the determining device communication system is reactivated.

17. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device processor uses power cycling whereby power is periodically supplied to the infusion device communication system until a communication is received from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device processor discontinues using power cycling whereby the power is continuously supplied to the infusion device communication system when a communication is received from the determining device communication system.

18. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device processor uses power cycling whereby power is periodically supplied to the infusion device communication system until a communication is received from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device processor discontinues using power cycling whereby the power is continuously supplied to the infusion device communication system when the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is received from the determining device communication system.

19. The infusion system according to claim 18, wherein the infusion device processor resumes using power cycling upon completing the receipt of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user from the determining device communication system.

20. The infusion system according to claim 1, further including a connector for coupling the characteristic determining device to a computer and downloading data from the characteristic determining device to the computer, wherein the infusion device communication system is further capable of transmitting a communication including infusion device data to be downloaded, and the determining device communication system is further capable of receiving the communication including the infusion device data to be downloaded from the infusion device communication system, and further wherein the received infusion device data is downloaded from the characteristic determining device through the connector to the computer.

21. The infusion system according to claim 1, further including a connector for coupling the characteristic determining device to a computer and downloading data from the characteristic determining device to the computer, wherein the infusion device communication system is further capable of transmitting a communication including infusion device data to be downloaded, and the determining device communication system is further capable of receiving the communication including the infusion device data to be downloaded from the infusion device communication system, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a memory for storing data, and further wherein the received infusion device data is stored in the memory of the characteristic determining device for subsequent downloading through the connector to the computer.

22. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device indicator further indicates when the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is above or below a predetermined level of the analyte in the user.

23. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device communication system and the infusion device communication system communicate using one of radio frequencies and infrared frequencies.

24. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the analyte in the user determined by the characteristic determining device is a blood glucose level of the user, and the fluid infused by the infusion device is insulin.

25. The infusion system according to claim 24, wherein the characteristic determining device is a blood glucose test strip meter, and the infusion device is an insulin infusion pump.

26. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting remote control commands for controlling the infusion device, and wherein the determining device communication system further transmits a communication including the remote control commands, and the infusion device communication system further receives the communication including the remote control commands from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device processor controls the infusion device in accordance with the received remote control commands.

27. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device further includes a user input device for inputting remote control commands for controlling the characteristic determining device, and wherein the infusion device communication system further transmits a communication including the remote control commands, and the determining device communication system further receives the communication including the remote control commands from the infusion device communication system, and further wherein the determining device processor controls the characteristic determining device in accordance with the received remote control commands.

28. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the determining device communication system includes one of a transmitter and a transceiver, and the infusion device communication system includes one of a receiver and a transceiver.

29. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device further includes a user input device for inputting an estimate of a material to be ingested by the user, and further wherein the bolus estimator includes the capability to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the inputted estimate of the material to be ingested by the user.

30. The infusion system according to claim 29, wherein the fluid to be infused is insulin, and the material to be ingested is carbohydrates.

31. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a lancing device coupled to the receptacle for obtaining the analyte from the user.

32. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a determining device clock, and the infusion device further includes an infusion device clock, and wherein the infusion device communication system further transmits a communication including a time of the infusion device clock, and the determining device communication system further receives the communication including the time of the infusion device clock from the infusion device communication system, and further wherein the determining device clock is set to the received time of the infusion device clock.

33. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a determining device clock, and the infusion device further includes an infusion device clock, and wherein the determining device communication system further transmits a communication including a time of the determining device clock, and the infusion device communication system further receives the communication including the time of the determining device clock from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device clock is set to the received time of the determining device clock.

34. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion device further includes a memory for storing data, and further wherein the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user received by the infusion device communication system from the determining device communication system is stored in the memory of the infusion device.

35. An infusion device for infusing a fluid into a body of a user, wherein the infusion device is capable of communicating with a characteristic determining device adapted for determining a concentration of an analyte in the user, the infusion device comprising:

a housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a drive mechanism contained in the housing and operatively coupled with a reservoir containing the fluid for infusing the fluid into the body of the user;

a communication system contained in the housing for receiving a communication from the characteristic determining device, the communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user;

a processor contained in the housing and coupled to the communication system for processing the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and controlling the infusion device;

a bolus estimator used in conjunction with the processor for calculating an estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the received data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and a target concentration of the analyte in the user; and

an indicator to indicate when the estimated amount of fluid to be infused has been calculated.

36. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the communication received by the communication system from the characteristic determining device further includes a time at which the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

37. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user was received from the characteristic determining device, and causes the bolus estimator not to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused based upon the determined, concentration of the analyte if the elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

38. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the processor has unique identification information, and further wherein the communication received by the communication system from the characteristic determining device further includes the unique identification information of the infusion device such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

39. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the communication received by the communication system from the characteristic determining device further includes unique identification information of the characteristic determining device such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

40. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the processor uses power cycling whereby power is periodically supplied to the communication system until a communication is received from the characteristic determining device, and further wherein the processor discontinues using power cycling whereby the power is continuously supplied to the communication system when the communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is received from the characteristic determining device.

41. The infusion device according to claim 40, wherein the processor resumes using power cycling upon completing the receipt of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user from the characteristic determining device.

42. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the indicator further indicates when the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is above or below a predetermined level of the analyte in the user.

43. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the communication system communicates with the characteristic determining device using one of radio frequencies and infrared frequencies.

44. The infusion device according to claim 35, wherein the communication system includes one of a receiver and a transceiver.

45. The infusion device according to claim 35, further comprising a user input device for inputting an estimate of a material to be ingested by the user, wherein the bolus estimator includes the capability to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the inputted estimate of the material to be ingested by the user.

46. The infusion device according to claim 35, further comprising a clock, wherein the communication system further transmits a communication including a clock time of the infusion device to the characteristic determining device, the clock time of the infusion device being adapted for setting a clock time of the characteristic determining device.

47. The infusion device according to claim 35, further comprising a clock, wherein the communication system further receives from the characteristic determining device a communication including a clock time of the characteristic determining device, the time of the characteristic determining device being adapted for setting a clock time of the infusion device.

48. The infusion device according to claim 35, further comprising a memory for storing data, wherein the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user received by the communication system from the characteristic determining device is stored in the memory of the infusion device.

49. A characteristic determining device for determining a concentration of an analyte in a body of a user, wherein the characteristic determining device is capable of communicating with an infusion device adapted for infusing a fluid into the body of the user and calculating an estimated amount of the fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and a target concentration of the analyte in the user, the characteristic determining device comprising:

a housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a receptacle coupled to the housing for receiving and testing an analyte from the user to determine the concentration of the analyte in the user;

a processor contained in the housing and coupled to the receptacle for processing the determined concentration of the analyte from the receptacle; and

a communication system contained in the housing and coupled to the processor for transmitting a communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device.

50. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, wherein the communication system automatically transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device.

51. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising a user input device for inputting commands, wherein the communication system transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device in response to a command from the user input device.

52. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising an indicator to indicate a status of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user being transmitted from the communication system to the infusion device.

53. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, wherein the communication transmitted by the communication system to the infusion device further includes a time at which the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

54. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, wherein the processor has unique identification information, and the communication transmitted by the communication system to the infusion device further includes the unique identification information of the processor such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

55. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, wherein the communication system is capable of being deactivated and reactivated.

56. The characteristic determining device according to claim 55, further comprising a memory for storing the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user that is determined when the communication system is deactivated, and wherein the stored data is transmitted by the communication system to the infusion device when the communication system is reactivated.

57. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising a port adapted to receive a connector for coupling the characteristic determining device to a computer and downloading data from the characteristic determining device to the computer, wherein the communication system is further capable of receiving a communication including data to be downloaded from the infusion device, and further wherein the received data is downloaded from the characteristic determining device through the connector to the computer.

58. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising:

a port adapted to receive a connector for coupling the characteristic determining device to a computer and downloading data from the characteristic determining device to the computer; and

a memory for storing data,

wherein the communication system is further capable of receiving a communication including data to be downloaded from the infusion device, and further wherein the received data is stored in the memory for subsequent downloading through the connector to the computer.

59. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, wherein the communication system includes one of a transmitter and a transceiver.

60. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising a lancing device coupled to the receptacle for obtaining the analyte from the user.

61. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising a clock, wherein the communication system further transmits a communication including a clock time of the characteristic determining device to the infusion device, the time of the characteristic determining device being adapted for setting a clock time of the infusion device.

62. The characteristic determining device according to claim 49, further comprising a clock, wherein the communication system further receives from the infusion device a communication including a clock time of the infusion device, the clock time of the infusion device being adapted for setting a clock time of the characteristic determining device.

63. In an infusion system including a characteristic determining device and an infusion device, a method for infusing a fluid into a body of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and testing an analyte from the user to determine a concentration of the analyte in the user;

transmitting with the characteristic determining device a communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user;

receiving with the infusion device the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user;

calculating an estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the received data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and a target concentration of the analyte in the user; and

indicating when the estimated amount of fluid to be infused has been calculated.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is automatically transmitted from the characteristic determining device to the infusion device.

65. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of inputting a command on the characteristic determining device, wherein the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is transmitted from the characteristic determining device to the infusion device in response to the inputted command.

66. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of indicating a status of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user being transmitted from the characteristic determining device to the infusion device.

67. The method according to claim 63, wherein the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user transmitted from the characteristic determining device to the infusion device further includes a time at which the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

68. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of determining an amount of time that has elapsed since the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

69. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of determining an amount of time that has elapsed since the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user was received by the infusion device.

70. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting with the infusion device a communication including data from the infusion device to be downloaded;

receiving with the characteristic determining device the communication including data from the infusion device to be downloaded; and

downloading the received data from the characteristic determining device to a computer.

71. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of inputting an estimate of a material to be ingested by the user, wherein the estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user is calculated further based upon the inputted estimate of the material to be ingested by the user.

72. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting with the infusion device a communication including a clock time of the infusion device;

receiving with the characteristic determining device the communication including the clock time of the infusion device; and

setting a clock time of the characteristic determining device to the received clock time of the infusion device.

73. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting with the characteristic determining device a communication including a clock time of the characteristic determining device;

receiving with the infusion device the communication including the clock time of the characteristic determining device; and

setting a clock time of the infusion device to the received clock time of the characteristic determining device.

74. The method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of storing in a memory of the infusion device the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user received by the infusion device from the characteristic determining device.

75. An infusion system for infusing a fluid into a body of a user, the infusion system comprising:

a characteristic determining device including;

a determining device housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a sensor coupled to the determining device housing for determining a concentration of an analyte in the user;

a determining device processor contained in the determining device housing and coupled to the sensor for processing the determined concentration of the analyte from the sensor; and

a determining device communication system contained in the determining device housing and coupled to the determining device processor for transmitting a communication including data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user; and

an infusion device including;

an infusion device housing adapted to be carried by the user;

a drive mechanism contained in the infusion device housing and operatively coupled with a reservoir containing the fluid for infusing the fluid into the body of the user;

an infusion device communication system contained in the infusion device housing for receiving the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user from the determining device communication system; and

an infusion device processor contained in the infusion device housing and coupled to the infusion device communication system for processing the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and controlling the infusion device.

76. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the determining device communication system automatically transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device communication system.

77. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a user input device for inputting commands, and the determining device communication system transmits the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user to the infusion device communication system in response to a command from the user input device.

78. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes an indicator to indicate a status of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user being transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system.

79. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes a time at which the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined.

80. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the infusion device further includes:

a bolus estimator used in conjunction with the infusion device processor for calculating an estimated amount of fluid to be infused into the body of the user based upon the received data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user and a target concentration of the analyte in the user; and

an infusion device indicator to indicate when the estimated amount of fluid to be infused has been calculated.

81. The infusion system according to claim 80, wherein the infusion device processor determines an amount of time that has elapsed since the concentration of the analyte in the user was determined, and causes the bolus estimator not to calculate the estimated amount of fluid to be infused based upon the determined concentration of the analyte if the elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

82. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the determining device processor has unique identification information, and further wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes the unique identification information of the determining device processor such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

83. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the infusion device processor has unique identification information, and further wherein the communication transmitted from the determining device communication system to the infusion device communication system further includes the unique identification information of the infusion device processor such that the infusion device is capable of discerning whether the communication is intended for receipt by the infusion device.

84. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the determining device communication system is capable of being deactivated and reactivated.

85. The infusion system according to claim 84, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a memory for storing data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user that is determined when the determining device communication system is deactivated, and further wherein the determining device communication system transmits a communication including the stored data to the infusion device communication system when the determining device communication system is reactivated.

86. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the infusion device processor uses power cycling whereby power is periodically supplied to the infusion device communication system until a communication is received from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device processor discontinues using power cycling whereby the power is continuously supplied to the infusion device communication system when the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user is received from the determining device communication system.

87. The infusion system according to claim 86, wherein the infusion device processor resumes using power cycling upon completing the receipt of the communication including the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user from the determining device communication system.

88. The infusion system according to claim 75, further including a connector for coupling the characteristic determining device to a computer and downloading data from the characteristic determining device to the computer, wherein the infusion device communication system is further capable of transmitting a communication including infusion device data to be downloaded, and the determining device communication system is further capable of receiving the communication including the infusion device data to be downloaded from the infusion device communication system, and further wherein the received infusion device data is downloaded from the characteristic determining device through the connector to the computer.

89. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the determining device communication system and the infusion device communication system communicate using one of radio frequencies and infrared frequencies.

90. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the concentration of the analyte in the user determined by the characteristic determining device is a blood glucose level of the user, and the fluid infused by the infusion device is insulin.

91. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the determining device communication system includes one of a transmitter and a transceiver, and the infusion device communication system includes one of a receiver and a transceiver.

92. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a determining device clock, and the infusion device further includes an infusion device clock, and wherein the infusion device communication system further transmits a communication including a time of the infusion device clock, and the determining device communication system further receives the communication including the time of the infusion device clock from the infusion device communication system, and further wherein the determining device clock is set to the received time of the infusion device clock.

93. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the characteristic determining device further includes a determining device clock, and the infusion device further includes an infusion device clock, and wherein the determining device communication system further transmits a communication including a time of the determining device clock, and the infusion device communication system further receives the communication including the time of the determining device clock from the determining device communication system, and further wherein the infusion device clock is set to the received time of the determining device clock.

94. The infusion system according to claim 75, wherein the infusion device further includes a memory for storing data, and further wherein the data indicative of the determined concentration of the analyte in the user received by the infusion device communication system from the determining device communication system is stored in the memory of the infusion device.