Assay test device and method of making same
First Claim
1. An assay test device for determining whether a fluid under test contains a certain substance, comprising:
- a housing;
an elongated test strip disposed at least partially within said housing for containing a reagent, said strip for receiving a sample of the fluid under test at one end portion thereof;
a sample sensor mounted on said housing and positioned remotely of the sample receiving end portion of said test strip for detecting the presence of the sample as it flows from the test strip end portion for generating a signal indicative of the presence of said sample;
a processor responsive to the sample presence signal for starting a timer to generate a time delay interval and for generating a time-out signal at the end of the interval;
a reaction sensor mounted on said housing and responsive to said time-out signal for detecting the certain substance in the fluid under test received on said test strip to generate an electrical signal indicative of the amount of the substance detected;
said processor being responsive to said signal from said reaction sensor for generating an output signal indicative of the presence or absence of at least a predetermined quantity of the substance contained in the sample; and
a display mounted on said housing responsive to said output signal for indicating the presence or absence of a predetermined quantity of the certain substance contained within the fluid under test.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with certain disclosed embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an assay test device for determining whether a fluid under test contains a certain substance, wherein the device includes a test strip disposed at least partially within a housing for receiving the fluid under test. A sensor mounted on the housing detects the certain substance in the fluid under test received on the test strip to generate an electrical signal indicative of the amount of the substance detected. A processor responds to the signal for determining whether or not the fluid under test contains a predetermined quantity of the certain substance to generate an electric output signal. A display mounted on the housing responds to the output signal to indicate the presence or absence of a predetermined quantity of the certain substance contained within the fluid under test.
According to other embodiments of the invention, the processor delays in activating the reaction sensor until after a predetermined time delay interval. The processor stores the sensor signal at the completion of the time delay interval, and compares the stored sensor signal with stored threshold electric signals to determine whether or not the fluid under test contains a predetermined quantity of the certain substance.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An assay test device for determining whether a fluid under test contains a certain substance, comprising:
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a housing;
an elongated test strip disposed at least partially within said housing for containing a reagent, said strip for receiving a sample of the fluid under test at one end portion thereof;
a sample sensor mounted on said housing and positioned remotely of the sample receiving end portion of said test strip for detecting the presence of the sample as it flows from the test strip end portion for generating a signal indicative of the presence of said sample;
a processor responsive to the sample presence signal for starting a timer to generate a time delay interval and for generating a time-out signal at the end of the interval;
a reaction sensor mounted on said housing and responsive to said time-out signal for detecting the certain substance in the fluid under test received on said test strip to generate an electrical signal indicative of the amount of the substance detected;
said processor being responsive to said signal from said reaction sensor for generating an output signal indicative of the presence or absence of at least a predetermined quantity of the substance contained in the sample; and
a display mounted on said housing responsive to said output signal for indicating the presence or absence of a predetermined quantity of the certain substance contained within the fluid under test. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17)
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14. A method of testing a fluid to determine whether or not it contains a certain substance, comprising:
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sensing the presence of a sample of the fluid under test received on a test strip;
generating a signal indicative of the presence of the sensed sample;
starting a time delay interval;
generating a time-out signal at the end of the interval;
sensing a reaction in response to said time-out signal;
determining whether or not the fluid under test contains a predetermined quantity of the certain substance using a processor;
generating an electric output signal using the processor in response to its determination; and
indicating the presence or absence of a predetermined quantity of the certain substance contained within the fluid under test.
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Specification