Methods of monitoring the concentration of an analyte

• US 20060001538A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LifeScan Scotland Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: LifeScan Scotland Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Stiene, Matthias, Ebner, Manfred, McCluskey, Joseph, Kraft, Ulrich
• Application Number:
  US10/882,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20060001538A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for remotely monitoring an analyte concentration of an individual by one or more other individuals.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an analyte concentration of a first person by at least one secondary person, the method comprising:

measuring the analyte concentration of the first person;

transmitting a first wireless signal representative of a real-time status of the analyte concentration, the first signal having a first transmission range; and

transmitting a second wireless signal representative of the real-time status of the analyte concentration to the location of the at least one secondary person, the second wireless signal having a second transmission range;

wherein the second transmission range is greater than the first transmission range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a signal frequency of the first wireless signal is in the range from about 200 MHz to about 950 MHz and a signal frequency of the second wireless signal is about 2.4 GHz.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless signal is transmitted about 3 meters or less and the second wireless signal is transmitted up to about 30 meters or more.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an alarm at the location of the at least one secondary person in response to the real-time status of the analyte concentration.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising activating an alarm at the location of the first person in response to the real-time status of the analyte concentration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in the analyte measuring is performed continuously.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the analyte measuring is also performed episodically.

8. A method of relaying a real-time analyte concentration of a first person by at least one secondary person, the method comprising:

measuring the analyte concentration of the first person with a sensor;

transmitting a first wireless signal representative of a real-time status of the analyte concentration from the sensor to a handheld device located a first distance from the sensor, the first signal having a first transmission range;

transmitting a second wireless signal representative of the real-time status of the analyte concentration from the handheld device to a relay located a second distance from the sensor, the second wireless signal having a second transmission range; and

transmitting a third wireless signal representative of the real-time status of the analyte concentration from the relay to at least one signal receiver located a third distance from the sensor, wherein the third wireless signal has a transmission range than the transmission range of the first wireless signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising activating an alarm at the location of the at least one secondary person in response to the real-time status of the analyte concentration.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the third distance is substantially greater than the first distance.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially the same.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the third wireless signal has a signal frequency greater than a signal frequency of the second wireless signal.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the third wireless signal has a transmission protocol different from a transmission protocol of the second wireless signal.