Method and apparatus for coding diagnostic meters

• US 20070212258A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trividia Health, Inc. (Sinocare, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Home Diagnostics Incorporated
• Inventors: Oti, Carlos, Caban, Allan, Neel, Gary, Modzelewski, Brent, Rounds, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,388,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48771 Coding of information, e.g. calibration data, lot number

Abstract

A system for diagnostic testing may include a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to a test media, the meter having a housing and an interface for receiving a signal representing coding information, and a container configured to contain test media compatible with the meter, the container having a coding element associated therewith. Additionally, the system may provide a mechanisms for removing the meter from an interconnected test container and reattaching it to a new container using on-container coding methods that can recalibrate the meter for the new container of test strips. The system may further provide a sampling device, such as a lancet, operably connected to the container such that that a user may use the sampling device to obtain a sample without disconnecting the sampling device from the container. In addition, the system may further provide a refillable test strip container which includes a foil pouch of test strips with a desiccant pill used to refill test strip container when empty.

Claims

1. A system for diagnostic testing, the system comprising:

a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to test media, the meter having a housing and an interface for receiving a signal representing coding information;

a container configured to contain test media compatible with the meter, the container having a coding element associated therewith; and

a coding pattern provided on the coding element configured to present coding information via the interface;

wherein the meter and the container are configured to form an integral unit.

2. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the meter housing is configured to close an opening of the container.

3. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the coding pattern is sized to fit on a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

4. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the coding pattern is formed on the container.

5. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 4, wherein a keying feature is formed on the meter housing to align the meter with the coding pattern.

6. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the coding element is a contact pad attached to the container.

7. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 6, wherein the contact pad is attached to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

8. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 6, wherein the contact pad comprises an analog interface.

9. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 6, wherein the contact pad comprises a digital interface.

10. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the coding element is a memory chip.

11. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 10, wherein the memory chip is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory chip.

12. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 10, wherein the coding element further comprises a circuit board.

13. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 12, wherein the circuit board is attached to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

14. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 10, wherein the memory chip is configured to be disabled after the meter performs a predetermined number of diagnostic tests.

15. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the coding element is a near field communication device.

16. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 15, wherein the near field communication device is a radio frequency device.

17. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency device is attached to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

18. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 16, wherein the interface is wireless.

19. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency device is configured to be disabled after the meter performs a predetermined number of diagnostic tests.

20. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a display configured to display results of a diagnostic test.

21. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, wherein the meter is configured to attach to a side portion of the container.

22. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 1, further comprising an integrated sampling device, forming a composite diagnostic device.

23. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 22, wherein the sampling device is a lancet.

24. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 22, wherein the meter and the sampling device are configured to be separatable devices.

25. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 22, wherein the meter and the sampling device are connected by a clip member.

26. The system for diagnostic testing of claim 22, wherein the meter and the sampling device are connected by an attachment member having at least one hole.

27. A method for coding a system for diagnostic testing, the method comprising:

providing a coding pattern on a substrate;

attaching the substrate to a container configured to contain test media compatible with a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to the test media; and

placing the container in proximity with the meter to calibrate the meter.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of attaching the substrate to the container comprises attaching the substrate to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of placing the container in contact with the meter comprises placing the container inside a receptacle in the meter.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a keying feature is formed on the meter to align the meter with the coding pattern.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of placing the container in proximity with the meter comprises placing the substrate in proximity with an interface portion of the meter.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the substrate comprises a contact pad.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of attaching the substrate to the container comprises attaching the contact pad to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of placing the container in proximity with the meter comprises placing the contact pad in contact with connectors on the meter.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the substrate comprises a memory chip.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the memory chip comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory chip.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the memory chip is mounted on a circuit board.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of attaching the substrate to the container comprises attaching the circuit board to a top, bottom, or side portion of the container.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of placing the container in proximity with the meter comprises placing the container with the attached circuit board in contact with connectors on the meter.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of disabling the memory chip after the meter performs a predetermined number of diagnostic tests.

41. The method of claim 27, wherein the substrate comprises a near field communication device.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the near field communication device is a radio frequency device.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of disabling the radio frequency device after the meter performs a predetermined number of diagnostic tests.

44. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of replacing the coding pattern on the substrate with a new coding pattern;

and recalibrating the meter with the new coding pattern.