System and method for transferring calibration data

• US 20080034835A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Schell, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,029,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48771 Coding of information, e.g. calibration data, lot number
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/10 Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/104998 Glucose, ketone, nitrate standard or control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/110833 Utilizing a moving indicator strip or tape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 Condition or time responsive

Abstract

A test system comprises a sensor container and a testing device. The sensor container has a base and a lid. The container encloses test sensors therein. The container includes a calibration label attached thereto. The label includes electrical contacts located thereon. The electrical contacts encode calibration information onto the calibration label. The testing device has an auto-calibration feature externally located thereon. The testing device is adapted to determine the analyte concentration in a fluid sample. The auto-calibration feature includes calibration elements that communicate with the electrical contacts on the calibration label. The testing device is adapted to determine the calibration information encoded on the calibration label in response to the calibration elements engaging the electrical contacts. The encoded calibration information is determined without inserting the sensor container or the calibration label into the testing device.

Claims

1. A test system for determining an analyte concentration in a fluid sample, comprising:

a sensor container having a base and a lid, the sensor container being adapted to enclose a plurality of test sensors therein, the sensor container including a calibration label attached thereto, the calibration label including a plurality of electrical contacts located thereon, the electrical contacts being adapted to encode calibration information onto the calibration label; and

a testing device having an auto-calibration feature externally located thereon, the testing device being adapted to determine the analyte concentration in the fluid sample, the auto-calibration feature including a plurality of calibration elements being adapted to communicate with the plurality of electrical contacts on the calibration label,

wherein the testing device is adapted to determine the calibration information encoded on the calibration label in response to the calibration elements engaging the electrical contacts, the encoded calibration information being determined without inserting the sensor container or the calibration label into the testing device.

2. The test system of claim 1, wherein the calibration label is attached to the lid of the sensor container.

3. The test system of claim 1, wherein the testing device and the auto-calibration feature form a digital electronic circuit.

4. The test system of claim 1, wherein the testing device and the auto-calibration feature form an analog electronic circuit.

5. The test system of claim 1, wherein the calibration elements are calibration pins extending from the auto-calibration feature.

6. The test system of claim 1, wherein the auto-calibration feature includes one or more orienting features adapted to engage one or more label-orienting features formed on the calibration label.

7. The test system of claim 1, wherein the calibration label is symmetrically shaped.

8. The test system of claim 1, wherein the calibration label is asymmetrically shaped.

9. The test system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test sensors is a plurality of electrochemical test sensors.

10. The test system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test sensors is a plurality of optical test sensors.

11. A test system for determining an analyte concentration in a fluid sample, comprising:

a sensor container having a base and a lid, the sensor container including a calibration label attached thereto, the calibration label including a plurality of electrical contacts located thereon, a first one of the plurality of electrical contacts being connected via a conductive trace to a first ring, a second one of the plurality of electrical contacts being connected via a conductive trace to a second ring, and a third one of the plurality of electrical contacts being disconnected from both the first and second ring, the calibration information being encoded onto the calibration label based on the connections and disconnections of the electrical contacts with the first and second ring; and

a testing device having an auto-calibration feature externally located thereon and a microprocessor internally located therein, the testing device being adapted to determine the analyte concentration in the fluid sample, the auto-calibration feature including a plurality of calibration elements being adapted to communicate with the plurality of electrical contacts on the calibration label, the microprocessor being adapted to determine the calibration information encoded on the calibration label in response to the plurality of electrical contacts engaging the plurality of calibration elements external to the testing device.

12. The test system of claim 11, wherein the testing device further includes a memory device located therein, the memory device being in communication with the microprocessor, the memory device being adapted to store lookup tables for predefined calibration codes thereon.

13. The test system of claim 11, wherein the testing device and the auto-calibration feature form a digital electronic circuit.

14. The test system of claim 11, wherein the testing device and the auto-calibration feature form an analog electronic circuit.

15. The test system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of calibration elements is calibration pins extending from the auto-calibration feature.

16. The test system of claim 11, wherein the calibration label includes a sensing contact, the plurality of electrical contacts being generally located around the sensing contact, the sensing contact being adapted to be engaged by a sensing pin formed on the auto-calibration feature, the sensing contact and the sensing pin being adapted to inform the microprocessor that the plurality of calibration elements are being engaged with the plurality of electrical contacts.

17. The test system of claim 11, wherein the testing device is an integrated meter.

18. The test system of claim 11, wherein the third one of the plurality of electrical contacts indicates an index position for the calibration label.

19. A method for calibrating a test system, comprising the acts of:

providing a sensor container having a base and a lid, the sensor container being adapted to enclose a plurality of test sensors therein, the sensor container including a calibration label attached thereto, the calibration label having calibration information encoded thereon;

providing a testing device having an auto-calibration feature externally located thereon;

determining, via the auto-calibration feature, the calibration information encoded on the calibration label, the calibration information being determined without inserting the calibration label into the testing device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the act of calibrating the testing device based the determined calibration information.