AUTOMATED ANALYTE SENSOR ORDERING METHODS AND APPARATUS

• US 20140161667A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Farrell, John, Kokic, Mirza
• Granted Patent: US 9,436,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus adapted to automate ordering of test strips for use in an analyte meter device are disclosed. The method, system and apparatus includes inputting information from an indicia on a package of test strips indicative of a quantity of test strips in the package; tracking a number of test strips used in the analyte meter device; and generating an automatic order for additional test strips based on a signal indicating that a reorder threshold has been reached. Numerous additional features and aspects are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of ordering test strips for use in an analyte meter device, comprising:

inputting an indicia on a package of test strips indicative of a quantity of test strips in the package;

tracking a number of test strips used in the analyte meter device; and

generating an automatic order for additional test strips based on a signal indicating that a reorder threshold has been reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the inputting comprises scanning the indicia.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the inputting an indicia includes:

using a personal communications device to capture an image of the indicia on the package;

decoding the indicia; and

communicating information decoded from the indicia to the analyte meter device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein tracking a number of test strips used in the analyte meter device includes:

storing a counter representative of the quantity of test strips initially in the package; and

decrementing the counter each time a test strip is used.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an automatic order includes:

determining that the reorder threshold has been reached; and

directing a personal communications device to transmit an order for test strips to an ordering server.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the determining that the reorder threshold has been reached includes predicting a time when the test strips will all be used and determining a period of time, before the predicted time, sufficient to allow additional test strips to be delivered before all the test strips have been used.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the determining that the reorder threshold has been reached includes determining that a predefined number of test strips have been used and wherein the predefined number is determined based upon a number of test strips in an original supply.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a personal communications device is used to track the number of test strips used in the analyte meter device.

9. An automated analyte meter test strip ordering system, comprising:

an analyte meter device adapted to use test strips to measure a characteristic of an analyte; and

a personal communications device adapted to input information from an indicia on a package of test strips, adapted to communicate with the analyte meter device, and adapted to order test strips based on information received from the analyte meter device.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising an ordering server adapted to communicate with the personal communications device and to receive a test strip order from the personal communications device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the personal communications device inputs the information by scanning the indicia via capturing an image of the indicia from the package and decoding the indicia.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the personal communications device communicates the decoded indicia to the analyte meter device.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the personal communications device is further adapted to track a number of test strips used in the analyte meter device.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the analyte meter device is further adapted to track a number of test strips used in the analyte meter device.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the analyte meter device is further adapted to determine that a reorder threshold has been reached and to communicate that the reorder threshold has been reached to the personal communications device.

16. An analyte meter device, comprising:

a test strip port adapted to receive test strips for testing an analyte characteristic of a fluid;

a processor for executing an operating program adapted to control the analyte meter device; and

a communications facility adapted to allow the analyte meter device to communicate with a personal communications device to receive information input from a test strip package and to transmit test strip usage information.

17. The analyte meter device of claim 16 wherein the test strip usage information includes an indication that a reorder threshold has been reached.

18. The analyte meter device of claim 16 wherein the test strip usage information includes an indication that attest strip has been used.

19. A personal communications device application, comprising:

processor instructions adapted to be executed on a personal communications device, the executable instructions being further adapted to control the personal communications device to;

input information from an indicia on a package of test strips indicative of a quantity of test strips in the package;

track a number of test strips used in an analyte meter device; and

generate an automatic order for additional test strips based on a determination that a reorder threshold has been reached.

20. The personal communications device application of claim 19 further comprising executable instructions adapted to control the personal communications device to display information regarding a test strip order placed by the application.

21. The personal communications device application of claim 19 further comprising executable instructions adapted to control the personal communications device to display information regarding a predicted date when a test strip supply will be depleted.