SENSOR DETECTION PADS WITH INTEGRATED FUSE

• US 20150285757A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ruelas, Jose J., Choy, David Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,689,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/327 Biochemical electrodes , e.g. electrical or mechanical details for in vitro measurements

Abstract

A monitor system to monitor a characteristic of a user is disclosed. A monitor system includes a sensor producing signals indicative of glucose characteristics within the user. The sensor has a connector with a plurality of contacts, at least two contacts being shorted by a fuse trace. The monitor system further includes an electronics package with a package housing. The package housing contains a battery, a package port interfaced with the connector to receive signals from the sensor, and a package processor to process the signals from the sensor. Further included in the monitor system is a fuse system controlled by the package processor that includes a fuse timer, wherein the fuse trace is destroyed after the fuse timer reaches a threshold value.

Claims

1. A monitor system to record a characteristic of a user, the system comprising:

a sensor to produce signals indicative of a glucose characteristic measured in the user, the sensor having a connector with a plurality of contacts, at least two contacts being shorted by a fuse trace; and

an electronics package that includes a package housing,

a battery being contained within the package housing,

a package port interfaced with the connector to receive the produced signals from the sensor,

a package processor to process the signals from the sensor and store the processed signals in non-volatile memory,

a fuse system controlled by the package processor that includes a fuse timer;

wherein the fuse trace is destroyed after the fuse timer reaches a threshold value.

2. A monitor system as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor is initialized and confirmed by the electronics package before the fuse timer is initiated.

3. A monitor system as described in claim 2, wherein initiation of the sensor requires detection of the at least two contacts shorted by the fuse trace, the destruction of the fuse trace removing the short thereby preventing reuse and re-initialization of the sensor.

4. A monitor system as described in claim 3, wherein the fuse system further includes a capacitor.

5. A monitor system as described in claim 4, wherein the package processor executes instructions that charge the capacitor prior to the fuse timer reaching the threshold value.

6. A monitor system as described in claim 5, wherein upon reaching the fuse timer threshold value the capacitor is discharged to destroy the fuse trace.

7. A monitor system as described in claim 6, wherein upon destroying the fuse trace the electronics package initiates a second timer, the second timer having a limit of time before the sensor stops functioning.

8. A monitor system as described in claim 7, wherein an alarm indicates the second timer has been initiated, the alarm providing feedback until the limit of time has been reached and the sensor stops functioning.

9. A monitor system as described in claim 8, wherein the alarm is visual feedback provided by a flashing LED.

10. A monitor system as described in claim 9, wherein the color of the flashing LED changes from a first color indicative of the second timer being initiated, to a second color indicative of half the limit of time remaining, to a third color indicative of a last quarter of the limit of time remaining.

11. A monitor system as described in claim 10, wherein during the last quarter of the limit of time remaining the period between flashes of the LED begin to shorten in proportion to the expiration of the second timer, thereby visually indicating with faster flashes that the second timer is nearing completion and the sensor will cease to function.

12. A monitor system to transmit a real-time characteristic of a user, the system comprising:

a sensor to produce signals indicative of a glucose characteristic measured in the user, the sensor having a connector with a plurality of contacts, at least two contacts being shorted by a fuse trace; and

an electronics package that includes a package housing,

a battery being contained within the package housing,

a package port interfaced with the connector to receive the produced signals from the sensor,

a package processor to process the produced signals from the sensor and transmit the processed signals via a transmitter,

a fuse system controlled by the package processor that includes a fuse timer;

wherein the fuse trace is destroyed after the fuse timer reaches a threshold value.

13. A monitor system as described in claim 12, wherein the sensor is initialized and initialized by the electronics package before the fuse timer is initiated.

14. A monitor system as described in claim 13, wherein initiation of the sensor requires detection of the at least two contacts being shorted by the fuse trace, the destruction of the fuse trace removing the short thereby preventing reuse and re-initialization of the sensor.

15. A monitor system as described in claim 14, wherein the fuse system further includes a capacitor.

16. A monitor system as described in claim 15, wherein the package processor executes instructions that charge the capacitor prior to the fuse timer reaching the threshold value.

17. A monitor system as described in claim 16, wherein upon reaching the fuse timer threshold value the capacitor is discharged to destroy the fuse trace.

18. A monitor system as described in claim 17, wherein upon destroying the fuse trace the electronics package initiates a second timer, the second timer having a limit of time before the sensor stops functioning.

19. A monitor system as described in claim 18, wherein an alarm indicates the second timer has been initiated, the alarm providing feedback until the limit of time has been reached and the sensor stops functioning.

20. A monitor system as described in claim 19, wherein the alarm is visual feedback provided by a flashing LED.