Remote Analyte Testing System

• US 20160187263A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Original Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,986,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A system includes an apparatus having a test medium with a machine-readable identifier, the medium enabled to accept an analyte for a test, a network-connected communication device having imaging capability, enabled to record contextual information, and executing coded instructions, a server having coupled to at least one data repository, and coded instructions executing on a processor. A user applies the analyte to the test medium, allows time to complete, and initiates an image capture, wherein a data structure, including at least a resulting image, images or video stream, including one or more images of the test result, one or more images of the machine-readable identifier, contextual information captured at the time of the test and identify of the test subject providing the analyte, is transmitted on the network to the network-connected server, where the data structure is recorded.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a test apparatus including a test medium having a machine-readable identifier, the medium enabled to accept an analyte for a test;

a network-connected communication device having imaging capability, enabled to record contextual information at the time of the test, and executing coded instructions for performing functions in association with the test;

a network-connected server having a processor and coupled to at least one data repository; and

coded instructions executing on the processor from a non-transitory medium;

wherein a user applies the analyte to the test medium in the test apparatus, allows the test to proceed to conclusion, and initiates at least one image capture by the network-connected communication device, wherein a data structure, including at least a resulting image, images or video stream, including one or more images of the test result, one or more images of the machine-readable identifier, contextual information captured at the time of the test and identify of the test subject providing the analyte, is transmitted on the network to the network-connected server, where the data structure is recorded.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the contextual information comprises one or more of time a test commences, duration of the test, blood pressure of the test subject, body temperature of the test subject, respiration rate of the test subject, heart rate of the test subject, geographic location of a test site, temperature at time of test, altitude at test location, air pressure at test location, humidity at test location, weather patterns at or near test sites, lighting patterns at test sites, presence of absence of sunlight at test site, and information associated with the identity of the test subject at the network-connected server or retrieved from any other server connected on the network, including from profiles in social network sites.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable identifier is a bar code, a Quick-Response (QR) code, or a recognizable pattern of objects or indicia.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the server decodes the machine-readable identifier, retrieves status information relative to the identified medium, determines if the retrieved status information requires an alert to be sent to the network-connected communication device, and if so, selects and sends an appropriate alert to be presented to the user.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the status information is retrieved from the data repository coupled to the network-connected server, or from a manufacturers server-site by associating the machine-readable identifier with a manufacturer and connecting to the manufacturers server site.

6. the system of claim 1 wherein the status information indicates the medium is not reliable and the alert to the user is that the medium should not be used.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the status information indicates the medium is reliable, and the system further processes the captured and transmitted image or images in the data structure and determines a test result.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the system transmits the test result to the network-connected communication device to be displayed to the user, and stores the test result in the data repository associated with the user, the test result associated with the test subject and the contextual information.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the system stores a user profile including at least identity and user device identification, and identities and contact information for one or more caregivers or associates of the user, and wherein the test result is transmitted to a device associated with one of the caregivers or associates of the user.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the system associates tests over time with individual users, and enables users and authorized associates of the users to retrieve test results stored.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein the server associates tests across time and multiple users with individual categories and combinations of categories of contextual information, and develops associations of test results and test reliability with categories and combinations of categories of contextual information.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the associations of test results are developed as filters applied to evaluate expected reliability of individual tests and groups of tests.

13. A method comprising:

applying by a user an analyte to a test medium in a test apparatus, the test medium associated with a machine-readable identifier;

initiating image capture by a network-connected communication device having imaging capability, further enabled to record contextual information at the time of the test, and executing coded instructions for performing functions in association with the test;

transmitting a data structure, including at least a resulting image, images or video stream, including one or more images of the test result, one or more images of the machine-readable identifier, contextual information recorded at the time of the test and identify of the test subject providing the analyte, to a network-connected server coupled to a data repository and executing coded instructions on a processor from a non-transitory medium; and

recording the data structure at the data repository coupled to the network-connected server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the contextual information comprises one or more of time a test commences, duration of the test, blood pressure of the test subject, body temperature of the test subject, respiration rate of the test subject, heart rate of the test subject, geographic location of a test site, temperature at time of test, altitude at test location, air pressure at test location, humidity at test location, weather patterns at or near test sites, lighting patterns at test sites, presence of absence of sunlight at test site, and information associated with the identity of the test subject at the network-connected server or retrieved from any other server connected on the network, including from profiles in social network sites.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the machine-readable identifier is a bar code, a Quick-Response (QR) code, or a recognizable pattern of objects or indicia.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the server decodes the machine-readable identifier, retrieves status information relative to the identified medium, determines if the retrieved status information requires an alert to be sent to the network-connected communication device, and if so, selects and sends an appropriate alert to be presented to the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the status information is retrieved from the data repository coupled to the network-connected server, or from a manufacturers server-site by associating the machine-readable identifier with a manufacturer and connecting to the manufacturers server site.

18. the method of claim 13 wherein the status information indicates the medium is not reliable and the alert to the user is that the medium should not be used.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the status information indicates the medium is reliable, and the system further processes the captured and transmitted image or images in the data structure and determines a test result.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the system transmits the test result to the network-connected communication device to be displayed to the user, and stores the test result in the data repository associated with the user, the test result associated with the test subject and the contextual information.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the system stores a user profile including at least identity and user device identification, and identities and contact information for one or more caregivers or associates of the user, and wherein the test result is transmitted to a device associated with one of the caregivers or associates of the user.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the system associates tests over time with individual users, and enables users and authorized associates of the users to retrieve test results stored.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the server associates tests across time and multiple users with individual categories and combinations of categories of contextual information, and develops associations of test results and test reliability with categories and combinations of categories of contextual information.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the associations of test results are developed as filters applied to evaluate expected reliability of individual tests and groups of tests.