Analysis system with time standard

• US 6,216,096 B1
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Obermeier, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US09/127,074
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 702/177, 702/178, 702/187, 702/176, 705/413, 705/418, 204/406, 204/412, 356/446, 356/226
• US Class Current: 702/177
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters

Abstract

The invention relates to an analysis system having a time counter and a data processing unit (DPU) having a time standard. The test results produced by the analysis system along with the associated time values of the time counter are transferred to the DPU and processed therein. The associated time values of the time counter are then compared with the time values of the time standard to determine the absolute time values of the associated time values.

Claims

1. An analyzing system comprising:

an analyzer that performs tests to generate test results in the form of data records, wherein the analyzer includes an integrated time counter for generating time counter time values, a memory for storing the data records from the test results and the time counter time values and a transferring device for transferring the data records and the time counter time values; and

a data processing unit for processing the stored data records, wherein the data processing unit includes a receiving device for receiving the data records and the time counter time values from the transferring device, a time standard for producing a time standard time value, and an arithmetic logic unit for converting the time counter time values into absolute time values on the basis of a comparison of the time counter time values with the time standard time value.

2. The analyzing system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer is carried out using a modulated light source as the transferring device in the analyzer and a light-sensitive detector as the receiving device in the data processing unit.

3. The analyzing system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer performs tests on body fluids.

4. The analyzing system of claim 3, wherein the body fluid is blood and the analyzer is a blood sugar level tester.

5. The analyzing system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer is fitted with a converter for converting the time counter time values into clock time values.

6. The analyzing system of claim 5, wherein the converter is programmable by a user and/or the data processing unit to correct the clock time.

7. A method of evaluating test results from a system including an analyzer and a data processing unit, comprising the steps of:

performing a test with the analyzer to produce test results;

producing a test time value with an integrated time counter when the test is performed;

storing the test results and the test time value in a data record;

transferring the data record containing the test results and the test time value to the data processing unit,

producing an instantaneous time value with the integrated time counter at the time at which the data record is transferred and transferring the instantaneous time value to the data processing unit;

computing the actual time value at which the test was carried out from the test time value by comparing the instantaneous time value with the accurate time value of a time standard in the DPU,

evaluating the test data on the basis of the calculated actual time value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transferring step is accomplished by transmitting a modulated light from the analyzer and receiving the modulated light with a light detector in the data processing unit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a time difference is obtained from the time value of the time standard at a given time and the time value of the time counter at the same given time and the time value of the data record is converted into an absolute time value by adding the time difference to the time value of the data record.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a first time difference between the time standard time value and the time counter time value is determined during a first data transfer and a second time difference between the time standard time value and the time counter time value is determined during an ensuing second data transfer and the absolute time values between the data transfers are determined by interpolation between the first and second time difference and addition of the interpolated time difference to the test time value.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transferring one or more check sums with the data record to the data processing unit.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transferring an analyzer marker to the data processing unit.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of the transmitting a request for a data transfer from the data processing unit to the analyzer and acknowledging the data record was received by the data processing unit.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the time counter counts at a predetermined rate (v) and the calculation of the actual testing time (t_A) is based on the formula

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of using a converter to convert the time value of the time counter into clock time and reprogramming the converter to correct the clock time.

16. An analyzing system comprising:

analyzing means for performing tests and generating test results in the form of data records wherein the analyzing means further include;

time counter means for generating time counter time values,

memory means for storing the data records from the test results and the time counter time values, and

transferring means for transferring the data records and the time counter time values; and

data processing means for processing the stored data records wherein the data processing means further include;

receiving means for receiving the data records and the time counter time values from the transferring means,

time standard means for producing a time standard time value, and

arithmetic logic means for converting the time counter time values into absolute time values on the basis of a comparison of the time counter time values with the time standard time value.

17. The analyzing system of claim 16, wherein the analyzing means are for testing body fluids.

18. The analyzing system of claim 16, wherein the analyzing means are for testing blood sugar levels.

19. The analyzing system of claim 16, wherein the analyzing means further comprise converter means for converting the time counter time values into clock time values.

20. The analyzing system of claim 19, wherein the converter means are programmable by a user and/or the data processing means to correct the clock time.

21. An analyzer system for performing tests to generate test results in the form of data records comprising:

an analyzer that includes an integrated time counter means for generating time stamps which indicate the date and time when said tests were performed, a memory means for storing said data records and said time stamps, and a transferring means for transferring the data records and the time stamps; and

a data processing means for processing the stored data records, wherein said data processing means includes a receiving means for receiving the data records and time stamps from the transferring means, a time standard means for producing an absolute reference time, and an arithmetic logic means for converting the time stamps into absolute reference time values on the basis of a comparison of the time stamps with the absolute reference time.