Blood glucose meter/modem interface arrangement

• US 7,181,350 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North American Technology Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: North American Technical Services Limited
• Inventors: Ward, Reeder N., White, Kenneth D., Oberding, John W., Geiger, Glen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/128,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20060261781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 702/62, 702/63, 702/65, 702/57, 702/117, 702/122, 600/485, 600/501
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A cradle-configured interface for a hand-held blood glucose meter has a multi-electrical contact-containing battery door that enables blood glucose analysis data stored in the meter to be automatically downloaded to a modem within a meter cradle for transmission to a monitoring facility. Electrical contacts of the battery door are connected to conductors of the meter'"'"'s printed circuit board when the battery door is closed. The cradle has spring-loaded probes connected to its internal modem and engaging the electrical contacts within the battery door when the meter is placed in the cradle. Upon sensing the meter in the cradle, the modem downloads blood sample analysis data stored in the meter into local memory and then transmits blood glucose analysis data to a downstream healthcare reporting site.

Claims

1. An arrangement for enabling information stored in a portable, battery-powered information collection device to be extracted therefrom, comprising a battery door that is adapted to close a battery compartment of said portable, battery-powered information collection device, said battery door having an electrical communication path therethrough that is adapted to be coupled to conductors of a printed circuit board housed within said battery-powered information collection device when said battery door closes said battery compartment, said electrical communication path being accessible externally of said portable, battery-powered information collection device.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said electrical communication path comprises a plurality of electrical contacts having first portions thereof that are internal to said information collection device and engage selected conductors of said printed circuit board when said battery door closes said battery compartment, and having second portions thereof that are accessible externally of said portable, battery-powered information collection device.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said battery door includes a protective shroud for said second portions of said electrical contacts, while allowing for electrical probe contacts with said second portions of said electrical contacts.

4. The arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising a cradle, which is sized and configured to receive and retain therein said portable, battery-powered information collection device, said cradle containing a modem that is adapted to be coupled to a communication link, and including a plurality of electrical probes that are electrically connected to said modem and are arranged to be engaged by said second portions of said electrical contacts within said battery door, when said portable, battery-powered information collection device is placed in said cradle.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said electrical probes are spring loaded, so as to be urged into electrical contact with said second portions of said electrical contacts within said battery door when said portable, battery-powered information collection device is placed in said cradle.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said portable, battery-powered information collection device comprises a blood glucose meter.

7. An arrangement for enabling information stored in a portable, battery-powered information collection device to be coupled to a communication link, comprising:

a battery door that is adapted to close a battery compartment of said portable, battery-powered information collection device, and having a plurality of electrical contacts, first portions of which are arranged to electrically engage selected conductors of a printed circuit board housed within said battery-powered information collection device when said battery door closes said battery compartment, said selected conductors being adapted to provide electrical signals representative of said information, said battery door further including a protective shroud coupled to receive second portions of said electrical contacts; and

a cradle, which is sized and configured to receive and retain therein said portable, battery-powered information collection device, said cradle containing a modem that is adapted to be coupled to said communication link, and including a plurality of electrical probes that are electrically connected to said modem and are arranged to be engaged by said second portions of said electrical contacts within said protective shroud of said battery door when said portable, battery-powered information collection device is placed in said cradle.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said electrical probes are spring loaded, so as to be urged into electrical contact with said second portions of said electrical contacts within said protective shroud of said battery door when said portable, battery-powered information collection device is placed in said cradle.

9. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said portable, battery-powered information collection device comprises a blood glucose meter.