Analyte disposable means and device for reading information

• US 8,448,866 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Harttig, Herbert, List, Hans, Roesicke, Bernd, Kocherscheidt, Gerrit, Thoes, Bruno, Asfour, Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US12/197,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.05, 235/462.09, 235/462.08, 235/462.1, 235/462.11, 235/462.13, 235/462.32, 235/462.41, 235/462.42, 235/462.43, 235/486, 235/375, 235/435, 235/439, 235/454, 235/494, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/462.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1473 error correction

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for reading information from a disposable with an information carrier which comprises a code formed by graphic symbols for the machine-readable provision of information and an optical reading device for the code which has a light source and a sensor. Generally according to the embodiments of the present invention, the information carrier comprises a code applied to a transparent or translucent substrate which can be read under stationary transillumination by means of the light source as a shadow image projected onto the sensor.

Claims

1. An analytical system including an analytical disposable, comprising at least one test unit and an information carrier which comprises a two-dimensional code formed by graphic symbols configured for machine-readable provision of test-specific information, and an optical reading device for the two-dimensional code that includes a sensor defining a detection area, wherein the code comprises a base code area containing the information and a generally adjacent copy code area containing a copy of at least a section of the base code area, wherein the copy code area adjoins an edge of the base code area, and the dimensions of the two-dimensional code defined by the copy code area and the base code area are greater than the detection area of the sensor of the optical reading device so that the detection area of the sensor does not extend beyond the edges of the code defined by the base code area and the adjoining copy code area, wherein the two-dimensional code is applied to a transparent or translucent substrate and is readable under transillumination as a shadow image projected onto a flat sensor.

2. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the code area comprises a quadratic base code area framed by a plurality of copy code areas.

3. The analytical system according to claim 2, wherein the copy code areas each are displaced one or more of vertically, horizontally and diagonally, relative to the base code area.

4. The analytical system according to claim 2, wherein starting from the base code area, the copy code areas are alternately in an inverted and non-inverted form.

5. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the copy code area adjoins the edge of the base code area without overlap and is adjoined by a quiet zone therebetween.

6. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein each copy code area contains a complete copy of the base code area.

7. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the copy code area is formed by code segments of the base code area where the code segments contain at least one edge section of the base code area.

8. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises matrix-like symbols formed by optically distinguishable modules.

9. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises a 2D matrix code having an information content of at least 100 bit.

10. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the size of the base code area is generally about 0.5-fold to about 1.0-fold the size of the sensor area of the optical reading device configured to detect the code.

11. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the code contains alignment patterns in the form of one or both of rows and columns.

12. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the test unit comprises a section of a test tape and the information carrier is applied to a tape cassette containing the test tape.

13. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises a 2D matrix code having an information content of at least 500 bit.

14. The analytical system according to claim 1, wherein the copy code area in combination with at least a portion of the base code area contains substantially the same information at the base code area.

15. The analytical system according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of copy code areas wherein each of said copy code areas in combination with at least a portion of the base code area contains substantially the same information at the base code area.

16. The analytical system according to claim 1 wherein the copy code area is a substantially complete image of the base code area.

17. An arrangement for reading information on a disposable with an information carrier, wherein the arrangement comprises a holder with measuring device and an optical reading device comprising a light source and a sensor, and the disposable comprises a cassette in the holder with a windable test tape having a plurality of test fields movable around the measuring device to determine a blood glucose value, and the information carrier is carried by the cassette and comprises a code formed by graphic symbols configured for machine-readable provision of information, wherein the code is applied to a transparent or translucent substrate and is configured to be read by the optical reading device under stationary transillumination by means of the light source as a shadow image projected onto the sensor.

18. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the information carrier is arranged at a distance from the sensor of between about 5 mm and 0 mm, wherein 0 mm includes direct contact with the sensor.

19. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the light source is located on the side of the information carrier that faces away from the sensor.

20. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the light source comprises a point light source.

21. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the light source generates an irradiated path between the light source and the information carrier, and wherein the irradiated path is at least about 5-times longer than the distance between the information carrier and the sensor.

22. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein a light path generated between the light source and information carrier is folded by one of a mirror and an optical system.

23. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the area of the code is generally uniformly transilluminated by a beam of rays originating from the light source.

24. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the code comprises one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional matrix code.

25. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the information carrier is affixed to the disposable like a label and the disposable comprises an aperture in the area where the code is affixed.

26. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the information carrier is configured as an integral part of the disposable where the substrate is formed by a transparent or translucent wall area of the disposable.

27. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises one of a CMOS sensor and a CCD sensor, and wherein the light-sensitive sensor surface comprises a plurality of pixels.

28. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the holder is configured to exchange the disposable.

29. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the reading device comprises a flexible spring-mounting for the sensor configured to compensate for positioning tolerances between the reading device and the information carrier.

30. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the light source comprises a light guide extending into the interior of the disposable and the sensor is arranged outside the disposable.

31. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the disposable can be inserted into the holder and the holder is configured to position the information carrier relative to the arrangement.

32. The arrangement according to claim 31, wherein the holder comprises a portable hand-held device.