Limited-use blood glucose meters
First Claim
1. A low-cost, limited-use blood glucose meter that is programmed or otherwise configured to only perform a predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests that equals the number of blood glucose test strips associated with the limited-use blood glucose meter and originally contained in a package, comprising:
- a meter housing;
a printed circuit board assembly, the printed circuit board assembly comprising;
a power source comprising a non-removable battery mounted on a side of the printed circuit board assembly that is sealed within the meter housing and which is inaccessible to the user and cannot be removed from the limited-use blood glucose meter without causing damage to the meter housing or the printed circuit board;
a strip port which accepts a blood glucose test strip having a blood glucose reagent;
a strip reading device electrically coupled to the strip port which measures a reaction between a blood sample present on the blood glucose test strip and the blood glucose reagent, generates a blood glucose signal corresponding with the measured reaction, and which calculates a blood glucose level based at least in part on the blood glucose signal;
a controller device communicatively coupled to the strip reading device, wherein the controller device receives the blood glucose level from the strip reading device;
a bi-stable display comprising a plurality of bi-stable segments which transition between an on-state and an off-state with the application of drive voltages, wherein the bi-stable segments are arranged to display the blood glucose level, and wherein the bi-stable display persistently displays a most-recent blood glucose level without power provided by the power source; and
a display controller communicatively coupled to the controller device and the bi-stable display, wherein the controller device provides display instructions to the display controller and the display controller provides drive voltages to the bi-stable segments based on the blood glucose level such that the bi-stable segments persistently display the most-recent blood glucose level; and
wherein the strip reading device performs the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests and calculates the blood glucose level, and once the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests have been performed, the controller device of the limited-use blood glucose meter is programmed to cease all functions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A limited-use blood glucose meter includes a printed circuit board assembly that includes a power source, a strip port, a strip reading device, a controller device, a bi-stable display, and a display controller. The strip reading measures a reaction between a blood sample present on the blood glucose test strip and the blood glucose reagent, generates a blood glucose signal, and calculates a blood glucose level. The controller device receives the blood glucose level from the strip reading device. The controller device provides display instructions to the display controller and the display controller provides drive voltages to the bi-stable segments such that the bi-stable segments persistently display the most-recent blood glucose level. The strip reading device performs a predetermined number of blood glucose tests and calculates a blood glucose level only for blood glucose strips associated with the disposable blood glucose meter.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A low-cost, limited-use blood glucose meter that is programmed or otherwise configured to only perform a predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests that equals the number of blood glucose test strips associated with the limited-use blood glucose meter and originally contained in a package, comprising:
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a meter housing; a printed circuit board assembly, the printed circuit board assembly comprising; a power source comprising a non-removable battery mounted on a side of the printed circuit board assembly that is sealed within the meter housing and which is inaccessible to the user and cannot be removed from the limited-use blood glucose meter without causing damage to the meter housing or the printed circuit board; a strip port which accepts a blood glucose test strip having a blood glucose reagent; a strip reading device electrically coupled to the strip port which measures a reaction between a blood sample present on the blood glucose test strip and the blood glucose reagent, generates a blood glucose signal corresponding with the measured reaction, and which calculates a blood glucose level based at least in part on the blood glucose signal; a controller device communicatively coupled to the strip reading device, wherein the controller device receives the blood glucose level from the strip reading device; a bi-stable display comprising a plurality of bi-stable segments which transition between an on-state and an off-state with the application of drive voltages, wherein the bi-stable segments are arranged to display the blood glucose level, and wherein the bi-stable display persistently displays a most-recent blood glucose level without power provided by the power source; and a display controller communicatively coupled to the controller device and the bi-stable display, wherein the controller device provides display instructions to the display controller and the display controller provides drive voltages to the bi-stable segments based on the blood glucose level such that the bi-stable segments persistently display the most-recent blood glucose level; and wherein the strip reading device performs the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests and calculates the blood glucose level, and once the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests have been performed, the controller device of the limited-use blood glucose meter is programmed to cease all functions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19)
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14. A low-cost, limited-use blood glucose meter that is programmed or otherwise configured to only perform for a user a predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests that equals the number of blood glucose test strips associated with the limited-use blood glucose meter and originally contained in a package, comprising a housing and a printed circuit board assembly, the printed circuit board assembly provided in the housing comprising:
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a non-removable battery mounted on a side of the printed circuit board assembly that is sealed within the housing and which is inaccessible to the user and cannot be removed from the limited-use blood glucose meter without causing damage to the housing or the printed circuit board; a strip port which accepts a blood glucose test strip having a blood glucose reagent; a strip reading device electrically coupled to the strip port which measures a reaction between a blood sample present on the blood glucose test strip and the blood glucose reagent, generates a blood glucose signal corresponding with the measured reaction, and which calculates a blood glucose level based at least in part on the blood glucose signal; a controller device communicatively coupled to the strip reading device, wherein the controller device receives the blood glucose level from the strip reading device; a bi-stable display comprising a plurality of bi-stable segments which transition between an on-state and an off-state with the application of drive voltages, wherein the bi-stable segments are arranged to display the blood glucose level, and wherein the bi-stable display persistently displays a most-recent blood glucose level without power provided by the non-removable battery until a subsequent blood glucose level is calculated; and a display controller communicatively coupled to the bi-stable display, wherein the display controller receives display instructions regarding the blood glucose level from the controller device and provides drive voltages to the bi-stable segments based on the blood glucose level such that the bi-stable segments persistently display the most-recent blood glucose level; and wherein the strip reading device performs the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests and calculates the blood glucose level, and once the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests have been performed, the controller device of the limited-use blood glucose meter is programmed to cease all functions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A low-cost, limited-use blood glucose meter that is programmed or otherwise configured to only perform for a user a predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests that equals the number of blood glucose test strips associated with the limited-use blood glucose meter and originally contained in a package, comprising:
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a meter housing; and a printed circuit board assembly provided in the meter housing and consisting essentially of; a non-removable battery mounted on a side of the printed circuit board assembly that is sealed within the meter housing and which is inaccessible to the user and cannot be removed from the limited-use blood glucose meter without causing damage to the meter housing or the printed circuit board; a strip port which accepts a blood glucose test strip having a blood glucose reagent; a strip reading device electrically coupled to the strip port which measures a reaction between a blood sample present on the blood glucose test strip and the blood glucose reagent, generates a blood glucose signal corresponding with the measured reaction, and which calculates a blood glucose level based at least in part on the blood glucose signal; a controller device communicatively coupled to the strip reading device, wherein the controller device receives the blood glucose level from the strip reading device; a bi-stable display comprising a plurality of bi-stable segments which transition between an on-state and an off-state with the application of drive voltages, wherein the bi-stable segments are arranged to display the blood glucose level, and wherein the bi-stable display persistently displays a most-recent blood glucose level without power provided by the non-removable battery; a display controller communicatively coupled to the controller device and the bi-stable display which provides drive voltages to the bi-stable segments based on the blood glucose level such that the bi-stable segments persistently display the most-recent blood glucose level; and a memory device communicatively coupled to the strip reading device and the controller device, wherein the memory device stores the most-recent blood glucose level, and the display controller retrieves the most-recent blood glucose level from the memory device upon instruction from the controller device, and wherein the meter housing comprising a lens and a strip port opening, wherein; the meter housing defines an enclosure in which the printed circuit board assembly is disposed such that the bi-stable display is aligned with the lens, the lens being dimensioned such that the bi-stable display is visible through the lens; and the strip port opening is aligned with the strip port and sized to accept the blood glucose test strip, and wherein the strip reading device performs the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests and once the predetermined number of blood glucose measurement tests have been performed, the controller device of the limited-use blood glucose meter is programmed to cease all functions. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification