System and method for detecting used and dried sensors
First Claim
1. A method for detecting reuse of a test strip in a biosensor, the method comprising:
- inoculating a test strip with a liquid, the test strip having a dry reagent and a plurality of electrodes including a bare electrode which is not in contact with the dry reagent in an unused condition of the test strip, the inoculating step being performed so that the liquid contacts the dry reagent, the bare electrode and one or more other electrodes;
while the electrodes are in contact with the liquid, applying an electrical potential between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes;
measuring a current flow between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes responsive to application of the potential; and
determining, based on one or more parameters of the measured current flow, whether the test strip is one that has been previously wetted and dried before the inoculating step.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting dried test strips are provided, where a dried test strip may be one that has been re-inoculated with a biological sample after having already been previously inoculated with another sample at an earlier time (e.g., hours or days before). In various aspects, a biosensor such as an amperometric glucose biosensor (“meter”) may apply one or more input electrical signals to an inoculated test strip having at least a pair of electrodes in contact with the biological sample. The meter may measure output current value(s) resulting in response to the input electrical signals applied to the test strip. The meter may determine whether the test strip is a dried test strip by comparing a ratio of the measured output current value(s) with a boundary ratio value.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting reuse of a test strip in a biosensor, the method comprising:
-
inoculating a test strip with a liquid, the test strip having a dry reagent and a plurality of electrodes including a bare electrode which is not in contact with the dry reagent in an unused condition of the test strip, the inoculating step being performed so that the liquid contacts the dry reagent, the bare electrode and one or more other electrodes; while the electrodes are in contact with the liquid, applying an electrical potential between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes; measuring a current flow between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes responsive to application of the potential; and determining, based on one or more parameters of the measured current flow, whether the test strip is one that has been previously wetted and dried before the inoculating step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A biosensor comprising:
-
a processor; a memory storing one or more executable instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, configuring the processor to; apply an electrical potential between a bare electrode and one or more other electrodes of a test strip while the electrodes of the test strip are in contact with a liquid, the test strip having a dry reagent, wherein the bare electrode is not in contact with the reagent in an unused condition of the test strip; measure a current flow between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes responsive to application of the potential; and determine, based on one or more parameters of the measured current flow, whether the test strip is one that has been previously wetted and dried before inoculation of the test strip with the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage unit on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to:
-
apply an electrical potential between a bare electrode and one or more other electrodes of a test strip while the electrodes of the test strip are in contact with a liquid, the test strip having a dry reagent, wherein the bare electrode is not in contact with the reagent in an unused condition of the test strip; measure a current flow between the bare electrode and one or more of the other electrodes responsive to application of the potential; and determine, based on one or more parameters of the measured current flow, whether the test strip is one that has been previously wetted and dried before inoculation of the test strip with the liquid.
-
Specification