Analyte test strip and analyte meter device
First Claim
1. A method for determining a characteristic of an electrochemical test strip comprising(A) providing a test strip having an electrical connector at a first end, an electrochemical test cell at a second opposite end, a waveguide extending from the first end towards the second end, and a deflector formed in or on the waveguide, said deflector suitable for deflecting at least a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the waveguide between the first end and second end of the strip;
- (B) inserting the first end of the strip into an apparatus, said apparatus comprising a light source and a photodetector, said light source being disposed to introduce light into the first end of the waveguide and said photodetector being disposed to detect the deflected light exiting the waveguide;
(C) directing light into the waveguide;
(D) detecting the deflected light exiting the waveguide; and
(E) correlating the detected light with a characteristic.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test strip with an incorporated optical waveguide and deflectors punched through the optical waveguide allows light to exit through a layer of the test strip and be detected by a photo detector. Using light and a photodetector, these uniquely coded strips are identified. The waveguide can be constructed by sandwiching two layers of the test strip around a light transmissible layer. This configuration allows light to be transmitted through the test strip and out the other end, as well as allowing some light to escape the deflector. This light is detected by a photodetector mounted in the analyte test meter. The deflectors may be placed in patterns such that detection of this light indicates certain characteristics of the strip, such as non-counterfeit, regional identification, type of analyte tested, and coding information.
19 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for determining a characteristic of an electrochemical test strip comprising
(A) providing a test strip having an electrical connector at a first end, an electrochemical test cell at a second opposite end, a waveguide extending from the first end towards the second end, and a deflector formed in or on the waveguide, said deflector suitable for deflecting at least a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the waveguide between the first end and second end of the strip; -
(B) inserting the first end of the strip into an apparatus, said apparatus comprising a light source and a photodetector, said light source being disposed to introduce light into the first end of the waveguide and said photodetector being disposed to detect the deflected light exiting the waveguide; (C) directing light into the waveguide; (D) detecting the deflected light exiting the waveguide; and (E) correlating the detected light with a characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An elongated test strip comprising
an electrical connector at a first end, an electrochemical test cell at a second opposite end, a waveguide extending from the first end towards the second end, and a deflector formed in or on the waveguide, wherein said deflector is suitable for deflecting at least a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the waveguide between the first end and second end of the strip.
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18. An elongated test strip comprising
(a) a first deflector surface and a second deflector surface; -
(b) an optical waveguide disposed between the first and second deflector surfaces extending from a first end towards a second end of the test strip, whereby light cast into the waveguide at the first end is emitted from the waveguide at the second end; (b) an strip port connector disposed at the first end; and (c) an electrochemical test cell disposed at the second end; wherein a first deflector is formed in the optical waveguide, a second deflector is formed in the first deflector surface and a second deflector is formed in the second deflector surface; wherein the first, second, and third deflectors are aligned; wherein said deflectors are not contiguous with the electrochemical cell; and further comprising a reflective material placed over the second deflector such that light is directed back through the first, second, and third deflectors. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An elongated test strip comprising
(a) a top surface; -
(b) a bottom surface; (c) an optical waveguide disposed between the top and bottom surfaces and extending from a first end towards a second end of the test strip, whereby light cast into the waveguide at the first end is emitted from the waveguide at the second end; (d) an electrical connector for connection to a meter disposed at the first end; and (e) an electrochemical test cell disposed at the second end; wherein a first deflector and a second deflector are formed in the optical waveguide, a third deflector is formed in the top surface and a fourth deflector is formed in the bottom surface; wherein the third and fourth deflectors are not aligned; wherein the first and third deflectors are aligned and the second and fourth deflectors are aligned; and wherein said deflectors are not contiguous with the electrochemical cell. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A combination of a test strip and a test meter, wherein
(a) said test strip comprises an electrical connector at a first end, an electrochemical test cell at a second opposite end, a waveguide extending from the first end towards the second end, and a deflector formed in or on the waveguide, wherein said deflector is suitable for deflecting at least a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the waveguide between the first end and second end of the strip, (b) said test meter comprises a strip port connector for interaction with the electrical connector of the test strip, electronics to determine an amount of an analyte in a sample applied to the electrochemical test cell of the test strip, and a photogenerator for generating and directing light into the first end of the waveguide are contained in the analyte test meter, a photodetector for detecting deflected light exiting the waveguide, wherein the first end of the test strip is disposed in the strip port connector of the test meter.
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36. A test strip comprising
(a) a top substrate extending the full length of the strip; -
(b) a bottom substrate extending the full length of the strip; (c) an electrical connector for connection to a meter disposed at a first end; and (d) an electrochemical test cell disposed at a second end; wherein said electrical connector comprises a first tab formed at the first end of the top substrate, and a second tab formed at the first end of the bottom substrate; wherein the first tab is small in width relative to the second tab; wherein the first tab is not aligned with the second tab; wherein the test strip further comprises an optical waveguide disposed between the top and bottom surfaces and extending from the first end towards the second end of the test strip, whereby light cast into the waveguide at the first end is emitted from the waveguide at the second end; and wherein a first deflector is formed in the optical waveguide such that light exiting the waveguide via the deflector is visible through a surface of the strip. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A test strip comprising
(a) a top surface; -
(b) a bottom surface; (c) two edges; (d) an optical waveguide disposed between the top and bottom surfaces and extending from a first end towards a second end of the test strip, whereby light cast into the waveguide at the first end is emitted from the waveguide at the second end; (e) an electrical connector for connection to a meter disposed at the first end; and (f) an electrochemical test cell disposed at the second end; (g) an deflector punched through the optical waveguide such that light exiting the optical waveguide exits through an edge of the test strip.
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42. An electrochemical test strip comprising:
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an electrical connector with a plurality of electrical contact areas disposed at a first end; an electrochemical test cell; a waveguide extending from the first end toward second end of the strip; and a plurality of apertures formed through the waveguide between the first and second ends, wherein said apertures deflect a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the test strip through the apertures, and wherein at least one aperture is of different size than another aperture. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A method for determining a characteristic of an electrochemical test strip, the method comprising:
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(A) providing a test strip comprising;
an electrical connector with a plurality of electrical contact areas disposed at a first end;
an electrochemical test cell;
a waveguide extending from the first end towards a second end of the strip; and
a plurality of apertures formed through the waveguide between the first and second ends, wherein said apertures deflect a portion of light traveling along the waveguide so that the deflected light exits the test strip through the apertures, and wherein at least one aperture is of different size than another aperture;(B) directing light into the waveguide and detecting the location and intensity of the deflected light exiting the test strip through the apertures; and (C) determining a characteristic of the electrochemical test strip, from the deflected light detected in step (B). - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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Specification