Analyte test strip and analyte meter device
First Claim
1. A test strip comprising:
- (a) a top substrate;
(b) a bottom substrate;
(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; and
wherein the second tab is notched in a position selected from the group consisting of;
in the middle of the tab, on the edge closest to the first tab, and on the edge farthest from the first tab.
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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.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A test strip comprising:
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(a) a top substrate; (b) a bottom substrate; (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; and wherein the second tab is notched in a position selected from the group consisting of;
in the middle of the tab, on the edge closest to the first tab, and on the edge farthest from the first tab. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A set of test strips comprising a plurality of individual test strips, each test strip comprising:
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(a) a top substrate; (b) a bottom substrate; (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; and wherein the first tab is not aligned with the second tab wherein the plurality of individual test strips are arranged in a plurality of subgroups wherein all test strips in the same subgroup detect the same analyte and are prepared in a single manufacturing process and wherein notches are formed in the second tab of all or all but one of the subgroups to distinguish between subgroups.
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5. A method for determining a characteristic of an electrochemical test strip comprising:
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(A) providing a test strip comprising (i) a top substrate; (ii) a bottom substrate; (iii) an electrical connector for connection to a meter disposed at a first end; and (iv) 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 second tab is notched in a position selected from the group consisting of; in the middle of the tab, on the edge closest to the first tab, and on the edge farthest from the first tab, and wherein the test strip further comprises characteristic information about the strip encoded on the strip and a first tab and/or second tab configuration corresponding to said encoded characteristic information; (B) inserting the first end of the strip into an analyte test meter, said meter comprising strip port connector comprising electrical connectors; (C) detecting electrical connectivity between the electrical connectors; and (D) correlating electrical connectivity between the electrical connectors with the characteristic information encoded on the test strip. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A combination of (A) a test strip and (B) an analyte test meter, the (A) test strip comprising:
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(i) a top substrate; (ii) a bottom substrate; (iii) an electrical connector for connection to a meter disposed at a first end; and (iv) 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 second tab is notched in a position selected from the group consisting of;
in the middle of the tab, on the edge closest to the first tab, and on the edge farthest from the first tab, andwherein the test strip further comprises characteristic information about the strip encoded on the strip and a first tab and/or second tab configuration corresponding to said encoded characteristic information; and the (B) analyte test meter comprising electrical connectors;
circuitry for detecting electrical connectivity between the electrical connectors; and
circuitry for correlating electrical connectivity between the electrical connectors with the characteristic information encoded on the test strip.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification