BLOOD GLUCOSE TRACKING APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20050277164A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Therasense Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bacho, Henrik, Lipman, Kelley, Lortz, Mark, Colman, Fredric C., Drucker, Steven, Liamos, Charles T., Jiang, Feng
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157 disposable multilayered or laminated electrodes G01N27/307; details of handling chemical test elements G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48778 Containers specially adapted therefor, e.g. for dry storage
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/97 Test strip or test slide

Abstract

A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.

Claims

1. A measurement module for glucose testing comprising:

(a) a test strip receptacle in a glucose measurement module system;

(b) a connector portion formed in the module shaped to permit connection of the module to a mobile phone by inserting the connector portion of the glucose measurement module into a receptacle defined within the mobile phone; and

(c) a housing including a connector portion and a test strip receptacle portion configured for facilitating off-finger/alternate site testing.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the test strip receptacle portion is substantially narrower than the connector portion.

3. The module of claim 1, further comprising electronics for determining the amount of glucose present in a glucose-containing sample, when a test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the sample is placed on the test strip, and for communicating the glucose amount to the mobile phone via the connector portion.

4. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system;

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after the test sensor is coupled with the measurement module and glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor; and

(c) a measurement module housing including a connector portion and a test strip receptacle portion configured for facilitating off-finger/alternate site testing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the test strip receptacle portion is substantially narrower than the connector portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mobile phone device comprises a combination PDA/mobile phone.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein data is converted by a serial-to-parallel converter after transmitting the serial interface from the measurement module to the mobile phone device.

8. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module not having a display for displaying results of glucose measurements, the module including a test strip receptacle in a glucose measurement system;

(b) a mobile phone device configured to receive a data transmission from the measurement module, the measurement module and the mobile phone device forming a detachably integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is coupled with the measurement module and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, the mobile phone device comprising a display for displaying said results of said glucose measurements; and

(c) a measurement module housing including a connector portion and a test strip receptacle portion configured for facilitating off-finger/alternate site testing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test strip receptacle portion is substantially narrower than the connector portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mobile phone device is electrically and mechanically coupled with and separable from the measurement module to form an integrated hand-held unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mobile phone device is electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated hand-held unit.

12. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device configured to receive a data transmission from the measurement module, the measurement module and mobile phone device forming a detachably integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement, the mobile phone device being configured for automatically receiving said data transmission after the test sensor is coupled with the measurement module and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor; and

(c) a measurement module housing including a connector portion and a test strip receptacle portion configured for facilitating off-finger/alternate site testing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the test strip receptacle portion is substantially narrower than the connector portion end.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mobile phone device is electrically and mechanically coupled with and separable from the measurement module to form an integrated hand-held unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mobile phone device is electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated hand-held unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises a single display at the mobile phone device.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the measurement module is faceless and the mobile phone device comprises a display.

18. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is inserted and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, and

(c) wherein the measurement module is further geometrically configured to enable off-finger/alternate site application of the glucose-containing sample to the test strip.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a width of the measurement module tapers away from the processing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the measurement module includes a trapezoidal configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the measurement module includes a mobile phone device coupling portion and a test sensor insertion portion, the mobile phone device coupling portion having at least a width for coupling with the mobile phone device and the test sensor insertion portion having a width smaller than the mobile phone device coupling portion.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a shape of the measurement module includes a peak which couples with a test sensor, the peak emanating from a base which couples to a coupling end of the mobile phone device, the peak having a width of less than half of a width of the coupling end of the mobile phone device.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mobile phone device comprises a PDA/mobile phone combination.

24. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising an electrochemical side-fill glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is inserted and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, and

(c) wherein portions of the measurement module exposed to a user include no sharp corners.

25. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is inserted and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, and

(c) wherein portions of the measurement module exposed to a user are rounded in at least two dimensions for providing smooth off-finger/alternate site points of contact with the skin of a user.

26. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is inserted and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, and

(c) wherein the measurement module includes a telescoping trapezoidal profile for permitting placement of a test strip inserted within said module at an off-finger/alternate site location of a person being tested.

27. A glucose monitoring apparatus, comprising:

(a) a measurement module comprising a glucose test sensor receptacle in a glucose measurement system; and

(b) a mobile phone device electrically and mechanically coupled with the measurement module to form an integrated, hand-held unit for performing and analyzing a glucose measurement after a test sensor is inserted and a glucose-containing sample is applied to the test sensor, and

(c) wherein the measurement module comprises an encapsulation port for said test sensor and a PC board, and wherein the measurement module extends less than two inches in length and less than one half inch in thickness beyond dimensions of the mobile phone device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said measurement module weighs less than 10 ounces.