System and Method for Automatic Calibration

• US 20090042306A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: REYNOLDS, Jeffery S., Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve, Holzer, Matthew, Wu, Mu
• Granted Patent: US 7,981,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48771 Coding of information, e.g. calibration data, lot number
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/10 Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide

Abstract

A device includes a sensor array and a processor is automatically calibrated. The sensor array collects data from a pattern using at least one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement. The pattern is included on a calibration storage device. The processor receives the data from the sensor array and calibrates the device in accordance with the data.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a sensor array collecting data from a pattern based on one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement, the pattern being included on a calibration storage device; and

a processor receiving the data from the sensor array and calibrating the device in accordance with the data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the calibrating includes preparing the device to perform a functionality in conjunction with the calibration storage device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the functionality is a diagnostic test on a sample received by the calibration storage device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic test is an analyte, the calibration storage device being an analyte receiving strip.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a port receiving and aligning the calibration storage device for the sensor array to collect the data from the pattern.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor array is external to a housing of the device and is coupled to the device via a connector.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the data includes command data, the command data indicating at least one command to be executed by the device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the pattern is at least one of a one-dimensional and two-dimensional sequence.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the two-dimensional sequence slides passed the sensor array that is one-dimensional to read the two-dimensional sequence.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the pattern includes a plurality of variations of at least one of height, width, and contrast.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of sense pads and the pattern includes at least one coding feature so that, when in a proper orientation, the at least one coding feature associates with at least one of the plurality of sense pads.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a sense pad associated with one of the at least one coding feature creates a first capacitance while a sense pad unassociated with one of the at least one coding feature creates a second capacitance, so that the capacitive measurement creates an ordered list of values from each of the plurality of sense pads, each value corresponding to one of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sense pads are disposed on an existing printed circuit board of the device.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a heterogeneous dielectric cover disposed over the plurality of sense pads, the heterogeneous dielectric cover patterned to enhance data recovery by concentrating electric field lines.

15. A method, comprising:

reading a pattern using at least one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement, the pattern being included on a calibration storage device;

determining data included in the pattern; and

calibrating a device in accordance with the data, wherein the calibrating includes preparing the device to perform a functionality in conjunction with the calibration storage device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the functionality is a diagnostic test on a sample received by the calibration storage device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

executing commands on the device, the commands included in the data of the pattern.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the pattern is at least one of a one-dimensional and two-dimensional sequence.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

when the pattern is the two-dimensional sequence, sliding the two-dimensional sequence passed a one-dimensional sensor array to read the two-dimensional sequence.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the pattern includes a plurality of variations of at least one of height, width, and contrast.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when the sensor array includes a plurality of sense pads and the pattern includes at least one coding feature, associating each of the at least one coding feature to one of the plurality of sense pads.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

when a sense pad associated with one of the at least one coding feature creates a first capacitance while a sense pad unassociated with one of the at least one coding feature creates a second capacitance, representing the capacitive measurement as an ordered list of values from each of the plurality of sense pads, each value corresponding to one of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of sense pads are disposed on an existing printed circuit board of the device.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

patterning a heterogeneous dielectric cover disposed over the plurality of sense pads to concentrate electric field lines, thereby enhancing data recovery.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an analyte meter, an analyte receiving strip;

reading a pattern disposed on the analyte receiving strip using at least one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement;

determining calibration data included in the pattern;

calibrating the analyte meter in accordance with the calibration data;

receiving an analyte on the analyte receiving strip;

analyzing the analyte using the calibrated analyte meter; and

displaying results of the analysis.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the calibration data includes at least one of test parameters, a date of manufacture of the analyte receiving strip, a whole blood parameter, a plasma parameter, an anti-counterfeiting code, commercial data, regional identification data, and software control data.

27. An analyte meter, comprising:

a port receiving an analyte receiving strip, the analyte receiving strip including a pattern and a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber configured to receive an analyte;

a sensor array collecting data from the pattern using at least one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement; and

a processor calibrating the analyte meter based on the data collected from the pattern, the analyte meter analyzing the analyte upon calibration.

28. The analyte meter of claim 27, wherein the calibration data includes one of test parameters, a date of manufacture of the analyte receiving strip, a whole blood parameter, a plasma parameter, and an anti-counterfeiting code.

29. An analyte receiving strip, comprising:

a pattern including calibration data for an analyte meter, the analyte meter reading the pattern using one of a capacitive measurement and a radio frequency measurement, the analyte meter being calibrated based on the calibration data; and

a reaction chamber configured to receive an analyte, the analyte receiving strip being received by the analyte meter so that the analyte is analyzed upon the analyte meter being calibrated.

30. The analyte receiving strip of claim 29, wherein the pattern is created on a separate component and is affixed to the analyte receiving strip.

31. The analyte receiving strip of claim 29, wherein the pattern is printed on the analyte receiving strip with a printable material, the printable material having at least one of a conductance characteristic and a dielectric permittivity characteristic.

32. The analyte receiving strip of claim 29, wherein the pattern is physically created on the analyte receiving strip by being at least one of pre-molded, punched, stamped, etched, and laser scribed.

33. The analyte receiving strip of claim 29, wherein the pattern is formed on an electrode electrically connecting the reaction chamber to the analyte meter.