PORTABLE HANDHELD MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES WITH COLOR-CHANGING INDICATOR

• US 20100317951A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Davies, Robert G., Rutkowski, Paul S., Mears, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,501,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/365
• 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 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]

Abstract

A portable handheld medical diagnostic device includes a housing forming a protective enclosure. A main circuit board is located in the protective enclosure. The main circuit board includes a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement. A display device is connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement. An electronic skin is on the housing. The electronic skin comprises a liquid crystal material and is configured to display a color.

Claims

1. A portable handheld medical diagnostic device, comprising:

a housing forming a protective enclosure;

a main circuit board located in the protective enclosure, the main circuit board including a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement;

a display device connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement; and

an electronic skin on the housing, the electronic skin comprising a liquid crystal material and configured to display a color.

2. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic skin changes colors in response to the physiological measurement.

3. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the electronic skin to control color of the electronic skin.

4. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 3, wherein the controller includes logic for changing color of the electronic skin based on a measurement value determined by the physiologic measurement.

5. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 4, wherein the measurement value is a blood glucose concentration value.

6. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 5, wherein the controller changes color of the electronic skin from a first color to a second, different color when the blood glucose concentration value is within a predetermined range of blood glucose concentration values.

7. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 1 further comprising a strip port assembly configured to receive a test strip for testing a blood sample.

8. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 7, wherein the strip port assembly comprises a strip port accessible from outside the protective enclosure for inserting a test strip, at least part of the strip port being formed of a material selected for distribution of light to illuminate the at least part of the strip port.

9. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 8, wherein the controller includes logic for changing color of the electronic skin and a light source used to illuminate the at least part of the strip port.

10. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 8 further comprising:

a light source remote from the strip port; and

a light delivery device configured to transport light from the light source to the strip port.

11. A method of indicating a physiologic measurement using a portable handheld medical diagnostic device, the method comprising:

(a) measuring a concentration of a biologically significant component of a bodily fluid using the portable handheld medical diagnostic device; and

(b) changing color of an electronic skin on the portable handheld medical diagnostic device based on the measuring step (a).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic skin comprises a layer of liquid crystal material.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) is performed automatically by a controller controlling color of the electronic skin.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein blood glucose concentration is measured in step (a).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein color of the electronic skin is changed in step (b) from a first color to a second, different color when a blood glucose concentration value is within a predetermined range of blood glucose concentration values.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising illuminating at least part of a strip port, the at least part of the strip port being formed of a material selected for distribution of light.

17. A portable handheld medical diagnostic device, comprising:

a housing forming a protective enclosure;

a main circuit board located in the protective enclosure, the main circuit board including a controller facilitating a physiologic measurement;

a display device connected to the main circuit board that displays information related to the physiologic measurement;

an electronic skin on the housing, the electronic skin configured to display a color; and

a strip port assembly configured to receive a test strip for testing a blood sample, the strip port assembly comprising a strip port accessible from outside the protective enclosure for inserting a test strip, at least part of the strip port being formed of a material selected for distribution of light to illuminate the at least part of the strip port.

18. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 17, wherein the electronic skin changes colors in response to the physiological measurement.

19. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 17, wherein the physiological measurement is a measurement of blood glucose concentration.

20. The portable handheld medical diagnostic device of claim 17, wherein the controller includes logic for changing color of the electronic skin and a light source used to illuminate the at least part of the strip port.