Patent Application
20080114228
The invention relates to an auto-calibrating sensor for use, in healthcare management, law-enforcement, dope-testing, sanitation or otherwise, for measuring the concentration of any analyte, such as glucose, lactate, urate, alcohol, therapeutic drugs, recreational drugs, performance-enhancing drugs, biomarkers indicative of diseased conditions, hormones, antibodies, metabolites of any of the aforesaid, combinations of any of the aforesaid, other similar indicators or any other analyte in a fluid, especially a physiological fluid such as blood, interstitial fluid (ISF) or urine. Much of the following discussion will concentrate upon the use of such a sensor for the purpose of blood glucose measurement and control but the principles discussed are much more widely applicable; indeed, they are applicable to the detection of any analyte in any fluid.
Glucose monitoring is a fact of everyday life for diabetic individuals. The accuracy of such monitoring may have significant impact on the quality of life. Generally, a diabetic patient measures blood glucose levels several times a day to monitor and control blood sugar levels. Failure to control blood glucose levels within a recommended range can result in serious healthcare complications such as limb amputation and blindness. Furthermore, failure to accurately measure blood glucose levels may result in hypoglycaemia. Under such conditions the diabetic patient may initially enter a comatose state, and if untreated may die. Therefore, it is important that accurate and regular measurements of blood glucose levels are performed.
People suffering from diabetes are often at a higher risk of other diseases. Diabetes also contributes to kidney disease, which occurs when the kidneys do not filter properly and protein leaks into urine in excessive amounts, which eventually can cause kidney failure. Diabetes is a cause of damage to the retina at the back of the eye and also increases risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Nerve damage caused by diabetes may interfere with the ability to sense pain and contributes to serious infections. A number of glucose meters are currently available which permit an individual to test the glucose level in a small sample of body fluid.
Many of the glucose meter designs currently available make use of a disposable test sensor, e.g. a strip, which in combination with the meter, electrochemically or photometerically measures the amount of glucose in the blood sample. To use these meters, the user first punctures a finger or other body part using a lancet to produce a small sample of blood or interstitial fluid. The sample is then transferred to a disposable test strip. The test strips are typically held in packaging containers or vials prior to use. Generally, test strips are quite small and the sample receiving area is even smaller. Usually, the disposable strip is inserted into a meter through a port in the meter housing prior to performing a test for an analyte in body fluids such as blood, ISF or urine etc.
The variation in the manufacturing process and chemistry of the strips causes them to need to have calibration coefficients or codes assigned to them so that their performance is mathematically correlated to a specific defined performance curve. Some examples of process and chemical variations will be described later, but for now it is sufficient to note that these variations result in sensors having different physical, chemical or other inherent properties that affect the way they respond to an analyte. Thus, different sensors will respond slightly differently to the same concentration of analyte in a fluid. Because they respond differently, their response must then be adjusted by an amount that is determined by calibration. The calibration process allows one to determine one or more adjustment coefficients that, when applied to the response of the sensor, will normalize it to a predefined standard. To help us to refer to the physical, chemical or other inherent characteristics of the sensor, we have coined the expression “calibration quantity” and we shall use it from now on. A calibration quantity is some property that the sensor possesses that affects its response. It may be a single property, such as sensitivity; it may be a combination of many, such as sensitivity, non-linearity, hysteresis, etc. It may be some structural property such as size that contributes to its response behaviour, either by affecting other calibration quantities like sensitivity, or by making an individual contribution. All of these things, alone or together, are calibration quantities, from which it can be seen that the term denotes a broad class. It is to be distinguished from the one or more adjustment coefficients that are derived from the calibration process and, when applied to the response of the strip, will normalize it to a predefined standard. These coefficients are shorthand representations of calibration quantities; they are information representing the calibration quantities, but they are not the calibration quantities themselves, which are real properties of the sensors. Thus, where we wish to refer to the adjustment coefficients or any other information representing them, and therefore representing the calibration quantities of the sensors, for example a code pointing to a location in a look-up table at which the relevant adjustment coefficients may be found, we use the expression “information representing the calibration quantity.” The distinction is a simple one, but it is worth setting out here for the avoidance of doubt.
When using a strip to which a calibration coefficient or code has been assigned, a diabetic patient typically has to read calibration data printed on a vial containing the sensor, enter it into the blood glucose monitoring system and confirm it for each test. The test strip is then inserted in the blood glucose monitoring system.
This can be undesirable since it can take time for a user to learn proper use of the process involved in diabetes testing and errors of operation by a user can occur. It is also undesirable since a user may be put off by tedious repetitive action of inserting calibration codes into a blood glucose monitoring system, which reduces the accuracy of glucose levels and can lead to complicated health conditions. It is further undesirable since repetitive testing on a localised area results in lack of feeling especially around the finger tips (nerve damage) and calluses can form making operation of the buttons difficult. This creates a problem for diabetics as technology pushes miniaturisation to new limits, partially driven by the need to make blood glucose meter systems acceptable and not ‘out of place’ i.e. to make the diabetic patient to feel as ‘normal’ as possible. Users can also have difficulty in using such devices because of the resultant effects of their medical conditions again causing difficulty, entering data via buttons or keypads etc.
Another problem with the insertion of calibration codes is again that long term diabetes sufferers who have not managed to fully control their illness may be suffering from cataracts or glaucoma. Such illnesses make the use and operation of blood glucose meter systems problematic with partially sighted sufferers, for whom basic testing could be considered an achievement, let alone inputting of calibration codes into a blood glucose meter.
Another problem with the insertion of calibration codes is that blood glucose testing is a time consuming affair. Typically each test can take up to five minutes which includes washing of hands, inserting a strip in blood glucose meter, lancing the finger and drawing blood, applying the blood onto the strip, inputting the batch specific calibration code, and waiting and reading the glucose level produced by the blood glucose meter. Typically, diabetics are recommended to test their glucose levels around four times a day and they often need to be encouraged to test themselves. Performing time consuming manual steps potentially minimises the frequency a diabetic tests himself and can lead to a downward spiral for the user e.g., lack of testing resulting in further complications which in turn discourages a diabetic from testing further, for example because of the need to lance and enter calibration strip data into a blood glucose meter.
The confirmation of test calibration data on a display such as an LCD display and/or LED display can also lead to problems for users of all ages and users of all levels of diabetes. During pre-breakfast testing a diabetic may have difficulty focusing on such a small display and could enter an incorrect calibration code. Similarly, a conscientious diabetic wishing to test himself at the post evening meal or pre-bed time may be tired and feeling drowsy and may inadvertently input the incorrect calibration code into the blood glucose meter. Again, this could lead to complicated health conditions especially where a diabetic is about to sleep for the night thinking his glucose level is normal when in actual fact he may be entering an unconscious state because he is in a hypoglyeaemic condition.
Also, if a diabetic does enter into a hypoglycaemic condition and is found by his partner or care giver, then it would further cause confusion if the care giver is not trained in glucose testing. The caregiver could summon help or alternatively use the meter to test the glucose level him/herself. The care giver may not however, be aware that a manual cumbersome calibration code needs to be inputted into the blood glucose meter before testing, resulting in an incorrect calibration code being inputted leading to further complications.
Similarly, since test strips are small in size, visually-impaired diabetics have difficulty in knowing how many test strips are left in a vial. This can be a problem to diabetics especially when they leave their normal surroundings for a length of time e.g. travelling away on a whim, on holiday etc. and could potentially leave them without enough test strips for the duration of their time away from home. Not only is this potentially dangerous to a diabetic, but also is inconvenient. It would therefore be beneficial to a diabetic especially a partially sighted diabetic that an audio and/or visual means was provided on a blood glucose meter system which automatically informs a user of the number of strips remaining in a vial.
Many modern industries and in particular the diabetes monitoring industry are therefore presented with the challenge of providing a metering system which is able to allow a user to use such a system without the need to enter calibration codes. Another challenge facing the diabetes monitoring industry is the use of monitoring devices by people with disabilities.
We have considered the possibility of simply attaching the calibration information to the sensors in machine-readable form—and one example of how this might be done is by attaching a barcode label—and providing the monitoring device with a device capable of reading the information, such as a barcode reader. On the face of it, this solves the problems outlined above: the monitoring device simply reads the calibration information off the sensor when it is inserted, and uses that information to normalize the response of the sensor.
But it does not work, and the reasons why it does not work are not immediately apparent, so we shall explain them.
The principal contributor to the variations in the response from different sensors, which we recall are attributable to the calibration quantities of the sensors, is the existence of tolerances and variations in the manufacturing process. When we use the expression “tolerances and variations” we are, of course speaking of small effects, indeed effects so small that it may be uneconomical to engineer them out of the manufacturing process; hence the need for calibration in the first place. These small effects are large enough to upset the accuracy of blood glucose measurements and indeed the accuracy of any analyte measurement where a certain level of accuracy is needed. So the sensors are calibrated and the calibration information is recorded.
Now consider the process of applying barcode labels with the calibration information on them to the sensors. We have been speaking hitherto of processes that have been so finely engineered that only small variations and tolerances remain that may be uneconomic to engineer out and have described how these small variations lead to different calibration quantities, and hence different calibration information, for the sensors. But now we are speaking of a process that is very difficult if not impossible to engineer down to the same level of tolerances. The step of attaching a barcode label involves the application of pressure and the use of an adhesive that may out-gas contaminants. In short, it is a process that will either alter the pre-existing calibration quantities of the sensors or it will introduce new calibration quantities, such as dimensions owing to the application of pressure, or chemical properties owing to the introduction of contaminants. In any case, the altered or new calibration quantities will no longer be properly represented by the calibration information that was previously printed on the label, which in turn means that the sensor must be recalibrated. So one is back to square one, except that one now has a label attached to the sensor with the wrong calibration information on it.
The present invention is designed to address the problems outlined above. Whilst those problems have been described particularly with reference to the management of diabetes, where accuracy is absolutely essential and the abilities of the user may be impaired, we nonetheless regard the problem as more general. Indeed, if one is testing any fluid for any analyte using a sensor that is to be exposed to the fluid, where the degree of accuracy required leads to calibration, and one wishes to avoid the inconvenience of inputting calibration information, coefficients or codes, the present invention will be of considerable assistance.
Our solution is to use, on the sensor, of a wireless device into which the calibration information, i.e. the information representing the calibration quantity of the sensor, can be wirelessly written. Crucially, in the present invention, the wireless device may be incorporated into or attached to the sensor during the manufacturing process and before the sensor is calibrated. Equally crucially, the wireless device is written to wirelessly once the calibration has been done. This does not involve any additional handling of the sensor and indeed at can be done once the sensor has been placed into a protective enclosure. Because of this, the process of wirelessly transmitting the calibration information to the wireless device does not alter any pre-existing calibration quantities and neither does it introduce any new calibration quantities.
Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is that it involves a method of manufacturing a sensor that, when exposed to a fluid, develops a measurable characteristic that is a function of the level of an analyte in the fluid and of a calibration quantity of the sensor, and has a wireless device adapted to receive, store and convey information representing the calibration quantity, the method comprising:
at least partly manufacturing the sensor so that it possesses the calibration quantity and includes the wireless device;
then wirelessly transmitting the information representing the calibration quantity to the wireless device; and
then, optionally, completing the manufacture of the sensor.
It will be noted that one aspect of the present invention therefore requires sufficient manufacturing steps to be performed, before the information representing the calibration quantity is transmitted to the wireless device, for the calibration quantity of the sensor to be determined. Subsequent steps may be performed, and we would not wish to exclude that possibility, so long as they do not affect the calibration. The earliest point in the manufacturing process at which the calibration and transmission can take place can easily be determined by trial and error—if subsequent steps affect the calibration, it has been done too early.
Another aspect of the present invention is that it involves a method of calibrating a sensor that, when exposed to a fluid, develops a measurable characteristic that is a function of the level of an analyte in the fluid and of a calibration quantity of the sensor, and incorporates a wireless device adapted to receive, store and convey information representing the calibration quantity, the method comprising wirelessly transmitting the information representing the calibration quantity to the wireless device incorporated in the sensor.
An alternative aspect of the invention is that it involves a method of manufacturing a sensor that, when exposed to a fluid, develops a measurable characteristic that is a function of the level of an analyte in the fluid and of a calibration quantity of the sensor, and has a wireless device adapted to receive, store and convey information representing the calibration quantity, the method comprising: completing the manufacture of the sensor so that it possesses the calibration quantity and includes the wireless device; and then wirelessly transmitting the information representing the calibration quantity to the wireless device.
The present invention finds application to a variety of sensors, including photometric or colorimetric sensors, where the measurable characteristic may be an opacity, a transparency, a fluorescence intensity, a transmissivity, a reflectivity, an absorptivity or an emissivity, a transmission, reflection, absorption, emission or excitation spectrum, peak, gradient or ratio, any one of more parts of such a spectrum, a colour, an emission polarization, an excited state lifetime, a quenching of fluorescence, a change over time of any of the aforesaid, any combination of the aforesaid, or any other indicator of the extent to which exposure of the sensor to the fluid affects its optical characteristics.
Typical photometric or calorimetric sensor comprises a substrate and at least a first reagent. The reagent may include a catalyst and a dye or dye precursor, where the catalyst catalyses, in the presence of the analyte, the denaturing of the dye or the conversion of the dye precursor into a dye. In the field of glucose monitoring, the catalyst may be a combination of glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase with the reagent including a leuco-dye (a reduced dye precursor). Suitable leuco-dyes are 2,2-azino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonate], tetramethylbenzidine-hydrochloride and 3-methyl-2-benzothiazoline-hydrazone in conjunction with 3-dimethylamino-benzoicacide.
As already discussed, the group of analytes to which the present invention may be applied is large and includes, in addition to glucose, HbA1C, lactate, cholesterol, alcohol, ketones, urate, therapeutic drugs, recreational drugs, performance-enhancing drugs, biomarkers indicative of diseased conditions, hormones, antibodies, metabolites of any of the aforesaid, combinations of any of the aforesaid, or other similar indicators.
These photometric or colorimetric sensors may be at least partly manufacturing by positioning a reagent film or membrane over a opening in a substrate (for a sensor that relies on measuring transmitted light), positioning a reagent film or membrane over a portion of a substrate (for a sensor that relies on measuring transmitted or reflected light) or placing a reagent in a chamber in a substrate (again, for a sensor that relies on measuring transmitted or reflected light). At this point or later, the wireless device may be attached to the substrate. Either then or subsequently the information representing the calibration quantity is transmitted to the wireless device.
The present invention is also applicable to electrochemical sensors comprising electrodes, where the measurable characteristic is an inter-electrode impedance, an inter-electrode current, a potential difference, an amount of charge, a change over time of any of the aforesaid, any combination of the aforesaid or any other indicator of the amount of electricity passing from one electrode to another, or the extent to which exposure of the sensor to the fluid generates electrical energy or electrical charge or otherwise affects the electrical characteristics of the sensor.
Typical electrochemical sensors comprises a substrate, an electrode layer containing the electrodes, and at least a first reagent layer. These sensors may be at least partly manufactured by depositing an electrode layer containing the electrodes on a substrate and depositing a reagent layer on the substrate and optionally over the electrode layer. When the analyte is glucose, the reagent layer optionally includes glucose oxidase.
In the case of electrochemical sensors, the method of manufacture may comprise depositing a component of the wireless device, especially depositing it in the electrode layer. This component may be an antenna, either a coil or a micro-strip antenna, but if it is a micro-strip antenna, the electrodes in the electrode layer may themselves form the antenna. We believe this to be a new and useful idea in itself irrespective of the calibration of the sensor, since the wireless device could be used to carry additional or alternative information.
Therefore, a third aspect of the present invention is that it involves an electrochemical sensor comprising:
a substrate;
an electrode layer containing electrodes; and
at least a first reagent layer;
the sensor being so configured that, when exposed to a fluid, it develops a measurable electrical characteristic that is a function of the level of an analyte in the fluid;
the sensor further comprising a wireless device adapted to receive, store and convey information, including a micro-strip antenna formed by the electrodes in the electrode layer.
Returning to the method of manufacture, it will then include affixing remaining components of the wireless device to the sensor, in electrical contact with the deposited component, before the information representing the calibration quantity is transmitted to it.
An insulation layer may be deposited over the electrode layer and the reagent layer over the insulation layer, the insulation layer preventing contact between the electrodes and the reagent layer otherwise than at one or more selected contact zones. This standardizes the internals of the sensor, ensuring that the calibration quantities of different sensors are closely related.
A second reagent layer may be deposited over the first reagent layer, for example an electron transfer mediator such as ferricyanide.
The deposition of at least one layer can be achieved by means of a printing process such as screen printing, ink jet printing, lithography, flexography, gravure, rotogravure, laser marking, slot/die coating or spray coating. Cylinder screen printing is quite suitable.
In the interests of greater efficiency, a plurality of sensors may be manufactured in a batch, especially in a batch on a single substrate. Optionally, they are manufactured in a continuous process, especially on a continuous web of substrate.
This process may involve continuously passing the continuous web through an electrode deposition station and a reagent deposition station, at the electrode deposition station, depositing electrode layers containing the electrodes of respective sensors (and possibly a component such as a micro-strip antenna of the wireless device), and at the reagent deposition station, depositing reagent layers of respective sensors over the electrode layers. It may also include continuously passing the continuous web through an insulation deposition station, at the insulation deposition station, depositing insulation layers of respective sensors over the electrode layers and at the reagent deposition station, depositing reagent layers of respective sensors over the insulation layers, the insulation layers preventing contact between the electrodes and the reagent layers otherwise than at selected contact zones. It may also include continuously passing the continuous web through a second reagent deposition station, and at the second reagent deposition station, depositing a second reagent layer of respective sensors over the first reagent layers.
Subsequently, the continuous web may be continuously passed through a wireless device fixing station, at which a wireless device is fixed to respective sensors. The web may then be cut into ribbons, each ribbon containing a plurality of sensors.
When sensors are batch-manufactured, in either a flat-bed or staged process or in a continuous process, information representing the same calibration quantity may be transmitted to the wireless devices of a plurality of sensors at once or virtually simultaneously. In particular, a plurality of sensors may be placed into a protective enclosure and then information representing the same calibration quantity may be wirelessly transmitted to the wireless devices of those plurality of sensors at once or virtually simultaneously. This saves time and ensures the sensors are handled to the minimum degree possible.
This invention also extends to a sensor that, when exposed to a fluid, develops a measurable characteristic that is a function of the level of an analyte in the fluid and of a calibration quantity of the sensor, and has a wireless device adapted to receive, store and convey information representing the calibration quantity, in which the wireless device contains information representing the calibration quantity of the sensor.
Wireless communication at radio frequencies is suitable, as it is unlikely to cause heating of the sensor, which may change its calibration quantity. Thus, for the wireless device, an RFID tag is suitable for use with, for example ISO 14443 or ISO 15693, on a frequency of 13.56 MHz or 2.45 GHz.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain features of the invention (wherein like numerals represent like elements), of which:
An example RFID system may have, in addition to at least one tag, a transceiver or means of reading or interrogating the tags and optionally means of communicating the data received from a tag to an information management system. Transceivers are also known as interrogators, readers, or polling devices. Typically the system may also have a facility for entering or programming data into the tags. RFID tags contain an antenna and an integrated circuit. Various configurations of RFID tags are currently available in the marketplace and one such supplier is Texas Instruments® and the RI-I11-112A tag.
Communication of data between tags and a transceiver is by wireless communication. Such wireless communication is via antenna structures forming an integral feature in both tags and transceivers. During operation, the transceivers transmit a low-power radio signal, through its antenna, which the tag receives via its own antenna to power an integrated circuit. Using the energy it gets from the signal when it enters the radio field, the tag briefly converses with the transceiver for verification and the exchange of data. Once the data is received by the reader it is sent to a controlling processor in a computer for example, for processing and management.
RFID systems have pre-defined distance ranges over which tags can be read, which depend on several factors such as size of the antenna in the tag, size of the antenna in the transceiver, and the output power of the transceiver. Typically, passive RFID tags operate in the 100 KHz to 2.5 GHz frequency range. Passive RFID tags are powered from the transceiver, whereas active RFID tags have a power source such as a battery, which powers the integrated circuit.
Data within a tag may provide identification data for an item in manufacture, goods in transit, a location, the identity of a vehicle, an animal or individual. By including additional data the tags can support applications through item specific information or instructions immediately available on reading the tag. For example, the colour of paint for a car body entering a paint spray area on the production line, or the diabetes testing requirements of an individual e.g. on polling of the tag on the first test strip of the day, a user can be informed by the meter that he requires a further three glucose measurements during the next 24 hours.
Transmitting data is subject to the influences of the media or channels through which the data has to pass such as the air interface. Noise, interference and distortion are sources of data corruption that arise in the communication channels that must be guarded against in seeking to achieve error free data recovery. To transfer data efficiently via the air interface that separates the two communicating components requires the data to be modulated with a carrier wave. Typical techniques for modulation are amplitude shift keying (ASK), frequency shift keying (FSK) or phase shift keying (PSK) techniques.
The RFID tag can be placed in line on the tracks 6 so that during initial insertion the current also activates the RFID tag to cause it to transmit. Alternatively or in addition the RFID tag can be polled by exciting the tag via the transceiver both when the strip is in the meter and when the strip is not in the meter.
Referring to
In an example system according to a first embodiment there is a meter and disposable test strip 2. The system containing a proximity interrogation system including a transceiver, a transponder (an RFID tag), and data processing circuitry. The transceiver includes a microprocessor, a transmitter, a receiver, and a shared transmit/receive antenna. The tag 10 is typically passive (having no on-board power source, such as a battery) and includes an antenna typically configured as a coil, and a programmable memory. As the tag 10 receives its operational energy from the reader, the two devices must be in close proximity. In operation, the transceiver generates sufficient power to excite the tag.
The polling for the RFID tag can either be continuous or activated by the user to enter a pre-fully functional status. When RF energy emanating from the reader's antenna impinges on the tag while it is in close proximity to the tag, a current is induced in the coil of the antenna. The tag does not need to be in line-of-sight of the meter and can typically operate in the range of a few centimetres or up to a few meters in circumstances as will be understood by persons skilled in the art. Alternatively, a transceiver having an antenna in a form of an array could be utilised which would increase the effectiveness of polling of the tag by increasing the angular range of communication. The induced current in the coil of the antenna is routed to the programmable memory of the tag, which then performs an initialization sequence. The transceiver transmits its energy transmitting interrogation signal to the tag and the memory in the tag begins to broadcast its identity and any other requested information over the tag antenna. Information transmitted to the transceiver is decoded as described below.
The transceiver in the meter, picks up the signal from the RFID 10 tag and the transmitted data is used in the processing of the test strip. Circuitry in the meter decodes and processes information received from the RFID tag 10. The strip 2 is inserted into a port 8 on a meter. A user lances a suitable site for example a finger or forearm or palm, and deposits blood or ISF on the sample area 4 on the strip 2. A measurement is made by the following method for example. A voltage is applied to test sensors within sample area 4 on the strip 2 and a current measurement is made. Calibration data is received from the tag 10 specific to strip 2 and is used for calculating the blood glucose level. This level is communicated to the user on the meter display.
The meter can optionally record when the first strip of that container is used. This can be used to calculate information for informing the user how long the vial has been opened, and if a use is recorded each time a strip is used, how many strips remain in a vial or cartridge. Thus, the circuitry in the meter can record the number of strips in a vial from strip information from the tag and then subtracts one from this number every time a strip is used from a specific batch of strips. This information combined with the batch number can be useful for a diabetic to either request additional strips from his physician or to calculate how fast a vial of strips is used over a period of time.
In case the RFID tag becomes damaged during the manufacturing process or during the transit to, e.g. the user, and cannot be read by the meter, or the battery level of the meter is too weak to poll for the RFID tag, the meter has circuitry for allowing a direct manual input of the calibration code. Indeed such direct manual entry can be provided as an option in any event. Typically, the calibration code would be printed on the side of the vial and the user could enter the calibration code before testing commenced. This would allow the user to continue using the strips, thus avoiding having potentially to discard a batch of strips because of a lack of calibration information due to a problem with the RFID tag.
Generally speaking, the structure of the strip will be as follows.
An enzyme layer, in this embodiment a glucose oxidase reagent layer 114 (
Two sections of hydrophilic film 120 (
An RFID tag may be applied to the strip at any appropriate stage in its manufacture, and optionally after the application of the reagent layer. Applying the RFID tag to the strip before the protective plastic cover tape 122 will encapsulate the RFID tag and the RFID tag may simply be secured by adhesive, which may be conductive adhesive if and where the RFID tag makes contact with the electrodes or other deposited electrical components. It is better to select an adhesive with minimal outgassing characteristics. Optionally the tag may be adhered using the same adhesive used to secure the hydrophilic film, such as that used in the ONE TOUCH® Ultra Test strips available from LifeScan, Inc., Calif.
Further details of the strips, but not the use of RFID tags, can be found in international patent application no. WO 01/67099, which it would be pointless here to recount. Instead, the entire contents of WO 01/67099 are herein incorporated by reference.
As mentioned above, strips may be manufactured in a flat-bed or staged process in batches. In this process, electrochemical sensors are formed as a series of patterned layers supported on a substrate. Mass production of these devices has been carried out by screen printing and other deposition processes, with the multiple layers making up the device being deposited seriatim in a flat-bed process.
Manufacture of disposable electrochemical sensors by these techniques has several drawbacks. First, operation in flat-bed or staged mode is fundamentally inefficient. Multiple steps in the process requires the use of multiple flat-bed print lines, one for each layer in the device. Not only does this increase the capital expense for the manufacturing equipment it also introduces multiple opportunities for process variation such as variable delays and storage conditions between print steps, as well as variations in the process itself such as registration drift between different process stations. Such process variations can result in poor calibration of some sensor batches resulting in potentially erroneous reading when the electrodes are used. Variable delays and storage conditions may result, for example, in variable amounts of moisture being absorbed by the partly-manufactured sensors. The moisture content of the sensor is another example of a calibration quantity of the sensor.
A suitable method for manufacturing electrochemical sensors uses a continuous web of substrate transported past a plurality of printing stations for deposition of various layers making up the sensor. The method can be used for making sensors which are directed to any electrochemically-detectable analyte. This process still manufactures batches of sensors, with the size of the batch run typically being determined by the availability of consumables, especially the amount of substrate material available on a single roll. The remaining bulk and liquid components can be made available in the required quantities to use up a whole roll of substrate material.
Exemplary analytes of particular commercial significance for which sensors can be made using the method include; glucose, fructosamine, HbA1C, lactate, cholesterol, alcohol and ketones. The specific structure of the electrochemical sensor will depend on the nature of the analyte. In general, however, each device will include an electrode layer and at least one reagent layer deposited on a substrate. As used in the specification and claims hereof, the term “layer” refers to a coating applied to all or part of the surface of the substrate. A layer is considered to be “applied to” or “printed on” the surface of the substrate when it is applied directly to the substrate or the surface of a layer or layers previously applied to the substrate. Thus, deposition of two layers on the substrate may result in a three layer sandwich (substrate, layer 1, and layer 2) as shown in
In the method of the invention, the electrochemical sensors are printed in a linear array, or as a plurality of parallel linear arrays onto a flexible web substrate. As discussed below, this web may be processed by cutting it into ribbons after the formation. As used in the specification and claims of this application, the term “ribbon” refers to a portion of the printed web which has been formed by cutting the web in either or both of the longitudinal and transverse directions, and which has a plurality of electrochemical sensors printed on it.
It will be appreciated that the specific structure shown in
While the most efficient embodiments of the invention will generally use a plurality of print stations as illustrated in
One of the most important parameters to control when printing the various layers of a biosensor is the thickness of the deposited layer, particularly with respect to the reagent layer. The thickness of the printed layer is a calibration quantity of the sensor and is influenced by various factors, including the angle at which the substrate and the screen are separated. In a conventional card printing process, where the substrate is presented as individual cards on a flat table, this angle varies as the squeegee moves across the screen, leading to variations in thickness and therefore to variations in the sensor response across the card. To minimize this source of variation, the print stations used in the method of the exemplary embodiments optionally makes use of cylinder screen printing or rotogravure printing. In cylinder screen printing, a flexible substrate is presented to the underside of a screen bearing the desired image using a cylindrical roller and moves synchronously with the squeegee. Unlike conventional printing, where the screen moves away from a stationary substrate, in this process the moving substrate is pulled away from the screen. This allows a constant separation angle to be maintained, so that a uniform thickness of deposit is achieved. What is more, the contact angle, and thus the print thickness can be optimized by choosing the appropriate point of contact. By appropriate optimization, the process can be engineered so that the ink is pulled out of the screen and transferred to the substrate much more efficiently. This sharper “peel off’ leads to much improved print accuracy, allowing a finer detail print. Therefore smaller electrodes can be printed and smaller overall sensors can be achieved.
The post-processing apparatus 39 may perform any of a variety of treatments, or combinations of treatments on the printed web. For example, the post processing apparatus may apply a cover over the electrochemical devices by laminating a second continuous web to the printed substrate. The post-processing apparatus may also cut the printed web into smaller segments. To produce individual electrochemical devices of the type generally employed in known hand-held glucose meters, this cutting process would generally involve cutting the web in two directions, longitudinally and laterally. The use of continuous web technology offers the opportunity to make electrochemical sensors with different configurations which offer advantages for packaging and use.
As shown in
The method of the invention also facilitates the manufacture of sensors having structures which cannot be conveniently produced using conventional batch processing. For example, as shown in
As is apparent from the foregoing discussion, the method of the exemplary embodiments provides a very versatile approach for manufacture and calibration of electrochemical sensors. The following discussion of suitable materials which can be used in the method of the invention is intended to further exemplify this versatility and not to limit the scope of the invention.
The substrate used in the method of the invention may be any dimensionally stable material of sufficient flexibility to permit its transport through an apparatus of the type shown generally in
The electrodes may be formed of any conductive material which can be deposited in patterns in a continuous printing process. This would include carbon electrodes and electrodes formed from platinized carbon, gold, silver, and mixtures of silver and silver chloride. Insulation layers are deposited as appropriate to define the sample analysis volume and to avoid a short circuiting of the sensor. Insulating materials which can be printed are suitable, including for example polyester-based inks.
The selection of the constituents of the reagent layer(s) will depend on the target analyte. For detection of glucose, the reagent layer(s) will suitably include an enzyme capable of oxidizing glucose, and a mediator compound which transfers electrons from the enzyme to the electrode resulting in a measurable current when glucose is present. Representative mediator compounds include ferricyanide, metallocene compounds such as ferrocene, quinones, phenazinium salts, redox indicator DCPIP, and imidazole-substituted osmium compounds, phenazine ethosulphate, phenazine methosulfate, pheylenediamine, 1-methoxy-phenazine methosulfate, 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, 2,5-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone, ferrocene derivatives, osmium bipyridyl complexes, and ruthenium complexes. Suitable enzymes for the assay of glucose in whole blood include glucose oxidase and dehydrogenase (both NAD and PQQ based). Other substances that may be present in the redox reagent system include buffering agents (e.g., citraconate, citrate, malic, maleic, and phosphate buffers); divalent cations (e.g., calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride); surfactants (e.g., Triton, Macol, Tetronic, Silwet, Zonyl, and Pluronic); and stabilizing agents (e.g., albumin, sucrose, trehalose, mannitol and lactose). The reagents appropriate to other types of sensors will be apparent.
It will be well understood that this structure causes the generation of both charge and current in the presence of an analyte, allowing for the following to be measured: an inter-electrode impedance; an inter-electrode current; a potential difference; an amount of charge; a change over time of any of the aforesaid; any combination of the aforesaid; or any other indicator of the amount of electricity passing from one electrode to another, or the extent to which exposure of the sensor to the fluid generates electrical energy or electrical charge or otherwise affects the electrical characteristics of the sensor.
One of the limitations of any device in which multiple test elements are stored within a test device is that the elements must be made stable for the expected lifetime of the test elements within the test device. In general, for electrochemical sensor strips, this means providing a moisture-proof and air-tight environment for unused sensor strips. This can be accomplished by adding a sealing layer to the test ribbon so that individual test strips are individually sealed and protected from moisture. Alternatively, one or more strips are contained in a vial such as that available from LifeScan, Inc. and sold as ONE TOUCH® Ultra.
Further details of the strips, but not the use of RFID tags, can be found in international patent application no. WO 01/73124, which it would be pointless here to recount. Instead, the entire contents of WO 01/73124 are herein incorporated by reference.
As discussed above, and seen in
Photometric and calorimetric sensors can be manufactured in essentially similar processes or as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,836, U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,304, U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,133, WO 04/40287 or WO 02/49507, the entire content of which are herein incorporated by reference. The RFID tag can simply be adhered to the finished strip or sensor, but is optionally positioned on the strip prior to the application of a protective layer.
Typical photometric or calorimetric sensor comprises a substrate and at least a first reagent including a catalyst and a dye or dye precursor and the catalyst catalyses, in the presence of the analyte, the denaturing of the dye or the conversion of the dye precursor into a dye. For glucose sensors, a suitable combination is a combination of glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase as a catalyst and leuco-dye as a dye precursor. The leuco-dye may, for example, be 2,2-azino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonate], tetramethylbenzidine-hydrochloride or 3-methyl-2-benzothiazoline-hydrazone in conjunction with 3-dimethylamino-benzoicacide. The reagent may be laid down as a film or membrane over a opening in a substrate or over a portion of a substrate or placed into a chamber in a substrate.
It is well understood that this combination of enzyme and leuco-dye causes the colour or depth of colour of the reagent layer to change in the presence of glucose, allowing for the following to be measured: opacity; transparency; transmissivity reflectivity or absorptivity; a transmission, reflection or absorption spectrum, peak, gradient or ratio; any one of more parts of such a spectrum; colour; a change over time of any of the aforesaid; and any combination of the aforesaid.
If a fluorophore is used instead of a non-fluorescing leuco-dye, the amount of glucose can be determined by looking at the fluorescence properties of the reagent, such as: fluorescence intensity; emissivity; an emission or excitation spectrum, peak, gradient or ratio; any one of more parts of such a spectrum; an emission polarization; an excited state lifetime; a quenching of fluorescence; a change over time of any of the aforesaid; or any combination of the aforesaid.
Returning now to
During glucose testing, the diabetic inputs the test strip 2 into the meter. The diabetic lances himself and blood from his e.g. finger is drawn to the sample area of the strip. The meter is activated on insertion of the test strip 2 and current is applied to the reactive region of the strip. The meter either polls the RFID tag 10 for the calibration data, batch number, expiry date or alternatively the meter obtains calibration data, batch number, expiry date by using the tracks on the strip. This is a useful design feature of strips since if the meter has reduced power supply i.e. nearly life expired batteries or when a meter is being used in an RF noisy environment which may interfere with the polled RF signal transmission from and to the RFID tag, then the meter can still operate and obtain the calibration code for each batch of strips. Strips with an RFID tag hard wired or coupled through RF means, allows the user the option to check the validity of the calibration codes presented on the meter display or to cross check with calibration data presented on manufacturers' vials. Indeed, by producing both a hardwire connection to the RFID tag 10 and an RF connection to the RFID tag 10 from the meter, there is less scope for error in supplying the calibration code to the meter should one connection fail, or as a cross check.
The embodiments described can be used with integrated lancing/test strip devices such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,706,159. When the meter is activated with the strip 2 inserted into the meter, the meter polls the RFID tag 10 for information specific to that strip 2 such as calibration code data and/or any other information as shown in
Referring to
Before use of the continuous or multi use test strip module 12 the patient applies the module to his skin. The module is fixed in place either using adhesive or adhesive strip or a strap. A small power source such as button cell is affixed to the sampling module 46. This button cell generates the voltage required for the reaction to take place and to provide an electrical signal to the meter. The current developed at the sensor region 14, 24 in multi-use module 17, 27 is measured by the local controller 44. Once the local controller 44 has measured has measured the current, or the current versus time data, the local controller 44 polls a tag on the test module to obtain, typically at least calibration code information. Using the measured data and the calibration code data the local controller 44 calculates the glucose level. The local controller 44 would typically be attached to the diabetic on his belt. The current or current versus time data is sent to the meter via a cable or via RF. For example the power source can also power a small transmitter in the local controller module 44 as well as the test strip 17, 27.
The user is informed of the glucose reading optionally initially through a vibration alert device and then through traditional notification means such as LCD display, sound alerts, voice alerts, or Braille instruction or a combination of these or simply through an audio alert and then a visual display.
A vial 29 as shown in
The software of meters in the field may need to be upgraded and various embodiments described can be used to facilitate at least three types of changes. These are ‘corrective’—to fix problems, ‘adaptive’—to change the software in the light of changes to the environment in which the software runs (e.g. regulatory changes) and ‘perfective’—to change the software to add new features. A method of dynamically flavouring the meter with country code, personalised or country flavoured software, software upgrades and parameters related to previous test results for updating of the testing algorithm for future tests is also provided.
Referring now to
An RFID tag 60 is applied to the packaging container 68. During use, the diabetic retrieves the equipment required for a blood glucose test from the packaging container 68 and empties the contents, typically on a flat surface such as a table. The diabetic then follows a set procedure, guided by a display such as an LCD integrated on the meter 62. The meter 62 is activated either by insertion of the strip 61 or alternatively by manual pressing of a switch on the meter itself. Once activated, the meter 62 then polls for the RFID tag 60 located on the packaging container 68 and requests language option or country information such as country of import of product (e.g. a country or language sku), and product expiry date, environment storage conditions, and physiological limitations of use and/or calibration code. The information written into the RFID tag 60 on packaging container 68 is transmitted back to the transceiver on the meter 62. Such information is received by the blood glucose meter and transferred to a processor and into a memory card of the blood glucose meter. Information such as country of import obtained from the RFID tag 60, dictates which language is viewable on the LCD display e.g. for package containers intended for use in countries such as Germany, would have German user instructions (unless the user required another option). Similarly, in bi or tri-lingual countries such as Switzerland or Canada, the diabetic would have the option of specifying his language from within a range of those designated countries. Such an option is then subsequently programmed into the meter's memory and typically remains as the first option during an initial start up sequence and then becomes the default setting for any batch of strips i.e. further loading of RFID tag information from different vials or different packaging containers ignores data which contains language option information, in one embodiment of the invention the choice of language is used only during the initial start up of the blood glucose meter.
A useful feature of having such as a language option or a country specific code in the RFID tag 60, is that it allows the user to select a helpline facility specific to that country and language. Using the RFID country or language code from the RFID tag allows the diabetic to select helpline information for a country region which is most appropriate to the user. Indeed, a helpline registration system can be used so after initialisation of the meter using the first batch of strips the diabetic confirms his location and details to his regional supplier. The information held within the meter from the initial download of RFID tag 60 data could then be used to select country of normal residence. This user programmable data can either be activated by the diabetic following instruction from the manufacturers helpline number or using the instruction supplied on the screen, in his own language, and then saving this country code in the blood glucose meter 62.
When the next packaging 68 is used, the RFID tag on such packaging would relay country or language information to the meter on being polled by the meter. This information would be crosschecked with the country code embedded in the blood glucose meter's memory. If these are not the same, the meter would provide a message informing the diabetic that the meter will functioning temporarily and an incorrect test strip or batch may be used. On displaying such a stop message, the meter 62 displays a message or a warning message that the blood glucose meter needs to be reactivated by contacting the helpline. Indeed, a reset of the meter 62 can be performed. Typically, this can be performed through input of a numerical sequence or button pressing sequence available from the helpline facility. Such a reset procedure would also need the capability of needing a different sequence of numerical values or buttons pressing combinations for each reset, otherwise the user could simply reset the meter for each country or batch of strips each time, risking the use of inappropriate supply of strips. Such reset codes can be programmed into the meter memory during the manufacture thereof. The reset of the meter would not however be a total reset i.e. the patient's saved data would still be retrievable once successful reset code was input. As the RFID tag can contain more than one element of data, another useful element that can be sent to the meter at the first usage of a batch of strips, apart from the calibration code as previously described, is the provision of product expiry date and the number of test strips in a vial. Such information is useful for a diabetic and allows him to monitor the frequency he uses the test strips and/or the number of strips remaining. The numerical contents of the vial can be recorded in a memory of the meter obtained with information from the batch. Each time a test strip is used from that batch, the blood glucose meter records such usage and periodically, say every five test strips, informs the diabetic that he has used X strips and Y are left. Indeed, a higher frequency countdown can be implemented when the number of test strips in a vial is down to say 10. Such information can be displayed just after the next test strip is inserted requiring confirmation that the diabetic has understood the message or alternatively the message can be conveyed to the diabetic as a random message sent within a pre-defined time frame initially by vibration alert message followed by a standard displayed message. Again, the meter would again require confirmation by the diabetic that he has understood the message by button pressing or similar which would also switch off the repetitive nature of a vibration alarm system.
While the invention has been described in terms of particular variations and illustrative figures, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the variations or figures described. In addition, where methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in certain order, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the ordering of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with the variations of the invention. Additionally, certain of the steps may be performed concurrently in a parallel process when possible, as well as performed sequentially as described above. Therefore, to the extent there are variations of the invention, which are within the spirit of the disclosure or equivalent to the inventions found in the claims, it is the intent that this patent will cover those variations as well. Finally, all publications and patent Applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each individual publication or patent Application were specifically and individually put forth herein.
This application claims priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §§ 120 and 371 of International Application PCT/US2005/031286 filed on 31 Aug. 2005, which claims priority benefits to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/606,334 filed on 31 Aug. 2004, which both applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties into this application.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US05/31286 | 8/31/2005 | WO | 00 | 7/19/2007 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60606334 | Aug 2004 | US |
