Test strip calibration system for a glucose meter, and method

Abstract

A glucose test strip is disclosed. The test strip includes an insertion portion and an exposed portion. The exposed portion of the test strip is arranged to accept a blood sample from a patient. The test strip includes a calibration identifier accessible to a calibration identifier access device in a glucose meter via an interface residing at least partially within the insertion portion. The calibration identifier includes a calibration code for calibrating the glucose meter to the test strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a blood glucose monitoring system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a computing system that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a blood glucose monitoring system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a blood glucose monitoring system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a monitoring system that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 depicts a physical structure of a monitoring system usable by multiple users according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 depicts a physical structure of a monitoring system usable by multiple users according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a glucose meter within a monitoring system that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a glucose meter within a monitoring system that can be used to implement further aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a connection diagram of a portion of a blood glucose monitoring system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a communications device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a communications device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is an electrical schematic of internal circuitry for a glucose meter according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14A is a schematic representation of a portion of a glucose meter incorporating a line-powered modem according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14B is a schematic representation of a portion of a glucose meter incorporating a line-powered modem according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of a glucose meter accepting a test strip according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a schematic representation of a glucose meter accepting a test strip according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for blood glucose monitoring according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for blood glucose monitoring according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a sample exception report generated according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for communicating data in a glucose meter according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for communicating data in a glucose meter according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for communicating data in a glucose meter according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 23 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for blood glucose monitoring according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of systems and methods for calibration and use of a glucose meter according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of a system for controlling a glucose meter and line-powered communications device according to a possible embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a flow diagram of a data connection system for use in conjunction with a glucose meter according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 27 is a flow diagram of a system for glucose meter communication is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 28 is a flow diagram of a system for glucose meter communication is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A glucose test strip comprising: (a) an insertion portion and an exposed portion, the exposed portion of the test strip configured and arranged to accept a blood sample from a patient;(b) a calibration identifier accessible to a calibration identifier access device in a glucose meter via an interface residing in contact with the insertion portion;(c) wherein the calibration identifier includes a calibration code for calibrating the glucose meter to the test strip.

2. The glucose test strip of claim 1, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier is a bar code imprinted upon the insertion portion of the test strip.

3. The glucose test strip of claim 2, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier access device is a bar code reader.

4. The glucose test strip of claim 1, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier is a electronic memory device having exposed electrical leads on the insertion portion of the test strip.

5. The glucose test strip of claim 1, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier is a resistive element of predetermined value having exposed electrical leads on the insertion portion of the test strip.

6. The glucose test strip of claim 1, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier access device is an electrical interface.

7. A glucose meter calibration system comprising: (a) a test strip incorporating a calibration identifier;(b) a glucose meter including a calibration identifier access device configured to access a calibration code embodied by the calibration identifier;(c) wherein the calibration identifier access device provides a unique calibration code to the glucose meter each time a test strip incorporating a calibration identifier is used in conjunction with the glucose meter.

8. The glucose meter calibration system of claim 7, wherein: (a) the glucose meter is configured to access the calibration code when the test strip is at least partially inserted into the glucose meter.

9. The glucose meter calibration system of claim 7, wherein: (a) the test strip is configured to accept a blood test sample from a patient while at least partially inserted into the glucose meter.

10. The glucose meter calibration system of claim 7, wherein: (a) the glucose meter includes a processing unit configured to calibrate the glucose meter based on the calibration code.

11. The glucose meter calibration system of claim 7, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier is a bar code imprinted upon the test strip.

12. The glucose meter calibration system of claim 7, wherein: (a) the calibration identifier is an electronic memory device embedded in the test strip.

13. A method of calibrating a glucose meter comprising: receiving a test strip in a glucose meter;accessing a calibration identifier joined to the test strip, the calibration identifier providing a calibration value representative of a test strip characteristic; andcalibrating the glucose meter based on the calibration value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: sensing a blood sample; anddetermining a test result representative of a glucose concentration in the blood sample.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: (a) displaying the test result on a display device incorporated into the glucose meter.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: (a) transmitting the test result to a remote system.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising: (a) transmitting the test result to a monitoring system.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein: (a) accessing the calibration value includes receiving the calibration value from the calibration identifier.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein: (a) receiving a test strip includes accepting the test strip into an opening in the glucose meter.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein: (a) sensing the blood sample occurs after calibrating the glucose meter.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving a second test strip in the glucose meter;accessing a second calibration identifier joined to the second test strip, the second calibration identifier providing a second calibration value representative of a second test strip characteristic; andcalibrating the glucose meter based on the second calibration value.

22. A method of calibrating a glucose meter comprising: inserting a test strip at least partially into the glucose meter, the test strip comprising:(a) an insertion portion and an exposed portion, the exposed portion of the test strip arranged to accept a blood sample from a patient;(b) a calibration identifier accessible to a calibration identifier access device in a glucose meter via an interface residing at least partially within the insertion portion;(c) wherein the calibration identifier includes a calibration code;whereby the glucose meter automatically calibrates to the test strip.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: (a) applying a blood test sample to the test strip while the test strip is at least partially inserted into the glucose meter.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein: (a) the glucose meter produces a blood glucose test result that is calibrated based on the calibration identifier.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: removing the test strip;inserting a second test strip;whereby the glucose meter automatically calibrates to the second test strip.

26. A glucose meter calibration system comprising: (a) a test strip comprising: (i) an insertion portion and an exposed portion, the exposed portion of the test strip configured and arranged to accept a blood sample from a patient;(ii) a calibration identifier accessible to a calibration identifier access device in a glucose meter via an interface residing in contact with the insertion portion;(iii) wherein the calibration identifier includes a calibration code for calibrating the glucose meter to the test strip;(b) a glucose meter including a calibration identifier access device configured to access the calibration code embodied by the calibration identifier;(c) wherein the calibration identifier access device provides a unique calibration code to the glucose meter each time a test strip incorporating a calibration identifier is used in conjunction with the glucose meter.