Analyte test strip and analyte meter device

Inventors

Iyengar, Sridhar • Harding, Ian • Boiteau, Charles • Butters, Colin

Assignees

Agamatrix Inc

Abstract

A test strip with an incorporated optical waveguide and deflectors punched through the optical waveguide allows light to exit through a layer of the test strip and be detected by a photo detector. Using light and a photodetector, these uniquely coded strips are identified. The waveguide can be constructed by sandwiching two layers of the test strip around a light transmissible layer. This configuration allows light to be transmitted through the test strip and out the other end, as well as allowing some light to escape the deflector. This light is detected by a photodetector mounted in the analyte test meter. The deflectors may be placed in patterns such that detection of this light indicates certain characteristics of the strip, such as non-counterfeit, regional identification, type of analyte tested, and coding information.

Core Innovation

The document describes analyte test strips for use with an analyte test meter, where each test strip includes a top substrate, a bottom substrate, and an electrical connector disposed at a first end. The electrical connector has a first tab formed at the first end of the top substrate and a second tab formed at the first end of the bottom substrate, and the first tab is not aligned with the second tab. An electrochemical test cell is disposed toward a second end of the strip, and characteristic information is encoded on the strip.

The disclosed set of test strips is arranged into subgroups that include a first subgroup and a second subgroup. A test strip arranged in the first subgroup is distinguishable from a test strip arranged in the second subgroup by a difference in dimension of the first tabs, the second tabs, or both the first tabs and the second tabs of the respective strips. In this arrangement, the characteristic information is encoded on the test strip by the dimensions of the first tab, the second tab, or both the first tab and the second tab.

The second tab of the test strip in the first subgroup is not notched, while the second tab of the test strip in the second subgroup is notched in a position selected from: in the middle of the tab, on the edge closest to the first tab, and on the edge farthest from the first tab. The document also includes circuitry for detecting electrical connectivity between the electrical connectors and circuitry for correlating the electrical connectivity with characteristic information encoded on the test strip.

The disclosure also includes an optical approach in which analyte test strips incorporate an optical waveguide and light deflectors that allow light to exit the strip and be detected by photodetectors in an analyte test meter. The deflector patterns, positions, and dimensions provide unique encoding of strip characteristics, including no-code calibration information and identification such as non-counterfeit/brand or regional identification and analyte/type and calibration.

Claims Coverage

The provided independent claims are 1, 12, and 13. Across these claims, the coverage centers on non-aligned first and second tabs on top and bottom substrates, subgroup distinguishability based on tab dimension differences and notch presence or position, and encoding of characteristic information on the strip using tab dimensions, with claim 1 further tying this encoding to meter circuitry that detects and correlates electrical connectivity.

The independent claims collectively cover analyte or diagnostic test strips where non-aligned connector tabs on top and bottom substrates distinguish subgroup members via tab dimension differences and, where applicable, notch presence and notch position. The claims further specify that characteristic information is encoded on the strip using the dimensions of one or both tabs, with meter interaction based on electrical connectivity.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications