Identification method for electrochemical test strips
Inventors
Boiteau, Charles • Forest, Martin • Iyengar, Sridhar • Wei, Baoguo
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10520458-B2
Publication Date
2019-12-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for creating test strips that may be identified based on differences in electrical conduction or resistance between contact point on the test strip. This is achieved by creating a base test strip with contact points that may be connected to other contact points by an electrical connection. These base test strips may be modified to create a difference in electrical conductivity between contact points, or a contact point may be eliminated. This modification can be used to distinguish different types of test strips based on electrical signature. Additionally, the base test strip may be created such that multiple modifications are possible to distinguish numerous characteristics of test strips.
Core Innovation
The disclosure relates to electrochemical test strip identification using base test strips that include a region of electrically conductive material and multiple accessible contact points connected by the electrically conductive material. A plurality of base test strips are created, and each base test strip is assigned to a lot of test strips. Representative base test strips from a first lot are tested to determine whether the first lot meets a specification, and the first lot is assigned to a group based on meeting the specification or not meeting the specification.
After the lot is assigned to a group, the first lot base test strips assigned to the group are modified to create a first modified test strip group. The modification is performed by creating a full thickness notch that extends from the end configured for insertion into a testing apparatus into the region of electrically conductive material. Information about the first modified test strip group is conveyed by location, width, and length of the notch.
The disclosure further describes modifying test strips so that different modified test strip groups produce distinguishable electrical conduction/resistance signatures between contact points. The resulting distinguishable groups are used to distinguish test strip groups for different lots, regions, analytes, manufacturers, and manufacture times, where the notch features serve as group information. Notches are also described as interacting with a meter mechanism and as supporting different meter calibration/no-code requirements.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set includes one independent claim. The claim coverage centers on creating base test strips with an electrically conductive material region and accessible contact points, testing representative strips to determine specification compliance, and modifying assigned lots by creating a full thickness notch whose location, width, and length convey modified group information.
Base test strip creation and lot assignment
creating a plurality of base test strips, each base test strip having a region of electrically conductive material, a plurality of accessible contact points connected to one another by said electrically conductive material, and one end configured for insertion into a testing apparatus, and assigning each of the plurality of base test strips to a lot of test strips;
Specification testing and group assignment
testing base test strips representative of a first lot of base test strips to determine whether the first lot of base test strips meets a specification; assigning the first lot of base test strips to a group based on meeting the specification or not meeting the specification; and
Full thickness notch modification with notch-based group information
modifying the first lot of base test strips assigned to the group to create a first modified test strip group by creating a full thickness notch that extends from the end configured for insertion into a testing apparatus into the region of electrically conductive material, wherein information about the first modified test strip group is conveyed by location, width, and length of the notch.
Overall claim coverage focuses on producing base test strips, assigning them to groups based on specification test outcomes, and conveying modified group identity by a full thickness notch defined by its location, width, and length extending into the region of electrically conductive material.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Test strips that are used to detect glucose.
Identifying and distinguishing test strip groups for different lots, regions, analytes, manufacturers, and manufacture times.
Supporting different meter calibration/no-code requirements via notches interacting with a meter mechanism.
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