Biosensing meter with pluggable memory key

A biosensing meter for receiving a sample strip that includes a sample well with an analyte reactant therein and electrodes in contact therewith, said biosensing meter comprising:

• excitation supply means for applying potentials to a first electrode on said sample strip upon insertion of said sample strip into said meter;
• sense amplifier means for connection to a second electrode upon insertion of said sample strip into said meter, and for producing an output signal indicative of a current at said second electrode when an analyte containing fluid is present in said sample well;
• pluggable memory key means for insertion into an electrical receptacle in said meter, said pluggable memory key means including a plurality of stored parameter values for controlling operations of said meter;
• and
• processor means coupled to said excitation supply means, sense amplifier means and memory key means, and wherein the processor means is responsive to parameter values accessed from said pluggable memory key means, to cause said excitation supply means to apply a plurality of voltages to said first electrode, each said voltage having a potential and being applied for a duration that is determined by said processor means from parameter values accessed from said pluggable memory key means, and to further control said sense amplifier means to provide a plurality of signal outputs over a set duration and to further calculate from said signal outputs a value equivalent to a concentration of an analyte in said analyte-containing fluid in said sample well, all in conformance with parameter values accessed from said memory key means.

A biosensing meter for receiving a sample strip that includes excitation and sense electrodes and a sample well bridging thereacross, said sample well including an analyte reactant, said biosensing meter comprising:

• excitation supply means for applying potential to an excitation electrode upon insertion of a sample strip into said meter;
• sense amplifier means for connection to a sense electrode upon insertion of a sample strip into said meter, and for producing an output signal indicative of a current at said sense electrode when an analyte containing fluid is present in said sample well;
• pluggable memory key means for insertion into an electrical receptacle in said meter, said memory key means including a plurality of stored parameter values for controlling operations of said meter;
• and
• processor means coupled to said excitation supply means, sense amplifier means and memory key means, for causing said excitation supply means to apply to said excitation electrode first and second excitation potentials for first and second periods, respectively separated by an incubation period, and for further causing said sense amplifier means, during said second period, to provide a number of signal outputs indicative of sensed currents, values of said first and second excitation potentials and the number of signal outputs from said sense amplifier means controlled by parameter values accessed from said memory key means.

A biosensing meter for receiving a sample strip that includes excitation and sense electrodes and a sample well bridging thereacross, said sample well including an analyte reactant, said biosensing meter comprising:

• excitation supply means for applying potential to an excitation electrode to an inserted sample strip;
• sense amplifier means for connection to a sense electrode upon insertion of a said sample strip into said meter, and for producing an output signal indicative of a current at said sense
• electrode when an analyte containing fluid is present in said sample well;
• feedback means for controlling gain of said sense amplifier means;
• pluggable memory key means for insertion into an electrical receptacle in said meter, said memory key means including a plurality of stored parameter values for controlling operations of said meter;
• and
• processor means coupled to said excitation supply means, sense amplifier means, feedback and memory key means, for causing said excitation supply means to apply to said excitation electrode first and second excitation potentials for first and second periods, respectively separated by an incubation period, and for causing said sense amplifier means to produce over N intervals, output values indicative of sensed currents during said second period, and for causing said feedback means to alter gain of said sense amplifier means from a low level to a higher level only after passage of a preset number of said N intervals, the value of N and said preset number desired from values read from said memory key means.