US 6,055,060 A · Analytical system with means for detecting too small sample volumes

Abstract

Analytical system for evaluating test elements having means of determining whether a sufficient amount of sample liquid was evenly applied to an application zone comprising in a first embodiment of the invention at least two sources of light which illuminate separate or at least not fully overlapping areas of the application zone or the evaluation zone of the test strip, a control unit with which the light sources, of which there at least two, can be independently activated, at least one sensor which detects light reflected by the evaluation zone or transmitted by the evaluation zone and supplies an output signal proportional to the intensity of light as well as an evaluation unit which receives a first output signal from the sensor and converts it into a first measured value when the first of the light sources is activated, receives a second output signal from the sensor and converts it into a second measured value when the second of the light sources, is activated and compares the measured values and determines whether the deviation of the first value measured from the second value measured is sufficiently small. In a second embodiment of an analytical system according to the invention, at least one light source is used to illuminate the sample application zone or the evaluation zone of a test element and at least two sensors detect light reflected or transmitted by the evaluation zone, the output signal of the sensors being converted into measured values by the evaluation unit which determines whether the deviation of the measured values is sufficiently small.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An analytical system for evaluation of test elements, said analytical system determining consistent application of a sufficient amount of sample liquid, said system comprising:

a first light source for illuminating a first illumination area of a sample application area of the test element;
a second light source for illuminating a second illumination area of the sample application area of the test element, said first and second illumination areas being different from each other;
control means coupled to said first and second light sources, said control means for separately controlling light irradiation from said first and second light sources;
sensor means for sensing secondary light after light from said first and second light source impinges upon the test element, said sensor means generating first and second output signals proportional to an intensity of secondary light provided by the first and second light sources, respectively;
evaluation means coupled to said sensor means, said evaluation means receiving the first output signal of the sensor and converting the first output signal to a first measured value when the first light source is activated, said evaluation means receiving the second output signal of the sensor means and converting the second output signal to a second measured value when the second light source is activated, said evaluation means comparing the first and second values and determining a deviation between the measured values, wherein said evaluation means compares the deviation value to a predetermined threshold value to determine consistent application of the sample liquid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Analytical system with means for detecting too small sample volumes

Life of this patent

Analytical system with means for detecting too small sample volumes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29