Analyte test instrument system including data management system
AssigneeAbbott Laboratories
InventorsSarath Krishnaswamy, Patrick Guiney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of managing data for a plurality of analyte test instruments connected to a data communication network. The method comprises the steps of: detecting via a host computer the connection of each instrument to the data communication network; uploading data received from each instrument to the host computer; processing the uploaded data on the host computer for operator review; and downloading configuration data from the host computer to each test instrument, the downloaded data comprising instrument-specific setup and control data. The invention further involves a hand-held analyte test instrument and a docking station for the test instrument.
Claims5
A hand-held analyte test instrument comprising:
- a housing;
- a barcode reader disposed in the housing for scanning a barcode associated with a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
- a user interface for activating said barcode reader, said user interface further comprising a numeric keypad and function buttons, said numeric keypad and function buttons for carrying out the functions of activating/deactivating power, selecting test or menu modes, editing entries, terminating entries, and activating said barcode reader as a substitute for manual numeric entry;
- a port disposed in the housing for receiving the test strip;
- electronic circuitry in electrical communication with the port for processing an analyte signal received from the test strip and generating analyte data therefrom;
- a display in electrical communication with the circuitry for displaying certain analyte data;
- and
- a connector in electrical communication with the circuitry and electrically connectable to a host computer via a data communications network, wherein the circuitry automatically uploads the analyte data to the host computer upon connection thereto.
A hand-held analyte test instrument comprising:
- a housing;
- a port disposed in the housing for receiving a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
- a barcode reader disposed in the housing for scanning a barcode associated with a test strip configured to receive an analyte;
- a user interface for allowing an operator to enter data, said user interface comprising a numeric keypad and function buttons, said numeric keypad and function buttons for carrying out the functions of activating/deactivating power, selecting test or menu modes, editing entries, terminating entries, and activating a barcode reader as a substitute for manual numeric entry;
- electronic circuitry in electrical communication with the port for processing an analyte signal received from the test strip and generating analyte data therefrom;
- a display in electrical communication with the circuitry for displaying certain analyte data;
- a connector in electrical communication with the circuitry and electrically connectable to a power source;
- a battery compartment formed in the housing and comprising a pair of electrical contacts for providing power from a battery to the electronic circuitry and a pair of recharge contacts;
- and
- a rechargeable battery pack disposed in the battery compartment and comprising (1) a rechargeable battery and (2) a battery holder in which the rechargeable battery is disposed, a bus bar disposed on the battery holder and in electrical communication with the pair of recharge contacts for recharging the battery when the instrument is connected to the power source.
A docking station for receiving a hand-held analyte test instrument, the docking station comprising:
- a connector electrically connectable to the instrument for receiving analyte data therefrom;
- a switch in electrical communication with the connector;
- a first data port in electrical communication with the switch and being electrically connectable to a computer;
- a second data port in electrical communication with the switch and being electrically connectable to a peripheral device;
- and
- a control mechanism for controlling the switch to selectively pass the analyte data to the computer via the first data port or to the peripheral device via the second data port;
- said docking station being configured to pass data between said analyte test instrument and said first data port when said docking station is in a default condition, and
- circuitry to prevent overcharging.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.