# US 8,149,117 B2 · Analyte monitoring system and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,149,117 B2 - Document ID: US8149117B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/550,357 - Filed: 2009-08-29 - Published: 2009-12-24 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-05-08 - Assignees: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. - Inventors: Martin J. Fennell; Lei He; Mark K. Sloan; Gary Alan Hayter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8149117B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)} - A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement} - G08B 21/00: Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - A61B 2560/0271: using a remote monitoring unit - A61B 2560/0276: Determining malfunction - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract Methods and systems for providing data communication in medical systems are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An analyte monitoring system, the system comprising: a transcutaneous analyte sensor; a transmitter coupled to the analyte sensor; a receiver configured to communicate with the transmitter; and a first counter configured to incrementally count when the analyte sensor is transcutaneously positioned and coupled to the transmitter and upon initialization of the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor, wherein the incremental count is used to verify the identity of the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the counter is a 20-bit counter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the counter is an 8-bit counter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a data packet to the receiver, wherein the data packet includes the incremental count. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the incremental count is associated with a particular analyte sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, the receiver is configured to store the incremental count. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, further including a display to output a message associated with the incremental count. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a second counter configured to incrementally count. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The analyte monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the second counter is configured to incrementally count by one when a data packet is transmitted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The analyte monitoring system of claim 8, wherein second counter is a 20-bit counter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor and transmitter are physically coupled in a single housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor includes electrodes disposed on a surface thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The analyte monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the electrodes comprise gold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The analyte monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the gold electrodes are formed by at least a laser ablation technique. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured for bidirectional communication. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured for unidirectional communication. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The analyte monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the ASIC is configured to generate a close proximity key. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The analyte monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the ASIC includes a plurality of close proximity communication commands. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The analyte monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the close proximity communication commands include a new sensor initiation command, RF communication control command, and receiver and transmitter pairing command. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The analyte monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receiver are configured to transmit and receive data by a bidirectional communication link. ### Claim 22 An analyte monitoring system, the system comprising: a transcutaneous analyte sensor; a transmitter coupled to the analyte sensor; a receiver configured to communicate with the transmitter; a first counter configured to incrementally count when the analyte sensor is transcutaneously positioned and coupled to the transmitter and upon initialization of the analyte sensor, wherein the incremental count is used to verify the identity of the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor; and a second counter configured to incrementally count every time detected data based on signals generated by the analyte sensor is transmitted to the receiver, the incremental count of the second counter associated with a power supply level of the transmitter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a data packet to the receiver, and further wherein the data packet includes the incremental count from at least one of the first or second counter. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the first counter is an 8-bit counter, and the second counter is a 20-bit counter. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the incremental count of the first counter is associated with a particular analyte sensor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the receiver is configured to store the incremental count from at least one of the first or second counters. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, further including a display for outputting a message associated with the incremental count of at least one of the first or second counters. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the transmitter and receiver are configured for unidirectional communication. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the transmitter and receiver are configured for bidirectional communication. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the transmitter includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The analyte monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the ASIC is configured to generate a close proximity key. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The analyte monitoring system of claim 31, wherein the ASIC includes a plurality of close proximity communication commands. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The analyte monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the close proximity communication commands include a new sensor initiation command, RF communication control command, and receiver and transmitter pairing command. ### Claim 34 (depends on 22) The analyte monitoring of claim 22, wherein the analyte sensor includes electrodes disposed on a surface thereof. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The analyte monitoring system of claim 34, wherein the electrodes comprise gold. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The analyte monitoring system of claim 35, wherein the gold electrodes are formed by at least a laser ablation technique. ### Claim 37 A method of operating an analyte monitoring system, the method comprising: transcutaneously positioning an analyte sensor in fluid contact with an interstitial fluid under a skin layer; coupling the analyte sensor to a data processing device having a counter configured to incrementally count; determining, using the data processing device, when the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor is initialized; incrementally counting, using the counter, when a sensor is coupled to the data processing device and upon initialization of the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor, wherein the incremental count is used to verify the identity of the transcutaneously positioned analyte sensor; and transmitting the incremental count to a receiver. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the sensor is coupled to the data processing device in a single housing. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the counter incrementally counts by one every time a sensor is coupled to the data processing device. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the incremental count is transmitted in a data packet. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further including the step of incrementally counting by a second counter. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein the second counter incrementally counts by one each time a data packet is transmitted. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein a data packet is transmitted every one minute. ### Claim 44 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further including the step of storing the incremental count. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein the stored incremental count is associated with a particular analyte sensor. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further including the step of comparing the stored incremental count with transmitted incremental count information to determine if the transmitted data packet is associated with a particular analyte sensor. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The method of claim 46, further including the step of generating a message based on the compared count information. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, further including the step of outputting the generated message. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the generated message is displayed. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein the displayed message comprises a visual, audible, vibratory display or any combination thereof. ### Claim 51 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the data processing device includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, wherein the ASIC is configured to generate a close proximity key. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the ASIC includes a plurality of close proximity communication commands. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The method of claim 53, wherein the close proximity communication commands include a new sensor initiation command, RF communication control command, and receiver and transmitter pairing command.