Method and apparatus for providing power management in data communication systems

Abstract

A blood glucose meter having a compact housing, a display unit disposed on the housing, the display unit including a display light source to illuminate the display unit, an input unit disposed on the housing, the input unit configured to provide input functions for the blood glucose meter, and a power source provided within the housing for providing power to the blood glucose meter, where the housing includes a port integrated on said housing configured to receive a blood glucose test strip, and corresponding methods of measuring blood glucose meter is provided.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 861,626 filed Jun. 4, 2004, which claims priority under 35 USC §119 to Provisional Application No. 60 / 478,436 filed Jun. 12, 2003, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Providing Power Management in Data Communication Systems”, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, and each of which are assigned to assignee, Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc., of Alameda, Calif.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention relates to data monitoring systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to portable analyte monitoring systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compact, blood glucose meter for use in a glucose monitoring system to self-monitor glucose level in whole blood, as an aid to disease management, and also by healthcare professionals as an aid to monitor the effectiveness of diabetes treatment.SUMMARY OF T...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The market for glucose monitoring systems in the United States as well as globally is rapidly increasing, as better health education and early detection of diabetic conditions through regular check ups have increased the percentage of the diabetic population who undertake the task of monitoring their diet and daily activities based on the detected level of blood glucose using glucose monitoring systems. One group of such rapidly increasing segment of the population is children with diabetic conditions who are advised to monitor their blood glucose levels.

[0006]More specifically, in one aspect of the invention, the blood glucose meter is configured to include a LCD backlight and a flashlight features which will assist the patient in reading the metered glucose level in low-light testing areas such as in theaters, low ambient light restaurants, areas, outdoors during non-daylight times and so on, as well as a light source to guide the insertion and removal of the test strip, which may include the usage of a light emitting diode. Indeed, as the light source (e.g., the LED) may be pulsed and still display substantially the same light output as one which is turned on in steady state, the battery life of the glucose meter device may be prolonged since the pulsed LED light source requires significantly less power (and thus draining the battery at a much slower rate) than when the LED light source is maintained at the on position. Indeed, in one embodiment, the central processing unit of the glucose meter device may be configured to control the switching on and off of the light source as well as the level of light intensity by, for example, adjusting the duty cycle and the period during which the light source is configured to be turned on.

Problems solved by technology

While miniaturization has been a factor of recent designs in the glucose monitoring systems and the glucose meters, the physical constraints of the components of such systems have established a certain size limitation.

As such, the larger and bulkier the device, the less desirable and convenient for the device to be carried around or used and operated by the patients, especially children.

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