Handheld Glucose Meter Automatic Data Transfer via Wireless Link
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transferring blood glucose measurements from handheld glucose meters to portable communication devices are not automated, requiring user intervention and lacking seamless integration, which complicates data management for individuals with diabetes.
Innovation Solution
A handheld glucose meter with a wireless transceiver that automatically transfers glucose measurements to a diabetes management application on a portable device via a wireless data link, using a unique sequence number and synchronizing time, without user intervention, and supports low-energy Bluetooth technology for efficient data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual data transfer methods are used from glucose meter to portable device, then user control and device compatibility are maintained, but user effort and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The glucose meter automatically initiates data transfer to the portable device without requiring user intervention. The device uses its own resources (processor, wireless transceiver) to autonomously connect, transmit glucose measurements, and manage the communication protocol, thereby eliminating manual data transfer steps while maintaining compatibility with standard portable devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The glucose meter pre-establishes communication protocols and maintains ready-state wireless connectivity before data generation. When a glucose measurement is completed, the data is immediately available for transfer without requiring user-initiated connection setup, thus reducing user effort while enabling automated transfer.
2Ease of operation
If automated data transfer is implemented, then user effort is reduced, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The glucose meter incorporates a wireless transceiver that serves multiple functions: establishing initial connection, transmitting glucose measurements, receiving confirmation of successful transfer, and maintaining communication protocol synchronization. This multi-functional component adds automation capability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication functions (wireless transmission, protocol handling, data formatting) are merged into the existing glucose meter processor and memory subsystems. Rather than adding completely separate automated transfer hardware, the invention integrates data transfer capabilities into the meter's existing architecture, minimizing complexity increase.
3Productivity
If continuous wireless connectivity is maintained for automatic transfer, then data transfer speed improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The glucose meter activates wireless connectivity periodically at key events (when a glucose measurement is completed and ready for transfer) rather than maintaining continuous connection. The device enters low-power state between measurements and automatically wakes to transmit data when needed, achieving fast transfer speed at the moment of need while minimizing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The glucose meter maintains data in a ready-state buffer immediately after measurement completion, ensuring that when wireless connectivity is activated, the data transfer can proceed continuously without interruption or delay. This eliminates the need for repeated connection attempts or data re-preparation, maintaining high transfer efficiency while using intermittent connectivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates a computer-implemented method for transmitting a glucose measure automatically from a handheld glucose meter (12) to a diabetes management application (14) residing on a portable computing device (16). The method comprises: determining, by the glucose meter (12), a blood glucose measure from a test strip inserted into a port of the glucose meter (12), the test strip having a reaction site for receiving a sample of blood from a patient; tagging, by the glucose meter (12), the glucose measure with a unique sequence number, where the sequence number is determined from a counter residing on the glucose meter (12) displaying, by the glucose meter (12), the measurement result interface on a display of the glucose meter (12), where the measurement result interface includes a numeric value for the glucose measure and is displayed in response to the determination of the blood glucose measure; and transmitting, by the glucose meter (12), a message via a wireless data link to the diabetes management application (14), where transmission occurs automatically in response to navigating away from the measurement result interface. Further, a handheld glucose meter is provided. (Fig. 1)