Integrated Diagnostic Meter With Auto-Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Diagnostic testing systems are cumbersome and prone to component separation, requiring separate calibration for different test media brands or lots, which can lead to incorrect results and is inconvenient for users, especially the elderly or infirm.
Innovation Solution
A compact diagnostic testing system with a meter integrated into a container, featuring a light-emitting diode for illumination and a sampling device, allowing for easy sample collection without disconnecting the device, and providing mechanisms for transferring lot-specific code information to the meter, disabling functions when certain events occur, and reconfiguring the meter for new functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the meter is made compact to improve portability, then ease of carrying is improved, but the complexity of integrating multiple functions (container, sampling device, calibration mechanisms) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the meter, test media container, and sampling device into a single integrated unit. The container serves dual purposes as both storage and calibration mechanism, while the sampling device is built-in rather than separate. This merging eliminates the need for users to carry and coordinate multiple separate components, directly addressing the portability improvement while accepting the necessary integration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed to perform multiple functions: storing test media, providing calibration information through integrated code chips, and serving as part of the overall device structure. The sampling device is designed to be both functional for sample collection and integrated into the device architecture. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, improving portability.
2Measurement precision
If separate calibration steps are required for different test media brands or lots, then measurement precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration information is pre-stored in code chips that are integrated into the container before use. The calibration data is prepared in advance and automatically transferred to the meter when the container is inserted, eliminating the need for users to manually enter calibration information or perform separate calibration steps. This maintains precision while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically performs calibration by reading the code chips from the container and transferring the calibration data to the meter without requiring user intervention. The container itself provides the calibration information through its integrated code chips, making the calibration process self-service and eliminating manual calibration steps for users.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual code entry or code chip insertion is required for calibration, then adaptability to different test media is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates for elderly or infirm users
Solution Approach 1:
The code chips are automatically read and calibration data is automatically transferred when the container is inserted into the meter, eliminating the need for users to manually handle code chips or enter calibration information. This automatic self-service approach maintains adaptability to different test media while making the system accessible to elderly or infirm users who may have difficulty with manual operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of inserting code chips or entering codes is replaced with an automatic electronic reading process. The system automatically detects and reads calibration information from the container, eliminating the need for users to physically handle code chips or press buttons for calibration. This substitution maintains adaptability while dramatically improving ease of operation for users with limited dexterity.
4Measurement precision
If the meter is pre-calibrated for a specific test media brand or lot, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability to different test media deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. Instead of being pre-calibrated for a single test media brand or lot, the meter can automatically adapt its calibration parameters by reading different code chips from different containers. This dynamic calibration approach maintains high measurement precision for each specific test media while providing broad adaptability across different brands and lots.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration parameters of the meter are changed automatically based on the specific test media detected in the container. The system reads the code chip information, identifies the test media type and lot, and automatically adjusts the calibration parameters accordingly. This parameter change mechanism maintains measurement precision for each test media while enabling adaptability across different brands and lots.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances user convenience by minimizing the risk of using uncalibrated test media, preventing errors, and ensuring accurate results through integrated design and automatic calibration, while also extending the meter's functionality and usability.
Implementation Method 1
The container may include a light emitting diode that automatically or selectively illuminates the contents of the container when it is opened.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for diagnostic testing may include a meter for performing a diagnostic test on a sample applied to a test media and a container configured to contain test media compatible with the meter. The meter may include a closure portion for selectively closing the opening of the container. The system may further provide a sampling device, such as a lancet, operable connected to the container such that that a user may use the sampling device to obtain a sample without disconnecting the sampling device from the container. The system may also provide mechanisms for removing a meter from a test container and reattaching it to a new one using one of several coding methods that recalibrate the meter for the new container of test strips. In addition, the system may further provide mechanisms to reconfigure the meter to perform a new function when it has been determined that the triggering event has occurred.