Method for determining a response of each probe zone on a test strip

Abstract

A method for determining a response of each probe zone on a test strip is provided. The present invention selects an average pixel value of each section of reference white respectively adjacent to the image of a target line to serve as a reference for determining a color response of the target line. When the color response is not less than a predetermined value, representing the target line has a positive response in response to a specific component of a tested solution tested by the test strip, and the specific component is present in the tested solution. The content of the specific component is proportional to the color response. When the color response is less than a predetermined value, representing the target line has a negative response in response to the specific component of the tested solution, and the specific component is absent in the tested solution.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for determining a response for each probe zone on a test strip, comprising: 
 providing a test strip having a light color base and a color pattern displayed thereon, said color pattern occurring in response to a tested solution contacting with said test strip and including a plurality of target lines and one control line displayed in sequence from a bottom portion of said test strip to a top portion thereof, the site of each said target line representing a probe zone of said test strip and a color shade of each said target line inversely proportional to a content of a specific component of said tested solution, and said control line displaying a color response in response to said tested solution;    capturing a whole image of said test strip;    selecting at least one scan line from the whole image, said scan line being perpendicular to the image of said target lines and said control line, and establishing a diagram of pixel value versus pixel position for said target lines and said control line in accordance with said scan line;    determining a color response R of each said target line from said diagram and in accordance with a formula (I):      R ={( T−C )/( A−C )}×100%  (I),    wherein T represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said target line, C represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said control line, and A represents an average pixel value of a first section of pixels and a second section of pixels corresponding to the images of said light color base respectively adjacent to the image of said target line; and    when said color response R is not less than a predetermined value, defining said target line having a positive response in response to a specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component present in said tested solution and a content of said specific component proportional to said color response R; when said color response R is less than said predetermined value, defining said target line having a negative response in response to said specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component absent in said tested solution.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said test strip has a white base.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said test strip includes a drug abuse test paper.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said tested solution includes a biological specimen fluid collected from a subject.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said biological specimen fluid is selected from a group consisting of blood, urine, sweat, and saliva.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the whole image of said test strip is captured by a scanner associated with a charge-coupled device.  
     
     
         7 . A method for determining a response for each probe zone on a test strip, comprising: 
 providing a test strip having a light color base and a color pattern displayed thereon, said color pattern occurring in response to a tested solution contacting with said test strip and including a plurality of target lines and one control line displayed in sequence from a bottom portion of said test strip to a top portion thereof, the site of each said target line representing a probe zone of said test strip and the color shade of each said target line inversely proportional to a content of a specific component of said tested solution, and said control line displaying a color response in response to said tested solution;    capturing a whole image of said test strip;    selecting at least one scan line from the whole image, said scan line being perpendicular to the image of said target lines and said control line, establishing a diagram of pixel value versus pixel position for said target lines and said control line in accordance with said scan line, and said diagram including a red pixel curve, a green pixel curve and a blue pixel curve;    determining a color response R of each said target line from one of said red pixel curve, said green pixel curve and said blue pixel value and in accordance with a formula (I):      R ={( T−C )/( A−C )}×100%  (I),    wherein T represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said target line, C represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said control line, and A represents an average pixel value of a first section of pixels and a second section of pixels corresponding to the images of said light color base respectively adjacent to the image of said target line; and    when said color response R is not less than a predetermined value, defining said target line having a positive response in response to a specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component present in said tested solution and a content of said specific component proportional to said color response R; when said color response R is less than said predetermined value, defining said target line having a negative response in response to said specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component absent in said tested solution.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said color response R is determined from said red pixel curve and in accordance with said formula (I).  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said color response R is determined from said green pixel curve and in accordance with said formula (I).  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said color response R is determined from said blue pixel curve and in accordance with said formula (I).  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said test strip has a white base.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said test strip includes a drug abuse test paper.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tested solution includes a biological specimen fluid collected from a subject.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said biological specimen fluid is selected from a group consisting of blood, urine, sweat, and saliva.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the whole image of said test strip is captured by a scanner associated with a charge-coupled device.  
     
     
         16 . A method for determining a response for each probe zone on a test strip, comprising: 
 providing a test strip having a light color base and a color pattern displayed thereon, said color pattern occurring in response to a tested solution contacting with said test strip and including a plurality of target lines and one control line displayed in sequence from a bottom portion of said test strip to a top portion thereof, the site of each said target line representing a probe zone of said test strip and the color shade of each said target line inversely proportional to a content of a specific component of said tested solution, and said control line displaying a color response in response to said tested solution;    capturing a whole image of said test strip;    selecting at least one scan line from the whole image, said scan line being perpendicular to the image of said target lines and said control line, establishing a diagram of pixel value versus pixel position for said target lines and said control line in accordance with said scan line, and said diagram including a red pixel curve, a green pixel curve and a blue pixel curve;    selecting one of said red pixel curve, said green pixel curve and said blue pixel curve;    determining a color response R from the selected curve and in accordance with a formula (I):      R ={( T−C )/( A−C )}×100%  (I),    wherein T represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said target line, C represents an average pixel value of a section of pixels corresponding to the image of said control line, and A represents an average pixel value of a first section of pixels and a second section of pixels corresponding to the images of said light color base respectively adjacent to the image of said target line;    obtaining an average color response of said target line in accordance with said color responses Rs respectively determined from said red pixel curve, said green pixel curve and said blue pixel curve; and    when said average color response is not less than a predetermined value, defining said target line having a positive response in response to a specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component present in said tested solution and a content of said specific component proportional to said average color response;    when said average color response is less than said predetermined value, defining said target line having a negative response in response to said specific component of said tested solution, representing said specific component absent in said tested solution.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said test strip has a white base.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said test strip includes a drug abuse test paper.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said tested solution includes a biological specimen fluid collected from a subject.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the whole image of said test strip is captured by a scanner associated with a charge-coupled device.