Blood Glucose Tracking Apparatus and Methods

Abstract

A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A hand held apparatus, comprising:
 a housing configured to be hand-held;   a test strip receptacle coupled to the housing and in communication with the housing;   a processor coupled to the housing and configured to receive one or more signals associated with an analyte sample received at the test strip receptacle;   a storage unit coupled to the housing and configured to store one or more instructions executable by the processor for executing a diabetes management function to determine medication dose information based at least in part on the one or more signals associated with the analyte sample; and   an output unit coupled to the housing to output data associated with the determined medication dose information.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the storage unit further comprises an executable software application. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the executable software application comprises a meter application, a logbook application, a diabetes management application, or a data management application. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the executable software application provides for automatic or manual entry of user defined data. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the user defined data comprises analyte levels, exercise, meals, or mediation dosages and times. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the logbook application provides for time and date tagged event entries relating to analyte level, medication records, exercise records, or meal time records. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the executable software application provides graphic representations and/or text summaries of user defined data. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the executable software application is downloaded to the processor by wired communication or wireless communication. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the diabetes management application is configured to process a daily regimen of user defined data and to store and retrieve the daily regimen into and from the logbook application. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the data management application is configured to process structured data with user filters applied and to store and retrieve user defined data into and from the logbook database. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the test strip receptacle is configured to be removably attached to the housing. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the medication dose information includes an insulin dose information. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the storage unit includes a lookup table including insulin dose information. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the storage unit includes one or more of a carbohydrate table, an insulin table, daily regimen information, target glucose levels, or food database. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the output unit includes one or more of a visual display, an audible output unit, a touchscreen unit, a vibratory output unit, or one or more combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more signals associated with the analyte sample includes glucose level information. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein when the processor executes the meter application function, the processor is configured to analyze the received one or more signals associated with the received analyte sample to determine a corresponding analyte level. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the analyte sample includes blood glucose sample. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the storage unit is configured to store one or more instructions executable by the processor to execute one or more of a data management application function, a logbook application function, or a meter application function. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the test strip receptacle is provided in a measurement module of the housing. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operatively coupled to the test strip receptacle. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the diabetes management function executable by the processor includes processing one or more of an exercise event, a meal event, or a medication dosage event. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the medication dosage event includes insulin dosage intake event. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a communication unit operatively coupled to the processor configured to transmit one or more of the medication dose information or the one or more signals associated with the analyte sample. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the communication unit includes one or more of wired communication or wireless communication. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the wireless communication includes one or more of RF communication or infrared communication. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the wireless communication includes cellular communication. 
     
     
         48 . An analyte test device, comprising:
 a test strip receptacle configured to receive a test strip including an analyte sample;   a processor operatively coupled to the test strip receptacle to process one or more signals associated with the analyte sample, the processor configured to determine a therapy information based at least in part on the analyte sample; and   an output unit operatively coupled to the processor and configured to output one or more of the determined therapy information or the analyte sample.   
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the processor further comprises an executable software application. 
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the executable software application comprises a meter application, a logbook application, a diabetes management application, or a data management application. 
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the executable software application provides for automatic or manual entry of user defined data. 
     
     
         52 . The device of  claim 51 , wherein the user defined data comprises analyte levels, exercise, meals, or mediation dosages and times. 
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 50 , wherein the logbook application provides for time and date tagged event entries relating to analyte level, medication records, exercise records, or meal time records. 
     
     
         54 . The device of  claim 51 , wherein the executable software application provides graphic representations and/or text summaries of user defined data. 
     
     
         55 . The device of  claim 51 , wherein the executable software application is downloaded to the processor by wired communication or wireless communication. 
     
     
         56 . The device of  claim 52 , wherein the diabetes management application is configured to process a daily regimen of user defined data and to store and retrieve the daily regimen into and from the logbook application. 
     
     
         57 . The device of  claim 52 , wherein the data management application is configured to process structured data with user filters applied and to store and retrieve user defined data into and from the logbook database. 
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the test strip receptacle is configured to be removably attached to the processor. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the therapy information includes medication dose information. 
     
     
         60 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the therapy information includes insulin dose information. 
     
     
         61 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the therapy information is retrieved from a lookup table. 
     
     
         62 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the analyte sample includes a blood sample. 
     
     
         63 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein the output unit includes one or more of a visual display, an audible output unit, a touchscreen unit, a vibratory output unit, or one or more combinations thereof. 
     
     
         64 . The device of  claim 63 , wherein the output one or more of the determined therapy information or the analyte sample includes one or more of a graphical representation, a numerical representation, an audible representation, a vibratory representation, or one or more combinations thereof. 
     
     
         65 . The device of  claim 48 , including a communication unit operatively coupled to the processor configured to transmit one or more of the therapy information or the one or more signals associated with the analyte sample. 
     
     
         66 . The device of  claim 65  wherein the communication unit includes one or more of wired communication or wireless communication. 
     
     
         67 . The device of  claim 66  wherein the wireless communication includes one or more of RF communication or infrared communication. 
     
     
         68 . The device of  claim 66  wherein the wireless communication includes cellular communication. 
     
     
         69 . The device of  claim 48  wherein the test strip receptacle, the processor, and the output unit are provided in a housing. 
     
     
         70 . The device of  claim 69  wherein the housing includes a glucose meter. 
     
     
         71 . The device of  claim 48  wherein the test strip receptacle, the processor and the output unit are provided in a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         72 . A method, comprising:
 processing an analyte sample to generate an analyte signal level associated with the analyte sample;   retrieving an insulin dose information associated at least in part with the generated analyte signal level; and   outputting the retrieved insulin dose information.   
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the analyte sample includes a blood sample. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the generated analyte signal level includes a glucose level. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 72 , further comprising storing the generated analyte signal level. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the insulin dosage information is retrieved from a lookup table. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 72 , including transmitting the insulin dose information. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 72 , including outputting the generated analyte signal level. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein outputting includes one or more of visually displaying the insulin dose information, audibly outputting the insulin dose information or vibratorily outputting the insulin dose information. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 72 , including storing the generated analyte signal level.