Analyte testing devices

Abstract

Systems, devices, techniques and methods are disclosed for implementing an actuator mechanism of an analyte testing device. In one aspect, a method to test an analyte includes advancing an analyte sensor from a first position within a sensor cartridge of an analyte testing device to a second position that exposes at least a portion of the analyte sensor outside of the device, advancing a lancet projecting component from an initial position to a cocked position for a subsequent projection of a lancet, in which the advancing the analyte sensor and the advancing the lancet projecting component are initiated by a single operation, projecting the lancet to expose at least a portion of the lancet outside of the device, receiving a testing sample including an analyte at the exposed portion of the analyte sensor, processing the testing sample to determine a parameter of the analyte, and ejecting the analyte sensor from the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating an analyte testing device in testing an analyte, comprising:
 advancing an analyte sensor from a first position within a sensor cartridge of an analyte testing device to a second position to expose at least a portion of the analyte sensor outside of the device;   advancing a lancet projecting component of the analyte testing device from an initial position to a cocked position for a subsequent projection of a lancet, wherein the advancing the analyte sensor and the advancing the lancet projecting component are initiated by a single operation;   operating the lancet projecting component to project the lancet outside of the device;   operating the device to contact the analyte sensor with a testing sample containing the analyte at the exposed portion of the analyte sensor;   operating the device to process the testing sample to determine a parameter of the analyte; and   ejecting the analyte sensor from the device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single operation includes sliding a button located on an external side of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parameter includes the concentration level of the analyte. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyte sensor is disposed in a test strip. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes glucose. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the testing sample includes blood. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the projecting the lancet outside of the device punctures flesh of a user to draw blood. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising advancing a lancet cartridge from a previous position within the analyte testing device to a readied position in which the lancet is aligned with the lancet projection component in the cocked position, wherein the advancing the lancet cartridge is initiated by the single operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lancet is automatically retracted back into the lancet cartridge. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented using a single hand holding the device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising operating a lancet depth adjustment component to position a step structure disposed within the device in a projection path of the lancet to control the distance of projection of the lancet. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lancet is projected substantially straight to within a particular tolerance, thereby reducing wobble of the lancet during projection. 
     
     
         13 . An analyte testing device, comprising:
 an analyte sensor module configured to hold a sensor cartridge structured to store analyte sensors, the analyte sensor module including an opening from which an analyte sensor advances to a testing position to expose at least a portion of the analyte sensor to outside of the analyte testing device;   a lancet module configured to hold a lancet cartridge structured to store lancets; and   an actuator including:
 a button, 
 a first linking component coupled to the button and the analyte sensor module, wherein the first linking component moves in response to a movement of the button including a movement between a first position and a second position or a movement between the second position and a third position, 
 a second linking component coupled to the button and the lancet module, wherein the second linking component moves in response to a movement of the button between the first position and the second position, 
 a third linking component coupled to the second linking component and moveable in response to a movement of the second linking component, and 
 a lancet projecting component coupled to the third linking component, 
   wherein a single operation of the button moves the analyte sensor to the testing position and moves the lancet projecting component from an initial position to a cocked position for projecting a lancet.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a door covering the opening and coupled to the first linking component, wherein the door moves to uncover the opening based on a movement of the first linking component. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the button is a sliding button. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the single operation includes the sliding of the button from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the button is positioned on the analyte testing device to allow the single operation to be carried out using a single hand holding the device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the lancet cartridge is structured to include a hollowed chamber for each lancet in the lancet cartridge, the hollowed chamber including an opening structured to allow the lancet projecting component to enter the chamber and impact the lancet for projection, a terminal opening structured to allow a needle component of the lancet to project out of the device, and a track to control a projection path of the lancet. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the projection path is structured to be substantially straight to within a particular tolerance, thereby reducing wobble of the needle component as the lancet is projected out of the device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the actuator further includes a depth adjustment component structured to include a knob located on the external side of the device connected to a plurality of steps of different lengths disposed within the device, wherein one step is positioned in the projection path within the hollowed chamber to reduce the distance of projection of the lancet. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator further includes a firing button located on the exterior of the device and coupled to the lancet projecting component when the lancet projecting component is in the cocked position. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein a second operation includes the activation of the firing button to release the lancet projecting component to impact the lancet for projection. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the analyte sensor is disposed in a test strip. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the analyte sensor receives a testing sample from a user in the testing position. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the analyte sensor is ejected from the device by a third operation that includes the movement of the button from the second position to the third position. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a sliding button that includes two separable buttons including a first button and a second button, wherein the first button returns back to the first position after the movement of the button between the first position and the second position, and the second button is moved from the second position to the third position in the third operation. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the actuator further includes a button stop mechanism that prevents the button from returning to the first position when the single operation is initiated and not completed. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the analyte sensor module further includes a temperature sensor to monitor temperature in the analyte sensor module. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a first facility configured to transmit at least one of data obtained from the analyte sensor or information derived from data out of the analyte testing device using at least one wireless protocol. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , further comprising a second facility configured to transmit at least one of the data obtained from the analyte sensor or the information derived from the data out of the analyte testing device using a wired path. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to correlate individual instances of at least one of data obtained from the analyte sensor or information derived from data out of the analyte testing device with (a) time stamps and optionally (b) user entered information selected from the group consisting of speech and text. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to evaluate at least one of data obtained from the analyte sensor or information derived from data out of the analyte testing device, and to send a notification to a recipient. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to keep track of inventory of lancets and analyte sensors, both within and outside the device. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is configured to reorder inventory of lancets and analyte sensors. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to store voice recordings of diary information selected from the group consisting of supplies used or ordered, food eaten, exercise, medication taken, and estimated calories burned. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to produce a prompt to direct a user to use the device according to at least one of a selected time or a selected time interval. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising an LCD touch screen display, a first work light positioned to illuminate a lancet exit hole, and a second work like positioned to illuminate an analyte sensor exit slot. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 13  included in a system, the system comprising a docking station that provides power and data connectivity to the device. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 13  included in a system, the system comprising a visual interface external to the device, through which a user can view and input data. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a pedometer communicatively coupled with a processor configured to calculate a distance traveled and an amount of calories burned associated with the distance traveled. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a personal emergency response system (PERS) that includes a button for alerting a third party. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the PERS is configured to perform one or more of the following:
 contact a third party,   identify the device,   provide health data associated with a user of the device,   automatically contact a third party in response to health data associated with a user of the device,   notify a third party as an urgency level of an emergency, or   determine identity of a third party to be contacted.   
     
     
         43 . A method for using an analyte testing device, comprising:
 in a first operation, operating a button located on the exterior of an analyte testing device to advance an analyte sensor within a sensor cartridge of the analyte testing device to expose at least a portion of the analyte sensor outside of the analyte testing device and to advance a lancet projecting component of the analyte testing device from an initial position to a cocked position for a subsequent projection of a lancet;   in a second operation, operating a firing button located on the exterior of an analyte testing device to advance the lancet projecting component to contact the lancet to project the lancet from the analyte testing device; and   in a third operation, operating the button to eject the analyte sensor from the device,   wherein the first operation, second operation, and third operation are implemented using a single hand holding the device.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the operating the button in the first operation includes moving the button from a first position to a second position on the exterior of the analyte testing device. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the operating the button in the third operation includes moving the button from the second position to a third position on the exterior of the analyte testing device. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the button is a sliding a button. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the analyte sensor is disposed in a test strip. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein, in the first operation, the operating further includes advancing a lancet cartridge from a previous position within the analyte testing device to a readied position in which the lancet is aligned with the lancet projection component in the cocked position.