System and apparatus for determining ambient temperatures for a fluid analyte system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851261-B2
Application number	US-201414323274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2010
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for rapidly determining ambient temperature in a fluid-analyte meter. The meter includes a housing defining an interior space and an area for receiving a fluid sample. A processor and a first temperature sensor are disposed within the interior space of said the housing. A second temperature sensor is disposed on the housing. One or more processors are configured to determine a first temperature value from temperature data received from the first temperature sensor. The processor(s) are also configured to apply a variable current to a temperature-adjustment source such that the second temperature sensor is adjusted to a predetermined steady-state temperature value different from the first temperature value. The processor(s) are further configured to determine an ambient temperature of an exterior space of the housing based on the applied variable current, pre-determined steady-state temperature, and received first temperature values.

First claim

What is claimed are:

1. A portable meter configured to rapidly determine ambient temperature, the portable meter comprising:
a housing defining an interior space and an area for receiving a fluid sample;
a first processing unit and a first temperature sensor disposed within said interior space of said housing; and
a second temperature sensor disposed on said housing,
wherein said first processing unit or another processing unit is configured to:
determine a first temperature value from temperature data received from said first temperature sensor;
apply a variable current to a temperature-adjustment source such that said second temperature sensor is adjusted to a predetermined steady-state temperature value different from said first temperature value; and
determine an ambient temperature of an exterior space of said housing based on said applied variable current, said pre-determined steady-state temperature value, and said received first temperature value, said ambient temperature value being determined in less than about sixty seconds.

2. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said second temperature sensor and said temperature-adjustment source are a single element comprising an RTD sensor.

3. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said second temperature sensor is embedded in an interior surface of said housing.

4. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said second temperature sensor is embedded in an exterior surface of said housing.

5. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said second temperature sensor is at least partially embedded in a heat conductive layer, said heat conductive layer being at least partially embedded in said housing.

6. The portable meter of claim 1 , further comprising providing a printed circuit board disposed in said interior space of said housing, said first temperature sensor and said first processing unit being disposed on said printed circuit board.

7. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said temperature-adjustment source is a heat source and said pre-determined steady-state temperature value is greater than said first temperature value.

8. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said temperature-adjustment source is a thermoelectric cooler and said pre-determined steady-state temperature value is less than said first temperature value.

9. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein upon attaining said predetermined steady-state temperature value at said second temperature sensor, a heat flux from said second temperature sensor to said interior space of said housing is approximately constant.

10. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said first processing unit or another processing unit is further configured to determine a total applied energy based on said applied variable current.

11. The portable meter of claim 1 , wherein said ambient temperature of said exterior space is determined in less than twenty seconds.

12. A method for rapidly determining ambient temperature in a fluid-analyte meter, the method comprising:
providing a meter including a housing, a first temperature sensor disposed within an interior space of said housing, a second temperature sensor disposed on said housing, and a temperature-adjustment source disposed near said second temperature sensor such that said temperature-adjustment source is configured to create a convective zone about said second temperature sensor;
determining a first temperature value from first temperature data received via said first temperature sensor;
applying a variable current to said temperature-adjustment source such that said second temperature sensor is adjusted to a predetermined equilibrium temperature value different from said first temperature value; and
determining an ambient temperature of an exterior space of said housing, said ambient temperature based on said applied variable current, said predetermined equilibrium temperature value, and said received first temperature value, said ambient temperature value being determined in less than about sixty seconds.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said ambient temperature value of said exterior space is determined in less than about twenty seconds.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a printed circuit board disposed in said interior space of said housing, said first temperature sensor being disposed on said printed circuit board.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second temperature sensor is embedded in an interior surface of said housing.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second temperature sensor is embedded in an exterior surface of said housing.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said temperature-adjustment source is a heat source and said pre-determined equilibrium temperature value is greater than said first temperature value.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said temperature-adjustment source is a thermoelectric cooler and said equilibrium temperature value is less than said first temperature value.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein upon attaining said predetermined equilibrium temperature value at said second temperature sensor, a heat flux from said second temperature sensor to an interior space defined by said housing is approximately constant.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first processing unit or another processing unit is further configured to determine a total applied energy based on said applied variable current.

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc
• Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings Ag

Inventors

• Wu Mu

Classifications

• G01N33/48785

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• G01K1/20 Primary

  Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature · CPC title

• G01K7/42

  Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature · CPC title

• G01K7/427

  Temperature calculation based on spatial modeling, e.g. spatial inter- or extrapolation · CPC title

• A61B5/14532

  for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement · CPC title