Abstract:
Systems for activating glucometers are provided. The systems comprise a strip and a glucometer. Furthermore, the strip comprises at least two pins configured at different locations from the bottom edge of the strip. Once the strip is placed into the glucometer, the two pins electrically connect to at least two pads configured in the glucometer and lead to a short circuit between the two pads. The short circuit is identified as an activation signal to activate the glucometer. Accordingly, the pins provide a security mechanism to ensure that the glucometer is activated when electrical connections are properly accomplished.

Description:
[0001]    CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
         [0002]    This application claims the benefit of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 104141374, filed on Dec. 9, 2015, in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
         [0003]    1. Technical Field 
         [0004]    At least one embodiment of the prevent invention is a system for activating handheld electronic devices. More particularly, a system for activating glucometers which is to suppress the premature activation of a glucometer prior to that the strip is in position. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Glucometers can be roughly classified into photochemical or electrochemical categories. The photochemical glucometers utilize colorimeters to detect blood glucose levels. After a blood sample is developed, a colorimeter then provides a beam passing through the blood sample to a photoelectric cell to obtain readings from the photoelectric cell, in which the readings reflect blood glucose levels in the blood sample. In contrast, the electrochemical glucometers utilize multiple electrodes to detect blood glucose levels. After a blood sample is treated with enzymes and generates electrons, the glucometer then infers blood glucose levels from the quantity of the electrons or the magnitude of electric current detected by the electrodes. 
         [0007]    Blood glucose levels are in relationships with several chronic diseases. Therapies to these chronic diseases are usually accompanied by regular monitoring and recording of blood glucose levels in a long term. Glucometer manufacturers have developed a series of point-of-care (POC) products. A POC product contains biosensors, microprocessors, and related units in one single mobile device. The POC products largely simplify detection processes and therefore bring the idea of self-monitoring to real. With automation-based designs, a user may simply insert a strip to activate the automatic detection process of a glucometer to obtain and record readings of blood glucose levels. 
         [0008]    However, the automation-based designs of known glucometers have some defects. The POC products are usually operated by non-medical specialists. The operations of these POC products are easily affected by mishandling and therefore result in detection errors. For example, the glucometer without a fine activation mechanism usually provide poor reading results since the glucometer tends to be prematurely activate by strips. Accordingly, systems for activating handheld electronic devices are needed in the art to mitigate the premature activation of glucometers by strips before the strips are in position. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    At least one embodiment of the prevent invention is a system for activating handheld electronic devices. More particularly, a system for activating glucometers which is to suppress the premature activation of a glucometer prior to that the strip is in position. 
         [0010]    At least one embodiment of the present invention is a system for activating glucometers comprising a strip and a glucometer. The strip comprises a substrate and a first electrode, in which the substrate contains a sample end and a connection end and the first electrode contains a first pin and a second pin connecting with each other. More specifically, the connection end has a bottom edge. The first pin is extending to the bottom edge, and the second pin is extending to a place closer to the inner as compared to the first pin. That is, the second pin is a first distance away from the bottom edge as compared to the first pin. 
         [0011]    As for the glucometer, the glucometer comprises a slot. The slot is configured to receive the connection end of the strip, in which the slot itself contains a first contact site and a second contact site configured to electrically connect with the first pin and the second pin on the strip respectively. Moreover, the glucometer comprises a sensor electrically connecting with the slot. Specifically, the sensor is configured to activate the glucometer once a predetermine event is detected. The predetermined event is that the first pin and the second pin are electrically connecting to the first contact site and the second contact site respectively 
         [0012]    At least one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a second pin extending a shorter distance to ensure that the second pin will not contact with the second contact site unless the strip moves further into the slot. This mechanism can mitigate the errors resulted from the premature activation of a glucometer prior to that the strip is in position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1A-1C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with some references. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2A-2C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with some references. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view illustrating a strip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating a strip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a glucometer, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7A-7C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    At least one embodiment of the prevent invention is a system for activating glucometer. More particularly, a system for activating glucometers which is used to prevent premature activation of a glucometer prior to that the strip is in position. 
         [0021]    The system for activating glucometers comprises a strip and a glucometer. The strip comprises a substrate and a first electrode, in which the substrate further contains a sample end and a connection end while the first electrode further contains a first pin and a second pin connecting with each other. Moreover, the connection end has a bottom edge. The first pin is extending to the bottom edge, and the second pin is extending to a place closer to the inner as compared to the first pin. That is, the second pin is a distance away from the bottom edge as compared to the first pin. 
         [0022]    The glucometer, on the other hand, comprises a slot. The slot is configured to engage with the connection end of the strip, in which the slot itself contains a first contact site and a second contact site configured to electrically connect with the first pin and the second pin respectively. Moreover, the glucometer comprises a sensor electrically connecting with the slot. The sensor is configured to activate the glucometer once a predetermine event is detected. More specifically, the predetermined event is that the first pin and the second pin are electrically connecting to the first contact site and the second contact site respectively, which therefore results in that the first contact site and the second contact site are electrically connected. 
         [0023]    In the present embodiment, the term “activate” may refer to a transition of the glucometer from a low-power state to a high-power state. For example, the glucometer may transit from the sleeping mode to the working mode or the glucometer may supply power to more internal components. 
         [0024]    In the present embodiment, the term “inward” may refer to the direction from a reference point toward the center of an object that reference point is attaching on. For example, “a pin is extending to a place a distance inward from the bottom edge” refer to that the pin is extending toward the bottom edge but that extension stops at a place which is a distance away from the bottom edge. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 1A-1C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with some references. In that references, the system for activating glucometers comprises a glucometer  110  and a first electrode  140  disposed on a strip (not shown). The glucometer  110  further comprises a slot  112 , a first connection site  114   a,  a second connection site  114   b,  and a display  116 . If the strip is inserted into the slot  112 , the first electrode  140  and both the first connection site  114   a  and the second connection site  114   b  are electrically connected together and therefore activates the glucometer  110 . 
         [0026]    More particularly,  FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate a system for activating glucometers embodied by a known glucometer  100  and the process of inserting a strip into the glucometer  110  for activation.  FIG. 1A  illustrates the early stage of the process that inserting the strip into the glucometer  110 . In  FIG. 1A , the first electrode  140  is separated from both the first contact site  114   a  and the second contact site  114   b  which are disposed in parallel. The glucometer  110  in  FIG. 1A  is therefore not activated and the display  116  does not present the blood glucose reading.  FIG. 1B  illustrates the middle stage of the process, in which the strip is not fully inserted into the slot  112 . In  FIG. 1B , the first electrode  140  is contacting with the first contact site  114   a  and the second contact site  114   b  which are disposed in parallel. The glucometer  110  in  FIG. 1B  is therefore activated and the display  116  is presenting the blood glucose reading.  FIG. 1C  illustrates the late stage of the process, in which the strip is fully inserted into the slot  112 . In  FIG. 1C , the first electrode  140  is contacting with the first contact site  114   a  and the second contact site  114   b  which are disposed in parallel. However, the glucometer  110  has been activated and the detection of blood glucose level has completed in the middle stage. That is, the glucometer  110  has a defect that the detection is completed before the strip has been fully in position. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 2A-2C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with some references. In that references, the system for activating glucometers comprises a slot  212  configured in a glucometer (not shown) and a strip. The strip comprises a substrate  220 , a first electrode  240 , and a second electrode  250 , in which the first electrode  240  and the second electrode are disposed on substrate  220 . The slot comprises a first contact site  214   a,  a second contact site  214   b,  a third contact site  214   c,  and a fourth contact site  214   d  which are disposed in parallel. A first pin  240   a  and a second pin  240   b  protruding from the first electrode  240  are configured to be electrically connected with the first contact site  214   a  and the second contact site  214   b  when the strip is inserted into the slot  212 , in which the electrical connection will result in the activation of the glucometer. In contrast, the third pin  250   a  extending from the second electrode  250  is configured to be electrically connected with the fourth contact site  214   d.    
         [0028]    More particularly,  FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate a system for activating glucometers embodied by a known glucometer and the process of inserting a strip into the slot  212  for activation.  FIG. 2A  illustrates the early stage of the process that inserting the strip into the slot  212 . In  FIG. 2A , the first pin  240   a,  the second pin  240   b,  and the third pin  250   a  are separated from the first contact site  214   a,  the second contact site  214   b,  and the fourth contact site  214   d  which are disposed in parallel. The glucometer  110  in  FIG. 1A  is therefore not activated.  FIG. 2B  illustrates the middle stage of the process, in which the strip is not fully inserted into the slot  212 . In  FIG. 1B , the first pin  240   a,  the second pin  240   b,  and the third pin  250   a  are contacting with either the first contact site  214   a,  the second contact site  214   b,  or the fourth contact site  214   d  which are disposed in parallel. The glucometer is therefore activated and the detection of blood glucose level is completed.  FIG. 2C  illustrates the late stage of the process, in which the strip is firmly inserted into the slot  212 . In  FIG. 2C , the first pin  240   a,  the second pin  240   b,  and the third pin  250   a  are contacting with the first contact site  114   a,  the second contact site  114   b,  and the fourth contact site  114   d  which are disposed in parallel respectively. However, the glucometer has been activated and the detection of blood glucose level has completed in the middle stage. That is, the glucometer has a defect that the detection is completed before the strip has been fully in position. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view illustrating a strip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The strip in  FIG. 3  comprises a substrate  320 , a first metallic conductor  332 , a second metallic conductor  334 , a first electrode  340 , a second electrode  350 , a first isolating layer  360 , and second isolating layer  370 . The first metallic conductor  332  and the second metallic conductor  334  are disposed on the substrate  320 , whereas the first electrode  340  and the second electrode  350  are further disposed on the first metallic conductor  332  and the second metallic conductor  334  respectively. In addition, the first electrode  340  and the second electrode  350  are covered by the first isolating layer  360 . The second isolating layer  370  may be further disposed on the first isolating layer  360 , based on design requirements. 
         [0030]    The substrate  320 , the first isolating layer  360 , and the second isolating layer  370  may be made of isolating materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In contrast, the first metallic conductor  332  and the second metallic conductor  334  are made of metallic materials, such as silver. The first electrode  340  and the second electrode  350  are made of known materials for electrodes, such as carbon. 
         [0031]    In some other embodiments, the numbers of the first metallic conductor  332 , the second metallic conductor  334 , the first isolating layer  360 , and the second isolating layer  370  may be modified based on design considerations. For example, the first isolating layer  360  and the second isolating layer  370  in  FIG. 3  are engraved with channels for blood samples. However, based on the design of channels, some strips may contain only the first isolating layer  360  in other embodiments. The strip in  FIG. 3  comprises the first electrode  340  and the second electrode  350 . However, in some embodiments the glucometer may use a three electrode design. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is schematic views illustrating a strip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The strip in  FIG. 4  comprises a substrate  420  as well as a first electrode  440  and a second electrode  450  which are disposed on the strip  420 . Two regions on the substrate  420  are defined, based on their functions, as the sample end  422  and the connection end  424  respectively. The sample end  422  is configured to receive a blood sample while the connection end  424  is configured to connect with the slot on the glucometer. When the connection end  424  is inserted into the slot of a glucometer and a blood sample is provided onto the sample end  422 , the blood sample electrically links the first electrode  440  and the second electrode  450 , which were independent, and activate the glucometer to detect the blood glucose level of the blood sample on the sample end  422 . 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 4 , one margin of the substrate  320  in the connection end  424  is defined as a bottom edge  426 . A first pin  440   a,  a second pin  440   b,  and a third pin  450   a  are protruded from the first electrode  440  and the second electrode  450  respectively to the bottom edge  426 . However, the protrusion of the second pin  440   b  stops at a place a first distance A inward from the bottom edge  426 . The first pin  440   a  and the second pin  440   b  are extensions of the first electrode  420  in the present embodiment. Therefore, the first pin  440   a,  the second  440   b,  and the first electrode  420  are made of the same material and electrically connected to each another. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is schematic views illustrating a glucometer, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The glucometer  510  in  FIG. 5  comprises a slot  512 , a display  516 , and a sensor  519 , in which the sensor  519  is electrically connected with the slot  512  and the display  516  respectively. The end of the slot  512  is defined as a bottom  518 . The slot  512  comprises a first contact site  514   a  and a second contact site  514   b  parallel to the bottom  518 . More specifically, both the first contact site  514   a  and the second contact site  514   b  are a second distance B away from the bottom  518 . Once the sensor  519  detects that a short circuit formed between the first contact site  514   a  and the second contact site  514   b,  the sensor  519  activate the glucometer  510 . 
         [0035]    In some preferred embodiments, the second distance B is greater than the first distance A in light with  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In some other preferred embodiments, the second distance B is equal to the first distance A. 
         [0036]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system for activating glucometers comprises a glucometer  610  and a first electrode  640  disposed on a strip (not shown). The glucometer  610  further comprises a slot  612 , a first contact site  614   a,  a second contact site  614   b,  and a display  516 . If the strip is inserted into the slot  612 , the first pin  640   a  and the second pin  640   b  of first electrode  640  are electrically connected to the first connection site  614   a  and the second connection site  614   b  respectively. The electrical connection results in a short circuit between the first contact site  614  and the second contact site  614   b,  and therefore triggers the activation of the glucometer  610 . 
         [0037]    More particularly,  FIGS. 6A-6C  illustrate a system for activating glucometers embodied by a glucometer  610  and the process of inserting a trip into the glucometer  610  for activation.  FIG. 6A  illustrates the early stage of the process that inserting the strip into the glucometer  610 . In  FIG. 6A , the first pin  640   a  and the second pin  640   b  are separated from the first contact site  614   a  and the second contact site  614   b  disposed in parallel.  FIG. 6B  illustrates the middle stage of the process, in which the strip is not fully inserted into the glucometer  610 . In  FIG. 1B , the first pin  640   a  has contacted with the first contact site  614   a  while the second pin  640   b,  the shorter pin, is still separated from the second contact site  614   b.  The glucometer  610  in  FIG. 6B  is still not activated and no blood glucose reading is presented on the display  616 .  FIG. 6C  illustrates the late stage of the process, in which the strip is fully inserted into the slot  612 . In  FIG. 6C , the first pin  640   a  and the second pin  640   b  are contacting with the first contact site  614   a  and the second contact site  614   b  which are disposed in parallel. Therefore, the glucometer is activated and the blood glucose reading is presented on the display  616 . Accordingly, the system for activating glucometers in  FIGS. 6A-6C  utilizes one shorten pin, amongst all, to ensure that the glucometer is activated to detect blood glucose levels when the strip is more in position. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 7A-7C  are schematic views illustrating a system for activating glucometers, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system for activating glucometers comprises a strip and a slot  712  on a glucometer (not shown). The strip comprises a substrate  720  as well as a first electrode  740  and a second electrode  750  disposed on substrate  720 . The slot  712  comprise a first contact site  714   a,  a second contact site  714   b,  a third contact site  714   c,  and a fourth contact site  714   d  which are disposed in parallel. As the strip is inserted into the slot  712 , a first pin  740   a  and a second pin  740   b  protruding from the first electrode  740  are electrically connected with the first contact site  714   a  and the second contact site  714   b  to activate the glucometer; simultaneously, the third pin  750   a  extending from the second electrode  750  is electrically connected with the fourth contact site  214   d  to complete the detection of blood glucose levels. 
         [0039]    More particularly,  FIGS. 7A-7C  illustrate a system for activating glucometers exemplified by the process of inserting a trip into the slot  712 .  FIG. 7A  illustrates the early stage of the process that inserting the strip into the slot  712 . In  FIG. 7A , the first pin  740   a,  the second pin  740   b,  and the third pin  750   a  are separated from the first contact site  714   a,  the second contact site  714   b,  and the fourth contact site  714   d  which are disposed in parallel. The glucometer  110  in  FIG. 7A  is therefore not activated.  FIG. 7B  illustrates the middle stage of the process, in which the strip is not fully inserted into the slot  712 . In  FIG. 7B , the first pin  740   a  and the third pin  250   a  are both contacting with the first contact site  714   a  and the fourth contact site  214   d  disposed in parallel. However, since the second pin  740   b  is shorter than the others and is still separated from the second contact site  714   b,  the glucometer is remained inactivated.  FIG. 7C  illustrates the late stage of the process, in which the strip is fully inserted into the slot  712 . In  FIG. 7C , the first pin  740   a,  the second pin  740   b,  and the third pin  250   a  are contacting with the first contact site  714   a,  the second contact site  714   b,  and the fourth contact site  714   d  disposed in parallel. The short circuit between the first contact site  714   a  and the second contact site  714   b  therefore induces the activation of the glucometer and the electrical connection between the first contact site  714   a  and the fourth contact site  714   d  is used to detect the blood sample on the strip. 
         [0040]    There are many inventions described and illustrated above. The present inventions are neither limited to any single aspect nor embodiment thereof, nor to any combinations and/or permutations of such aspects and/or embodiments. Moreover, each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects of the present inventions and/or embodiments thereof. For the sake of brevity, many of those permutations and combinations will not be discussed separately herein.