Patent ID: 7635594

Claim:
A two-way communication system for monitoring an analyte in a bodily fluid from a subject, comprising: a) an external device configured to transmit a protocol to a reader assembly; b) a fluidic device configured to be inserted into the reader assembly, said fluidic device comprising: (i) a sample collection unit configured for collecting a sample of bodily fluid that contains an analyte; (ii) an assay assembly containing reactants that react with said sample of bodily fluid based on the protocol transmitted from said external device to yield a detectable signal indicative of the concentration of said analyte present in said bodily fluid; and (iii) an identifier that is configured to provide the identity of said fluidic device and is also configured to trigger the transmission of said protocol; c) the reader assembly configured for two-way communication with the external device, said reader assembly comprising a programmable processor configured to receive said protocol from said external device, wherein said protocol in turn effects a reaction in said assay assembly for generating said detectable signal, wherein said reader further comprises a detection assembly for detecting said detectable signal, and a communication assembly for transmitting said detected signal to said external device, and wherein the external device is configured to (i) compare said concentration of said analyte detected with a reference concentration of said analyte stored in a database, and (ii) generate a subsequent reaction protocol based on said comparison in order to effect a subsequent reaction on a fluidic device for monitoring said analtye.