Patent ID: 7966230

Claim:
A method of processing blood glucose data in handling a diabetic condition using a programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit in signal communication with a separate blood glucose monitoring device, comprising: (a) coupling the separate blood glucose monitoring device directly to the programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit, wherein said programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit includes A) a video display for displaying information in the form of one or more graphical images based upon a digitally encoded blood glucose level signal, wherein said one or more graphical images can be displayed on said video display to create an appearance of motion, B) a plurality of switches operable for interactively controlling said programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit and for manipulating said information displayed on said video display, C) a circuit coupled to said plurality of switches for generating display signals in response to operation of said switches, D) a digital data storage medium, the digital data storage medium 1) readable by said programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit and 2) tangibly embodying therein a program of instructions executable by said programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit, said program of instructions including (a) instructions for displaying said information on said video display in an interactive manner in response to said display signals generated by said circuit and based upon said digitally encoded blood glucose level signal and (b) instructions for displaying said one or more graphical images on said video display to create the appearance of motion, wherein said appearance of motion created by said instructions includes at least one of (i) animation in system instruction displays and (ii) animation in test result displays, E) a signal interface configured to communicate with said separate blood glucose monitoring device for directly coupling said digitally encoded blood glucose level signal supplied by said separate blood glucose monitoring device to said programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit, and F) a signal processor for performing signal processing functions by executing said program of instructions; (b) measuring a blood glucose level with the separate blood glucose monitoring device; (c) converting the measured blood glucose level to said digitally encoded blood glucose level signal; and (d) directly transmitting the digitally encoded blood glucose level signal from the separate blood glucose monitoring device to the programmable microprocessor-based handheld unit.