Patent ID: 8178351

Claim:
A method for determining a glucose concentration of a fluid sample with a sensor system, the method comprising the acts of: providing an optical reagent-sensing device; providing a container including a first storage device, a second storage device, a continuous polymeric tape, a diagnostic reagent, and a white-reflectance calibration standard operative for calibrating the optical reagent-sensing device, at least one of the first storage device or the second storage device being a rotatable spool, the continuous tape including a first unused segment on the first storage device, a second segment between the first storage device and second storage device that extends over the optical reagent-sensing device, and a third used segment on the second storage device, the second segment being at least partially exposed outside of the container; placing the fluid sample on the exposed second segment of the continuous tape; and determining the glucose concentration of the fluid sample in less than about 15 seconds using the diagnostic reagent and the optical reagent-sensing device, the fluid sample having a volume of less than 1 microliter.