Patent ID: 8758594

Claim:
A method for determining an analyte in a sample in which the sample is applied to an electrochemical test strip and evaluated using an analyte detection apparatus, wherein the applied sample may be a sample for evaluation or a control solution, wherein the analyte detection apparatus performs the steps of discriminating between a sample for evaluation and a control solution by the steps of: (a) applying a potential difference between first and second electrodes in the test strip for a period of time sufficient to establish a chemical potential gradient between the electrodes; (b) thereafter switching off the applied potential whereby the chemical potential gradient begins to decay; (c) determining the rate of decay of the chemical potential gradient in the absence of applied potential, (d) comparing the determined rate of decay of the chemical potential gradient to pre-determined reference value, and (e) determining from the comparison of (d) whether the applied sample is a sample for evaluation or a control solution.