Patent ID: 7575558

Claim:
A portable medical analyzer comprising: a lancet within a cartridge; a lancet driver for advancing said lancet to puncture tissue; a sample pathway for receiving at least one body fluid directly from a tissue puncture formed by said lancet, said pathway contained within the cartridge; at least one assay sensor housed in said cartridge, said sensor adapted for at least one assay for said body fluid received by said sample pathway; an analytical detector comprising at least one signal processor and circuitry for processing of signals from at least one detector corresponding to said assay sensor, said detector adapted to detect information from said assay; and a communication module coupled to said signal processor, said communication module comprising a transmitter and receiver in communication with an information management system; wherein a pressure seal on the cartridge is broken by a vacuum when interfaced with the analytical detector, to transfer the body fluid to the assay sensor.