Patent ID: 8535608

Claim:
A method for operating an analytical system, comprising: providing a measuring device that has a counter memory; loading a first replaceable magazine that has a plurality of test units into the measuring device; storing in a first storage location of the counter memory a first magazine identifier and associated count of test units in the first replaceable magazine; incrementing the count of test units associated with the first replaceable magazine in the counter memory as the test units in the first replaceable magazine are used, wherein said incrementing occurs without intervention with the magazine; replacing the first replaceable magazine by loading a second replaceable magazine into the measuring device; maintaining in the counter memory the count of the test units associated with the first replaceable magazine after said replacing; reading a second magazine identifier of the second replaceable magazine; comparing the second magazine identifier with the magazine identifiers present in the counter memory of the measuring device; and storing in a second storage location of the counter memory the second magazine identifier and associated count of test units in the second replaceable magazine.