Patent ID: 7794658

Claim:
In a system to determine analyte concentration in a sample, the system comprising: a test meter which receives a test strip and detects and displays a concentration of an analyte in the sample through electrochemical or electrical testing, the improvement comprising: a test strip connector having a first line configured to connect to a first electrode of a test strip and a second line configured to connect to a second electrode of the test strip; a reference voltage circuit that provides an output voltage; an operational amplifier connected to the reference voltage circuit to provide a test voltage to the first line that is substantially equal to the output voltage, the operational amplifier having an output configured for one of a connected or disconnected state to the first line; and a processing circuit connected to the output of the operational amplifier and the first line such that, during a disconnected state between the output and the first line, the processing circuit remains in connection with the first line.