Patent ID: 7129038

Claim:
A method for selectively combining multiple membranes for assembly into test strips comprising: measuring a plurality of color parameters associated with membrane samples from at least a first lot of membranes and a second lot of membranes; simulating response characteristics of a speculative test strip that includes, for purposes of simulating the response characteristics, combined multiple membranes tentatively selected from the at least first lot of membranes and second lot of membranes, the simulated response characteristics being based on the measured plurality of color parameters of the tentative selection of combined multiple membranes, wherein the simulated response characteristics are also based on simulated color response data and are obtained utilizing an experimentally-derived multivariate mixed model equation of the form: R=Yβ+Zγ+e where: R is an N×1 vector of color parameter responses; β is a b×1 vector of fixed effect coefficients; Y is an N×b matrix of independent covariates; γ is a g×1 vector of random effect coefficients; Z is an N×g matrix of random effects; and e is a N×l vector of residual errors; and assembling the at least first and second lot of membranes from which the combined multiple membranes were tentatively selected into a test strip with combined membranes, the assembly contingent on an assessment of acceptable test strip clinical accuracy based on the simulated response characteristics.