Patent ID: 8486245

Claim:
A testing meter for electrochemically measuring the concentration of an analyte in a physiological fluid sample, the testing meter comprising: a processor; an electrochemical measurement device that can be electrically connected to a test device comprising a fluid application portion having at least a pair of electrodes and a reagent so that the electrochemical measurement device can provide a potential and measure current flow across the at least a pair of electrodes when a test device is electrically connected to the electrochemical measurement device; and memory comprising programming that causes the electrochemical meter, when a test device is electrically connected thereto, to apply a constant voltage over a first predetermined time period and measure a current at the least a pair of electrodes and use the magnitude of the current at the end of the first predetermined time period as a test reading indicative of the concentration of an analyte in a physiological fluid present in the test fluid application area of the test device if the magnitude of the current remains above a threshold current value for a second predetermined time period wherein the second time period comprises an initial portion of the first time period.