SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANALYTE MEASUREMENT USING DOSE SUFFICIENCY ELECTRODES

摘要

A method of performing a measurement on a biological fluid or of indicating acceptable fill time of biological fluid in a test strip comprising providing a biological fluid test strip including a capillary fill chamber extending a length along the test strip from an intake opening to a terminus, a first pair of electrodes in operative communication with the chamber, and a second pair of electrodes in operative communication with the chamber; dosing the test strip with a biological fluid effective to cause the biological fluid to flow from the intake opening toward the terminus; for the performing of the measurement, a first test signal is applied to one of the first pair of electrodes; a first response to the first test signal is measured at the other of the first pair of electrodes; the first pair of electrodes is maintained in an inoperative state upon measuring the first response; a second test signal is applied to one of the second pair of electrodes while the first pair of electrodes is in said inoperative state; a second response to the second test signal is measured at the other of the second pair of electrodes; and a measurement is performed upon the biological fluid after measuring the second response; for indicating acceptable fill time of the biological fluid in the test strip; biological fluid is flowed from the opening toward the terminus; a first determination is made when the biological fluid contacts the first electrodes; a second determination is made when the biological fluid contacts the second electrodes; a fill time value is determined based upon the first determining and the second determining; and an error condition is indicated if the fill time value is greater than a predetermined value, and a measurement is performed upon the biological fluid if the fill time value is less than a predetermined value; a suitable test strip of the invention for performing a measurement on a biological fluid comprises a capillary fill chamber extending a length along the test strip from an opening to a terminus; at least two measurement electrodes in operative communication with the chamber, and at least two dose sufficiency electrodes in operative communication with the chamber; wherein the dose sufficiency electrodes have first edges substantially parallel to the length of the capillary chamber and second edges substantially perpendicular to the length of the capillary fill chamber, the first edges being of greater length than the second edges.