Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A biosensor system for determining whether a current through a reaction zone is varying in accordance with a predetermined Cottrell current relationship, the combination comprising: a test cell including electrode means and a reaction zone with analyte reactant; means for obtaining a plurality of readings of current in said reaction zone over a plurality of measurement times, after a sample containing an analyte is placed in said reaction zone; means for storing at least a comparison constant for a pair of succeeding measurement times, said comparison constant evidencing the inverse ratio of the square root of a measurement time divided by the square root of a subsequent measurement time; means for deriving a ratio of the current readings obtained at said pair of succeeding measurement times; and means for comparing said ratio of said current readings and said comparison constant for said pair of succeeding measurement times to determine if they are similar and if not, reporting an error condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A biosensor system for determining whether a current through a reaction zone is varying in accordance with a predetermined Cottrell current relationship, the combination comprising: a test cell including electrode means and a reaction zone with analyte reactant; means for obtaining a plurality of readings of current in said reaction zone over a plurality of measurement times, after a sample containing an analyte is placed in said reaction zone; means for storing at least a comparison constant for a pair of succeeding measurement times, said comparison constant evidencing the inverse ratio of the square root of a measurement time divided by the square root of a subsequent measurement time; means for deriving a ratio of the current readings obtained at said pair of succeeding measurement times; and means for comparing said ratio of said current readings and said comparison constant for said pair of succeeding measurement times to determine if they are similar and if not, reporting an error condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system as defined in claim 1 wherein: said storing means includes a plurality of comparison constants for a plurality of succeeding measurement times; and said deriving means derives ratios of current readings taken at said succeeding measurement times, and said comparison means compares said ratios with corresponding comparison constants, whereby said system determines if said current readings are following said Cottrell current relationship.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said test cell includes two electrodes which extend into a reaction zone, said electrodes covered by an analyte reactant containing layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
176 words
In a system for measuring a current i passing through a reaction zone of a test cell, which current, in dependence upon the concentration of an analyte in the reaction zone, changes to follow one of a family of curves whose shape is defined by the Cottrell equation, a method for determining that said current is changing in accordance with the Cottrell equation, comprising the steps of: (a) measuring said current i at a plurality of measurement times t n , t n+1 , t n+2 . . . to derive current values i n , i n+1 , i n+2 . . . ; (b) calculating at least the value of the ratio of ##EQU5## to obtain a comparison constant; (c) calculating the value of the ratio of ##EQU6## (d) comparing the comparison constant calculated in step b and with the ratio calculated in step c; and (e) if said comparison indicates a dissimilarity, providing a signal indicating that said measured current in said test cell is not changing in accordance with said Cottrell equation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
176 words
In a system for measuring a current i passing through a reaction zone of a test cell, which current, in dependence upon the concentration of an analyte in the reaction zone, changes to follow one of a family of curves whose shape is defined by the Cottrell equation, a method for determining that said current is changing in accordance with the Cottrell equation, comprising the steps of: (a) measuring said current i at a plurality of measurement times t n , t n+1 , t n+2 . . . to derive current values i n , i n+1 , i n+2 . . . ; (b) calculating at least the value of the ratio of ##EQU5## to obtain a comparison constant; (c) calculating the value of the ratio of ##EQU6## (d) comparing the comparison constant calculated in step b and with the ratio calculated in step c; and (e) if said comparison indicates a dissimilarity, providing a signal indicating that said measured current in said test cell is not changing in accordance with said Cottrell equation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the ratio defined in step b is calculated for a plurality measurement times to obtain a plurality of comparison constants.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein a ratio, as defined in step c, is calculated for currents measured at each of the measurement times which are used to derive the comparison constants of claim 5.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6 wherein step d compares the comparison constants with ratios derived in step c for corresponding measurement times and step e provides a signal if any of said comparisons indicate a dissimilarity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said comparison constants obtained by step b are precalculated and stored.