Button layout for a testing instrument

Abstract

A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors and to perform a test using one of the sensors. The sensor dispensing instrument includes an outer housing and display disposed on the outer housing for showing items. The sensor dispensing instrument further comprises a power button for turning the sensor dispensing instrument on and off, a scroll button for scroll through the items, and a select button for selecting an item.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . A sensor-dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, the sensor-dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of the plurality of sensors, the sensor-dispensing instrument comprising: 
 a circuit board assembly including a plurality of contacts on a bottom surface thereof;    a cover mechanism including a plurality of fingers, each of the plurality of fingers adapted to contact at least one of the plurality of contacts on the bottom surface of the circuit board assembly;    a pusher assembly including a plurality of ramp contacts; and    a motor adapted to cause the movement of at least one of the plurality of ramp contacts,    wherein movement of at least one of the plurality of ramp contacts pushes at least one of the plurality of fingers into contact with at least one of the plurality of bottom surface contacts, resulting in the sensor-dispensing instrument being electronically turned to an ON state.    
     
     
         22 . The instrument of  claim 21  wherein the motor is activated by a button.  
     
     
         23 . The instrument of  claim 21  wherein the number of the plurality of fingers and the number of the plurality of bottom surface contacts are the same.  
     
     
         24 . The instrument of  claim 21  further including an outer housing, a knife-blade, and an alarm, the knife-blade having an extended position, and wherein when the outer housing is in an open position and the handle is in an extended position, the alarm is activated to indicate the possibility that the knife-blade is in the extended position.  
     
     
         25 . The instrument of  claim 21  wherein the sensor-dispensing instrument is a blood glucose meter.  
     
     
         26 . The instrument of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the plurality of fingers is in a permanent upward position such that none of the plurality of ramp contacts moves the at least one of the plurality of fingers.  
     
     
         27 . A method of using a sensor-dispensing instrument, the sensor-dispensing instrument adapted to handle a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, the sensor-dispensing instrument further adapted to perform a test using one of the plurality of sensors, the method comprising the acts of: 
 providing a sensor-dispensing instrument comprising a motor, a circuit board assembly, a cover mechanism and a pusher assembly, the circuit board assembly including a plurality of contacts on a bottom surface thereof, the cover mechanism including a plurality of fingers, the pusher assembly including a plurality of ramp contacts; and    activating the motor such that at least one of the plurality of ramp contacts moves at least one of the plurality of fingers into contact with at least one of the plurality of bottom surface contacts, resulting in the sensor-dispensing instrument being electronically turned to an ON state.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the motor is activated by a button.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein each of the plurality of fingers is adapted to contact a respective one of the plurality of bottom surface contacts of the circuit board assembly.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the sensor-dispensing instrument is a blood glucose meter.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27  wherein each of the plurality of fingers have a raised convex section.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27  wherein at least one of the plurality of fingers is in a permanent upward position such that none of the plurality of ramp contacts moves the at least one of the plurality of fingers.  
     
     
         33 . A testing instrument comprising: 
 a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors;    an outer housing having an opening through which at least one of the plurality of sensors is disposed to conduct a test, wherein the outer housing includes a display for displaying a plurality of items;    an electronics assembly including a microprocessor for operating the testing instrument and storing data; and    a plurality of controllers connected through the electronics assembly and adapted to control the operation of the testing instrument, the controllers including a power control for turning the sensor dispensing instrument on and off, a display control for viewing at least one of the plurality of items on the display, a select control for selecting at least one of the plurality of items, a memory control for displaying test results, and a set-up control for performing tasks related to the operation of the testing instrument.    
     
     
         34 . The testing instrument of  claim 33 , wherein the outer housing forms a plurality of openings, and wherein the power control, the display control, the select control, the memory control and the set-up control are mounted through respective ones of the plurality of openings in the outer housing.  
     
     
         35 . The testing instrument of  claim 33 , further comprising a controller door pivotally connected to the outer housing, wherein the controller door is moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the controller door covers the power control, the select control, the display control, the memory control and the set-up control when in the closed position, and wherein the controller door allows access to the power control, the display control, the select control, the memory control and the set-up control when in the open position.  
     
     
         36 . The testing instrument of  claim 35 , wherein the controller door forms an opening and wherein the power control extends in the opening when the controller door is in the closed position.  
     
     
         37 . The testing instrument of  claim 33 , further comprising an indexing disk with a plurality of pins, the plurality of pins assisting in properly aligning the sensor pack.  
     
     
         38 . The testing instrument of  claim 33 , wherein the power control, the select control, the display control, the memory control and the set-up control each have a contact surface, and wherein the distance from the top surface of the outer housing to the contact surface of the power control is greater than the distance from the top surface of the outer housing to the contact surfaces of the select control, the display control, the memory control and the set-up contro.  
     
     
         39 . The testing instrument of  claim 33 , further comprising a communication interface for transferring or receiving testing information from a second device.  
     
     
         40 . A method of operating a testing instrument comprising: 
 providing the testing instrument, the testing instrument including a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors, an electronics assembly including a microprocessor for operating the sensor dispensing instrument and storing data, an outer housing having an opening through which at least one of the plurality of sensors is disposed to conduct a test and a display for displaying a plurality of items, and a plurality of controllers connected through the electronics assembly to control the operation of the testing instrument, the controllers including a power control, a display control, a select control, a memory control and a set-up control;    activating the power control to activate the display and turn the testing instrument on;    activating the display control to view the items on the display;    activating the select control to select at least one item;    activating the memory control to view test results; and    activating the set-up control to perform tasks relating to the operation of the testing instrument.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein activating the set-up control includes adjusting the time and date and programming numbers for reagent calibration.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising aligning the sensor pack using an indexing disk.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the testing instrument further comprises a controller door, the method further comprising moving the controller door between a closed position and an open position, the open position allowing a user to activate at least one of the plurality of controllers.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein activating the display control includes scrolling through a list of items or a series of test results stored in the testing device.  
     
     
         45 . A sensor dispensing instrument adapted to perform a test using a sensor, and comprising: 
 a sensor pack containing a plurality of sensors;    an outer housing having an opening through which at least one of the plurality of sensors is disposed to conduct a test, wherein the outer housing includes a display for displaying a plurality of items;    an electronics assembly including a microprocessor for operating the sensor dispensing instrument and storing data; and    a plurality of controllers connected through the electronics assembly and adapted to control the operation of the sensor dispensing instrument, the controllers including a power control for turning the sensor dispensing instrument on and off, a display control for viewing at least one of the plurality of items on the display, a select control for selecting at least one of the plurality of items, a memory control for displaying test results, and a set-up control for performing tasks related to the operation of the sensor dispensing instrument.