End-of-life disabling of a diagnostic test system

• Main Authors: PETRUNO PATRICK T, LAPPE MURRAY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.09.2011
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

Systems and methods for end-of-life disabling of a diagnostic test system are described. In one aspect, a diagnostic test system that includes a test unit and a disabling unit. The test unit performs at least one diagnostic test on a diagnostic assay to determine whether at least one analyte is present within a sample. The disabling unit determines a measure of current lifetime of the test unit and disables the test unit in response to a determination that the current lifetime measure meets an end-of-life threshold. In a diagnostic test method, at least one diagnostic test is performed on a diagnostic assay to determine whether at least one analyte is present within a sample. A measure of current lifetime of the test unit is determined. The test unit is disabled in response to a determination that the current lifetime measure meets an end-of-life threshold.