PositiveID files patent application for iGlucose system

PositiveID Corporation ("PositiveID" or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PSID) announced today that it has filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office a non-provisional patent application for its iGlucose system, currently under development, which uses wireless SMS messaging to automatically communicate a diabetic patient’s blood glucose levels from any data-capable glucose meter to an online database.

“We are pleased to file this patent application to protect the key technology underlying the iGlucose System. We believe iGlucose has the potential to revolutionize the way diabetics and their healthcare providers manage this widespread disease through more effective and consistent communication of blood sugar levels.”

The iGlucose system is designed to communicate automatically with a wide variety of glucometers by utilizing electronics and stored information that will query and recognize a particular glucometer when connected to the device. This recognition aspect is unique because there are differences in how data is retrieved from different meters and manufacturers.

The iGlucose system also successfully addresses obstacles in SMS data transmission. Blood glucose and other data must be packed into a buffer to make most efficient use of the available bits, since SMS text messages are limited to 140 characters in a single message. Due to SMS transmission limitations, iGlucose utilizes proprietary data compression software and encryption algorithms to overcome these challenges.

Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of PositiveID, said, “We are pleased to file this patent application to protect the key technology underlying the iGlucose System. We believe iGlucose has the potential to revolutionize the way diabetics and their healthcare providers manage this widespread disease through more effective and consistent communication of blood sugar levels.”

With the iGlucose system, there is no downloading, dialing, computer, software or cell phone needed to complete the transmission.

According to a November 2009 study by researchers at the University of Chicago published in the journal Diabetes Care, the number of diabetics in the U.S., which currently stands at 23.7 million, may almost double in 25 years, and the annual cost of treating them may triple to $336 billion.