All The Claims

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:
an underlayer provided over a substrate;
a magnetic layer formed over said underlayer, in which magnetic grains comprising Co, Cr, and Pt with columnar structure and oxides are contained; and
a ferromagnetic-metal layer which is formed over said magnetic layer and which does not contain an oxide,
wherein said magnetic layer comprises at least two layers including a first magnetic layer formed at an underlayer side of the magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer formed at a ferromagnetic-metal layer side of the magnetic layer, in which grain boundaries of said first magnetic layer include a Cr oxide and at least one oxide selected from Si, Ti, Nb, and Ta, and grain boundaries of said second magnetic layer include at least one oxide selected from Si, Ti, Nb, and Ta where the sum of element concentrations of Cr and oxygen in any Cr oxide in the second magnetic layer is smaller than that in said first magnetic layer and is greater than 0 at % and less than 5 at %.
2. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
the grain boundary width of said second magnetic layer is narrower than the grain boundary width of said first magnetic layer, wherein a thickness of the ferromagnetic-metal layer is between about 1 nm and about 5 nm.
3. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer and crystal grains of said second magnetic layer exist with a correspondence of 1 to many or many to 1, and crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer have a structure continuously grown over grain boundaries of said second magnetic layer.
4. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer are smaller than crystal grains of said second magnetic layer.
5. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
the sum of concentrations of Cr element and oxygen element in the Cr oxide of the second magnetic layer is 4.3 at. % or less in the region of film thickness of about 2 nm from the ferromagnetic-metal layer side of the magnetic layer.
6. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
the sum of concentrations of Cr element and oxygen element contained in the Cr oxide is 7 at. % or more and 20 at. % or less in the region of film thickness of about 4 nm from the substrate side of the magnetic layer.
7. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
the total amount of each element contained in the oxide of said second magnetic layer is 3.6 at. % or more and 13 at. % or less.
8. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein
the total amount of each element contained in the oxide of said first magnetic layer is 15 at. % or more and 30 at. % or less.
9. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein
a CoRu alloy layer, a CoCr alloy layer, or a layer which has a granular structure of CoCr and Si02 is provided between said second magnetic layer and said ferromagnetic-metal layer.
10. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:
an underlayer provided over a substrate;
a magnetic layer formed over said underlayer, in which magnetic grains comprising Co, Cr, and Pt with columnar structure and oxides are contained;
a ferromagnetic-metal layer which is formed over said magnetic layer and which does not contain an oxide,
wherein said magnetic layer comprises a Cr oxide in grain boundaries thereof, wherein the Cr oxide has a concentration gradient that varies in a film thickness direction of the magnetic layer from an underlayer side of the magnetic layer towards a ferromagnetic-metal layer side of the magnetic layer, wherein the magnetic layer includes the Cr oxide and at least one oxide selected from Si, Ti, Nb, and Ta, where the sum of element concentrations of Cr and oxygen contained in the Cr oxide decreases from the underlayer side to the ferromagnetic-metal layer side to less than 5 at. %, wherein the magnetic layer has no clear separate layer structure.
11. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
the grain boundary width of said magnetic layer at said ferromagnetic-metal layer side is narrower than the grain boundary width from the interface at said underlayer side.
12. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer and crystal grains of said magnetic layer exist with a correspondence of 1 to many or many to 1, and crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer have a structure continuously grown over grain boundaries of said magnetic layer.
13. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer are smaller than crystal grains of said magnetic layer.
14. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
the sum of the concentrations of Cr element and oxygen element contained in the Cr oxide is 4.3 at. % or less in the region of film thickness of about 2 nm from the ferromagnetic-metal layer side.
15. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
the sum of the concentrations of Cr element and oxygen element contained in the Cr oxide is 7 at. % or more and 20 at. % or less in the region of film thickness of about 4 nm from the underlayer side.
16. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
the total amount of each element contained in the oxide in the region of said magnetic layer at said ferromagnetic metallic side is 3.6 at. % or more and 13 at. % or less.
17. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
the total amount of each element contained in the oxide in the region of said magnetic layer at said underlayer side is 15 al. % or more and 30 al. % or less.
18. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to claim 10, wherein
a CoRu alloy layer, a CoCr alloy layer, or a layer having a granular structure of CoCr and Si02 is provided between said magnetic layer and said ferromagnetic-metal layer.
19. A magnetic storage apparatus comprising:
perpendicular magnetic recording media comprising;
an underlayer provided over a substrate;
a magnetic layer formed over said underlayer, in which magnetic grains comprising Co, Cr, and Pt with columnar structure and oxides are contained; and
a ferromagnetic-metal layer which is formed over said magnetic layer and which does not contain an oxide,
wherein said magnetic layer comprises at least two layers including a first magnetic layer formed at said underlayer side and a second magnetic layer formed at said ferromagnetic-metal layer side, in which grain boundaries of said first magnetic layer include a Cr oxide and at least one oxide selected from Si, Ti, Nb, and Ta, and grain boundaries of said second magnetic layer include at least one oxide selected from Si, Ti, Nb, and Ta where the sum of element concentrations of Cr and oxygen contained in the Cr oxide is smaller than that in said first magnetic layer and is greater than 0 at % and less than 5 at. %, wherein crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer and crystal grains of said magnetic layer exist with a correspondence of 1 to many or many to 1, and crystal grains of said ferromagnetic-metal layer have a structure continuously grown over grain boundaries of said magnetic layer;
a unit for driving said perpendicular magnetic recording medium in the recording direction;
a magnetic head having a write head and read head;
a unit for driving said magnetic head relative to said perpendicular magnetic recording medium; and
a signal processing unit for processing input signals and output signals to said magnetic head.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for communicating data, comprising:
a cell site element associated with a Node B and operable to receive a plurality of cells associated with a communications flow, wherein the cell site element is further operable to determine whether one or more of the cells included in the flow should be suppressed, and wherein the cell site element is further operable to suppress a selected one or more of the cells, whereby the cell site element suppresses unused, idle, and redundant information propagating along a backhaul network coupled to the cell site element, the cell site element inspecting ATM traffic and suppressing empty cells and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer (AAL) overhead such that they can be reconstructed at a remote end of the backhaul network.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein over a time interval the cell site element is further operable to bundle the selected cells included in the flow in an IP packet to be communicated to a next destination.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the selected cells may be received and evaluated in order to restore a plurality of bits associated with the communications flow.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the portions that are suppressed reflect data segments associated with ATM headers, ATM padding, or ATM trailers.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ATM headers are mapped to one or more backhaul values.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cell site element is operable to suppress unused portions of ATM payloads associated with the flow.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the IP packet is demultiplexed at the next destination and the selected cells are rebuilt by reconstructing ATM cell headers and cell payloads.
8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cell site element is operable to evaluate bit positions of a current cell to determine an end of a frame.
9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cell site element includes a suppression element that is operable to perform the suppression operations.
10. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
an aggregation node associated with a RNC and operable to communicate with the cell site element and to receive the IP packet.
11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communications flow is associated with asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer zero (AAL0).
12. A method for communicating data, comprising:
receiving a plurality of cells associated with a communications flow;
determining whether one or more of the cells included in the flow should be suppressed;
suppressing a selected one or more of the cells; and
identifying cells that cannot be suppressed and to suppress portions thereof, whereby a cell site element suppresses unused, idle, and redundant information propagating along a backhaul network coupled to the cell site element, the cell site element inspecting ATM traffic and suppressing empty cells and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer (AAL) overhead such that they can be reconstructed at a remote end of the backhaul network.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
bundling, over a time interval, the selected cells included in the flow in an IP packet to be communicated to a next destination.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected cells may be received and evaluated in order to restore a plurality of bits associated with the communications flow.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the portions that are suppressed reflect data segments associated with ATM headers, ATM padding, or ATM trailers.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ATM headers are mapped to one or more backhaul values.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
suppressing unused portions of ATM payloads associated with the flow.
18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
evaluating bit positions of a current cell to determine an end of a frame.
19. Software for communicating data, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed is operable to:
receive a plurality of cells associated with a communications flow;
determine whether one or more of the cells included in the flow should be suppressed;
suppress a selected one or more of the cells; and
identify cells that cannot be suppressed and to suppress portions thereof, whereby a cell site element suppresses unused, idle, and redundant information propagating alone a backhaul network coupled to the cell site element, the cell site element inspecting ATM traffic and suppressing empty cells and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer (AAL) overhead such that they can be reconstructed at a remote end of the backhaul network.
20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the code is further operable to:
bundle, over a time interval, the selected cells included in the flow in an IP packet to be communicated to a next destination.
21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the selected cells may be received and evaluated in order to restore a plurality of bits associated with the communications flow.
22. The medium of claim 20, wherein the portions that are suppressed reflect data segments associated with ATM headers, ATM padding, or ATM trailers.
23. The medium of claim 22, wherein code is further operable to:
map the ATM headers to one or more backhaul values.
24. The medium of claim 20, wherein the code is further operable to:
suppress unused portions of ATM payloads associated with the flow.
25. A system for communicating data, comprising:
means for receiving a plurality of cells associated with a communications flow;
means for determining whether one or more of the cells included in the flow should be suppressed;
means for suppressing a selected one or more of the cells; and
means for identifying cells that cannot be suppressed and to suppress portions thereof, whereby a cell site element suppresses unused, idle, and redundant information propagating along a backhaul network coupled to the cell site element, the cell site element inspecting ATM traffic and suppressing empty cells and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer (AAL) overhead such that they can be reconstructed at a remote end of the backhaul network.
26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:
means for bundling, over a time interval, the selected cells included in the flow in an IP packet to be communicated to a next destination.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein the selected cells may be received and evaluated in order to restore a plurality of bits associated with the communications flow.
28. The system of claim 26, wherein the portions that are suppressed reflect data segments associated with ATM headers, ATM padding, or ATM trailers.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the ATM headers are mapped to one or more backhaul values.
30. The system of claim 26, further comprising:
means for suppressing unused portions of ATM payloads associated with the flow.

1. An aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer (a) having a repeating unit (A) which comprises four carbon atoms connected in a linear chain and which has one double bond at the second position and a polyfluoroalkyl group bonded to an arbitrary carbon atom, and a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, wherein surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant, and wherein the polymer (a) is dispersed in an aqueous medium by the surfactant (B).
2. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein in the polymer (a), the repeating unit (A) is at least 10 mass %.
3. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) has an average particle size of at most 10 \u03bcm.
4. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) has a repeating unit (A) formed from a compound of the following formula 1:
Rf\u2014X\u2003\u2003Formula 1

wherein Rf is a C1-20 polyfluoroalkyl group which may have at least one carbon-carbon unsaturated double bond or which may have carbon atom(s) substituted by an etheric oxygen atom and X is a monovalent organic group having at least two double bonds.
5. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein in the compound of the formula 1, Rf is a group represented by CkF2k+1\u2014, wherein k is an integer of from 1 to 12 or CjF2j+1\u2014(CY1Y2CY3Y4)i\u2014, wherein each of Y1, Y2, Yand Y4 which are independent of one another, is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom, provided that at least one of them is a fluorine atom, and j and i are each an integer of at least 1 and satisfy 12\u2267(j+2\xd7i)\u22671.
6. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein in the compound of the formula 1, X is a group represented by \u2014CD1\u2550CD2CH\u2550CH2, wherein each of D1 and D2 which are independent of each other, is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom.
7. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein Rf is
CF3\u2014, F(CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)4\u2014, F(CF2)5\u2014, F(CF2)6\u2014, F(CF2)4CH2CF2\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)5CH2CF2\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)3\u2014, (CF3)CF(CF2)2\u2014, H(CF2)6\u2014, H(CF2)2\u2014, Cl(CF2)4\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)4(CFClCF2)2\u2014, CF3CF\u2550CFCF2CF\u2550CF\u2014, CF3CF2C(CF3)CH(CF3)(CF2)2\u2014, CeF2e+1OCF(CF3)CF2OgCF(CF3)\u2014 or C3F7OCF(CF3)CF2Og(CF2)h, wherein e is an integer of from 3 to 10, g is an integer of from 0 to 8, and h is an integer of from 0 to 10.
8. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein X is \u2014CF\u2550CHCH\u2550CH2, \u2014CH\u2550CFCH\u2550CH2 or \u2014CH\u2550CHCH\u2550CH2.
9. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the surfactant (B) is from 0.5 to 20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (a).
10. A method for producing an aqueous dispersion of claim 1, which comprises subjecting a 1,3-diene having a polyfluoroalkyl group to an emulsion polymerization reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, to form an aqueous dispersion having a polymer (a) having the repeating unit (A) of claim 1 dispersed.
11. The method for producing an aqueous dispersion according to claim 10, wherein the surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant.
12. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the surfactant (B) is from 1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (a).
13. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) further has a polymerized unit derived from a monomer (b) having no fluorine atom.
14. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (b) in the polymer (a) is represented by a mass ratio of monomers such that the compound having repeating unit (A)the monomer (b)=1090 to 955.
15. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein monomer (b) is a (meth)acrylate containing a saturated hydrocarbon group having at least 14 carbon atoms.
16. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (b) in the polymer (a) is represented by a mass ratio of monomers such that the compound having repeating unit (A)the monomer (b)=1585 to 8515.
17. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) further has a polymerized unit derived from a monomer (d) of the following formula 3:
(Z-Y)n-G\u2003\u2003Formula 3
wherein n is 1 or 2, Z is a polyfluoroalkyl group, Y is a bivalent connecting group, and G is a monovalent or bivalent polymerizable group.
18. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (d) in the polymer (a) is at most 40 mass %.
19. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein Y is an alkylene group, a polyoxyalkylene group, an imino group, a group having an ester bond, an amide bond, an urethane bond or an ether linkage or a group represented by \u2014RM-Q-RN\u2014, wherein each of RM and RN, which are independent of each other, is a single bond, or a saturated or unsaturated C1-22 hydrocarbon group which may contain at least one hydrogen atom, and Q is a single bond, \u2014OCONH\u2014, \u2014CONH\u2014, \u2014SO2NH\u2014 or \u2014NHCONH\u2014.
20. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein G is a residual group of a (meth)acrylate, a residual group of a maleic acid ester or a fumaric acid ester.
21. A method for producing an aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer (a) having a repeating unit (A) which comprises four carbon atoms connected in a linear chain and which has one double bond at the second position and a polyfluoroalkyl group bonded to an arbitrary carbon atom, which comprises subjecting a 1,3-diene having a polyfluoroalkyl group to an emulsion polymerization reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, to form an aqueous dispersion.
22. The method for producing an aqueous dispersion according to claim 21, wherein the surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of determining an analyte concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least three test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least three test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least three test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including a plurality of side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the analyte concentration using electrical signals from the side-mounted meter contacts.
2. The method of claim 1 further including a spacer such that at least a portion of the spacer is located between the lid and the base, the lid, the base and the spacer assisting in forming the fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the length of the base is at least 4 times greater than the width of the base.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally polygonal shape.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrochemical test sensor further includes at least four test-sensor contacts, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid sample is blood.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyte is glucose.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts is perpendicular to the direction of the electrochemical test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing of the test sensor into the test-sensor opening is performed by front-loading.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally non-polygonal shape.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the base further includes an underfill electrode.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein each and every one of the at least three test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least three test-sensor contacts is staggered along the width of the base with each other.
15. A method of determining a glucose concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the glucose concentration in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least four test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least four test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including a plurality of side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the glucose concentration using electrical signals from the side-mounted meter contacts.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the length of the base is at least 4 times greater than the width of the base.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the fluid sample is blood.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is staggered along the width of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other.
21. A method of determining a glucose concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the glucose concentration in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least four test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least four test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including at least three side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the at least three side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the at least three side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the glucose concentration using electrical signals from the at least three side-mounted meter contacts.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts extend from exactly one side.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least three side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein the meter includes at least four side-mounted meter contacts.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is staggered both along the width and the length of the base with each other.