Patent ID: 6774995
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for the identification of unknown particles contained in a fluid comprising:a) providing a source of radiation and at least one detection means to detect said radiation located in a predetermined position relative to the radiation source, positioned to investigate a fluid b) interrogating said fluid with said source of radiation; c) measuring the radiation scattered by an unknown particle in the fluid at said at least one detection means; d) comparing the results obtained in step (c) with standard results previously obtained from a previously identified particle, wherein said standard results are obtained by i) generating a radiation scattering pattern capable of uniquely identifying said previously identified particle by subjecting measurements of the radiation scattered by said previously identified particle in a fluid to an algorithm which enhances the separation of data generated from said measurements from data generated from measurements of distinct particles, and ii) subjecting the data obtained from said algorithm to a mathematical technique that eliminates the data generated from a selected, previously identified particle unless the selected, previously identified particle is of the same type as the N particles whose generated data is most similar to the selected, previously identified particle's data, where N is a whole number greater than 0; and identifying said unknown particle based upon the comparison of step (d).