Patent ID: 6384914
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
Method for optical detection of analyte molecules in a natural biological medium, characterized in thatthe analyte molecules are marked with at least one fluorescent dye; that from an observed volume single photons are absorbed in the natural biological medium in order to carry out a time-correlated single photon count and to obtain time data for the single photons; that at least two patterns are predetermined, wherein a first pattern describes time data expected from the at least one fluorescent dye and a second pattern describes time data expected from the natural biological medium; that a comparative model is formed by a weighted addition of the patterns; that the comparative model is adapted to the obtained time data by variation of the weighting factors; that the values of the weighting factors for optimum conformity of the comparative model with the obtained time data are determined; and that the presence of at least one analyte molecule is assumed when the determined value of the weighting factor for the first pattern exceeds a predetermined threshold.