Patent ID: 7471393

Claim:
A method for improving accuracy of particle parameter distributions, the particle parameter distributions being obtained by directing light onto particles and observing light scattered from the particles so as to observe special events, the method comprising the steps of: a) selecting an integration time which is sufficiently short such that each special event creates a large characteristic change of integrated scatter signal parameters, when observed by a detector, b) deriving data sets corresponding to particles, by integrating signals obtained from a plurality of detectors, using the integration time selected in step (a), c) sorting the data sets obtained in step (b) into groups with similar characteristics, d) rejecting groups with undesirable characteristics, while accepting other groups for further analysis, e) calculating a particle parameter distribution from an average of said data sets, from each accepted group, to obtain a separate parameter distribution for each accepted group, and f) combining the individual particle parameter distributions from said groups to produce a final particle parameter distribution.