Patent ID: 7047138

Claim:
A system configured to collect data with substantially zero dead time, comprising: a flow analyzer configured to collect data for events in successive sampling periods with substantially zero dead time between the successive sampling periods; at least one buffer having a plurality of data storage areas, wherein the at least one buffer is adapted to receive the data from said flow analyzer and to store the data for each of the successive sampling periods in different data storage areas with substantially zero dead time between storage of the data in the different data storage areas, and wherein said at least one buffer comprises an addressable range of the plurality of data storage areas to go sufficiently backward in the successive sampling periods; and at least one processor connected to said at least one buffer, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to receive and process the data from the plurality of data storage areas of said at least one buffer, and wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to process the data from the plurality of data storage areas at a rate that is determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio or value of the data from the plurality of data storage areas.