Patent ID: 7533000

Claim:
A method of analysing a dataset of spectra, each spectrum comprising a count value for each of a number of parameter values within a parameter range, so as to identify any parameter values where the corresponding count values exhibit a statistically significant variation within the dataset, the method comprising: a) obtaining a dataset of spectra; b) for each of the parameter values of the said dataset, calculating the average count value and then calculating a theoretical probability distribution of count values that would occur solely due to counting statistics, wherein the said distribution has substantially the same average count value as the said calculated average count value; c) applying a statistical analysis to the count values for each of the parameter values obtained in (a) so as to identify any parameter values that exhibit a statistically significant variation in their count values than would be expected from the corresponding theoretical probability distribution calculated in (b); and d) displaying together: i) a spectrum that is representative of the dataset of spectra; and ii) the results of the statistical analysis.