Patent ID: 8775097

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of selecting and typing a subset of available family members to a missing person for DNA profiling to identify or exclude a typed unknown biological specimen as related to a family pedigree including the missing person, the computer-implemented method for implementation on computer apparatus comprising a processor, an input device coupled to the processor, an output device coupled to the processor and a memory for storing profile data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen coupled to the processor, the computer-implemented method comprising: (a) storing relationships in said memory between said missing person and said available family members in a family pedigree via said input device; (b) pre-calculating and embedding in memory a plurality of bell-shaped frequency distributions of the likelihood ratios of at least six different family member combinations; (c) using said pre-calculated and embedded frequency distributions for different family member combinations to select a particular subset of available family members for DNA typing as the selected subset; (d) using at least one selected DNA typing technology for typing the selected subset of available family members to obtain DNA profile data and storing said DNA profile data for said selected subset in said memory; (e) using the pedigree and said stored DNA profile data of said selected subset using a modified Elston Stewart algorithm to calculate a likelihood function value between the stored profile data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen and said stored profile data for said selected subset of available family members via said processor; and (f) outputting a decision whether said typed unknown biological specimen likely originates from said missing person and said family pedigree or to exclude said typed unknown biological specimen as unrelated to said missing person and said family pedigree.