Patent ID: 7388202

Claim:
A method for estimating the concentration of an analyte in a sample from a single measurement of the sample, said method comprising: providing a sample containing an analyte; providing reference population data stored in computer memory, the reference population data derived from a source other than the source of the sample; providing a library of potential interferent data stored in computer memory; measuring a spectrum of the sample and recording the measurement in computer memory; using a computer processor to analyze the spectrum and identify in the sample, based on said measurement and said library of potential interferent data, one or more possible interferents to a measurement of the analyte; using the reference population data and the potential interferent data to calculate a calibration that is specific to the measurement and reduces error attributable to said one or more possible interferents; applying the calibration to the measurement of the sample; and estimating, based on the calibrated measurement, the analyte concentration in the sample; and recording the estimated analyte concentration in computer memory.