Patent ID: 8570512

Claim:
A flow cytometer, comprising: a particle flow path; an illumination system configured to direct light toward multiple and distinct interrogation points of the particle flow path; a plurality of collectors respectively configured to gather light from an interrogation region comprising the interrogation point and further configured to generate signals representative of a degree of light gathered; and an examination system comprising a processor and program instructions executable by the processor for: receiving said signals; comparing received signals of at least two collectors to predetermined signal ranges associated with a specific particle set; identifying a particle of the specific particle set upon detecting signal pulses that respectively fit within the predetermined signal ranges; calculating a time-of-flight of the particle using a time difference between signal pulses received from the at least two collectors; pinpointing other signal pulses received from each of the collectors and generated at distinct points in time in accordance with the calculated time-of-flight and relative positions of respective interrogation points corresponding to the collectors; and associating the other signal pulses to a particle of a different particle set.