Patent ID: 6891154

Claim:
A method for pattern matching between samples of amino acids comprising; analyzing a sample mass by ionization and mass spectrometry; merging ions from said sample mass in an inner-sample to form a first group and a control group; providing a means for matching ions of a similar pattern wherein said means for matching includes comparing samples according to molecular weight by awarding a first Score if a particular daughter ion less list of total daughter ions is ≦±0.25 Dalton, a second Score if said daughter ion less said list of total daughter ions is ≦±0.50 Dalton, a third Score if said daughter ion less said list of total daughter ions is ≦±0.75 Dalton, and a fourth Score if said daughter ion less said list of total daughter ions is ≦±1.00 Dalton wherein a pattern match candidate is located if S >t_score; Total_Target >Td and total Query>Td; and 1≦Total_Query or Total Query/Total_Target≦2; whereby the comparison has the following values: a. S: cumulative score; b. Q_ratio: matched/Total_Query ratio; c. T_ratio: matched/Total_Target ration; d. t_score =3*((Q_ratio+T_ratio)/2) * an acceptable ratio of matched over total; and creating an output data file for use in data mining.