Patent ID: 8360321

Claim:
A method of deconvolving a mixed fluorescence spectral signal into its component single-color fluorescence spectra emitted by contributing fluorophore types, wherein the method comprises: a) a database providing step of providing a spectral database that contains parameter sets, one for each of the component single-color fluorescence spectra; b) a receiving step of receiving one or more encoded optical codes, each in the form of one said mixed fluorescence spectral signal emitted by a combination of the contributing fluorophore types; and c) an analysis step, of analyzing each said mixed fluorescence spectral signal, comprising: i) a peak estimation substep of using a sliding window technique, with reference to the parameter sets contained in the spectral database, to initially identify and estimate the number and location of local peak regions for each of the component single-color fluorescence spectra; ii) a constraint setup substep of assigning allowable variation ranges for each of the parameter sets corresponding to one of the local peak regions for each said component single-color fluorescence spectra; and iii) a deconvolution substep of deconvolving the mixed fluorescence spectral signal into a sum of parametric values, with reference to the parameter sets contained in the spectral database, so as to generate a list of its said component single-color fluorescence spectra; whereby each encoded and received one of said optical codes, in the form of one said mixed fluorescence spectral signal, is decoded and identified by its said component single-color fluorescence spectra corresponding to its said contributing fluorophore types.