Patent ID: 7130459

Claim:
A method for processing data in a database contained in a storage medium, comprising the steps of: (a) storing in the database, data that includes at least one pattern of a plurality of molecules found in a sample containing a plurality of molecules, the data based upon a statistically significant number of different samples, the data including at least one parameter, which is data output from a mass spectrometry analysis, for each of the molecules found in each sample; (b) comparing unknown data that comprises at least one parameter, which is data output from a mass spectrometry analysis, for each molecule found in a test sample with the data stored in the database; (c) recording differences and similarities between the unknown data and data stored in the database; (d) classifying a state of a sample by the steps of: 1) detecting a test pattern in the unknown data; 2) comparing the test pattern in the unknown data with the stored patterns in the database to identify differences and similarities; and 3) using the identified differences and similarities to confirm the state thereof.