Patent Document ID: 7483812
Application ID: 11182723
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for determining a linear relationship in a set of measured data that can be stored electronically, the set of measured data comprising a plurality of measured values assigned to a plurality of measured variables, and it being possible for the linear relationship to be represented graphically by means of a straight line, the method comprising: selecting a set of measured values for at least two measured variables from the set of measured data that can be stored electronically; assigning a respective measurement uncertainty interval to each of the selected set of measured values; forming a set of hypothetical linear relationships based at least in part on the selected set of measured values; determining partial probabilities for the set of hypothetical linear relationships and assigning the determined partial probabilities to the set of hypothetical linear relationships, a partial probability being determined and assigned for one of the set of measured values for one of the set of hypothetical linear relationships if the measurement uncertainty interval of the one of the set of measured values is intersected by the one of the set of hypothetical linear relationships; determining a total probability for at least a portion of the set of hypothetical linear relationships by summing the partial probabilities associated with the portion of the set of hypothetical linear relationships; and determining a rank of the set of hypothetical linear relationships as a function of the total probabilities determined for the portion of the hypothetical linear relationships.