Patent Document ID: 20060080040
Application ID: 11112919
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for analyzing a sample to provide characterization data with respect to at least one constituent of a sample, the method comprising: (a) effecting at least one first analytical technique selected from the group of separation techniques including (i) separation of constituents of the sample, (ii) separation of products resulting from a first analytical technique, and (iii) separation of constituents of the sample and products resulting from a first analytical technique, wherein the constituents include any combination selected from the group including (i) chemical constituents, (ii) biological constituents, and (iii) biochemical constituents, and wherein the separation techniques are effected with respect to at least one first differentiating characteristic of constituents or products; (b) effecting a further analytical technique with respect to constituents or products already separated or in the process of being separated, wherein the further analytical technique is an analytical and detection technique for characterizing separated constituents or products using at least one basis selected from the group including a product resulting from a first analytical technique and a further differentiating characteristic, wherein detection hardware provides measurement data in terms of at least two characterizing measurement quantities, a first quantity of the characterizing measurement quantities reflecting a product obtained from effecting step (a) at least once and a second quantity of the characterizing measurement quantities reflecting at least one of the group including a product obtained from effecting step (a) at least once and the further differentiating characteristic; (c) providing a plurality data tuples for associating a first value associated with the first quantity of the characterizing measurement quantities with a second value associated with the second quantity of the characterizing measurement quantities; (d) grouping the data tuples into intervals according to at least one of the characterization measurement value, wherein the intervals are each associated with a particular one of the constituents or products, wherein grouping is based on a statistical distribution of deviations from a characteristic value associated with the constituents or products; (e) providing an output of data reflecting a data set indicative of the data tuples, wherein the output of data comprises a step selected from the group including storing data in a data storage, displaying data on a display screen, and printing data; (f) further analyzing the sample, constituents or products based on the data set indicative of the data tuples.