On-site analysis system with central processor and method of analyzing

Abstract

The invention relates to providing analysis services to a plurality of customers using a plurality of data acquisition devices connected to a central processor, by way of a communication link, which is loaded with at least one calibration model configured to generate a predicted value of property of interest from data acquired from a pluraity of samples using the data acquisition devices wherein the analysis services include transmitting the predicted value of a property of interest to a customer from which analysis services is requested.

1 - 135 . (canceled)  
   
   
       136 . A method of providing analysis services, comprising: 
 providing analysis services on behalf of a plurality of customers using a plurality of data acquisition devices connected to a central processor into which is loaded at least one calibration model configured to generate a predicted value of a property of interest from data acquired from a plurality of samples using the data acquisition devices, wherein providing analysis services includes transmitting the predicted value of the property of interest to a customer for which analysis services is required for a particular sample of a material.    
   
   
       137 . The method of  136  further comprising updating one or more calibration models for all of the data acquisition devices from time to time in response to detecting good outliers when processing data acquired on a plurality of samples by at least one data acquisition device.  
   
   
       138 . The method of  claim 136 , further comprising receiving a fee from a customer in response to providing analysis services on behalf thereof.  
   
   
       139 - 179 . (canceled)  
   
   
       180 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the calibration model is configured to compensate for at least one variance selected from the group consisting of sample variance, environmental variance, sample presentation variance, variance in orientation of an excitation source relative to the sample, variance in age of an excitation source, variance in mechanical alignment of optical components in a data acquisition device, variance in the output of a detector, variance in the output of an excitation source and variance in transmission of a data acquisition probe.  
   
   
       181 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the calibration model is configured to compensate for data acquisition device variance in predicting the value of the property of interest, without depending on knowledge of a particular data acquisition device.  
   
   
       182 . The method of  claim 181  wherein the calibration model is configured to compensate for at least one variance selected from the group consisting of sample variance, environmental variance, sample presentation variance, variance in orientation of an excitation source relative to the sample, variance in age of an excitation source, variance in mechanical alignment of optical components in a data acquisition device, variance in the output of a detector, variance in the output of an excitation source and variance in transmission of a data acquisition probe.  
   
   
       183 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the calibration model is configured to compensate for data acquisition device variance in predicting the value of the property of interest, without having to develop individual calibrations for each data acquisition device, use data acquisition device corrections or calibration transfer methods to provide the predicted value.  
   
   
       184 . The method of  claim 183  wherein the calibration model is configured to compensate for at least one variance selected from the group consisting of sample variance, environmental variance, sample presentation variance, variance in orientation of an excitation source relative to the sample, variance in the age of an excitation source, variance in mechanical alignment of optical components in a data acquisition device, variance in output of a detector, variance in the output of an excitation source and variance in transmission of a data acquisition probe.  
   
   
       185 . The method of  claim 136  wherein a portion of the plurality of customers are at locations remote from the central processor.  
   
   
       186 . The method of  claim 181  wherein a portion of the plurality of customers are at locations remote from the central processor.  
   
   
       187 . The method of  claim 183  wherein a portion of the plurality of customers are at locations remote from the central processor.  
   
   
       188 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the predicted value of the property of interest is transmitted to a customer output device of a user interface.