System and method for sorting data

Abstract

A method and apparatus that enables a user to sort data from one or more sample lots, which may be obtained via a network, such as the Internet, into a composite parameter structure. The composite parameter structure is a function of one or more parameters corresponding to one or more characteristics associated with one or more sample lots. The composite parameter structure representation may be printed, stored, or transmitted to another location. A server device that is coupled and working in conjunction with a client device may implement the present invention.

1 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing one or more additional parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   generating an output representation of the one or more additional parameters; and   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the additional parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising code for generating a representation as a function of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot, the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot, and the composite parameter structure. 
     
     
         3 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising code for modifying one or more boundaries of the composite parameter structure as a function of the one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot and the second sample lot. 
     
     
         4 . The computer program product of  claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of a relative retention time. 
     
     
         5 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing one or more additional parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot; and   generating an output representation of the one or more additional parameters, wherein each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of one or more peaks.   
     
     
         6 . The computer program product of  claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more peaks is a function of a relative retention time. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing one or more additional parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot; and   generating an output representation of the one or more additional parameters, wherein each parameter has an upper boundary and a lower boundary.   
     
     
         8 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of characteristic identified in the first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   generating an output representation of the composite parameter structure; and   modifying one or more boundaries of the composite parameter structure as a function of each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot.   
     
     
         9 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of the one or more characteristics identified in the first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot; and   generating an output representation of the composite parameter structure, wherein each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of a relative retention time.   
     
     
         10 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of the one or more characteristics identified in the first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot; and   generating an output representation of the composite parameter structure, wherein each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of one or more peaks.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   identify one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of the one or more characteristics identified in the first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   determine whether the one or mare parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establish a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   generate an output representation of the composite parameter structure; and   modify one or more boundaries of the composite parameter structure as a function of each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   identify one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of the one or more characteristics identified in the first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   determine whether the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establish a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot; and   generate an output representation of the composite parameter structure, wherein each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of a relative retention time.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   identify one or more characteristics associated with a first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with a second sample lot that is a similar type of the one or more characteristics identified in the first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot;   determine whether the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   establish a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the one or more characteristics of the second sample lot; and   generate an output representation of the composite parameter structure, wherein each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot is a function of one or more peaks.   
     
     
         14 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   providing data related to a first sample lot and data related to a second sample lot to a processor;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot;   identifying parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot;   establishing one or more additional parameters corresponding to each characteristic of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot; and   providing the additional parameters to an output device, wherein when the identifying the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot identifies that more than one characteristic from the first sample lot exists in any one parameter, and the parameters are restructured such that no more than one characteristic from a sample lot corresponds to a particular parameter.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   providing data related to a first sample lot and data related to a second sample lot to a processor;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the characteristic of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot that is a similar type of characteristic identified in the first sample lot;   identifying one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot;   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot; and   providing the composite parameter structure to an output device.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   obtain data related to a first sample lot and data related to a second sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot;   identify parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot;   determine whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot;   establish one or more additional parameters corresponding to each characteristic of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot; and   provide the additional parameters to an output device, wherein when the identifying the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot identifies that more than one characteristic from the first sample lot exists in any one parameter, and the parameters are restructured such that no more than one characteristic from a sample lot corresponds to a particular parameter.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   obtain data related to a first sample lot and data related to a second sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the characteristic of the first sample lot;   identify one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot that is a similar type of characteristic identified in the first sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot;   determine whether the one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot corresponds to the one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot;   establish a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot and the parameters associated with the characteristics of the second sample lot; and   provide the composite parameter structure to an output device.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 identify one or more characteristics associated with an n th -sample lot;   identify one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the n th -sample lot; and   establish the composite parameter structure as a function of the one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the first sample lot, the one or more parameters associated with characteristics of the second sample lot, and one or more parameters associated with the characteristics of the n th -sample lot.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to modify one or more boundaries of the composite parameter structure as a function of the characteristics of the first sample lot and the second sample lot. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the first sample lot;   identifying parameters corresponding to each of the one or more characteristics of the first sample lot;   identifying one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot;   determining whether the one or more characteristics associated with the second sample lot correspond to one or more of the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot;   establishing one or more additional parameters corresponding to each characteristic of the second sample lot that does not correspond to the parameters corresponding to the characteristic of the first sample lot;   providing the additional parameters to an output device; and   establishing a composite parameter structure as a function of the parameters corresponding to characteristics of the first sample lot and only one chromatographic peak corresponding to each of the additional parameters.