Systems and Methods to Process and Group Chromatographic Peaks

Abstract

A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems comprising comparing a first peak with a second peak; and determining whether the first peak and second peak should be grouped together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems comprising:
 comparing a first peak with a second peak based on one more conditions therebetween; and   classifying the first and second peaks as either unrelated or unrelated based on the one or more conditions, wherein the comparing step compares one or both of the steps of (i) comparing a variance of the first peak with the variance of the second peak; and (ii) comparing a mean retention time of the first peak with the mean retention time of the second peak.   
     
     
         2 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the comparing step compares both the variance of the first peak with the variance of the second peak and the mean retention time of the first peak with the mean retention time of the second peak. 
     
     
         3 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the step of comparing the variance of the first peak with the variance of the second peak comprises the substeps of:
 determining a F-statistic between the first peak and the second peak;   assigning a F-statistic confidence interval related to the t-statistic;   comparing the F-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined t-statistic parameter;   based on the step of comparing the F-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined F-statistic parameter, characterizing the first peak and the second peak as related or unrelated.   
     
     
         4 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the step of comparing the mean retention time of the first peak with the mean retention time of the second peak comprises the substeps of:
 determining an t-statistic between the first peak and the second peak;   assigning an t-statistic confidence interval related to the F-statistic;   comparing the t-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined F-statistic parameter;   based on the step of comparing the t-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined t-statistic parameter, characterizing the first peak and the second peak as related or unrelated.   
     
     
         5 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the step of comparing the mean retention time of the first peak with the mean retention time of the second peak comprises the substeps of:
 determining an t-statistic between the first peak and the second peak;   assigning an t-statistic confidence interval related to the F-statistic;   comparing the t-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined F-statistic parameter;   and wherein the step of comparing the variance of the first peak with the variance of the second peak comprises the substeps of:   determining a F-statistic between the first peak and the second peak;   assigning a F-statistic confidence interval related to the t-statistic;   comparing the F-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined t-statistic parameter;   based on (i) the step of comparing the t-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined t-statistic parameter and (ii) the step of comparing the F-statistic confidence interval against a pre-determined F-statistic parameter, characterizing the first peak and the second peak as related or unrelated.   
     
     
         6 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the chromatographic system includes memory having an F-statistic look-up table and wherein the step of determining an F-statistic includes the step of looking-up the F-statistic on the look-up table. 
     
     
         7 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the F-statistic look-up table includes pre-determined F-statistic values that are calculated using singular value decomposition and stored within memory of the system. 
     
     
         8 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the chromatographic system includes memory having an F-statistic look-up table and wherein the step of determining an F-statistic includes the step of looking-up the F-statistic on the look-up table. 
     
     
         9 . A method for processing chromatographic peaks in chromatographic systems as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the F-statistic look-up table includes pre-determined F-statistic values that are calculated using singular value decomposition and stored within memory of the system.