US 2010/0138374 A1 · AUTOMATED DECISION SUPPORT FOR ASSOCIATING AN UNKNOWN BIOLOGICAL SPECIMEN WITH A FAMILY

Abstract

Three methods of predicting whether an unknown biological specimen of a missing person originates from a member of a particular family comprise an initial automated decision support (ADS) algorithm for determining a list of relatives of the missing person for DNA typing and which typing technologies of available technologies to use for a listed relative. The ADS algorithm may be implemented on computer apparatus including a processor and an associated memory. The ADS method comprises determining a set of relatives of available family member relatives for DNA typing via a processor from a stored list of family member relatives according to one of a rule base, a table of hierarchically stored relatives developed based on discriminatory power or by calculating the discriminatory power for available family relatives to type. The ADS method may further comprise comparing at least one set of DNA typing data for the unknown biological specimen to DNA typing data from biological specimens from the determined set of relatives; calculating by the processor a likelihood function that the person is related to the family; and outputting a decision whether or not the person is related to the family.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of selecting and typing a subset of available family members for DNA profiling to a missing person to identify or exclude a typed unknown biological specimen for implementation on computer apparatus comprising a processor, an input device coupled to the processor, an output device coupled to the processor and a memory for storing profile data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen coupled to the processor, the method comprising:

(a) storing relationships in said memory between said missing person and said available family members in a pedigree via said input device;
(b) using the relative discriminating power of the pedigree with at least two combinations of said available family members to select a combination of available family members for DNA typing;
(c) using a selected DNA typing technology for typing the selected combination of available family members to obtain DNA profile data and storing said DNA profile data for said selected combination in said memory;
(d) using the pedigree and said stored DNA profile data of said selected combination to calculate a likelihood function value between the stored profile data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen and said stored profile data for said selected combination of available family members via said processor;
and
(e) outputting a decision whether said typed unknown biological specimen originates from said missing person and said pedigree or to exclude said typed unknown biological specimen as unrelated to the pedigree.

3 more elements

A computer-implemented method of identifying an unknown biological specimen as likely related to a family comprising at least first and second available family member relatives, the method implemented on computer apparatus comprising a processor having memory, the method comprising:

(a) determining a family pedigree of available family member relatives for DNA typing;
(b) using a rule base implemented as an application running on said computer apparatus to select a subset of available family members for DNA typing according to a selected DNA typing technology for each selected available family member;
(c) storing the family pedigree of the subset of available family members in said computer memory;
(d) obtaining and storing DNA typing data of the unknown biological specimen in said computer memory;
(e) obtaining and storing DNA typing data of the selected subset of available family members in said computer memory;
(f) using the family pedigree and said stored DNA typing data of the selected subset of available family members and said DNA typing data of the unknown biological specimen to calculate a likelihood function value between the stored DNA typing data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen and said stored typing data for said selected subset of available family members via said processor;
and
(g) outputting a decision whether said typed unknown biological specimen relates to said pedigree or to exclude as unrelated to said pedigree said typed unknown biological specimen.

5 more elements

A computer-implemented method of supporting automated decision making for selecting relatives in a family related to a person for DNA typing to identify as related or exclude as unrelated a typed unknown biological specimen to the family, the method implemented on computer apparatus comprising a processor having memory, the method comprising:

storing family pedigree information for the family composed of said relatives related to said person in memory;
storing DNA typing data of said typed unknown biological specimen in said memory;
determining a degree of degradation for the unknown biological specimen, the unknown biological specimen being taken from said person;
if both parents of said person are available, then, selecting both parents for DNA typing and store DNA typing data for both parents according to a selected DNA typing technology in said memory;
when one of said parents is unavailable and a child of said person is available, then, selecting said child for DNA typing along with the spouse of said individual;
if one or both parents or a child is not available for DNA typing, selecting remaining available family relatives for typing according to a rule base;
based on said degree of degradation of said remains and the rule base, obtaining and storing DNA typing data for selected family members according to the following hierarchy listed in order of most to least contribution of information obtainable about said person if the following family member or family members are available for typing:
a spouse and two children;
child, parent and spouse;
two children;
one full sibling and one child;
one child and a spouse;
two full siblings;
one parent or one child;
and one full sibling;
storing said DNA profile data for said determined available family members in said memory;
and
using the family pedigree and said stored. DNA typing data of a selected subset of available family members and said DNA typing data of the unknown biological specimen of the missing person to calculate a likelihood function value between the stored DNA typing data obtained from said typed unknown biological specimen and said stored typing data for said selected subset of available family members via said processor;
and
outputting a decision whether said typed unknown biological specimen originates from said missing person and said pedigree or to exclude said typed unknown biological specimen as unrelated to the pedigree.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated decision support for associating an unknown biological specimen with a family

Life of this patent

Automated decision support for associating an unknown biological specimen with a family

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27