Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for enhanced intergration of signals

A method for filtering an input signal having a background level, comprising the method steps of:

• acquiring the input signal;
• smoothing the input signal to form an approximate baseline;
• subtracting the approximate baseline from the input signal to form a baseline-adjusted signal having baseline-adjusted noise;
• calculating first and second threshold values surrounding the range of the baseline-adjusted noise and defining a noise band between the first and second threshold values;
• and
• substituting the input signal for the approximate baseline wherever the baseline-adjusted signal falls within the noise band to form a composite baseline.

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer for improving the accuracy of an approximate baseline for an input signal, the approximate baseline having a first error component, and the input signal having a background level, the program storage medium comprising:

• a first segment of the instructions configured to subtract the approximate baseline from the input signal to form a baseline-adjusted signal having baseline-adjusted noise;
• a second segment of the instructions configured to calculate first and second threshold values surrounding the range of the baseline-adjusted noise and define a noise band between the first and second threshold values;
• a third segment of the instructions configured to substitute the input signal for the approximate baseline wherever the baseline-adjusted signal falls within the noise band to form a composite baseline;
• and
• a fourth segment of the instructions configured to smooth the composite baseline to form an improved baseline having a second error component smaller than the first error component.

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer for filtering an input signal having a background level, the program storage medium comprising:

• a first segment of the instructions configured to smooth the input signal to form an approximate baseline;
• a second segment of the instructions configured to subtract the approximate baseline from the input signal to form a baseline-adjusted signal having baseline-adjusted noise;
• a third segment of the instructions configured to calculate first and second threshold values surrounding the range of the baseline-adjusted noise and define a noise band between the first and second threshold values;
• and
• a fourth segment of the instructions configured to substitute the input signal for the approximate baseline wherever the baseline-adjusted signal falls within the noise band to form a composite baseline.

A data analysis system, comprising:

• an input for receiving an input signal having at least one peak and further having a background level including background noise;
• and
• a processor in communication with the input which
• subtracts an approximate baseline from the input signal to form a baseline-adjusted signal having baseline-adjusted noise,
• calculates first and second threshold values surrounding the range of the baseline-adjusted noise thus defining a noise band between the first and second threshold values, and
• substitutes the input signal for the approximate baseline wherever the baseline-adjusted signal falls within the noise band to form a composite baseline.