US 7,679,740 B2 · Method and apparatus for multimodal detection

Abstract

Methods for detecting and classifying an unknown substance in a sample include the steps of (a) providing a spectrum for each of a predetermined number of reference substances; (b) detecting an area of interest that contains the unknown substance; (c) targeting the area of interest; (d) determining a spectrum of the unknown substance from the area of interest; (e) comparing the determined spectrum of the unknown substance with the spectrum of one or more of the reference substances; and (f) classifying the unknown substance based on the comparison of spectra. Systems for performing these methods include means for providing a spectrum for a predetermined number of reference substances, means for detecting an area of interest on a sample that contains an unknown substance to be classified, means for targeting this area of interest, means for determining a spectrum of the unknown substance in the area of interest, means for comparing this spectrum with the spectrum of one or more of the reference substances, and means for classifying the unknown substance based on the comparison of spectra.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of assessing the occurrence of an unknown substance in a sample comprising multiple entities, the method comprising:

providing a reference library comprising a plurality of reference data sets representative of at least one known substance;
assessing a first feature of the entities wherein the first feature is characteristic of the unknown substance;
selecting a region of interest of the sample wherein said region of interest comprises at least one entity exhibiting said first feature;
obtaining a Raman test spectrum from said region of interest;
performing a first comparison of said Raman test spectrum with said reference data sets using Euclidian distance;
if said first comparison, results in a match to one of said reference data sets representative of a known substance, identifying said unknown substance as the known substance;
if said comparing does not result in a match to one of said reference data sets, perform a second comparison of said Raman test spectrum with said reference data sets using Mahalanobis distance;
and
if said second comparison results in a match to one of said reference data sets representative of a known substance, identifying said unknown substance as the known substance.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for multimodal detection

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for multimodal detection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28