Paula L Johnson

US Patent:

62160494, Apr 10, 2001

Filed:

Nov 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/196123

Inventors:

Harry Yang - Rockville MD
Daniel L. Schwarz - Abingdon MD
Christopher M. Embres - Bel Air MD
Richard L. Moore - Catonsville MD
Perry D. Haaland - Chapel Hill NC
Paula V. Johnson - Baltimore MD

Assignee:

Becton, Dickinson and Company - Franklin Lakes NJ

International Classification:

G05B 1302
G06F10114
C12Q 170

US Classification:

700 51

Abstract:

A computerized method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing numerical data pertaining to a sample assay comprising at least one biological or chemical sample. The data include a set of data pertaining to each respective sample, with each set of data including a plurality of values each representing a condition of the sample at a given time. The method and apparatus assign a respective numerical value to each of the data values, mathematically combine the numerical values to generate a total value, compare the total value to a threshold value, and control the system to indicate whether the sample has a predetermined characteristic based on a result of the comparison. Prior to calculation of the sample value, filtering, normalizing and other correcting operations can be performed on the data to correct anomalous values in the data which could adversely affect the accuracy of the results. The method and apparatus perform the described functions by representing the data values as points on a graph having a vertical axis representing the magnitudes of the values and a horizontal axis representing a period of time during which readings of the sample were taken to obtain the data values, identifying points on the graph having an anomalous characteristic, and correcting the anomalous points to produce a corrected plot of points on the graph, with each of the points of the corrected plot representing a magnitude of a corresponding one of the values. An area value is then calculated which represents an approximate area between at least a portion of the corrected plot of points on the graph and the horizontal axis.