Electrophoretic Peak Analysis for Fast Abundance Ratio Calculation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for determining the abundance ratio of a molecule of interest in electrophoretic separation require manual calculation, making it difficult to obtain the ratio easily and quickly.

Innovation Solution

An electrophoretic separation data analyzing apparatus and method that allows users to input analysis target peak and peak-of-interest information, automatically calculating and displaying the abundance ratio of the peak of interest.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual calculation or calculation tool is used to determine the abundance ratio of the fraction of interest, then the calculation can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and difficult to obtain the ratio easily and quickly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of obtaining abundance ratioVSAvoidease of obtaining abundance ratio

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic calculation of abundance ratios without requiring manual intervention. The calculating unit automatically processes peak area data from the electropherogram to compute abundance ratios, eliminating the need for users to manually calculate or use external calculation tools, thus significantly improving both speed and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual calculation operations with an automated computer-based calculation system. The calculating unit uses software algorithms to automatically compute abundance ratios from electrophoretic data, substituting the mechanical/manual process with an automated digital system that delivers results instantly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automatic calculation is implemented, then the speed of obtaining abundance ratio is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of obtaining abundance ratioVSAvoidcomplexity of analyzing apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrophoretic separation data analyzing apparatus integrates multiple functions into a single system: it performs electrophoretic separation, generates electropherograms, identifies peaks, calculates peak areas, and computes abundance ratios automatically. This multi-functional integration achieves automatic calculation without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the system performs multiple tasks through unified hardware and software components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3605076B1Electrophoretic separation data analyzing apparatus, electrophoretic separation data analyzing method, and computer program for causing a computer to execute the analyzing method

Publication Date: 2026.04.01 SHIMADZU CORP

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AI summary

An electrophoretic separation data analyzing apparatus includes an analysis target peak identifying part 12 configured to require a user to input analysis target peak information on analysis target peaks to be added to an analysis target in separation data obtained by electrophoretic separation, and to identify at least one of the analysis target peaks based on the analysis target peak information, a peak-of-interest identifying part 14 configured to require the user to input peak-of-interest information on a peak of interest among the analysis target peaks, and identify the peak of interest based on the peak-of-interest information, and an abundance ratio calculating part 16 configured to determine an abundance ratio of the peak of interest among all of the analysis target peaks based on a total value of peak areas of the analysis target peaks and a peak area value of the peak of interest.