Interlacing Ramped Mass Spectrometer Parameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mass spectrometry, ramping a fragmentation or separation parameter often limits the number of steps that can be obtained within a desired range due to time constraints, making it difficult to acquire adequate spectral data quickly enough to fully characterize the effects of parameter changes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that interlace ramped mass spectrometer parameter values during data acquisition, allowing for multiple scans within a cycle time and dividing the desired range into interlaced groups to maintain a desired step size, enabling faster cycle times without reducing the effective step size or range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the mass spectrometer performs multiple scans with ramped parameter values within a single cycle time, then the sampling resolution of the parameter space improves, but the cycle time increases beyond acceptable limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the desired range of ramped parameter values into multiple interlaced groups, where each group contains a subset of the parameter values. Instead of acquiring all scans sequentially within one cycle time, the system performs scans for different groups in separate cycle times. This segmentation allows the system to maintain adequate sampling resolution across the full parameter range while keeping each individual cycle time within acceptable limits.
2Loss of information
If the mass spectrometer increases the number of scans to cover a desired parameter range, then the characterization of parameter effects improves, but the time required for data acquisition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by repeating the scan cycle multiple times, each cycle focusing on a different interlaced group of parameter values. The processor systematically cycles through different groups in successive cycle times, ensuring that all desired parameter values are eventually sampled. This periodic approach allows complete characterization of parameter effects to be achieved over multiple cycles rather than requiring all scans to be completed in a single extended cycle.
3Productivity
If the mass spectrometer uses a larger step size for ramped parameter values, then the cycle time decreases, but the sampling resolution of the parameter space deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an additional dimension to the data acquisition process by organizing parameter values into multiple interlaced groups that are acquired across different cycle times. Instead of trying to fit all high-resolution scans into a single cycle time (one-dimensional constraint), the system distributes scans across multiple cycles (adding the time dimension). This allows the system to use larger step sizes within each cycle (improving productivity) while still achieving fine effective sampling resolution across the full parameter range when all cycles are combined.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for interlacing ramped mass spectrometer parameter values during data acquisition. Ions from a sample are acquired within a cycle time, Ct, using a mass spectrometer. Within each Ct, two or more scans of the acquired ions are performed using two or more ramped values for a parameter of the mass spectrometer. When it is determined that scans for a desired range of ramped parameter values cannot be performed within Ct, the desired range of ramped values is divided into at least two interlaced groups of ramped values. The mass spectrometer is instructed to perform scans for each of the interlaced groups within two or more cycle times. Spectra from the scans for each of the at least two interlaced groups are combined. The ramped parameter values of the combined spectra have the desired range and the desired effective step size.