Ion Mobility Fingerprinting Across Cycled Activation Levels

The patent applies periodic action by repeatedly cycling the collision energy through multiple discrete levels (e.g., 5-20 different energies) over time. Each cycle subjects ions to a specific collision energy, and by repeating this process many times, the system accumulates statistical data for each energy level. This periodic cycling transforms a single low-resolution measurement into a series of measurements that collectively provide high-resolution differentiation through the energy-dependent mobility pattern.

The patent changes the collision energy parameter across multiple discrete levels to differentiate ions with similar structures. By measuring ion mobility at several different collision energies rather than a single energy, the system captures how each ion's mobility responds to energy changes. This parameter variation creates a unique mobility-collision energy fingerprint for each ion type, enabling discrimination even when mobilities are similar at any single energy level.

The system resolves the statistical precision problem by periodically repeating measurements at each collision energy level. Instead of using each energy level only once, the collision energy cycles through the same set of levels multiple times (e.g., 10-100 cycles). This repetition accumulates numerous measurements for each energy level, restoring statistical precision while maintaining the structural differentiation benefits of multiple energy levels.

The patent maintains continuous useful action by ensuring that ion mobility measurements are continuously accumulated across all collision energy levels throughout the cycling process. Rather than interrupting measurements between energy levels, the system continuously cycles through the energy sequence, constantly gathering data that contributes to both structural differentiation and statistical precision.