Iterative Spectral Correction for Substance Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current spectrographic analysis methods face challenges in accurately identifying substances due to similarities between reference spectra, shifts in baselines, and differences in experimental conditions, leading to insufficient corrections that fail to identify the correct substance.

Innovation Solution

An iterative process is employed to optimize correction parameters for sample and reference spectra, allowing for dynamic adjustment of clipping, horizontal shift, ATR-IR, vertical offset, and baseline corrections to achieve an optimal similarity score, enabling more accurate identification of matching substances by iteratively improving the similarity score until convergence criteria are met.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If standard spectral comparison methods are used, then the process is simple and fast, but the accuracy of substance identification is insufficient due to baseline shifts and experimental condition differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of substance identificationVSAvoidcomplexity of correction process
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary correction actions to spectra before comparison by detecting peak positions and intensities, then applying corrections for baseline shifts, horizontal shifts, and vertical scaling based on reference peak characteristics. This preliminary processing prepares the spectra for accurate comparison while maintaining a structured approach to complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes multiple spectral parameters simultaneously including baseline offset, horizontal shift amount, and vertical scaling factor. By optimizing these parameters based on peak position and intensity matching, the system achieves accurate substance identification despite initial spectral differences caused by experimental conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If multiple correction parameters are applied to spectra, then the accuracy of matching improves, but the computational complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimilarity score accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time for spectral analysis
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of corresponding peaks between sample and reference spectra before applying corrections. By pre-selecting peak pairs and determining their relationships, the system establishes a framework that guides subsequent correction parameter optimization, reducing unnecessary computational iterations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes correction parameters (baseline shift, horizontal shift, vertical scaling) by comparing peak positions and intensities. This parameter optimization approach focuses computational effort on the most critical transformations needed to achieve accurate matching, rather than exhaustive searching of all possible corrections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If iterative optimization of correction parameters is performed, then the similarity score reaches optimal levels, but the computational resources and processing steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptimality of similarity scoreVSAvoidnumber of processing steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of peak positions and intensities in both sample and reference spectra before entering iterative optimization. This preliminary analysis provides initial estimates for correction parameters and establishes correspondence relationships that guide the iterative process, reducing the search space and computational burden.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent iteratively optimizes correction parameters by comparing peak positions and intensities, adjusting baseline shifts, horizontal shifts, and vertical scaling factors. The iteration continues until convergence criteria are met, ensuring optimal similarity scores while systematically reducing the number of processing steps through targeted parameter adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3265780B1Optimized spectral matching and display
Publication Date: 2019.11.06 BIO RAD LABORATORIES INC
  • EP3265780B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3265780B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3265780B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for identifying an optimal spectral match and potentially display the compared spectra. A sample spectrum of a sample substance can be compared to reference spectra to identify matches, thereby determining possibilities for what the sample substance is. Correction parameter(s) may be used for the sample spectrum and/or the reference spectrum. Initial value(s) for the correction parameter(s) can be applied to the sample spectrum and/or a reference spectrum, and a similarity score can be determined. Value(s) for the correction parameter(s) can be updated and iteratively improved to provide an optimal similarity score that satisfies a convergence criterion. Data about the reference substances having optimal similarity scores that are above a threshold can be output to a user, e.g., the reference spectra can overlay the sample spectrum. A user can then make a final determination of which reference substance corresponds to the sample substance.