Patent US6149955A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5771096A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of obtaining information
Assignee: N Foss Electric AS
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Filing: 1995-12-07
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Granted: 1998-06-23
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Expires: 2015-12-07
Abstract
Abstract A method is suggested for obtaining information on the electromagnetic spectrum of a sample, the method comprising (a) generating a plurality of substantially identical signals, (b) determining the shape of a first number of the signals by performing a first number of scans of a first range of signal width, (c) determining the shape of a second number of the signals by performing a second number of scans of a second range of signal width, the second range being comprised by the first range and comprising a portion of the first range in which the signals have maximum absolute amplitude, (d) combining data from the first number of scans and the second number of scans so as to obtain data corresponding to the shape of the signals, and (e) performing a mathematical transformation of the combined data so as to obtain the information on the electromagnetic spectrum of the sample. According to this method, the electromagnetic spectrum--and especially an absorption spectrum for use in quantitative analysis of the sample--may be obtained faster than is possible using prior art methods.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans Villemoes Andersen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/28; G01J3/45; G01J3/453; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for obtaining information on the electromagnetic spectrum of a sample, the method comprising generating a plurality of substantially identical interference signals, determining the shape of a first number of the signals by performing a first number of scans of a first range of signal width, determining the shape of a second number of the signals by performing a second number of scans of a second range of signal width, the second range being inside the first range and comprising a portion of the first range in which the signals have maximum absolute amplitude, combining data from the first number of scans and the second number of scans so as to obtain data corresponding to the shape of the signals, and performing a mathematical transformation of the combined data so as to obtain the information on the electromagnetic spectrum of the sample.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for obtaining information on the electromagnetic spectrum of a sample, the method comprising generating a plurality of substantially identical interference signals, determining the shape of a first number of the signals by performing a first number of scans of a first range of signal width, determining the shape of a second number of the signals by performing a second number of scans of a second range of signal width, the second range being inside the first range and comprising a portion of the first range in which the signals have maximum absolute amplitude, combining data from the first number of scans and the second number of scans so as to obtain data corresponding to the shape of the signals, and performing a mathematical transformation of the combined data so as to obtain the information on the electromagnetic spectrum of the sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second number of scans of the signals are performed by determining the amplitude of the signals at a multitude of positions along the shape of the signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the second range comprises substantially all parts of the signals of the second number of the signals wherein the absolute amplitude of the signals is at least 1%, of the maximum absolute amplitude of the signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the signals are oscillating signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the oscillating signals are generated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic spectrum is chosen from the group consisting of absorption spectrum, reflection spectrum and transmission spectrum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of substantially identical signals are interference signals generated by an interferometer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the interferometer comprises two light paths having optical lengths, where the optical length of one light path may be varied.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the interferometer is the interferometer of a Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) instrument.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the number of scans in the first number of scans is less than 100.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the number of scans in the second number of scans is larger than 1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the determinations performed in the first and second number of scans are performed equidistantly as a function of the optical path length variation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the number of determinations of each of the first number of scans is larger than 100.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the mathematical transformation of the combined data is chosen from the group consisting of Fourier transformation, cosine transformation, sine transformation, Hadamar transformation, Hilbert transformation, Hartley transformation and Wavelet transformation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the information on the electromagnetic spectrum of the sample is the absorption spectrum of the sample.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the resolution on the absorption axis of the absorption spectrum of the sample is better than 0.1 absorbance units, such as better than 0.08 absorbance units, preferably better than 0.05 absorbance units.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the resolution on the frequency axis of the absorption spectrum of the sample is better than 200 cm -1 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
91 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the shape of a third number of the signals is determined by performing a third number of scans of a third range of signal width, the third range being comprised by the first range and comprising a portion of the first range in which the signals have maximum absolute amplitude, the data from the third number of scans being combined with the data from the first and second numbers of scans so as to obtain the data corresponding to the shape of the signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the determinations performed in the first and second number of scans are performed equidistantly as a function of the optical path length variation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-22 | 2001-12-22 | 2002-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-22 | 2005-12-22 | 2006-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-22 | 2009-12-22 | 2010-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |