The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 2007
Filed:
May. 24, 2002
Craig M. Whitehouse, Branford, CT (US);
David G. Welkie, Branford, CT (US);
Craig M. Whitehouse, Branford, CT (US);
David G. Welkie, Branford, CT (US);
Analytica of Brandford, Inc., Branford, CT (US);
Abstract
A particle detection system is configured and operated as two or more separate and completely independent detection systems. The detection systems may be of the same or different design, may be operated in the same or different modes, and may be operated with the same or different operating parameters. Each detection system may record signals simultaneously, or alternately; the measurements obtained from each of the detection systems may either be combined into a single unified data set, or recorded separately. Means are provided to direct particles to impinge on one of the detectors or any of the other detectors. Alternatively, a population of particles can be dispersed in a manner that allows a population of particles to be distributed among two or more detectors simultaneously. The implementation of completely independent detection systems, for example, in a Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer, allows the design and operation of each detection system to be optimized independently, while being employed simultaneously. The flexibility afforded by the apparatus and methods in the invention allows signals to be recorded with enhanced signal dynamic range, signal-to-noise, and/or temporal resolution, relative to other presently available detection systems.