Methods and apparatuses for correcting coincidence count inaccuracies in a coulter type of particle analyzer

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1, in which said step of establishing includes the passing of equal volumes of particle sample separately through two sensing zones the critical volumes of which having a known ratio, and arranging pulse count accumulating of the trains of pulses such that the pulse count of one train comes solely from one sensing zone and the pulse count of the other train comes at least in part from all of the train associated with the other sensing zone.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 2 in which said step of establishing includes transducing the particles by sensing zones having unequal critical volumes, and arranging both train pulse counts to be accumulated exclusively and separately from each separate sensing zone.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 2 in which said step of establishing includes transducing the particles into pulses by sensing zones having equal critical volumes, arranging said accumulating such that the arithmetic sum of pulses of both trains is accumulated along with the pulse count of one of the trains.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 2 in which said steps include mathematically employing the function ##EQU17## in which: N 0 is the corrected count, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1 in which said step of establishing includes the forming of two different dilutions of known dilution ratio of the particle sample and of the same volume, and passing such dilutions separately through a single sensing zone to separately develop the pulse trains for separate accumulating of their pulse counts.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 6 in which said steps include mathematically employing the function ##EQU18## in which: N 0 is the corrected count; N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 in which said step of establishing includes the passing of the entire particle sample through a single sensing zone for generating one of the trains of particle pulses, and artifically creating from that one train the other of the trains of pulses for their separate accumulating.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 8 in which said artifically creating is accomplished by adding the one pulse train pulses themselves, not their counts, to that same pulse train pulses themselves which have been delayed.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 9 in which said steps include mathematically employing the function ##EQU19## in which: N 0 is the correct count, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 8 which further comprises the step of mathematically employing both of the accumulated counts to solve an equation in terms of the critical volume of the sensing zone and deriving as a resultant the critical volume.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 11 in which said artificially creating is accomplished by adding the one pulse train pulses themselves, not their counts, to that same pulse train pulses themselves which have been delayed.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 11 in which said step of mathematically employing encompasses the function ##EQU20## in which: C.V. is the critical volume, S is the total volume of analyzed sample, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 14 in which said artificially creating is accomplished by adding the first pulse train pulses themselves, not their counts, to that same pulse train pulses themselves which have been delayed by virture of affixing a quantum of delay to the first pulse train.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 15 in which said steps include mathematically employing the function ##EQU21## in which: C.V. is the critical volume, S is the total volume of analyzed sample, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 19

Apparatus for use in the automatic correction of coincident particle count inaccuracies in a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, comprising: means for genrating a first and a second train of particle pulses, said generating means including at least one sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying at least one portion of a sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement for the development of pulses from each of the pulse trains; said generating means further including control means interconnecting said sensing zone arrangement and said supplying means for controlling sample passage and particle pulse generating; said supply means, sensing zone arrangement, and control means being intercoupled for establishing at least one of a ratio, other than unity, of sample dilutions, sample volumes, and sensing zone volumes such that the pulse development results in a different number of pulses in each train and the trains possess a coincidence count interrelated mathematic function relationship with respect to the number of pulses in each train pertaining to their coincidence corrected true count in terms exclusive of any other unknowns; and the number of pulses in each train along with the employed ratios provide all of the mathematic factors required in the solving of a specific coincidence correction equation for a resultant coincidence corrected particle count.

Claim 20

Apparatus for use in the automatic correction of coincident particle count inaccuracies in a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, comprising: means for genrating a first and a second train of particle pulses, said generating means including at least one sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying at least one portion of a sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement for the development of pulses from each of the pulse trains; said generating means further including control means interconnecting said sensing zone arrangement and said supplying means for controlling sample passage and particle pulse generating; said supply means, sensing zone arrangement, and control means being intercoupled for establishing at least one of a ratio, other than unity, of sample dilutions, sample volumes, and sensing zone volumes such that the pulse development results in a different number of pulses in each train and the trains possess a coincidence count interrelated mathematic function relationship with respect to the number of pulses in each train pertaining to their coincidence corrected true count in terms exclusive of any other unknowns; and the number of pulses in each train along with the employed ratios provide all of the mathematic factors required in the solving of a specific coincidence correction equation for a resultant coincidence corrected particle count.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 17 including accumulator means for pulse count accumulating separately the pulses from each of the pulse trains as two output count signals in which said generating means includes a supply of the sample wherein the improvement comprises: two sensing zones, the critical volumes of which are of a known ratio, said generating means being constructed and arranged with respect to said controlling means for the passing of equal volumes of the particle sample separately through said two sensing zones, and determining the mode of accumulating by said accumulator means, such that the pulse count of one train comes solely from one said sensing zone and the pulse count of the other train comes at least in part from all of the train associated with the other said sensing zone.

Claim 22

The apparatus according to claim 18 in which said sensing zones have unequal critical volumes, and said controlling means and said accumulator means are interconnected such that both train pulse counts from each separate zone are accumulated exclusively and separately.

Claim 23

The apparatus according to claim 18 in which said sensing zones have equal critical volumes, said controlling means and said accumulator means are interconnected such that the arithmetic sum of pulses of both trains is accumulated to define one of the two said output count signals and the pulse count of one of the trains is accumulated to define the other of said output count signals.

Claim 24

The apparatus according to claim 18 in which computation means is provided to perform the coincidence correction mathematic operation ##EQU22## in which said two output count signals are N 1 and N 2 .

Claim 25

The apparatus according to claim 17 including accumulator means for pulse count accumulating separately the pulses from each of the pulse trains as two output count signals in which said sensing zone arrangement has only a single sensing zone, wherein the improvement comprises: said supplying means includes means for the forming of two different dilutions of known dilution ratio of the particle sample and of the same volume for the passing of such dilutions separately through the single sensing zone, to separately develop the pulse trains for the separate accumulating by said accumulator means.

Claim 26

The apparatus according to claim 22 in which computation means is provided to perform the mathematic operation ##EQU23## in which: N 0 is the coincidence corrected count, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 17 including accumulator means for pulse count accumulating separately the pulses from each of the pulse trains as two output count signals in which said sensing zone arrangement and said supplying means provide for the passing of the entire particle sample through a single sensing zone for generating one of the trains of particle pulses, wherein the improvement comprises: said controlling means includes electronic structure for artificially creating from that one train the other of the trains of pulses for their separate pulse count accumulating.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 24 in which said electronic structure includes the combination of pulse delay means and pulse waveform adding means interposed between said sensing arrangement and said accumulator means and intercoupled to define one of said output signals by adding the one pulse train pulse waveforms, to the same waveforms which have been delayed.

Claim 29

The apparatus according to claim 25 in which said computation means is constructed to perform the mathematic operation ##EQU24## in which: N 0 is the corrected count, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 30

The apparatus according to claim 24 in which computation means further is provided for mathematically operating upon both of the accumulated pulse counts to solve an equation in terms of the critical volume of the sensing zone and thereby for deriving as a resultant the critical volume.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 27 in which said electronic structure includes the combination of pulse delay means and pulse waveform adding means interposed between said sensing arrangement and said accumulator means and intercoupled to define one of said output signals by adding the one pulse train pulse waveforms, not their counts, to the same waveforms which have been delayed.

Claim 32

The apparatus according to claim 27 in which said computation means is constructed to perform the mathematic operation ##EQU25## in which: C. V. is the critical volume, S is the total volume of analyzed sample, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 33

Apparatus for use in the automatic determination of the critical volume of the sensing zone in a particle analyzer with a sensing zone, comprising: means for generating a first and a second train of particle pulses, said generating means including one sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying a sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement for the development of the pulse trains; said generating means further including control means connected to said sensing zone arrangement for controlling particle pulse generating by artificially creating from said first train said second train of pulses; said supply means, sensing zone arrangement, and control means being intercoupled for generating the trains of pulses relative to each other such that the pulse development possesses an interrelated mathematic function relationship with respect to the number of pulses in each train pertaining to the critical volume of the sensing zone in terms exclusive of any other unknowns; and the number of pulses in each train along with the sample volume provide all of the mathematic factors required in the solving of a specific critical volume equation for the sensing zone critical volume.

Claim 34

Apparatus for use in the automatic determination of the critical volume of the sensing zone in a particle analyzer with a sensing zone, comprising: means for generating a first and a second train of particle pulses, said generating means including one sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying a sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement for the development of the pulse trains; said generating means further including control means connected to said sensing zone arrangement for controlling particle pulse generating by artificially creating from said first train said second train of pulses; said supply means, sensing zone arrangement, and control means being intercoupled for generating the trains of pulses relative to each other such that the pulse development possesses an interrelated mathematic function relationship with respect to the number of pulses in each train pertaining to the critical volume of the sensing zone in terms exclusive of any other unknowns; and the number of pulses in each train along with the sample volume provide all of the mathematic factors required in the solving of a specific critical volume equation for the sensing zone critical volume.

Claim 35

Apparatus according to claim 30 including accumulator means for pulse count accumulating separately the pulses from each of the pulse trains as two output count signals, wherein the improvement comprises: said control means includes the combination of pulse delay means and pulse waveform adding means interposed between said sensing zone arrangement and said accumulator means and intercoupled to define one of said output signals by adding the one pulse train pulse waveforms, not their counts, to the same waveforms which have been delayed.

Claim 36

The apparatus according to claim 31 in which computation means is provided to perform the mathematic operation ##EQU26## in which: C.v. is the critical volume, S is the total volume of analyzed sample, N 1 is the pulse count of said first train, and N 2 is the pulse count of said second train.

Claim 37

Apparatus according to claim 30 in which said sensing zone is a Coulter-type scanning aperture.

Claim 38

Apparatus according to claim 17 in which said sensing zone is a Coulter-type scanning aperture.

Claim 39

In the analysis of particles by a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, a method for simulating a particulate sample having a size distribution and concentraction related to a test sample, comprising the steps of: passing a test sample of particles through the sensing zone of an electronic particle analyzer; generating, by said passing, a first train of electrical pulses, each pulse of said first train normally representing one particle of the test sample; deriving electronically from said first train a time-delayed equivalent train of pulses; adding electronically in a pulse-by-pulse manner said first train and said equivalent train and thereby forming a second pulse train, said second pulse train being a simulated representation of a train of pulses generated from a sensing zone, through which has passed a particulate sample having twice the concentration and substantially the same size distribution as the test sample.

Claim 40

In the analysis of particles by a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, a method for simulating a particulate sample having a size distribution and concentraction related to a test sample, comprising the steps of: passing a test sample of particles through the sensing zone of an electronic particle analyzer; generating, by said passing, a first train of electrical pulses, each pulse of said first train normally representing one particle of the test sample; deriving electronically from said first train a time-delayed equivalent train of pulses; adding electronically in a pulse-by-pulse manner said first train and said equivalent train and thereby forming a second pulse train, said second pulse train being a simulated representation of a train of pulses generated from a sensing zone, through which has passed a particulate sample having twice the concentration and substantially the same size distribution as the test sample.

Claim 41

For the analysis of particles by a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, apparatus for simulating a particulate sample having a distribution and concentration related to a test sample, said apparatus comprising: a sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying at least a portion of a test sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement; means for generating, by said particle passage, a first train of electrical pulses, each pulse of said first train normally representing one of the passed particles; means for deriving electronically from said first pulse train a time-delayed equivalent train of particle pulses; pulse wave form adding means for adding electronically in a pulse-by-pulse manner said first train and said equivalent train and thereby forming a second pulse train, said second pulse train being a simulated representation of a train of pulses generated from a sensing zone, through which has passed a particulate sample having twice the concentration and substantially the same size distribution as the test sample.

Claim 42

For the analysis of particles by a particle analyzer of the sensing zone type, apparatus for simulating a particulate sample having a distribution and concentration related to a test sample, said apparatus comprising: a sensing zone arrangement and means for supplying at least a portion of a test sample of particles for passage through the sensing zone arrangement; means for generating, by said particle passage, a first train of electrical pulses, each pulse of said first train normally representing one of the passed particles; means for deriving electronically from said first pulse train a time-delayed equivalent train of particle pulses; pulse wave form adding means for adding electronically in a pulse-by-pulse manner said first train and said equivalent train and thereby forming a second pulse train, said second pulse train being a simulated representation of a train of pulses generated from a sensing zone, through which has passed a particulate sample having twice the concentration and substantially the same size distribution as the test sample.