Mass spectrometry with selective ion filtration by digital thresholding
First Claim
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1. A method of identifying a multiply-charged ion comprising:
- a) specifying a digital signal threshold on a ion identification apparatus, wherein the ion identification apparatus comprises;
i) an ion detector;
ii) a digitizer for converting an analog signal to a digital signal;
iii) an analog signal transfer means for transferring an analog signal from the detector to the digitizer; and
iv) a digital threshold filter, for setting a digital signal threshold, in digital data communication with the digitizer, in response to a digital signal input from the digitizer, independently outputting a digital signal to a data file only if the digital signal input is greater than the specified digital signal threshold;
wherein upon a ion identification apparatus measurement of the multiply-charged ion, the filtered digital signal output to the data file originates from the detection of the multiply-charged ion and excludes digital signal output from analog signals arising from singly-charged ions.
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Abstract
The methods described herein generally relate to characterization of large analytes, such as biomolecules, by molecular mass analysis. Specifically, the methods are directed to molecular mass analysis of singly- or multiply-charged ions by selective ion filtering carried out by a digital thresholding process.
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10 Claims
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1. A method of identifying a multiply-charged ion comprising:
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a) specifying a digital signal threshold on a ion identification apparatus, wherein the ion identification apparatus comprises; i) an ion detector; ii) a digitizer for converting an analog signal to a digital signal; iii) an analog signal transfer means for transferring an analog signal from the detector to the digitizer; and iv) a digital threshold filter, for setting a digital signal threshold, in digital data communication with the digitizer, in response to a digital signal input from the digitizer, independently outputting a digital signal to a data file only if the digital signal input is greater than the specified digital signal threshold; wherein upon a ion identification apparatus measurement of the multiply-charged ion, the filtered digital signal output to the data file originates from the detection of the multiply-charged ion and excludes digital signal output from analog signals arising from singly-charged ions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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