请教according to a variant如何翻译好？

如题
原文是：
The invention proposes a method for separating a mixture in a device having ..., the method comprisiing the stages of :-discontinuous injection of the mixture to be separated into the open separation loop,-collection of at leasr two fractions,-shifting the points for injecting the eluent and for drawing off the fraction from the separation loop.

According to a variant, the mixture-injection stage is carried out independently of the collection and shifting stages.

According to a variant,....

这篇专利讲的是一种分离混合物的方法。

翻译成“按照变体”还是“更优的”？

没有上下文？
可能是“根据其中一个变量”

询问翻译问题，最好能够提供包含问题点的上下文，否则，旁人也不清楚如何表述最合适。

原文是：
The invention proposes a method for separating a  mixture  in a device having ..., the method comprisiing the stages of :-discontinuous  injection of the mixture to be separated into the open separation loop,-collection of at leasr two fractions,-shifting the points for injecting the eluent and for drawing off the fraction from the separation loop.

According to a variant, the mixture-injection stage is carried out independently of the collection and shifting stages.

According to a variant,....

这篇专利讲的是一种分离混合物的方法。

我遇见过类似的情况，variant可能表示的是一种实施方式。
我的方法是翻译成“一种变形”。

dormancy wrote:
我遇见过类似的情况，variant可能表示的是一种实施方式。
我的方法是翻译成“一种变形”。

我习惯译成“一种变型”

这个是不是就我们说的从属权利要求，如果是的话不如按我们的习惯说法。