  Dark count rate and correlated noise rate are among the main parameters that
characterize silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). Typically, these parameters are
evaluated by applying approximate formulas, or by fitting specific models, to
the measured SiPM noise spectra. Here a novel approach is presented, where
exact formulas are derived from a statistical model of dark counts and
correlated noise generation. The method allows one to measure the true value of
such parameters from the areas of just the first peaks in the dark spectrum. A
numerical analysis shows the accuracy of the method.
