Abstract: A hardness tester includes an indenter, an arm and a driver which loads a test force onto the indenter and press the indenter against a sample, a spring displacement amount sensor detecting a value for the test force loaded onto the indenter, and a controller. In a state where a predetermined test force (total test force) is loaded onto the indenter by the driver, when the value of the test force detected by the spring displacement amount sensor exceeds a predefined allowable margin relative to the predetermined test force, the controller executes predetermined processes, including an interrupt process interrupting the test currently being executed and a notification process notifying a user that the value of the test force exceeded the allowable margin during execution of the test.

Abstract: A hardness tester includes an indenter, an arm and a driver which loads a test force onto the indenter and press the indenter against a sample, a spring displacement amount sensor detecting a value for the test force loaded onto the indenter, and a controller. In a state where a predetermined test force (total test force) is loaded onto the indenter by the driver, when the value of the test force detected by the spring displacement amount sensor exceeds a predefined allowable margin relative to the predetermined test force, the controller executes predetermined processes, including an interrupt process interrupting the test currently being executed and a notification process notifying a user that the value of the test force exceeded the allowable margin during execution of the test.

Abstract: Provided is a hardness tester and method including an indentation former creating an indentation in a sample surface with an indenter; a first area calculator calculating an area of the indentation during application of pressure, the indentation being formed in the sample surface while the indenter is pressed against the sample; an image capture controller controlling a CCD camera to obtain image data of the sample surface; a second area calculator calculating the area of the indentation remaining in the sample surface based on the obtained image data; an elasticity index calculator calculating an elasticity index of the sample based on the area of the indentation during application of pressure and the area of the indentation calculated by the second area calculator; and a hardness value calculator calculating a hardness value of the sample based on the indentation remaining in the sample surface.

Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus configured to execute at least one function, including: a storage configured to store a first code; an authentication unit configured to obtain a second code from an external storage medium, and to verify the second code against the first code to thereby authenticate the second code; an execution allowing unit configured, when the authentication unit succeeds in authentication, to allow execution of a predetermined function out of the at least one function; and an update unit configured, when the authentication unit succeeds in authentication, to update the first code stored in the storage with another first code, and to update the second code stored in the external storage medium with another second code such that the authentication unit will succeed in authentication based on the updated first code.

Abstract: A hardness tester includes: a tester main body, an inputter receiving an operation input from a user, a controller controlling an entirety of the hardness tester including the inputter, and a display which displays a predetermined image by being controlled by the controller. The controller includes a measurement procedure suggester and a suggestion switcher. The measurement procedure suggester suggests a procedure for measuring an indentation dimension value to the user. When receiving an operation input for proceeding to a subsequent procedure via the inputter, the suggestion switcher switches suggestions from the measurement procedure suggester and suggests the subsequent procedure to the user.

Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus configured to execute at least one function, including: a storage configured to store a first code; an authentication unit configured to obtain a second code from an external storage medium, and to verify the second code against the first code to thereby authenticate the second code; an execution allowing unit configured, when the authentication unit succeeds in authentication, to allow execution of a predetermined function out of the at least one function; and an update unit configured, when the authentication unit succeeds in authentication, to update the first code stored in the storage with another first code, and to update the second code stored in the external storage medium with another second code such that the authentication unit will succeed in authentication based on the updated first code.

Abstract: Provided is a hardness tester and method including an indentation former creating an indentation in a sample surface with an indenter; a first area calculator calculating an area of the indentation during application of pressure, the indentation being formed in the sample surface while the indenter is pressed against the sample; an image capture controller controlling a CCD camera to obtain image data of the sample surface; a second area calculator calculating the area of the indentation remaining in the sample surface based on the obtained image data; an elasticity index calculator calculating an elasticity index of the sample based on the area of the indentation during application of pressure and the area of the indentation calculated by the second area calculator; and a hardness value calculator calculating a hardness value of the sample based on the indentation remaining in the sample surface.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus includes a light transmission unit, a light reception unit, a measurement value calculation unit, and a correction unit. The light transmission unit forms a beam of light that focuses in a measurement area where a measurement target object is placed and scans the measurement area with the beam of light. The light reception unit receives the beam of light that has passed through the measurement area and outputs a received-light signal on the basis of the received beam of light. The measurement value calculation unit calculates a measurement value that represents the dimension of the measurement target object on the basis of the received-light signal. The correction unit corrects the measurement value on the basis of the amount of change in the strength of the received-light signal per unit of time of scanning the beam of light.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus includes a light transmission unit, a light reception unit, a measurement value calculation unit, and a correction unit. The light transmission unit forms a beam of light that focuses in a measurement area where a measurement target object is placed and scans the measurement area with the beam of light. The light reception unit receives the beam of light that has passed through the measurement area and outputs a received-light signal on the basis of the received beam of light. The measurement value calculation unit calculates a measurement value that represents the dimension of the measurement target object on the basis of the received-light signal. The correction unit corrects the measurement value on the basis of the amount of change in the strength of the received-light signal per unit of time of scanning the beam of light.

Abstract: A focal detecting means (35) of a controller (25) controls an actuator driver (38) to actuate an actuator (12) to vibrate an objective lens (3) in a direction along an optical axis. An output of a focus error signal from a signal generator (27) is checked by a signal detecting means (46) and presence of a workpiece is determined when the signal is detected. When the presence of the workpiece is detected, the focal detecting means (35) moves the objective lens (3) along the optical axis by the actuator (12) and a focus position is recognized with reference to a position signal from a position detecting means (49) together with the focus error signal, where the objective lens (3) is moved to the focus position for focusing.

Abstract: A focal detecting means (35) of a controller (25) controls an actuator driver (38) to actuate an actuator (12) to vibrate an objective lens (3) in a direction along an optical axis. An output of a focus error signal from a signal generator (27) is checked by a signal detecting means (46) and presence of a workpiece is determined when the signal is detected. When the presence of the workpiece is detected, the focal detecting means (35) moves the objective lens (3) along the optical axis by the actuator (12) and a focus position is recognized with reference to a position signal from a position detecting means (49) together with the focus error signal, where the objective lens (3) is moved to the focus position for focusing.

Abstract: A surface texture measuring apparatus that ensures detection of surface texture of a workpiece even when the surface has a steep unevenness. A detecting device having a stylus is moved in the X axis direction along the surface of the workpiece, and displacement in the Z axis direction is converted into electric signals to detect unevenness of the surface of the workpiece. When the surface has a steep unevenness and the amount of displacement in the Z axis direction reaches or exceeds a threshold, a Z axis detected value and an X axis detected value obtained at that moment are output. The moving speed of the detecting device is decreased when the surface has a steep unevenness, while the moving speed is increased when the surface does not have a steep unevenness, making it possible to improve following characteristics and to reduce measurement time.

Abstract: There are provided a pickup for scanning a surface of an object to be measured and for outputting an electric signal corresponding an unfiltered profile curve; and a low-pass filter for extracting low-frequency components corresponding to a waviness profile curve from the electric signal output from the pickup. The low-pass filter comprises two cascade-connected filters expressed by transfer function G(s) having adjusting coefficient .zeta. which ranges from 0.7134 to 1.1083:G(s)=1/{(.alpha.s/.omega.c).sup.2 +2.zeta.(.alpha.s/.omega.c)+1}where s=j.omega., .omega.c is a cutoff frequency, and .alpha. is a constant.