Patent ID: 7643963
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for measuring surface texture operative to cause a probe to trace a surface of a workpiece, to detect contact between a tip provided on the tip of the probe and the surface of the workpiece and measure surface texture of the workpiece, the apparatus comprising: a path division unit dividing a path along which the tip is moved into a plurality of sections between a starting point and an ending point of the path; a moving velocity calculation unit calculating a moving velocity of the tip in sequence from the starting point to the ending point for each of the plurality of sections, based on path information for each of the plurality of sections; and a stylus movement control unit moving the tip in a section for which a moving velocity has been calculated at the moving velocity calculation unit, wherein the moving velocity calculation unit determines, before the tip completes its movement in a first section of the sections where the tip is being moved, whether calculation of a moving velocity shall be finished for a second section subsequent to the first section, and wherein, when it is determined that the calculation shall be finished in time, then a moving velocity at the starting point of the second section is calculated to be equal to a moving velocity at the ending point of the first section, whereas when it is determined that the calculation shall not be finished in time, then a moving velocity at the ending point of the first section is modified to 0 and a moving velocity at the starting point of the second section is calculated as 0.