Patent ID: 6529848
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for thermal analysis comprising:heating means for heating a sample; a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of, or in the vicinity of, the sample and outputting a corresponding signal; a physical quantity sensor for detecting a changing physical quantity of the sample in accordance with changes in temperature; one or more measurement control means for controlling the heating means and transmitting signals detected by the temperature sensor and the physical quantity sensor to a system side via a transmission line; system control means connected by the transmission line to the one or more measurement control means for controlling the measurement control means, receiving signals detected by the measurement control means, and executing thermal analysis; a storage device for storing signals detected by the measurement control means and commands for processing by the system control means; an input/output unit for outputting results of thermal analysis obtained by the system control means from commands input by a user; event monitoring means operating independently of the measurement control means and the system control means for periodically monitoring events occurring at the measurement control means and the system control means; message control means for receiving a signal notifying of the occurrence of an event from the event monitoring means, assembling a message packet including a message and a destination to which the message is to be transmitted to according to the event, and executing a command to transmit the message packet; transmission information setting means for setting information relating to message transmissions utilized by the message control means; message transmission means for receiving a message packet from the message control means, and transmitting the message packet to a communication media; message receiving means for retrieving message packets flowing in the communication media; and user interface means for displaying a message included in the retrieved message packet.