Abstract:
A multi-point measuring method includes steps of: sending controlling commands to at least two measuring tools to control the at least two measuring tools to measuring two different points of a component; receiving at least two measuring values from the at least two measuring tools; and showing the at least two measuring values on an user interface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to measuring systems and methods and, more particularly, to a multi-point measuring system and a multi-point measuring method.  
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     In order to provide acceptable products to consumers, some tests should be done before the products being put to market. Various measuring tools are employed for the tests, including rulers and probes for measuring sizes or surface characteristics of products. In order to perform multi-point measures multiple measuring tools are required to work simultaneously. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a measuring apparatus  10  includes a plurality of measuring tools  104 , and a controlling unit  100  for controlling the measuring tools  104  to perform specific measuring operations. The measuring tools  104  are a plurality of probes for measuring surface characteristics of a pick-up head carrier  12 . Measuring result is transmitted over a data line  102  from the measuring tools  104  to the controlling unit  100 . The controlling unit  100  is, for example, an oscilloscope, and depicts the measuring result on a screen  1000 .  
         [0003]     Each probe is assigned a transmitting channel for transmitting measuring result to the controlling unit  100 . When the plurality of probes  104  are controlled to perform measuring operations at the same time, the measuring result generated by each probe  104  is transmitted respectively through the corresponding channel assigned to the probe  104  to the controlling unit  100 . However, the controlling unit  100  has limited capability of depicting the measuring result transmitted through all channels.  
         [0004]     In order to solve above-mentioned questions, either an alternate mode or a chop mode is employed. In the alternate mode, the controlling unit  100  depicts the measuring result transmitted through each channel alternatively. In the chop mode, the controlling unit  100  depicts the measuring result transmitted by all channels in a small time segments. Both the alternate modes and the chop modes are not capable of simultaneously depicting the measuring result transmitted through all channels.  
         [0005]     Therefore, a measuring system which has the capability of simultaneously depicting the measuring result transmitted through all channels is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     A multi-point measuring system includes a communicating module, a capturing module, and an interface module. The communicating module is used for enabling the multi-point measuring system to communicate with a measuring apparatus. The capturing module is used for generating and sending capturing commands to the measuring apparatus to obtain measuring result. The interface module is provided for providing a user interface for showing the measuring result.  
         [0007]     A multi-point measuring method includes steps of: receiving an input command to start a measuring procedure; transmitting capturing commands to a measuring apparatus; receiving measuring values from the measuring apparatus; and depicting the measuring values through a user interface.  
         [0008]     A multi-point measuring method includes steps of: sending controlling commands to at least two measuring tools to control the at least two measuring tools to measuring two different points of a component; receiving at least two measuring values from the at least two measuring tools; and showing the at least two measuring values on an user interface.  
         [0009]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a multi-point measuring system in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the multi-point measuring system including a first controlling unit;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a detailed block diagram of the first controlling unit of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary user interface;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating a working procedure of the multi-point measuring system of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is schematic diagram of a conventional measuring apparatus. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of a measuring system  3  in accordance with a preferred embodiment is illustrated. The measuring system  3  is used for measuring a component  36 , and includes a controlling system  30 , a measuring apparatus  34 , and a first data line  32  interconnecting the controlling system  30  and the measuring apparatus  34 . The component  36  can be a pick-up unit of an information recording and/or reproducing apparatus.  
         [0016]     The controlling system  30  includes a first controlling unit  300 , a memory unit  302 , and a first input and output port  304 . The first controlling unit  300  is provided for receiving measuring result from the measuring apparatus  34  and depicting the measuring result in a predetermined form. The memory unit  302  is used for storing the measuring result received from the first input and output port  304 . The first input and output port  304  serves as a communicating interface between the controlling system  30  and the measuring apparatus  34 . The first input and output port  304  can be serial or parallel.  
         [0017]     The measuring apparatus  34  includes at least two measuring tools  340 , a second controlling unit  342  for controlling the measuring tools  340  to perform specific measuring operations, and a second data line  344  interconnecting the measuring tools  340  and the second controlling unit  342 . The measuring tools  340  can be probes, rulers, or other metrological instruments. The at least two measuring tools  340  are arranged for simultaneously measuring at least two different points of the component  36 . The second controlling unit  342  includes a second input and output port  3420  corresponding to the first input and output port  304 . Accordingly, the second input and output port  3420  can be serial or parallel.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a detailed block diagram of the first controlling unit  300  is illustrated. The first controlling unit  300  includes a communicating module  3000 , an interface module  3002 , a storing module  3004 , a capturing module  3006 , a processing module  3008 , and a report-generating module  3010 . The communicating module  3000  is used for enabling the first input and output port  304  to communicate with the second input and output port  3420 . The interface module  3002  is utilized for creating a user interface (shown in  FIG. 4 ), through which input commands are entered and the measuring result is displayed. The storing module  3004  is provided for storing measuring parameters. The capturing module  3006  is used for receiving the input commands and generating capturing commands based on the measuring parameters. The capturing commands are capable of being recognized by the second controlling unit  342  of the measuring apparatus  34 . The processing module  3008  is used for receiving the measuring result from the second controlling unit  342  and processing the measuring result so that the measuring result can be depicted and shown through the user interface. The report-generating module  3010  is used for generating a measuring report based on the measuring result.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary user interface  4  created by the interface module  3002  is illustrated. The user interface  4  includes a “Configure port” button  40 , a “Set parameter” button  42 , a “Start” button  44 , a “Stop” button  46 , an “Export” button  48 , and a first display form  410  and a second display form  412 . The “Configure port” button  40  is provided for configuring the first input and output port  304 . After the “Configure port” button is clicked, configuration parameters, including port types and transmitting rates, can be entered. The “Set parameter” button  42  is provided for setting measuring parameters. After the “Set parameter” button  42  is clicked, measuring parameters, including the number of measuring tools that are required to work simultaneously, a location of each measuring tool, and moving directions of each measuring tool, can be entered. The “Start” button  44  is provided for starting a measuring procedure. That is, upon the “Start” button  44  is clicked, the measuring procedure begins. The “Stop” button  46  is used for stopping the measuring procedure. That is, upon the “Stop” button  46  is clicked, the measuring procedure is stopped. The “Export” button  48  is used for exporting the measuring reports. The first display form  410  is used for showing actual values measured by each measuring tool  340  and comparison between actual values and predetermined values. The predetermined values include normal values, upper limits, and lower limits. The first display form  410  is divided into three portions  4100 ,  4102  and  4104 . A first portion  4100  is used for showing the predetermined values. A second portion  4102  is a histogram illustrating the actual values got from the measuring tools  340 . A third portion  4104  is used for showing the actual values. The second display form  412  is used for showing calculating result of the actual values. The calculating result is computed based on predetermined statistical functions, such as a weighted average of the actual values, or an average of differences among the actual values.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a flow chart illustrating a working procedure of the multi-point measuring system  3  in accordance with a preferred embodiment is illustrated. The measuring procedure begins at step  50 , where a determination is made as to whether configurations of the first input and output port  304  and/or the measuring parameters are received. If configurations of the first input and output port  304  and/or the measuring parameters are received, the configurations of the first input and output port  304  and/or the measuring parameters are received then are stored in the memory unit  302  (step  52 ). Then, in step  54 , the capturing module  3006  waits for an input command. In step  56 , a determination is made as to whether an input command, such as a click on the “Start” button  44 , is received. If such input command is not received, the measuring procedure returns to step  54 . If such input command is received, the measuring procedure proceeds to step  58 , where the multi-point measuring system  3  performs initiating operations, such as locating each measuring tool  340  at a predetermined position according to the measuring parameters, zero filling the measuring result etc. Then, in step  510 , the communicating module  3000  compares the configurations of the first input and output port  304  stored in the memory unit  302  with those of the second input and output port  3420  to determine whether the configurations of the first input and output port  304  match with those of the second input and output port  3420 . If the configurations of the first input and output port  304  match with those of the second input and output port  3420 , the communicating module  3000  enables the first input and output port  304  so that the first input and output port  304  can communicate with the second input and output port  3420 . The capturing module  3006  generates capturing commands (step  512 ). The capturing commands are capable of being recognized by the second controlling unit  342 . The capturing commands are then transmitted to the second controlling unit  342  through the first input and output port  304  (step  514 ). Upon receiving the capturing commands, the second controlling unit  342  feeds back actual measuring values come from the measuring tools  340 . The processing module  3008  receives the actual measuring values (step  516 ) and processes the actual measuring values (step  518 ). The processing operations include transforming the actual measuring values into a predetermined format, computing calculating result based on predetermined statistical functions, and comparing the actual measuring values or the calculating result with the predetermined values to determine whether the component  36  is qualified. Then, in step  520 , processing result from the processing module  3008  is depicted and shown through the user interface  4 . Therefore, measuring result got from all the measuring tools  340  are shown simultaneously. Then, the measuring procedure proceeds to step  522 , where a determination is made as to whether it is needed to export the measuring result. If it is needed to export the measuring result, the measuring procedure proceeds to step  524 , the report-generating module  3010  generates a measuring report and then exports the measuring report. Then, in step  526 , the communicating module  3000  disabled the first input and output port  304 . Finally, the measuring procedure proceeds to step  528 , where a determination is made as to where it is needed to stop the measuring procedure. If it is needed to stop the measuring procedure, the measuring procedure is ended. If it is not needed to stop the measuring procedure, the measuring procedure returns to step  50 .  
         [0021]     The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Other arrangements and advantages may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention should be deemed not to be limited to the above detailed description, but rather by the spirit and scope of the claims that follow, and their equivalents.