Abstract:
An analyzer includes a second memory enabled to memorize that control by a controller is for first area, the controller controls at least one of measurement, analysis and display to be for a first area when a second application program starts in a case where said second memory memorizes that the control by the controller is for the first area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an analyzer and a method of restricting a function of an application program in an analyzer, and more particularly, it relates to an analyzer capable of functioning in specifications different for respective areas and a method of restricting a function of an application program in such an analyzer. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     An analyzer capable of functioning in specifications different for respective area is known in general, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,260, for example. 
     The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,260 discloses a sample analyzer allowing display by using a language for an area which a user demands. 
     The analyzers have heretofore used in a plurality of areas, and only the analyzer used in a prescribed area among the plurality of areas is often provided with an additional function performing particular control. In this case, an application program for the prescribed area different from an application program for other areas is generally installed into the analyzer used in the prescribed area to perform the particular control for the prescribed area. 
     In the use of the aforementioned sample analyzer described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,260 in the prescribed area, however, in a case where the application program for the prescribed area for performing the particular control for the prescribed area is installed into the sample analyzer, and the user hereafter installs the application program for other areas into the sample analyzer, the sample analyzer disadvantageously performs control for other areas when the user stars the application program for other areas. In other words, the sample analyzer disadvantageously does not perform the particular control for the prescribed area although used in the prescribed area, once the application program for other areas starts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary. 
     A first aspect of the present invention is an analyzer, comprising: a measurement section for measuring a specimen and acquiring measurement data; a controller, including a first memory under control of a processor, the first memory storing instructions enabling the processor to carry out operations, comprising: analyzing the measurement data acquired by the measurement section and acquiring results of analysis; displaying the results of analysis acquired; and controlling at least one of measurement, analysis and display to be for a first area when a first application program for the first area starts, while controlling at least one of the measurement, the analysis and the display to be for a second area when a second application program for the second area starts; and a second memory enabled to memorize that the control by the controller is for the first area, wherein the controller controls at least one of the measurement, the analysis and the display to be for the first area when the second application program starts in a case where the second memory memorizes that the control by the controller is for the first area. 
     A second aspect of the present invention is an analyzer comprising: installation accepting means for accepting installation of a first application program and a second application program acquiring results of analysis of specimen, wherein the first application program is for a first area and the second application program is for a second area; execution means for executing the first application program and the second application program; and restriction means for restricting at least a partial function of the second application program, when the installation accepting means accepts the installation of the first application program and the execution means thereafter executes the second application program. 
     A third aspect of the present invention is a method of restricting a function of an application program in an analyzer, comprising steps of: accepting installation of a first application program acquiring results of analysis of specimen, wherein the first application program is for a first area; accepting installation of a second application program acquiring the results of analysis of the specimen, wherein the second application program is for a second area; executing the second application program; and restricting at least a partial function of the second application program in a case where the installation of the first application program has been accepted. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a urinary particle analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the structure of a measuring apparatus of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram for illustrating the structure of an optical detecting section of the measuring apparatus of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the structure of a control apparatus of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart for illustrating an operation for installing an application program from a portable recording medium for country A in the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart for illustrating an operation for installing an application program from a portable recording medium for countries other than country A in the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart for illustrating an operation of updating information as to whether or not a reagent is a genuine product in the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart for illustrating an operation of displaying a warning message in a case where a nondedicated reagent is used in the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing a warning screen of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart for illustrating operations of start, measurement and analysis of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram showing an analytical result screen of the urinary particle analyzer according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. 
     A urinary particle analyzer  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
     The urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention is constituted by a measuring apparatus  2  optically measuring particles contained in urine by a flow cytometer and a control apparatus  3  processing a measurement value output from the measuring apparatus  2  to obtain the results of analysis, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the measuring apparatus  2  is provided with a specimen distribution section  201 , a sample preparation section  202 , and an optical detecting section  203 , an analog signal processing circuit  204  for executing amplification of output by the optical detecting section  203  and filter processing, an A/D converter  205  for converting output of the analog signal processing circuit  204  to digital signals and a digital signal processing circuit  206  for executing a predetermined waveform processing for digital signals. Further, the measuring apparatus  2  is provided with a memory  207  connected to the digital signal processing circuit  206 , a CPU  208  connected to the analog signal processing circuit  204  and the digital signal processing circuit  206  and a LAN adapter  209  connected to the CPU  208 . The control apparatus  3  is LAN connected to the measuring apparatus  2  through the LAN adapter  209 . The analog signal processing circuit  204 , the A/D converter  205 , the digital signal processing circuit  206  and the memory  207  constitutes a signal processing circuit  210  for electric signals being output by the optical detecting section  203 . The measuring apparatus  2  is provided with a memory  211  such as a BBURAM (battery backup RAM) connected to the CPU  208 , and the like. 
     The specimen distribution section  201  is so formed that a prescribed distributed quantity of urine (specimen) is dispensed to the sample preparation section  202 . The sample preparation section  202  is so formed as to prepare a measurement sample from the urine (specimen) dispensed by the specimen distribution section  201  and a reagent and supply the prepared measurement sample to a sheath flow cell  203   c  (see  FIG. 3 ), described later, of the optical detecting section  203  together with sheath fluid. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the optical detecting section  203  includes a light emitting section  203   a  for emitting a laser beam, an illumination lens unit  203   b , a sheath flow cell  203   c  for applying the laser beam, a condensing lens  203   d , a pinhole  203   e  and a PD (photodiode)  203   f  arranged on an extension line of a traveling direction of the laser beam emitted from the light emitting section  203   a , a condensing lens  203   g , a dichroic mirror  203   h , an optical filter  203   i , a pinhole plate  203   j  having a pinhole and a PMT (Photomultiplier)  203   k  arranged in a direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the laser beam emitted from the light emitting section  203   a , and a PD  203   l  arranged in a lateral direction of the dichroic mirror  203   h.    
     The light emitting section  203   a  is provided for emitting light with respect to the flow of the sample including the measurement sample passing through the inside of the sheath flow cell  203   c . The illumination lens unit  203   b  is provided for parallelizing the light applied from the light emitting section  203   a . The PD  203   f  is provided for receiving forward scattered light emitted from the sheath flow cell  203   c.    
     The dichroic mirror  203   h  is provided for separating side scattered light and side fluorescence emitted from the sheath flow cell  203   c . More specifically, the dichroic mirror  203   h  is provided for introducing the side scattered light emitted from the sheath flow cell  203   c  into the PD  203   l  and introducing the side fluorescence emitted from the sheath flow cell  203   c  to the PMT  203   k . The PD  203   l  is provided for receiving the side scattered light. The PMT  203   k  is provided for receiving the side fluorescence. The PDs  203   f  and  203   l  and the PMT  203   k  have functions of converting the received light signals to electric signals respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the analog signal processing circuit  204  includes amplifiers  204   a ,  204   b  and  204   c . The amplifiers  204   a ,  204   b  and  204   c  are provided for executing amplification and waveform processing for the electric signals output from the PDs  203   f  and  203   l  and PMT  203   k  respectively. 
     The memory  211  is so formed as to store information (determination result information) indicating whether or not a replaced new reagent is a dedicated reagent (genuine product). More specifically, a CPU  301   a , described later, of the control apparatus  3  determines whether or not the newly replaced reagent is the dedicated reagent, and the memory  211  is so formed as to store the determination result information based on the results of the determination. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the control apparatus  3  is formed by a personal computer (PC) or the like. The control apparatus  3  includes a control section  301 , a display section  302  and an input device  303 . The control apparatus  3  has a function of accepting an operation of the user, transmitting an instruction to the measuring apparatus  2 , receiving measurement data (measurement value) from the measuring apparatus  2  and processing the measurement data to display results of analysis. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the control section  301  is constituted by the CPU  301   a , a ROM  301   b , a RAM  301   c , a hard disk  301   d , a reader  301   e , an input/output interface  301   f , an image output interface  301   g  and a communication interface  301   i . The CPU  301   a , the ROM  301   b , the RAM  301   c , the hard disk  301   d , the reader  301   e , the input/output interface  301   f , the image output interface  301   g  and the communication interface  301   i  are connected by a bus  301   h.    
     The CPU  301   a  is provided for executing computer programs recorded in the ROM  301   b  and computer programs loaded in the RAM  301   c . The ROM  301   b  may be a mask ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or the like, which stores computer programs executed by the CPU  301   a  and data used by these computer programs. Further, the CPU  301   a  has a function of processing the measurement value measured by the measuring apparatus  2  to obtain results of analysis and outputting an image signal corresponding to an analytical result screen  500  (see  FIG. 11 ) for displaying the results of analysis to the image output interface  301   g.    
     When the user replaces a reagent used in the measuring apparatus  2 , the CPU  301   a  outputs the image signal to the image output interface  301   g  so as to display a reagent replacement screen (not shown) on the display section  302 . This reagent replacement screen is so formed that the user can input a unique reagent code of 27 characters attached to a reagent container (not shown). The reagent code is an encrypted reagent code of 27 characters for storing unique information such as a lot number for acquiring expiration date or traceability in the dedicated reagent (genuine product) adequate for measurement by the measuring apparatus  2 . This reagent code is encrypted using a hash function such as MD (message digest algorithm)  5  and is so formed that the CPU  301   a  is capable of determining whether or not the replaced reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) adequate for use in the measuring apparatus  2  on the bases of the encrypted alphanumeric characters of 27 characters. 
     The CPU  301   a  is so formed as to measure the residual quantity of a reagent in use and store the information of the residual quantity in the hard disk  301   d  together with the reagent code of the reagent. The hard disk  301   d  is capable of storing the reagent codes and the information of the residual quantity of a plurality of reagents which have been used in the past as a reagent replacement history. Further, the CPU  301   a  is so formed as to determine whether or not the replaced new reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) on the basis of both of the reagent code and the residual quantity. 
     The RAM  301   c  is constituted by an SRAM or a DRAM. The RAM  301   c  is employed for reading the computer programs recorded in the ROM  301   b  and the hard disk  301   d . Further, the RAM  301   c  is utilized as a working area of the CPU  301   a  when executing these computer programs. 
     An operating system and various computer programs such as application programs to be executed by the CPU  301   a  as well as data employed for executing the computer programs are installed in the hard disk  301   d . An application program  304   a  or  305   a , described later, is also installed in this hard disk  301   d.    
     The reader  301   e  is formed by a flexible disk drive, a CD-ROM drive or a DVD-ROM drive, and can read computer programs or data recorded in portable recording mediums  304  and  305 . The portable recording medium  304  stores the application program  304   a  for making the computer achieve a prescribed function and an installation program  304   b  for installing the application program  304   a  in the computer. Similarly to the portable recording medium  304 , the portable recording medium  305  stores the application program  305   a  for making the computer achieve a prescribed function and an installation program  305   b  for installing the application program  305   a  in the computer. When the installation program  304   b  is started, the computer employed as the control apparatus  3  can read the application program  304   a  from the portable recording medium  304  and install the application program  304   a  in the hard disk  301   d . The portable recording medium  305  is formed similarly to the portable recording medium  304 . The portable recording medium  304  is provided for country A, and the portable recording medium  305  is provided for countries (country B, country C and country D, for example) other than country A. According to this embodiment, the application program  304   a  stored in the portable recording medium  304  and the application program  305   a  stored in the portable recording medium  305  are substantially the same application program. Each application program includes a program making the control apparatus  3  execute control for country A and control for the countries (country B, country C and country D, for example) other than country A. More specifically, each of the application programs  304   a  and  305   a  includes a specimen analysis program for transmitting a measurement start signal, analyzing a received measurement value and displaying the results of analysis and a restriction program for restricting a partial function of the specimen analysis program. The specimen analysis program normally makes the control apparatus  3  execute the control for the countries other than country A while making the control apparatus  3  execute the control for country A when the control program restricts the partial function of the specimen analysis program. 
     The aforementioned application programs  304   a  and  305   a  are provided not only by the portable recording mediums  304  and  305  respectively, but can be provided also from an external apparatus communicably connected with the computer by an electric communication line (whether wire or wireless) through the aforementioned electric communication line. For example, it is also possible that the aforementioned application program  304   a  or  305   a  is stored in a hard disk of a server computer on the Internet, so that the computer accesses this server computer, downloads the application program  304   a  or  305   a  and installs the same in the hard disk  301   d.    
     Further, the operating system such as Windows (registered trademark) manufactured and sold by Microsoft, U.S.A., providing graphical user interface environment is installed in the hard disk  301   d . In the following description, it is assumed that the application programs  304   a  and  305   a  according to this embodiment operate on the aforementioned operating system. 
     The output interface  301   f  is constituted by a serial interface such as USB, IEEE 1394 or RS-232C, a parallel interface such as SCSI, IDE or IEEE 1284, an analog interface formed by a D/A converter, an A/D converter etc. or the like, for example. The input device  303  including a keyboard and a mouse is connected to the input/output interface  301   f , so that the user can input data into the control apparatus  3  by using the input device  303 . An output device  306  including a printer and the like is connected to the input/output interface  301   f.    
     The communication interface  301   i  is Ethernet (registered trademark) interface, and a data processing apparatus  3  is capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the measuring apparatus  2  connected by a LAN cable using a prescribed communication protocol (TCP/IP) by means of this communication interface  301   i.    
     The image output interface  301   g  is connected to the display section  302  formed by an LCD, CRT or the like, so that an image signal received from the CPU  301   a  is output to the display section  302 . The display section  302  displays images (screens) in accordance with the input image signal. 
     In the urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention, an operation for installing the application program  304   a  from the portable recording medium  304  for country A will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     At a step S 1  in  FIG. 5 , the portable recording medium  304  is set in the reader  301   e  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the control apparatus  3  and the CPU  301   a  thereafter determines whether or not the user has started the installation program  304   b . This determination is repeated when no start instruction by the user is made, while the installation program  304   b  is started at a step S 2  when the start instruction is made. The installation program  304   b  may be so formed as to be automatically started with no instruction by the user when the reader  301   e  reads the contents of the portable recording medium  304 . Then the control apparatus  3  is automatically set to a specification for country A at a step S 3 , and the application program  304   a  is installed into the hard disk  301   d  at a step S 4 . Thus, when the user instructs the start of the application program  304   a , the application program  304   a  is started in a state where the control apparatus  3  is set to the specification of the country A. According to this embodiment, specifications for country B, country C and country D are indicated as described later in addition to the aforementioned specification for country A, and layouts of the analytical result screens or output formats of the respective specifications are different from each other so as to correspond to laws or customs of the respective countries. The urinary particle analyzer  1  according to this embodiment is so formed that the user can select a preferable display language from a plurality of languages such as Japanese, English and Chinese. Even when any specification described above has been set, the user can select any display language. Thereafter the operation is ended. 
     In the urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention, an operation for installing the application program  305   a  from the portable recording medium  305  for the countries other than country A will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 6 . 
     At a step S 11  in  FIG. 6 , the portable recording medium  305  is first set in the reader  301   e  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the control apparatus  3  and the CPU  301   a  thereafter determines whether or not the user has started the installation program  305   b . This determination is repeated when no start instruction by the user is made, while the installation program  305   b  is started at a step S 12  when the start instruction is made. Then the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not the user has selected a destination country at a step S 13 . At this time, when the installation program  305   b  for countries other than country A is started, the user can select the destination country from a destination country selection screen (not shown) so as to set the control apparatus  3  to a specification for any one of country B, country C and country D other than country A. 
     The determination of the step S 13  is repeated until the user selects the destination country. When the user selects the destination country, the control apparatus  3  is set to a specification for the selected country at a step S 14 , and the application program  305   a  is installed into the hard disk  301   d  at a step S 15 . Thus, when the user instructs the start of the installed application program  305   a , the application program  305   a  is started in a state where the control apparatus  3  is set to the specification for the country selected by the user. Thereafter the operation is ended. 
     In the urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention, an update operation of a genuine product flag for updating the information as to whether or not a reagent is a genuine product will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  7 . 
     In the control apparatus  3 , it is determined whether or not the reagent has been replaced at a step S 101  in  FIG. 7 , and this determination is repeated when the reagent is not replaced. When the reagent is replaced, a signal of the determination result information obtained by determining whether or not the replaced reagent is the genuine product is transmitted to the measuring apparatus  2  at a step S 102  and the operation is ended. As to whether or not the replaced reagent is the genuine product, the CPU  301   a  (see  FIG. 4 ) determines it on the bases of the reagent code unique to each reagent input when replaced. 
     In the measuring apparatus  2 , on the other hand, a signal of the determination result information transmitted from the control apparatus  3  is received at a step S 201 . Then, sequence control in reagent replacement is executed at a step S 202 . This sequence control in the reagent replacement is a preparatory operation for performing the next measurement. More specifically, when the reagent is replaced, air is leaked into a tube through which the reagent flows or no reagent exists in the space of the tube where the reagent should normally exist. In order to prevent this situation, the reagent is sucked from a newly set reagent container into the tube so that the reagent fills up the tube in the sequence control in reagent replacement. 
     At a step S 203 , the memory  211  (see  FIG. 2 ) stores information as to whether or not the replaced reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) on the basis of the received signal of the determination result information. More specifically, the genuine product flag stored in the memory  211  is updated to be turned on when the replaced reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product), while the genuine product flag is updated to be turned off when the replaced reagent is a nondedicated reagent (non-genuine product). Thereafter, the operation of the measuring apparatus  2  is ended. 
     In the urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention, an operation of displaying a warning message when the nondedicated reagent is employed will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  8  and  9 . 
     First, a reagent information signal is transmitted to the control apparatus  3  on the basis of a state of the genuine product flag stored in the memory  211  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the measuring apparatus  2  at a step S 211  in  FIG. 8 . More specifically, the control apparatus  3  receives a signal indicating that the reagent to be used is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) when the genuine product flag is in an ON-state, while the control apparatus  3  receives a signal indicating that the reagent to be used is the nondedicated reagent (non-genuine product) and the operation is ended when the genuine product flag is in an OFF-state. 
     In the control apparatus  3 , the reagent information signal transmitted from the measuring apparatus  2  is received at a step S 111 , and the CPU  301   a  (see  FIG. 4 ) confirms whether or not the reagent to be used is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) on the basis of the received reagent information signal at a step S 112 . While the operation is ended when the reagent to be used is the dedicated reagent (genuine product), a warning screen  400  is displayed at a step S 113  as shown in  FIG. 9  when the reagent to be used is the nondedicated reagent (non-genuine product). In the warning screen  400 , the warning indicating that the reagent code is not correctly input when the reagent is replaced and the results of analysis can not be ensured is displayed. Thereafter an operation of the control apparatus  3  is ended. This operation is performed when the urinary particle analyzer  1  starts. 
     Operations of start, measurement and analysis of the urinary particle analyzer  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention will be now described with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  10  and  11 . 
     According to this embodiment, when the user starts the measuring apparatus  2  and the application program  304   a  ( 305 . a ) installed into the control apparatus  3  is started, the CPU  301   a  transmits, to the measuring apparatus  2 , the control apparatus specification information as to the country of the specification to which the control apparatus  3  is set at a step S 121  in  FIG. 10 . At this time, a background of a screen to be displayed on the display section  302  is displayed in red when the user starts the application program  304   a  for country A, the background of the screen is displayed in blue when the user starts the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A. 
     According to this embodiment, in the measuring apparatus  2 , the CPU  208  determines whether or not the control apparatus specification information transmitted from the control apparatus  3  has been received at a step S 221 , and this determination is repeated until the control apparatus specification information is received. When the control apparatus specification information is received, the CPU  208  determines whether or not the control apparatus  3  is under the specification for country A on the basis of the received control apparatus specification information at a step S 222 . When the control apparatus  3  is under the specification for country A, the CPU  208  stores the information indicating the control apparatus  3  is under the specification for country A in the memory  211  such as BBURAM (battery backup RAM) at a step S 223 . More specifically, the CPU  208  updates to bring a specification flag for country A into an ON-state and the specification flag for country A is stored in the memory  211 . According to this embodiment, this specification flag for country A is stored in the memory  211  so as to be unable to return to an OFF-state once the specification flag is updated to be brought into the ON-state. Therefore, when the application program  304   a  for country A is installed into the control apparatus  3 , the specification flag for country A is set to the ON-state in the memory  211  of the measuring apparatus  2  and, then the ON-state of the specification flag for country A in the memory  211  is not returned to an OFF-state even when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is installed into the control apparatus  3  in an overwrite manner. When the control apparatus  3  is under the specification for country B, country C or country D other than country A, the operation advances to a step S 224  without updating to bring the specification flag for country A into the ON-state. At a step S 224 , the CPU  208  transmits the state information of the specification flag for country A from the measuring apparatus  2  to the control apparatus  3 . In other words, information as to whether the specification flag for country A stored in the memory  211  of the measuring apparatus  2  is in the ON-state or the OFF-state is transmitted from the measuring apparatus  2  to the control apparatus  3 . 
     In the control apparatus  3 , the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not the state information of the specification flag for country A transmitted from the measuring apparatus  2  has been received at a step S 122 . This determination is repeated until specification flag state information is received. When the specification flag state information is received, the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not the specification flag for country A of the measuring apparatus  2  is in an ON-state at a step S 123 . When the specification flag for country A is in the ON-state, a restriction function is set to an ON-state in the application program  304   a  ( 305   a ) so as to activate particular restriction for country A described later at a step S 124 . Even when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A has started, the particular restriction function for country A is set to the ON-state at a step S 124 . In other words, the application program  304   a  for country A is first installed into the control apparatus  3  and the specification flag for country A of the measuring apparatus  2  is updated to be brought into the ON-state and the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is thereafter installed into the control apparatus  3  in an overwrite manner, for example, the particular restriction function for country A (output restriction function of the results of analysis) is activated although the control apparatus  3  is under the specification for country B, country C or country D. Further, once the application program  304   a  for country A is installed, the particular restriction function for country A (output restriction function of the results of analysis) is activated even when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started. In a case where the application program  304   a  for country A has never installed, the particular restriction function for country A (output restriction function of the results of analysis) is not activated when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started. 
     In the determination at the step S 123 , when the specification flag for country A of the measuring apparatus  2  is in an OFF-state, on the other hand, the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not an instruction of measurement start from the user has been made at a step S 125 . When the instruction of the measurement start is made, the CPU  301   a  transmits a signal of the measurement start to the measuring apparatus  2  at a step S 126 . 
     In the measuring apparatus  2 , the CPU  208  determines whether or not the signal of the measurement start transmitted from the control apparatus  3  has been received at a step S 225 . When the signal is received, the measuring apparatus  2  starts measuring urinary particles at a step S 226 . Then, it is determined whether or not the measurement has been completed at a step S 227 . When the measurement is not completed, this determination is repeated while continuing the measurement. When the measurement has completed, measurement value data is transmitted to the control apparatus  3  through the LAN adapter  209  at a step S 228  and the operation in the measuring apparatus  2  is ended. 
     In the control apparatus  3 , the measurement value data transmitted from the measuring apparatus  2  is received at a step S 127 , and the measurement value processing (analysis processing) is performed on the basis of the received measurement value data at a step S 128 . Then the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not the particular restriction function for country A is set to an ON-state at a step S 129 , and the operation advances to a step S 132  when the particular restriction function for country A is not in the ON-state. When the restriction function is in the ON-state, the CPU  301   a  determines whether or not the used reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product) on the basis of the state of the genuine product flag stored in the memory  211  at a step S 130 . When the used reagent is the dedicated reagent (genuine product), the analytical result screen (not shown) is displayed at a step S 132  and the operation is ended. 
     When the used reagent is the nondedicated reagent (non-genuine product), on the other hand, a partial function of a display program of the specimen analysis program included in the application program  304   a  ( 305   a ) is restricted on the basis of the restriction program at a step S 131  to perform the output restriction of the results of analysis, and the analytical result screen  500  subjected to the output restriction is displayed on the display section  302  at a step S 132 . More specifically, asterisks (*) on a display region  500   a  are appended in columns of all of base items on the analytical result screen  500  in a state of selecting a main tab  500   c  as shown in  FIG. 11 . This indicates that reliability of the results of analysis is low because of the measurement by the nondedicated reagent (non-genuine product) and reexamination by a laboratory technician is desirable. A display region  500   b  at the upper left of the analytical result screen  500  is displayed in red for rendering REVIEW display prominent, so that the user can easily recognize reexamination is desired for the specimen. Since the reliability of the results of analysis is low, all numerical data regarding research items on a less important display region  500   d  is hidden by hyphens (-) and scatter diagrams of a display region  500   e  are also hidden. Thus, the possibility that the urinary particle analyzer  1  provides the user with the results of analysis having low reliability can be reduced as small as possible. According to this embodiment, the base items are items relating to RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells), EC (epithelial cells), CAST (casts) and BACT (bacteria), research items are items relating to X&#39;TAL (crystals), YLC (yeast-like fungi), SRC (small round cell), Path. CAST (sickly cast including cell components), MUCUS (mucus fibril), SPERM (sperms) and Cond. (urine conductivity). According to this embodiment, operations at the steps S 130  and S 131  are operations by the particular restriction function for country A. 
     According to this embodiment, as hereinabove described, the CPU  301   a  formed so as to control the display section  302  to the specification for country A when the application program  304   a  for country A starts while controlling the display section  302  to the specification for the countries other than country A when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A starts is provided, whereby the single CPU  301   a  can perform control for different countries. In this urinary particle analyzer  1 , the CPU  301   a  is so formed as to perform the particular control for country A on display section  302  even when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A starts in a case where the memory  211  stores the information indicating the control by the CPU  301   a  is for country A, whereby when the urinary particle analyzer  1  is used in country A, the control for country A can be performed even when the user starts the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A so far as the memory  211  stores the information that the control by the CPU  301   a  is for country A. In other words, this urinary particle analyzer  1  can perform the control for country A at the time of use in country A, even when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started. 
     According to this embodiment, the CPU  301   a  controls the display section  302 , so that the background of the screen is displayed in red when the application program  304   a  for country A is started, while the background of the screen is displayed in blue when the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started, whereby the user can easily visibly confirm by the background color of the display section  302  which application program of the application program  304   a  for country A and the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started. 
     According to this embodiment, the program controlling the display section  302  for country A and the program controlling the display section  302  for countries other than country A are preferably provided in the application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A, whereby the control for country A can be performed also in a case application program  305   a  for the countries other than country A is started even when the application program  304   a  for country A is uninstalled and deleted from the inside of control apparatus  3  so far as the memory  211  stores the information indicating the control by the CPU  301   a  is for country A. 
     According to this embodiment, the measuring apparatus  2  separated from the control apparatus  3  including the CPU  301   a  is provided with the memory  211 , whereby the recorded contents of the memory  211  can be reliably preserved also when the control apparatus  3  is initialized (formatted) by the user and all of the recorded contents in the control apparatus  3  is deleted or also when the control apparatus  3  is replaced with another control apparatus. Thus, the control for country A can be reliably performed also when the application program  305   a  for countries (country B, country C and country D, for example) other than country A is started so far as the memory  211  stores the information indicating the control by the CPU  301   a  of the control apparatus is for country A. 
     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims. 
     For example, while the aforementioned embodiment of the present invention is applied to the urinary particle analyzer employed as an exemplary analyzer, the present invention is not restricted to this but the present invention may be applied to another specimen analyzer such as a multiple hemocyte analyzer, a blood coagulation measuring apparatus and an immunoanalyzer. 
     While the particular restriction for country A is the output restriction of the results of analysis displayed on the display section in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the restriction may be restriction for not measuring the research items in the measuring apparatus or restriction for not analyzing the research items in the control apparatus, for example. 
     While when the specification flag for country A of the measuring apparatus is in the ON-state, the specification of the control apparatus remains unchanged and only the particular restriction function for country A is set to the ON-state in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the specification of the control apparatus may be set to the specification for country A in addition of setting the particular restriction function for country A to the ON-state when the specification flag for country A of the measuring apparatus is in the ON-state. 
     While the application program for country A and the application program for countries other than country A has substantially the same contents of the application program in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but these application programs may have the contents of the application program different from each other. 
     While the background is displayed in red when the application program  304   a  starts while the background is displayed in blue when the application program  305   a  starts in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the display section  302  is so controlled that a display mode in a case where the application program  304   a  starts and a display mode in a case where the application program  305   a  starts are different from each other. For example, a part of a window displayed on the display section or color of a title bar may be changed or display color may be changed by providing a display device such as LED on the control apparatus  3  in order to distinguish types of the application programs. 
     While the control is changed between country A and the countries other than country A in the aforementioned embodiment, the control may be changed between countries A and B and countries other than countries A and B. For example, it is determined that the control apparatus is not the specification for country A at the step S 222  in  FIG. 10  (NO at the step S 222 ), and it is thereafter determined whether or not the control apparatus is for country B. When the control apparatus is for country B, the specification flag for country B is updated to be brought into an ON-state in the memory  207 . Then the information indicating that the specification flag for country B is in the ON-state is transmitted at the step S 224 . Further, the CPU  301   a  in the control apparatus executes the results of analysis output restriction for country B at the step S 131 . According to this structure, the specification of the control apparatus can not be changed to the specification for countries other than countries A and B once the application program for country A is installed, and the specification of the control apparatus can not be changed to the specification for countries other than countries A and B once the application program for country B is installed. 
     While the control for country A is executed when the application program for country B or country D is installed and the application program for country A is thereafter installed in the aforementioned embodiment, the control for country B or country D first installed may be executed also when the application program for country B or country D is installed and the application program for country A is thereafter installed. For example, it is determined that the control apparatus is not the specification for country A at the step S 222  in  FIG. 10  (No at the step S 222 ) and it is thereafter determined whether or not the control apparatus is for B country. When the control apparatus is for B country, the specification flag for country B is updated to be brought into the ON-state in the memory  207 . Thereafter the ON-state of the specification flag for country B is not changed even when the application program for country A is installed. In other words, the specification flag for country A is simply not updated to be brought into the ON-state when the specification flag for country B is in the ON-state at the step S 223 .