1. A sampling system comprising:
a collection instrument through which a sample is collected from a surface to be analyzed;
means for moving the collection instrument and the surface toward and away from one another and wherein there exists a desired positional relationship between the collection instrument and the surface for sample collecting purposes;
distance-measuring means including a laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and wherein there exists a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the collection instrument and the surface are arranged in the desired positional relationship for sample collecting purposes;
means for receiving the signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface; and
comparison means for comparing the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface to the target distance between the laser sensor and the surface and for initiating the movement of the laser sensor and the surface toward or away from one another when the difference between the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and the target distance is outside of a predetermined range so that by moving the surface and the collection instrument toward or away from one another, the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface approaches the target distance.
2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the surface is supported substantially within a plane and the laser sensor is arranged substantially normal to said plane for measuring the distance thereto.
3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the sampling is supported substantially within a horizontal plane and the laser sensor is arranged substantially vertically above said horizontal plane for measuring the distance thereto.
4. The system as defined in claim 1 further including a computer having a memory within which the target distance is stored and a comparison circuit for comparing the actual distance between the laser source and the surface to the target distance.
5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the surface which is sampled with the collection instrument is disposed substantially within an X-Y plane and is spaced from the collection instrument along a Z-coordinate axis, and the means for moving the surface and the collection instrument toward and away from one another further includes means for moving the surface relative to the collection instrument within the X-Y plane so that any of a number of coordinate locations along the surface can be positioned adjacent the collection instrument for sample collecting purposes.
6. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the laser sensor is a first laser sensor and the distance-measuring means includes a second laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the second laser sensor and the surface, the first and second laser sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the collection instrument for generating signals which correspond to the actual distances between the first and second laser sensors and the surface and the system further includes calculator means for averaging the actual distances to which the generated signals correspond so that the actual distance compared by the comparison means is the averaged actual distances.
7. In a surface sampling system for sampling a surface to be analyzed for analysis wherein the system includes a collection instrument with which the surface is sampled and wherein there exists a desired positional relationship between the collection instrument and the surface for sample collecting purposes, the improvement comprising:
distance-measuring means including a laser source mounted in a fixed positional relationship with the collection instrument for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface;
a computer containing information relating to a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the collection instrument is in its desired positional relationship with the surface for sample collecting purposes;
means connected to the computer for moving the surface and the laser sensor toward and away from one another in response to commands received from the computer;
the computer includes means for receiving the signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser source and the surface; and
the computer further includes comparison means for comparing the actual distance between the laser source and the surface and the target distance and for initiating the movement of the surface and the laser source toward or away from one another so that the actual distance approaches the target distance when the actual distance is outside of a predetermined range.
8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the sampling is supported substantially within a plane and the laser sensor is arranged substantially normal to said plane for measuring the distance thereto.
9. The improvement of claim 7 further including a computer having a memory within which the target distance is stored and a comparison circuit for comparing the actual distance between the laser source and the surface to the target distance.
10. The improvement as defined in claim 7 wherein the surface which is sampled with the collection instrument is disposed substantially within an X-Y plane and is spaced from the collection instrument and the laser source along a Z-coordinate axis, and the means for moving the surface and the laser source toward and away from one another further includes means for moving the surface relative to the laser source within the X-Y plane so that any of a number of coordinate locations along the surface can be positioned into registry with the collection instrument for sample collecting purposes.
11. A method for sampling a surface to be analyzed, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a collection instrument through which a sample is collected from a surface to be analyzed when the collection instrument is disposed in a desired positional relationship with respect to the surface;
providing distance-measuring means including a laser sensor for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and arranging the laser sensor in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument;
supporting the laser sensor and the surface relative to one another to permit movement of the laser sensor and the surface toward and away from one another and wherein there exists a target distance between the laser source and the surface when the collection instrument and the surface are arranged in the desired positional relationship with respect to one another;
generating a signal with the distance-measuring means which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface;
determining the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface from the signal generated by the distance-generating means; and
comparing the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface to the target distance and initiating the movement of the surface and the laser sensor toward or away from one another when the difference between the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and the target distance is outside of a predetermined range so that by moving the surface and the laser sensor toward or away from one another, the actual distance approaches the desired target distance.
12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of generating a signal is preceded by a step of arranging the surface and the collection instrument in an initial positional relationship with respect to one another and utilizing as the target distance the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the surface and the collection instrument are arranged in the initial positional relationship.
13. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the surface is supported substantially within a plane and step of supporting arranges the laser sensor substantially normal to said plane for measuring the distance thereto.
14. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of supporting arranges the collection instrument in a condition for collecting samples from the surface.
15. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of comparing is performed by a computer.
16. A method for sampling a surface to be analyzed, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a collection instrument which is adapted to sample a surface for analysis when the collection instrument is disposed in a desired positional relationship with respect to the surface for sample collecting purposes;
providing distance-measuring means including a laser sensor for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and arranging the laser sensor in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the collection instrument;
supporting the collection instrument and the surface relative to one another to permit movement of the collection instrument and the surface toward and away from one another;
moving the surface and the collection instrument relative to one another to an initial, desired positional relationship with respect to one another for optimum sample-collecting purposes;
determining the actual, initial distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the surface is in its initial, desired positional relationship with the collection instrument and designating this actual, initial distance to a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface;
initiating a sampling collection process by moving the collection instrument relative to and across the surface;
during the sample collection process, generating a distance-carrying signal with the distance-measuring means which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface;
comparing the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface to the target distance between the laser sensor and the surface; and
initiating movement of the surface and the laser sensor toward or away from one another when the difference between the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and the target distance is outside of a predetermined range so that by moving the surface and the laser sensor toward or away from one another, the actual distance approaches the desired target distance.
17. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the steps of generating a distance-carrying signal and comparing are both carried out at periodic intervals during the sample collection process.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A processor that performs pipeline processing on an instruction, the processor comprising:
an acquisition unit constructed to acquire the instruction which has an operation code specifying a type of the instruction and destination register information;
a pipeline register constructed to store a processing result based on the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit; and
a storage control unit constructed to control a register to store the processing result stored in the pipeline register, wherein the register which stores the processing result is designated by the destination register information; and
a control unit constructed to control processing based on a second instruction acquired by the acquisition unit and control storing of a processing result based on a first instruction acquired by the acquisition unit, wherein the control unit is further constructed to:
determine whether both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied (i) the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and (ii) the operation code in the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit indicates that the second instruction is a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
in response to determining that both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied, control the processing and the storing such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction,
wherein whether to store the processing result based on the first instruction is determined based on an indication associated with the second instruction.
2. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit includes an operation code corresponding to a type of instruction, and the processor further comprises a processing unit constructed to perform the processing corresponding to the operation code included in the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit.
3. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the second instruction includes the register reference information indicating that the second instruction is the last instruction for performing the processing by using the data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction.
4. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further constructed to acquire first data from the pipeline register and second data from a register designated by a second operand, when the second instruction includes a first operand designating a register in which the first data used for the processing based on the second instruction is stored, the second instruction includes a second operand designating a register in which second data used for the processing based on the second instruction is stored, a register designated by the first operand and a register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction match, and a register designated by the second operand and a register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction does not match.
5. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further constructed to control the processing such that the data used for the processing result based on the first instruction is stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction when the data used for the processing based on the second instruction is not acquired from the pipeline register, even when the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit includes register reference information indicating that the second instruction is the last instruction for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction.
6. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the instruction has an operation code specifying a type of the instruction, wherein the operation code works as the register reference information.
7. The processor according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further constructed to:
control processing based on the second instruction and control storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction includes a first operation code which indicates that the second instruction is a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
control processing based on the second instruction and control storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction includes a second operation code which indicates that the second instruction is not a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, wherein the first operation code and the second operation code specify the same type of instruction.
8. The processor according to claim 1, further comprising:
an instruction decoder constructed to decode the instruction;
an operand forwarder operatively connected to the instruction decoder and constructed to perform operand forwarding based on whether the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction;
a cancel controller operatively connected to the operand forwarder and constructed to control such that the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
a canceller operatively connected to the cancel controller, a pipeline register, and a register file, and constructed to control writing data stored in the pipeline register to the register file under control of the cancel controller.
9. A processor control method comprising steps of:
acquiring an instruction which has an operation code specifying a type of the instruction and destination register information;
storing a processing result based on the instruction in a pipeline register;
controlling the register to store the processing result stored in the pipeline register, wherein the register which stores the processing result is designated by the destination register information; and
controlling processing based on a second instruction acquired by the acquisition step and controlling storing of a processing result based on a first instruction acquired by the acquisition step, including
determining whether both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied: (i) the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and (ii) the operation code in the instruction acquired in the acquiring step indicates that the second instruction is a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
in response to determining that both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied, controlling the processing and the storing such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction,
wherein whether to store the processing result based on the first instruction is determined based on an indication associated with the second instruction.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the instruction acquired in the acquiring step includes an operation code corresponding to a type of instruction, and the method further comprises performing the processing corresponding to the operation code included in the instruction acquired in the acquiring step.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second instruction includes the register reference information indicating that the second instruction is the last instruction for performing the processing by using the data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction.
12. The method according to claim 9, wherein first data are acquired from the pipeline register and second data are acquired from a register designated by the second operand in the processing, when the second instruction includes a first operand designating a register in which the first data used for the processing based on the second instruction is stored, the second instruction includes a second operand designating a register in which the second data used for the processing based on the second instruction is stored, a register designated by the first operand and a register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction match, and a register designated by the second operand and a register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction does not match.
13. A processor that performs pipeline processing on an instruction, the processor comprising:
an acquisition unit constructed to acquire the instruction which has an operation code specifying a type of the instruction and destination register information;
a pipeline register constructed to store a processing result based on the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit; and
a storage control unit constructed to control a register to store the processing result stored in the pipeline register, wherein the register which stores the processing result is designated by the destination register information; and
a control unit constructed to control processing based on a second instruction acquired by the acquisition unit and control storing of a processing result based on a first instruction acquired by the acquisition unit, wherein the control unit is further constructed to:
determine whether both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied: (i) the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and (ii) the operation code in the instruction acquired by the acquisition unit indicates that the second instruction is a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
in response to determining that both of the conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied, control the processing and the storing such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction,
wherein the control unit is further constructed to:
control processing based on the second instruction and control storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction is immediately preceded by a third instruction which indicates that the second instruction is the last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
control processing based on the second instruction and control storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register, and the processing result based on the first instruction is stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction is not immediately preceded by the third instruction.
14. A processor control method comprising steps of:
acquiring an instruction which has an operation code specifying a type of the instruction and destination register information;
storing a processing result based on the instruction in a pipeline register;
controlling the register to store the processing result stored in the pipeline register, wherein the register which stores the processing result is designated by the destination register information; and
controlling processing based on a second instruction acquired in the acquiring step and controlling storing of a processing result based on a first instruction acquired in the acquiring step, including
determining whether both of conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied: (i) the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and (ii) the operation code in the instruction acquired in the acquiring step indicates that the second instruction is a last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
in response to determining that both of the conditions (i)-(ii) are satisfied, controlling the processing and the storing such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction,
wherein the controlling the register and the controlling the processing includes:
controlling processing based on the second instruction and controlling storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register and the processing result based on the first instruction is not stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction is immediately preceded by a third instruction which indicates that the second instruction is the last instruction for performing the processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction; and
controlling processing based on the second instruction and controlling storing of a processing result based on the first instruction such that data used for the processing based on the second instruction is acquired from the pipeline register, and the processing result based on the first instruction is stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, when the first and second instructions are acquired by the acquisition unit, the second instruction indicates that the second instruction is for performing processing by using data stored in the register designated by the destination register information in the first instruction, and the second instruction is not immediately preceded by the third instruction.