Summary Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled surface analysis system for fracture-related and other surface studies

Abstract

Computer software package routine in another BASIC program could be structured as several "CHAIN" statements, where the appropriate program is chained based on a menu option number and an "ON var GOTO" statement. The following schematized drawing (Fig. I) illustrates a driver program in the software package, including such an operating system.The data structures of the set of values of the operating conditions of the RGA and the set of peak height values were chosen so that the data is uniquely identified and grouped together. One set of peak values in a scan is associated in computer memory with the set of operating conditions of the RGA for that scan, and with the time and date at which the peak data was acquired from the instrument. While in computer memory, the same set of RGA data may be handily referred to by any of the software package's data manipulation routines, mass storage devices, and/or display devices.The virtues in treating the data as a set which then may be identified by an identification number for this data set and may be treated by a variety of devices and programs, is ease of reference, data base compatibility of the data used by any operation and device, and automatic association of a set of peak value data with the RGA conditions under which it was originally acquired.