Method And Geodetic Device For Surveying At Least One Target

• US 20080205707A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Rohner, Marcel, Braunecker, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,331,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/04 combined with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4816 of receivers alone
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/647 by matching two-dimensional images to three-dimensional objects

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for surveying at least one target using a geodetic device. According to said method, a camera of the device captures a visual image and surveys an angle and/or a distance to the target with geodetic precision, the angle and/or distance surveillance being supported or controlled by the visual image. At the same time of capture of the visual image at least two distance points of a distance image are captured as the spatial distribution of discrete distance points in the area of detection. When the visual image and the distance image are correlated with each other, the target is recognized or the measuring process is controlled.

Claims

1. Method for surveying at least one target by a geodetic device, comprising:

capture of a visual image of an area or capture by a camera of the device, the camera having a multiplicity of image points, and

a geodetic angle and/or distance measurement to the target,

the angle and/or distance measurement being supported or controlled by means of the visual image,

characterized by simultaneous recording of at least two discrete distance points for the provision of a distance image as a spatial distribution of discrete distance points in the area of capture, in particular simultaneously with the capture of the visual image.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the recording of the distance image is effected by distance measurements to the distance points the number of distance points being smaller than the number of image points and at least one image point being coordinated with at least one distance point.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein an orientation of the distance measurements in the area of capture is varied, preferably as a function of measured distance values, in particular as a function of the distribution of the distance values.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the orientation of the distance measurements in the area of capture takes place according to a stochastic pattern.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the orientation of the distance measurements in the area of capture takes place according to a regular pattern.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein cohesive regions of distance points are identified in the distance image.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the visual image and the distance image are superposed.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein, in the visual image objects are identified on the basis of a correlation of cohesive regions and features of the visual image.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the spatial position of an object, in particular of the target, in the area of capture is derived from the distance image.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the spatial sequence of a plurality of objects in the area of capture is derived from the distance image.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein an identification of an object, in particular target recognition, is effected on the basis of the distance image.

12. Geodetic device, in particular tacheometer, for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising at least:

a camera, in particular a CCD or CMOS camera, for capturing a visual image of an area of capture, the camera having a multiplicity of image points,

an angle- and/or distance-measuring component,

a control unit for controlling the angle- and/or distance-measuring component, in particular by means of the visual image,

means for simultaneous recording of at least two discrete distance points provides a distance image as spatial distribution of discrete distance points in the area of capture.

13. Geodetic device according to claim 12, wherein the number of distance points recorded by the means for recording a distance image is smaller than the number of image points, at least one image point being coordinated with at least one distance point.

14. Geodetic device according to claim 12, further comprising a focusing member in a beam path to the camera, the means for recording a distance image being arranged after the focusing member in the beam path.

15. Geodetic device according to claim 14, further comprising means which can be introduced into the beam path, in particular in conjunction with a rotatable or displaceable support element, for orientation of the distance measurements in the area of capture, in particular having microlenses or holographic elements.

16. Computer program product having program code which is stored on a machine-readable medium or is embodied by an electromagnetic wave, for carrying out the method according to claim 1, in particular if the program is executed in a computer.

17. Method according to claim 2, wherein an orientation of the distance measurements in the area of capture is varied, preferably as a function of measured distance values, in particular as a function of the distribution of the distance values.

18. Method according to claim 7, wherein, in the visual image objects are identified on the basis of a correlation of cohesive regions and features of the visual image.

19. Geodetic device according to claim 13, further comprising a focusing member in a beam path to the camera, the means for recording a distance image being arranged after the focusing member in the beam path.