Surveying Instrument and Method of Providing Survey Data of a Target Region Using a Surveying Instrument
First Claim
1. A surveying instrument comprising:
- a distance-measuring unit to produce distance data representing a distance between the distance-measuring unit and an object to be surveyed along a measuring direction of the distance measuring unit, the distance-measuring unit being mounted for rotation about a horizontal and a vertical axis;
orientation sensors to produce orientation data representing an orientation of the distance-measuring unit about the horizontal and vertical axes;
a telescope unit to generate image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of the object, the telescope unit having a defined spatial relation with respect to the distance-measuring unit; and
a processing unit configured to;
control the telescope unit to produce image data;
control the distance-measuring unit to produce distance data for at least three different locations at the object, the distance data being received by the processing unit together with corresponding orientation data;
obtain surface data representing a surface defined by the distance data and orientation data associated with the at least three different locations at the object; and
transform the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the surface based on the surface data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surveying instrument (11) comprises a telescope unit having imaging optics and an array of optical detector elements, orientation sensors detecting an orientation of the telescope unit, rotation drives for rotating the telescope unit about a horizontal and a vertical axis, a controllable distance-measuring unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit comprises a memory storing instructions and calibration data for relating the location of each optical detector element to a sighting direction and a processor for: obtaining target region data; obtaining projection surface data (133) representing a projection surface (135), acquiring a set of pixel data representing a two-dimensional image of a target region, transforming the set of pixel data to a set of projected image data representing a projection of the image to the projection surface using the calibration data, and storing the projected image data as surveying data.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A surveying instrument comprising:
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a distance-measuring unit to produce distance data representing a distance between the distance-measuring unit and an object to be surveyed along a measuring direction of the distance measuring unit, the distance-measuring unit being mounted for rotation about a horizontal and a vertical axis; orientation sensors to produce orientation data representing an orientation of the distance-measuring unit about the horizontal and vertical axes; a telescope unit to generate image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of the object, the telescope unit having a defined spatial relation with respect to the distance-measuring unit; and a processing unit configured to; control the telescope unit to produce image data; control the distance-measuring unit to produce distance data for at least three different locations at the object, the distance data being received by the processing unit together with corresponding orientation data; obtain surface data representing a surface defined by the distance data and orientation data associated with the at least three different locations at the object; and transform the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the surface based on the surface data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 44)
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5. A surveying instrument comprising:
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a distance-measuring unit to produce distance data representing a distance between the distance-measuring unit and an object to be surveyed along a measuring direction of the distance measuring unit; a telescope unit to generate image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of the object, the telescope unit having a defined spatial relation with respect to the distance-measuring unit; and a processing unit configured to; control the telescope unit to produce image data; control the distance-measuring unit to produce distance data; obtain surface data representing a plane, wherein a location of the plane is selected based on the distance data and the plane has an orientation selected by image processing by identifying and analyzing at least one oval and lozenge element at the object in the two-dimensional image of the object; and transform the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the plane based on the surface data. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A surveying instrument comprising:
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a distance-measuring unit to produce distance data representing a distance between the distance-measuring unit and an object to be surveyed along a measuring direction of the distance measuring unit; a telescope unit to generate image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of the object, the telescope unit having a defined spatial relation with respect to the distance-measuring unit; an interface for receiving three-dimensional-data of the object; and a processing unit configured to; control the telescope unit to produce image data; control the distance-measuring unit to produce distance data; obtain surface data representing a surface, wherein a location of the surface is selected based on the distance data and the surface has a shape as defined in the three-dimensional-data; and transform the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the surface based on the surface data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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16. A surveying instrument comprising
a telescope unit to generate image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of an object to be surveyed, the telescope unit being mounted for rotation about a horizontal and a vertical axis; -
orientation sensors to produce orientation data representing an orientation of the telescope unit about the horizontal and vertical axes; and a processing unit configured to; determine directions in which image data are to be obtained, the directions identifying plural two-dimensional partial images of a target region so that the plural two-dimensional partial images cover the target region; control the telescope unit to acquire partial image data in each direction, the partial image data being received by the processing unit together with corresponding orientation data; obtain panoramic surface data representing a panoramic surface, wherein the panoramic surface has a shape that is selected from a group consisting of a cone, a cylinder and a sphere; transform the partial image data for each direction to a set of projected partial image data, each representing a projection of the respective partial image data to the panoramic surface; and generate panoramic image data representing a panoramic image of the target region projected to the panoramic surface based on the set of projected partial image data and the orientation data corresponding to the respective projected partial image data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 47, 48)
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33. A method of providing survey data using a surveying instrument comprising the steps of:
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generating image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of an object to be surveyed; producing distance data representing a distance between the surveying instrument and the object along a measuring direction of the surveying instrument for at least three different locations at the object together with corresponding orientation data representing an orientation of the surveying instrument about horizontal and vertical axes; obtaining surface data representing a surface defined by the distance data and orientation data associated with the at least three different locations at the object; and transforming the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the surface based on the surface data. - View Dependent Claims (38, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46)
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34. A method of providing survey data using a surveying instrument comprising the steps of:
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generating image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of an object to be surveyed; producing distance data representing a distance between the surveying instrument and the object along a measuring direction of the surveying instrument; obtaining surface data representing a plane, by selecting a location of the plane based on the distance data and by selecting an orientation of the plane by image processing by identifying and analyzing at least one oval and lozenge element at the object in the two-dimensional image of the object; and transforming the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the plane based on the surface data.
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35. A method of providing survey data using a surveying instrument comprising the steps of:
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generating image data pertaining to a two-dimensional image of an object to be surveyed; producing distance data representing a distance between the surveying instrument and the object along a measuring direction of the surveying instrument; receiving three-dimensional-data of the object; obtaining surface data representing a surface, by selecting a location of the surface based on the distance data and selecting a shape of the surface as defined in the three-dimensional-data; and transforming the image data into projected image data representing a projection of the image to the surface based on the surface data. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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39. A method of providing survey data using a surveying instrument comprising the steps of:
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determining directions in which partial image data each pertaining to a two-dimensional partial image of an object to be surveyed are to be obtained, the directions identifying plural two-dimensional partial images of a target region at the object so that the plural two-dimensional partial images cover the target region; generating partial image data in each direction together with corresponding orientation data representing an orientation of the surveying instrument about horizontal and vertical axes; obtaining panoramic surface data representing a panoramic surface, by selecting a shape of the panoramic surface from a group consisting of a cone, a cylinder and a sphere; transforming the partial image data for each direction to a set of projected partial image data, each representing a projection of the respective partial image data to the panoramic surface; and generating panoramic image data representing a panoramic image of the target region projected to the panoramic surface based on the set of projected partial image data and the orientation data corresponding to the respective projected partial image data. - View Dependent Claims (40, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification