POSITION DETERMINATION METHOD AND GEODETIC MEASURING SYSTEM

• US 20110285592A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Green, Alastair, Nindl, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,316,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/451
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/32 by focusing the object, e.g. on a ground glass screen
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46

Abstract

Position determination method for a target point, using a geodetic measuring device, such as a total station or a theodolite, having a distance and angle measurement functionality, a sighting device, and a first radio module, and using a hand-held data processing device, such as a data logger for the measuring device, having a second radio module. The data processing device is positioned within a specified radius of the target point. As part of the method, a radio connection is established between the first and the second radio modules, and the position of the target point is determined. A rough distance between the first and the second radio modules is determined based on a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals of the radio connection and is used to locate the target—as displaying, detecting, identifying, and/or sighting the target point—or to exclude further possible target point candidates.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A position determination method for a target point to be measured, using a geodetic measuring device which has a distance and angle measurement function as well as a sighting device having a first radio module, and a handheld data processing device having a second radio module, the data processing device being positioned within a prescribed circumcircle around the target point, comprising the steps of:

establishing a radio link between the first and the second radio modules; and

determining the position of the target point, wherein;

an approximate distance is determined between the first and the second radio modules with the aid of a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals of the radio link, and

the approximate distance is used for target localization by displaying, detecting, identifying and/or sighting the target point.

17. The position determination method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the geodetic measuring device includes a total station or a theodolite and the handheld data processing device includes a data logger for the measuring device.

18. The position determination method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the approximate distance is used in order to identify the target point from a candidate set of target point candidates whose distances from the measuring device are respectively known, by filtering the distances as a function of the approximate distance, and/or for an automatic focus function of the sighting device so that automatic focusing is performed as a function of the approximate distance.

19. The position determination method as claimed in claim 18, the approximate distance being used at least to identify the target point, wherein those target point candidates are selected whose distance values lie within a defined, maximum permissible deviation range round the value of the approximate distance, in particular the maximum permissible deviation range being defined:

as a function of a measuring accuracy for the determination of the approximate distance; and

/or

as a function of a position of the data processing device relative to the target point, in particular additionally as a function of the prescribed circumcircle.

20. The position determination method as claimed in claim 19, wherein that target point candidate whose distance value lies closest to the value of the approximate distance is identified as the target point.

21. The position determination method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a probability for the identification as the target point is determined for the target point candidate.

22. The position determination method as claimed in one of claim 19, wherein a measurement of the respective distances of the target point candidates is performed in the course of a search, carried out automatically by the measuring device, of a specific field of view region for the reflecting objects representing the target point candidates.

23. The position determination method as claimed in one of claim 19, wherein a measurement of the respective distances and of the respective angles of the target point candidates is performed in the course of a search, carried out automatically by the measuring device, of a specific field of view region for the reflecting objects representing the target point candidates.

24. The position determination method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the measured position of the target point candidate identified as the target point is assigned to the target point.

25. The position determination method as claimed in claim 16, the approximate distance being used at least for the autofocus function of the sighting device, wherein:

a focal position of an optics of the sighting device is set automatically in such a way that the sighting device is focused on the approximate distance, the sighting device being designed as;

a target telescope;

a camera;

or

a target telescope with a camera aligned coaxially therewith or parallel thereto.

26. The position determination method as claimed in claim 16, the approximate distance being used at least for the autofocus function of the sighting device, wherein:

a focal position of an optics of the sighting device is set automatically—

in particular by servomotors in such a way that the sighting device is focused on the approximate distance, the sighting device being designed as;

a target telescope with a camera aligned coaxially therewith or parallel thereto an acquired camera image being displayed on a display of the data processing device.

32. A geodetic measuring system for determining the position of a target point comprising:

a geodetic measuring device, including;

a first radio module;

a distance and angle measurement function for determining positions of reflecting objects that represent target point candidates of a candidate set; and

a sighting device;

a handheld data processing device spatially linkable to the target point including a second radio module designed for communication with the first radio module;

an electronic evaluation unit designed in such a way that an approximate distance from the first to the second radio module is determined with the aid of a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals given a radio link between the first and the second radio modules;

at least one of the following components using the approximate distance;

a unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set;

or

a focus control for the sighting device for automatic focusing as a function of the approximate distance; and

at least the unit for identifying the target point being present, wherein the unit is designed as an arithmetic logic unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set by filtering the target point candidates as a function of the approximate distance, the identification being performed in accordance with the method as claimed in claim 19, the arithmetic logic unit being integrated in the measuring device.

33. The measuring system as claimed in claim 32, at least the focus control for the sighting device being present, wherein the focus control being designed to automatically set, a focal position of an optics of the sighting device in such a way that the sighting device is focused on the approximate distance, the sighting device being designed as:

a target telescope;

a camera;

or

a target telescope with a camera aligned coaxially therewith or parallel thereto.

34. The measuring system as claimed in claim 32, at least the focus control for the sighting device being present, wherein the focus control being designed to automatically by means of servomotors a focal position of an optics of the sighting device in such a way that the sighting device is focused on the approximate distance, the sighting device being designed as

a target telescope;

a camera;

or

a target telescope with a camera aligned coaxially therewith or parallel thereto,

an acquired camera image being displayed on a display of the data processing device.

35. The measuring system as claimed in one of claim 32,

wherein:

the target point is designed as a target reflector and is fastened on a reflector rod, and

the reflector rod has a holder for slipping on the data processing device.

36. A geodetic measuring device for the measuring system as claimed in claim 32, comprising

a first radio module;

a distance and angle measurement function for determining positions of reflecting objects that represent target point candidates of a candidate set;

a sighting device;

an electronic evaluation unit designed in such a way that an approximate distance from the first radio module to a second radio module of a data processing device spatially linked to a target point is determined with the aid of a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals given a radio link between the first and the second radio modules; and

at least one of the following components using the approximate distance;

a unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set;

or

a focus control for the sighting device for automatic focusing as a function of the approximate distance.

37. A geodetic measuring apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the geodetic measuring device is a total station or a theodolite and includes a search function for target point candidates located in a field of view region.

38. A handheld data processing device, a data logger, or a field computer, for the measuring system as claimed in claim 32, the data processing device:

being designed for remote control and for acquiring data of a geodetic measuring device;

being spatially linkable to a target point to be measured by the geodetic measuring device; and

having a second radio module, wherein;

an electronic evaluation unit designed in such a way that an approximate distance from the second radio module to a first radio module of the geodetic measuring device is determined with the aid of a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals given a radio link between the first and the second radio modules; and

a unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set, the unit being designed;

as an arithmetic logic unit for identifying the target point by filtering the target point candidates as a function of the approximate distance; and

/or

as a display for displaying the approximate distance.

27. A geodetic measuring system for determining the position of a target point, comprising:

a geodetic measuring device, including;

a first radio module;

a distance and angle measurement function for determining positions of reflecting objects that represent target point candidates of a candidate set; and

a sighting device;

a handheld data processing device spatially linkable to the target point including a second radio module designed for communication with the first radio module;

an electronic evaluation unit designed in such a way that an approximate distance from the first to the second radio module is determined with the aid of a propagation time of interrogation and/or response signals given a radio link between the first and the second radio modules; and

at least one of the following components using the approximate distance;

a unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set;

or

a focus control for the sighting device for automatic focusing as a function of the approximate distance.

28. The measuring system as claimed in claim 27, the geodetic measuring device including a total station or a theodolite and a search function for target point candidates located in a field of view region.

29. The measuring system as claimed in claim 27, the handheld data processing device including a data logger with a window control function for the measuring device.

30. The measuring system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the evaluation unit is integrated either in the measuring device or in the data processing device.

31. The measuring system as claimed in claim 27, at least the unit for identifying the target point being present, wherein the unit is designed as an arithmetic logic unit for identifying the target point from the candidate set by filtering the target point candidates as a function of the approximate distance.