GEODETIC TARGET FOR A GEODETIC INSTRUMENT

• US 20120124850A1
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Jena GmbH (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Jena GmbH (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Graesser, Christian, Ortleb, Rudolf, Utterbaeck, Anneli
• Granted Patent: US 8,567,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/228
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers

Abstract

A geodetic target for use in geodesy includes a support, a measuring target supported by the support, an identifier supported by the support, and a controller. The identifier includes at least one identification element that is configured to be switchable between at least two optical states and has a first predetermined optical property in one optical state and does not have the first predetermined optical property in a further optical state. The controller is configured to change the state of the at least one identification element. A geodetic measurement instrument includes an identifier detection unit, a measuring unit, and a transmitter configured to address a receiver of the geodetic target and to transmit control commands to the same which effect the change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target. A system includes the geodetic measurement instrument and geodetic target.

Claims

1. A geodetic target for use in geodesy, comprising:

a support;

a measuring target supported by the support;

an identifier supported by the support, the identifier including at least one identification element which is configured to be switchable between at least two optical states, wherein the identification element has a first predetermined optical property in one optical state and does not have the first predetermined optical property in a further optical state; and

a controller configured to change the optical state of the at least one identification element.

2. The geodetic target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one identification element is an indicator or reflector operating according to the principle of electrophoresis, electrowetting or micromechanically controlled interference modulation.

3. The geodetic target according to claim 2 wherein the at least one identification element is formed of a spatially delimited, discrete element which emits radiation.

4. The geodetic target according to claim 2 wherein the at least one identification element is formed of one or more pixels of a pixel matrix.

5. The geodetic target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one identification element is a bistable LCD or a light-emitting diode or an organic light-emitting diode.

6. The geodetic target according to claim 5 wherein the at least one identification element is formed of one or more pixels of a pixel matrix.

7. The geodetic target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one identification element is formed of a spatially delimited, discrete element which emits radiation.

8. The geodetic target according to claim 7 comprising at least two, or at least three or at least eight identification elements disposed spaced from one another.

9. The geodetic target according to claim 8 wherein the measuring target is disposed along a straight line connecting two identification elements.

10. The geodetic target according to claim 8 wherein the measuring target is disposed in the centroid of a regular area (F), the corner points of which are defined by the identification elements.

11. The geodetic target according to claim 8 wherein the identification elements are disposed such that they form at least two geometric figures of different size.

12. The geodetic target according to claim 8 wherein the identification elements are disposed regularly, and the controller is configured to change the optical state of plural identification elements at the same time, such that the identification elements having the same optical state selectively form geometric figures which differ from one another with respect to at least one of the shape or the size.

13. The geodetic target according to claim 7 further comprising an addressable receiver that is configured to receive control commands and to supply the same to the controller, the control commands causing the change of the optical state of at least one identification element of the identifier.

14. The geodetic target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one identification element is formed of one or more pixels of a pixel matrix.

15. The geodetic target according to claim 14 further comprising an addressable receiver that is configured to receive control commands and to supply the same to the controller, the control commands causing the change of the optical state of at least one identification element of the identifier.

16. The geodetic target according to claim 1 wherein the measuring target is a reflector or a radiation source for emitting measuring radiation.

17. The geodetic target according to claim 1 comprising at least two, or at least three or at least eight identification elements disposed spaced from one another.

18. The geodetic target according to claim 17 wherein the measuring target is disposed along a straight line connecting two identification elements.

19. The geodetic target according to claim 17 wherein the measuring target is disposed in the centroid of a regular area (F), the corner points of which are defined by the identification elements.

20. The geodetic target according to claim 17 wherein the identification elements are disposed such that they form at least two geometric figures of different size.

21. The geodetic target according to claim 17 wherein the identification elements are disposed regularly, and the controller is configured to change the optical state of plural identification elements at the same time, such that the identification elements having the same optical state selectively form geometric figures which differ from one another with respect to at least one of the shape or the size.

22. The geodetic target according to claim 1 further comprising an addressable receiver that is configured to receive control commands and to supply the same to the controller, the control commands causing the change of the optical state of at least one identification element of the identifier.

23. A geodetic measurement instrument, comprising:

an identifier detection unit configured to detect the optical state of at least one identification element of an identifier of a geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the measurement instrument;

a measuring unit which is configured to perform a measurement with respect to a measuring target of the geodetic target; and

a transmitter which is configured to address a receiver of the geodetic target and to transmit thereto control commands which cause a change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target.

24. The geodetic measurement instrument according to claim 23 wherein the measuring unit is configured to emit a measuring radiation to the geodetic target for performing a measurement with respect to the measuring target of the geodetic target.

25. A system, comprising a geodetic target for use in geodesy and a geodetic measurement instrument,

the geodetic target comprising:

a support;

a measuring target supported by the support;

an identifier supported by the support, the identifier including at least one identification element which is configured to be switchable between at least two optical states, wherein the identification element has a first predetermined optical property in one optical state and does not have the first predetermined optical property in a further optical state;

a controller configured to change the optical state of the at least one identification element; and

an addressable receiver that is configured to receive control commands and to supply the same to the controller, the control commands causing the change of the optical state of at least one identification element of the identifier;

the geodetic measurement instrument comprising;

an identifier detection unit configured to detect the optical state of at least one identification element of an identifier of a geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the measurement instrument;

a measuring unit which is configured to perform a measurement with respect to a measuring target of the geodetic target; and

a transmitter which is configured to address a receiver of the geodetic target and to transmit thereto control commands which cause a change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target;

wherein the geodetic measurement instrument is configured to confirm the identity of the geodetic target if the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target changes as a result of the transmission of the control command.

26. The system according to claim 25 comprising at least two geodetic targets, wherein the identifier detection unit of the geodetic measurement instrument is configured to identify the at least two geodetic targets on the basis of their respective identifiers and to selectively perform successive measurements with respect to the measuring targets of the geodetic targets.

27. A system, comprising a geodetic target for use in geodesy and a geodetic measurement instrument,

the geodetic target comprising:

a support;

a measuring target supported by the support;

an identifier supported by the support, the identifier including at least one identification element which is configured to be switchable between at least two optical states, wherein the identification element has a first predetermined optical property in one optical state and does not have the first predetermined optical property in a further optical state;

a controller configured to change the optical state of the at least one identification element; and

an addressable receiver that is configured to receive control commands and to supply the same to the controller, the control commands causing the change of the optical state of at least one identification element of the identifier;

the geodetic measurement instrument comprising;

an identifier detection unit configured to detect the optical state of at least one identification element of an identifier of a geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the measurement instrument;

a measuring unit which is configured to perform a measurement with respect to a measuring target of the geodetic target; and

a transmitter which is configured to address a receiver of the geodetic target and to transmit thereto control commands which cause a change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target;

wherein the geodetic measurement instrument is configured to adjust the size of a representation of the identifier of the geodetic target in the geodetic measurement instrument, by transmission of the control command, to a field of view of the measuring unit of the geodetic measurement instrument.

28. A measurement method for determining at least one of the spatial position and orientation of a geodetic target relative to a geodetic measurement instrument, comprising:

detecting the optical state of at least one identification element of an identifier of the geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the geodetic measurement instrument;

transmitting a control command to the geodetic target by using the geodetic measurement instrument, the control command effecting the change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target; and

detecting the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the geodetic measurement instrument in order to confirm the identity of the geodetic target if the optical state of the at lest one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target changes as a result of the transmission of the control command.

29. The measurement method according to claim 28, further comprising:

emitting a measuring radiation to the geodetic target by using the geodetic instrument in order to perform a measurement with respect to the measuring target.

30. The measurement method according to claim 28, wherein detecting the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target comprises producing of a two-dimensional image and detecting the at least one identification element in the two-dimensional image by using electronic image processing.

31. The measurement method according to claim 28, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the geodetic target on the basis of the spatial position of at least two identification elements of the identifier of the geodetic target relative to one another; and

correcting the measurement result on the basis of the determined orientation of the geodetic target.

32. A measurement method for determining at least one of the spatial position and orientation of a geodetic target relative to a geodetic measurement instrument, comprising:

detecting the optical state of at least one identification element of an identifier of the geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the geodetic measurement instrument;

transmitting a control command to the geodetic target by using the geodetic measurement instrument, the control command effecting the change of the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target; and

detecting the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target on the basis of radiation received in the geodetic measurement instrument in order to determine the identity of the geodetic target after the size of the representation of the identifier of the geodetic target has been adapted to the field of view of the geodetic measurement instrument as a result of a change of the optical state of the at least one identification element due to the transmission of the control command.

33. The measurement method according to claim 32 further comprising:

emitting a measuring radiation to the geodetic target by using the geodetic instrument in order to perform a measurement with respect to the measuring target.

34. The measurement method according to claim 32 wherein detecting the optical state of the at least one identification element of the identifier of the geodetic target comprises producing of a two-dimensional image and detecting the at least one identification element in the two-dimensional image by using electronic image processing.

35. The measurement method according to claim 32 further comprising:

determining an orientation of the geodetic target on the basis of the spatial position of at least two identification elements of the identifier of the geodetic target relative to one another; and

correcting the measurement result on the basis of the determined orientation of the geodetic target.