Method and an apparatus for the surveying of road properties as to the length of the axis, the width and the height or the ascent

• US 5,075,772 A
• Filed: 04/23/1990
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingenieurburo Dr. Ing. H.-P. Gebel
• Original Assignee: Ingenieurburo Dr. Ing. H.-P. Gebel
• Inventors: Gebel, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieder, Kenneth A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US07/512,814
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 358/107, 358/108, 358/93, 358/103, 358/110, 358/112, 358/113, 340/988, 340/995, 340/928
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/04 involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the surveying of road length, road width and height, and ascent and incline of the road, wherein approximately equally spaced measuring marks are applied onto the road surface along the axis of the road, which measuring marks are then approached by a surveyor vehicle and the actual straight line distance between the measuring marks is exactly measured by a gauging system provided on the surveyor vehicle. The measuring marks are scanned by video cameras measurably adjustable on X, Y tables or are scanned by electromagnetic sensors while the position of the video cameras or sensors on the serveyor which can exactly be measured. For height measurements, a vertical reference line is defined by means of perpendicular bars and laser devices and the distance thereof relative to the road surface is measured at locations, the positions of which can exactly be defined by the video cameras. The measured data are stored digitally and/or as monitor images, on magnetic tapes.

Claims

1. A method for determining measurements of an elongated road segment, comprising the steps of:

applying detectable marks along the road surface in the direction of elongation of the road segment;

scanning the locations of a pair of sequentially spaced marks by means of a pair of detectors supported on a surveyor vehicle;

measurably adjusting the positions of the detectors on the vehicle to accurately position the detectors with respect to the pair of scanned marks;

determining the straight line distance between the adjusted detectors, and

repeating said scanning and adjusting steps for subsequent pairs of marks until the road segment is traversed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said marks are initially applied onto the road surface with an approximately equal spacing of a predetermined amount, and wherein said step of determining calculates the exact straight line distance between the marks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein locations of said marks are accurately determined by adjustable positioning of the detectors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said surveyor vehicle continuously moves along the road, and wherein the position of a pair of sequential marks with respect to each other are recorded for each pair of marks, and subsequently the distance between the marks is determined from the recorded information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the surveyor vehicle includes an adjustable gauging system for measurably adjusting a length measurement, the pair of detectors being located at the respective ends of said gauging system, and wherein said step of measureably adjusting includes adjustment of the length of the gauging system.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising measuring the width of the road segment at each mark by utilizing an adjustable width gauge extending from the surveyor vehicle with a detector at the proximal end and a detector at the distal end of the width gauge, comprising the steps of adjustably positioning the proximal end detector over a mark, adjustably extending the distal end detector to detect a side position of the road, and determining the straight line width distance between the proximal and distal end detectors.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the width distance determined is for one side of the road, and further comprising the steps of traversing the road in the opposite direction and repeating the steps of width distance determination for the other side of the road, and combining the two width determinations for the total width.

8. The method of claim 1, and further comprising measuring the height difference between two marks by utilizing vertical bars having their lower ends respectively coupled to each detector, and their upper ends coupled to means for maintaining a vertical orientation to the bars, and a horizontal light beam generated from one bar and its height position measured on the other bar, the method for measuring heights comprising the step of determining the height distance of the movement of the detected light beam from an initial horizontal position, as the vehicle moves to a final position at which the two marks are being measured by the detectors.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising the steps of determining the ascent of the road along the road segment by surveying the height difference between marks at the beginning and end of the road segment, determining the length distance between the beginning and end marks, and calculating the ascent therefrom.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising measuring the inclination of the road segment by determining the angular inclination of a reference line associated with the angular orientation of the vehicle on the road surface with respect to a vertical orientation.

11. The method of claim 6, and further comprising measuring the height difference along the width of the road segment by utilizing vertical bars having their lower ends respectively coupled to each of the detectors on the width gauge, and their upper ends coupled to means for maintaining a vertical orientation to the bars, and a horizontal light beam generated from one bar and its height position measured on the other bar, the method for measuring the height comprising the steps of determining the distance of movement of the detected light beam from an initial horizontal position to a final position at which time the width gauge detectors make their measurements.

12. An apparatus for determining the measurements of an elongated road segment, comprising:

a surveyor vehicle for traversing the road segment;

means for applying detectable marks along a surface of the road segment along the length of the road segment;

a gauging system on the vehicle comprising a pair of spaced apart detectors for scanning the respective locations of a pair of sequential marks, adjustment means coupled to said detectors for adjustment of each detector with respect to the vehicle to accurately position the detector with respect to its scanned mark, and measuring means for accurately determining the straight line distance between the detectors.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applying means applies the marks at a predetermined approximate equal spacing along the road surface, and the measuring means measures the exact straight spacing between the marks.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applying means is on said surveyor vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applying means is on a vehicle other than said surveyor vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising means for storing information with respect to the positioning of the detectors to detect each pair of sequential marks, and calculating means for calculating the length of the road segment from the stored information.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said adjustment means comprises a telescoping bar extending between said detectors whose length can be accurately measured.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said adjustment means comprises a support table, and movement means for movement of said table in each of a longitudinal and a transverse direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising means for determining the height difference between two marks, comprising a pair of vertical bars, pivot means for respectively coupling one end of each bar to a respective detector, leveling means coupled to the other ends of the bars for maintaining the bars in a vertical orientation despite any angular inclinations of the vehicle, a light beam source on one of the bars for emitting a light beam at a right angle from the bar and directed toward the other bar, sensor means on the other bar for sensing the vertical level of the light beam, and means for deriving the difference in height between marks based on the vertical level sensed.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising a height gauge means located on said vehicle for measuring the height from the road surface to the detectors.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said marks are visible marks, and wherein said detectors comprise video cameras and including indication means for accurate detection of a visible mark on said video camera.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising means for determining the inclination of the road segment, comprising a reference bar located on said vehicle in a direction perpendicular to a base of the vehicle, adjustment means for orienting said bar into a vertical orientation, and means for measuring the angular arc required for such orientation.