GPS survey instrument

• US 5,821,900 A
• Filed: 05/12/1997
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US08/854,672
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 701/214, 701/216
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/02 Theodolites
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude

Abstract

A GPS antenna (11) is removably attached to an electronic survey instrument or station (1). The GPS antenna (11) is positioned away from the mechanical center point (P1) of the station (1). The station (1) has an operation unit that calculates the position (i.e., the GPS coordinates) of the mechanical center point (P1) of the station (1), based on the relative position of the center (P2) of the GPS antenna (11) with respect to the mechanical center (P1) of the station (1), the position of the center (P2) of the GPS antenna (11) obtained by a GPS, and the orientation of the station (10) relative to a reference direction.

Claims

1. An electronic survey instrument comprising:

a GPS antenna, which is detachably attached to the electronic survey instrument, wherein when the GPS antenna is attached to the electronic survey instrument, it is positioned so as to be offset from a mechanical center point of the electronic survey instrument; and

an operation unit that calculates the location of the mechanical center point of the electronic survey instrument based on a position of the GPS antenna relative to the mechanical center point of the electronic survey instrument, the location of a center of the GPS antenna as identified by a GPS, and the orientation of the electronic survey instrument with respect to a reference direction.

2. The electronic survey instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a direction sensor that detects the reference direction.

3. The electronic survey instrument according to claim 1, further comprising an azimuth sensor that detects the orientation of the electronic survey instrument.

4. A GPS survey apparatus comprising:

a GPS antenna; and

an electronic survey instrument, which is connected to the GPS antenna via a cable, the electronic survey instrument including;

an azimuth sensor for detecting a reference direction, and

an operation unit for calculating a location of a mechanical center point of the electronic survey instrument based on a position of the GPS antenna relative to the electronic survey instrument, the location of the center of the GPS antenna as identified by a GPS, and the orientation of the GPS antenna relative to the reference direction.