Surveying apparatus

• US 5,940,172 A
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renishaw PLC
• Original Assignee: Measurement Devices Limited (Renishaw PLC)
• Inventors: Ball, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US09/089,987
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 356/3, 356/1, 356/141, 356/152, 340/705, 342/357, 342/450, 342/465, 342/458, 89/41.05, 89/41.06, 89/41.07, 89/41.17
• US Class Current: 356/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105

Abstract

The present invention provides a surveying apparatus adapted to be worn on the head of user. The surveying apparatus contains components for optical sighting, distance measurement, bearing determination, position fixation, and signal processing. The distance measuring device is preferably a laser distance measuring device.

Claims

1. A surveying apparatus comprising:

a mounting device adapted to be worn on the head of a user; and

mounted to the mounted device are (a) an optical sighting device to select a location to be surveyed, (b) a distance measuring device to measure the distance from the mounting device to the selected location, (c) a compass and an inclinometer to determine the bearing from the mounting device to the selected location, (d) a position fixing device to identify the position of the helmet;

and a processing device to receive output signals from the position fixing device, the measuring device, the inclinometer and the compass.

2. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance measuring device is a laser distance measuring device.