Level having an autofocus system with controllable focusing lens group

• US 6,144,021 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/949,697
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201.2, 250/201.3, 250/201.4, 250/201.5, 250/201.8, 396/75, 396/77, 396/79, 396/80, 356/141.1, 356/141.2, 356/3.16, 359/399, 359/404, 359/410-412
• US Class Current: 250/201.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/04 combined with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/34 using different areas in a pupil plane

Abstract

A surveying apparatus, such as a level, includes an autofocus system. An object to be observed through a telescope of the surveying apparatus, is brought into focus through the autofocus system. The autofocus system includes a pair of image forming lenses, each forming an image of the object, and a pair of line sensors, each having a plurality of light receiving elements defining a light receiving area. The object images are respectively formed on the light receiving areas through the pair of image forming lenses. A focusing lens group is provided in the telescope. A mechanism moves the focusing lens group along an optical axis of the telescope in accordance with data output from the pair of line sensors. A device for detecting a position of the focusing lens group and a mechanism for selecting a number of the plurality of light receiving elements of each of the pair of line sensors to be used in a focusing operation are provided. The number of light receiving elements is selected depending on the position of the focusing lens group detected by the detecting device. A device is provided for controlling the moving mechanism in accordance with data output from the selected number of the plurality of light receiving elements.

Claims

1. A surveying apparatus having an autofocus system through which an object to be observed through a telescope of said surveying apparatus is brought into focus, said autofocus system comprising:

first and second image forming lenses forming first and second images of said object;

first and second line sensors, each having a plurality of light receiving elements defining first and second light receiving areas, said first and second images being respectively formed on said first and second light receiving areas through said first and second image forming lenses;

a focusing lens group provided in said telescope;

means for moving said focusing lens group along an optical axis of said telescope in accordance with data output from said first and second line sensors;

means for detecting a position of said focusing lens group;

means for selecting a number of said plurality of light receiving elements of each of said first and second line sensors responsive to said position of said focusing lens group detected by said detecting means; and

means for controlling said moving means in accordance with data output from said number of said plurality of light receiving elements selected by said selecting means.

2. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said number of light receiving elements selected by said selecting means decreases as a distance to said object to be observed increases, said distance being detected in response to said position of said focusing lens group.

3. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said telescope comprises an objective lens group, said focusing lens group, a beam splitter, a reticle and an eyepiece in respective order from a side of said object to be observed, and wherein a portion of light passing through said objective lens group and said focusing lens group is reflected by said beam splitter towards said first and second image forming lenses and is split into first and second split images, said first and second split images being respectively formed on said first and second line sensors through said first and second image forming lenses.

4. The surveying apparatus of claim 3, wherein said autofocus system further comprises a condenser lens positioned between said beam splitter and said first and second image forming lenses.

5. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said autofocus system further comprises means for storing a plurality of sets of effective area defining data, each defining a different number of light receiving elements to be used, wherein, based upon said position of said focusing lens group detected by said detecting means, one set of said plurality of sets of effective area defining data is input to said selecting means, and wherein said selecting means selects said number of said plurality of light receiving elements in accordance with said one set of said plurality of sets of effective area defining data input to said selecting means.

6. The surveying apparatus of claim 3, wherein said telescope further comprises a horizontal plane establishing optical system, positioned between said focusing lens group and said beam splitter, for automatically establishing a horizontal plane of sight.

7. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said telescope further comprises an AF frame formed on a transparent plate positioned in an optical path of said telescope, said AF frame indicating a focus measuring area corresponding to a length of said number of said plurality of light receiving elements.

8. The surveying apparatus of claim 7, wherein said transparent plate is an LCD plate indicating said AF frame, said AF frame having a variable size based on said number of said plurality of light receiving elements selected by said selecting means.

9. The surveying apparatus of claim 8, wherein said AF frame varies in size to correspond to said length such that the size of said AF frame decreases as a distance between said telescope and said object to be observed increases, said object distance being detected based upon said position of said focusing lens group.

10. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second line sensors is a multi-segment CCD sensor, and said plurality of light receiving elements comprise a plurality of photodiodes.

11. The surveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selecting means and said controlling means are provided in a single CPU.

12. A surveying apparatus having an autofocus system through which an object to be observed through a telescope of said surveying apparatus is brought into focus,

wherein said telescope comprises an objective lens group, a focusing lens group, a reticle and an eyepiece in respective order from a side of said object, wherein said focusing lens group is moved along an optical axis to form an image of said object on said reticle, said image formed on said reticle being observable through said eyepiece,

wherein said autofocus system comprises:

a beam splitter provided in an optical path between said focusing lens group and said reticle;

first and second image forming lenses forming first and second images of said object, said first and second image forming lenses each receiving light emitted from said beam splitter;

first and second line sensors, each having an array of light receiving elements defining a plurality of light receiving areas, said first and second images being respectively formed on said light receiving areas through said first and second image forming lenses;

means for moving said focusing lens group along said optical axis in accordance with data output from said first and second line sensors;

means for detecting a position of said focusing lens group;

means for selecting, from said array on each of said first and second line sensors, at least some of said light receiving elements for use in a focusing operation in which said moving means moves said focusing lens group so as to form said image of said object on said reticle, in response to said position of said focusing lens group detected by said detecting means; and

means for controlling said moving means in accordance with data output from said selected light receiving elements.