Surveying system with an inertial measuring device

• US 6,266,628 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
• Original Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
• Inventors: Huep, Wolfgang, Michelbacher, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US09/191,320
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 702/94, 702/150, 702/166, 332/90, 332/91, 332/93, 701/207, 701/220, 701/221
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/16 by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation

Abstract

A surveying system has a sighting device and a position measuring unit. The position measuring unit includes an inertial measuring device.

Claims

1. A surveying process with the use of a surveying system having a sighting device, a position measuring unit that comprises a target point carrier that is movable relative to said sighting device and is sighted by said sighting device, and an inertial measuring device arranged on said target point carrier, comprising:

placing said target point carrier at an initial position,

moving said target point carrier sting from said initial position to further positions that are to be surveyed,

using measurement values supplied by said inertial measuring device for determining coordinates of said positions of said target point carrier,

and when visual connection between said sighting device and said target point carrier is interrupted, measuring the position of said target point carrier exclusively by measurement values supplied by said inertial measuring device.

2. The surveying process according to claim 1, further comprising measuring the position of said target point carrier tachymetrically with said sighting device and with measurement values supplied from said inertial measuring device.

3. The surveying process according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting measurement values of said inertial measuring device by a transmitting unit associated with said target point carrier to an evaluation unit of said surveying system.

4. The surveying process according to claim 1, further comprising storing measurement values of said inertial measuring device in a measurement value memory associated with said target point carrier.

5. The surveying process with the use of a measuring system having a sighting device, and an inertial measuring device arranged on said sighting device, comprising:

placing said sighting device at an initial position,

moving said sighting device to further positions,

using measurement values for surveying supplied by said inertial measuring device that correspond to a path that said sighting device has covered

planning positions to be measured in advance, and

controlling transfer of said sighting device from said initial position to said further positions to be surveyed with said inertial measuring device.

6. A surveying process with the use of a surveying system having a sighting device, a position measuring unit that comprises a target point carrier that is movable relative to said sighting device and is sighted by said sighting device, and an inertial measuring device arranged on said target point carrier, comprising:

placing said target point carrier at an initial position,

moving said target point carrier starting from said initial position to further positions that are to be surveyed,

using measuring values supplied by said inertial measuring device for determining coordinates of said positions of said target point carrier, and

when visual connection between said sighting device and said target point carrier is interrupted, measuring the position of said target point carrier exclusively by measurement values supplied by said inertial measuring device.

7. The surveying process according to claim 6, further comprising, when visual connection between said sighting device and said target point carrier is restored, comparing survey results obtained by said inertial measuring device with survey results obtained tachymetrically.

8. A surveying process with the use of a surveying system having a sighting device, a position measuring unit that comprises a target point carrier that is movable relative to said sighting device and is sighted by said sighting device, and an inertial measuring device arranged on said target point carrier, comprising:

placing said target point carrier at an initial position,

moving said target point carrier starting from said initial position to further positions that are to be surveyed,

using measurement values supplied by said inertial measuring device for determining coordinates of said positions of said target point carrier,

planning positions to be measured in advance, and controlling transfer of said target point carrier from said initial position to said further positions to be surveyed with said inertial measuring device.

9. A surveying system, comprising:

a sighting device,

a position measuring unit, comprising an inertial measuring device,

a target point carrier that is movable relative to said sighting device and is sighted by said sighting device, said inertial measuring device being arranged on said target point carrier, and

a target point carrier seeking device that makes use of measurement values supplied by said inertial measuring device for automatically seeking said target point carrier

said sighting device including a measuring telescope, and

said target point carrier seeking device providing automatic alignment of said measuring telescope onto said target carrier by using signals of said inertial measuring device.

10. The surveying system according to claim 9, further comprising an evaluation unit and a transmitting unit included in said target point carrier that transmits measurement values determined by said inertial measuring device to said evaluation unit.

11. The surveying system according to claim 9, further comprising a measurement value memory included in said target point carrier that stores measurement values determined by said inertial measuring device.

12. The surveying system according to claim 9, further comprising an indicating unit included with said target point carrier for indication of measurement values of said inertial measuring device and, in appropriate circumstances, predetermined coordinate values.

13. The surveying system according to claim 9, further comprising a reflector included with said target point carrier.

14. The surveying system according to claim 9, in which said inertial measuring device is arranged on said sighting device.

15. The surveying system according to claim 14, in which said sighting device and said inertial measuring device are combined in a freehand unit.

16. The surveying system according to claim 9, in which said sighting device and said target point carrier each includes an inertial measuring device.

17. The surveying system according to claim 9, in which said sighting device comprises a measurement telescope of a theodolite or of a tachymeter.