Survey system

• US 7,193,695 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topcon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisya Sbl
• Inventors: Sugiura, Akinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, ISAM A
• Application Number:
  US11/044,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20050189469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 356/139.07, 3561411-1415
• US Class Current: 356/141.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements

Abstract

A survey system for transmitting guide light for instructing the direction of a target, the guide light having a wide range with small power. The survey system includes a target having a recursion reflector for reflecting light and a survey apparatus having an automatic collimation device for automatically coinciding the collimation axis of the recursion reflector with that of a telescope. The target includes a guide light transmitter for emitting guide light and scans a fan beam that is wide in the horizontal direction and narrow in the vertical direction in the vertical direction as guide light. The survey apparatus includes a direction detector for receiving guide light and detecting the direction of the guide light transmitter and also includes a collimation preparing device for turning the telescope roughly to the recursion reflector based on an output signal from the direction detector prior to commencing the automatic collimation.

Claims

1. A survey system, comprising:

a target provided with a recursion reflector for reflecting light in a direction from which the light comes; and

a survey apparatus provided with an automatic collimating device for automatically coinciding a collimation axis of said recursion reflector with that of a telescope,

wherein said target is provided with a guide light transmitter for emitting guide light showing the direction of the guide light transmitter, and

said survey apparatus includes collimation preparing means having a direction detector for detecting the direction of said guide light transmitter by receiving said guide light and turning said telescope toward the direction of said recursion reflector on the basis of an output signal from said direction detector before starting said automatic collimating device; and

said guide light transmitter scans a fan beam that is wide in a width direction and narrow in a thickness direction in a direction differing from the width direction as guide light.

2. A survey system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide light transmitter scans a fan beam that is wide in the horizontal direction and having a vertically narrow width in a vertical direction as guide light, and

said direction director is fixed on the survey apparatus body and is a horizontal direction detector that detects the horizontal direction of said guide light transmitter when turning said survey apparatus in the horizontal direction.

3. A survey system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said survey apparatus emits collimation light from said automatic collimating device when said horizontal direction detector receives guide light from said guide light transmitter, and simultaneously turns the telescope vertically;

and

said target includes a collimation light receiver for receiving said collimation light and a control calculation portion for controlling so as to turn on and off the guide light, which is emitted from said guide light transmitter, in response to an output from the corresponding collimation light receiver.

4. A survey system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said target is connected to said survey apparatus by communication means.

5. A survey system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said target is connected to said survey apparatus by communication means.

6. A survey system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide light transmitter scans a fan beam that is wide in the horizontal direction and having a vertically narrow width in the vertical direction as guide light;

and

said direction detector is fixed on the telescope axially supported on said survey apparatus so as to rotate vertically, and detects the horizontal direction of said guide light transmitter when horizontally turning said survey apparatus and detects the vertical direction of said guide light transmitter when vertically turning said telescope.

7. A survey system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said target is connected to said survey apparatus by communication means.

8. A survey system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said target is connected to said survey apparatus by communication means.

9. A survey system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide light transmitter scans a fan beam that is wide in the horizontal direction and having a vertically narrow width in the vertical direction as guide light;

said direction detector comprises a horizontal direction detector, which is horizontally rotatably attached to said survey apparatus body, for detecting the horizontal direction of said guide light transmitter by turning in the horizontal direction, and a vertical direction detector, which is fixed on the telescope fixed on said survey apparatus body so as to rotate vertically, for detecting the vertical direction of said guide light transmitter when said telescope is vertically rotated; and

said target comprises a collimation light receiver for receiving collimation light emitted from said automatic collimation apparatus and a control calculation portion for stopping said guide light when the corresponding collimation light receiver receives said collimation light.