Method for determining the orientation of an orientation indicator

• US 7,728,963 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Kirschner, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, ISAM A
• Application Number:
  US11/719,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20080218728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 356/3.13, 356/3.14, 356/4.01, 356/5.1, 356/141.2, 356/152.1
• US Class Current: 356/141.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/784 using a mosaic of detectors

Abstract

A separation from at least one and an image of at least three reflective regions on the orientation indicator are recorded by a separation measurement sensor and an image sensor in a measuring device, for the purpose of determining the orientation of an orientation indicator. The separation measurement and image recording are achieved by means of a directed emission of a collimated first beam and a divergent second beam with differing wavelengths and/or polarization in the direction of the orientation indicator and a simultaneous recording of the reflected and/or scattered first and second beams. The reflective regions on the orientation indicator are embodied and arranged such as to be positioned at a target point with a detectable geometric relationship to each other and to be simultaneously resolved by the image recorder. By means of the orientation determination, amongst other things, separations from target points, even not directly visible, can be precisely determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining the orientation of an orientation indicator using a measuring instrument having distance measuring sensors and image acquiring sensors, the method comprising the following acts:

positioning the orientation indicator indirectly or directly at a target point where at least three reflecting segments;

resolving by the image acquiring sensors the at least three reflecting segments having a shape and arrangement defining a detectable mutual geometric relationship, wherein from the measuring instrument toward the orientation indicator, one reflecting segment simultaneously has a directional emission of a collimated beam measured by the distance measuring sensors and a divergent beam acquired by the image acquiring sensors, wherein the collimated beam differs in wavelength and/or polarization from the divergent beam; and

simultaneously;

capturing the collimated beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments;

capturing the divergent beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments;

determining the distance from the measuring instrument to at least one reflecting segment using the distance measuring sensors; and

determining the positions in space of the at least three reflecting segments using the image acquiring sensors.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the divergent beam exhibits a divergence that is equivalent to the field of vision of the image acquiring sensors and wider than the field of vision of the distance measuring sensors.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the emitted beams, the distance measuring sensors, and the image acquiring sensors are coaxial.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation indicator is positioned at a target point, and the distance to the target point is determined via the orientation of the orientation indicator and its geometric relationship to the target point.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance to at least one reflecting segment and the directions in space toward the at least three reflecting segments are determined simultaneously thereby establishing the orientation and position of the orientation indicator.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the orientation indicator is positioned at a target point, and the position of the target point is determined via the orientation and position of the orientation indicator and its geometric relationship with the target point.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein filters are associated with the reflecting segments and/or with the sensors.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the measurement by means of the distance measuring sensors is blocked in the direction of at least one reflecting segment.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance and/or position of the target point is not directly visible.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling a machine based on the determined orientation.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein control of the machine is automated.

12. An orientation indicator comprising:

image acquiring sensors configured to detect a mutual geometric relationship of a three reflecting segments of a target point having at least three reflecting segments of such a shape and arrangement that they have a detectable mutual geometric relationship; and

distance measuring sensors configured to measure a distance to one reflecting segment simultaneously with the detection of the mutual geometric relationship by the image acquiring sensors, wherein the reflecting segments have a layout such that the segment used for measuring the distance can be distinguished from the other reflecting segments regardless of the relative positions of the reflecting segments.

13. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein at least one reflecting segment differs in its size from the other reflecting segments.

14. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein the reflecting segments differ from each other in their sizes.

15. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein a filter is associated with at least one reflecting segment.

16. An orientation indicator according to claim 15, wherein the filter is placed in front of the at least one reflecting segment.

17. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein the at least one reflecting segment includes a 360°

reflector, a spherical all-around reflector, a zylindrical 360°

reflector, and/or a triple prism.

18. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein at least one reflecting segment includes a reflector foil, triple prisms, and/or a microlens.

19. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein the reflecting segments are tied together by a connecting unit.

20. An orientation indicator according to claim 19, wherein the connecting unit includes struts.

21. An orientation indicator according to claim 20, wherein the reflecting segments are disposed in a star-shaped arrangement.

22. An orientation indicator according to claim 12, wherein the orientation indicator is associated with a reflector support.