Method for determining position, laser beam detector and detector-reflector device for a system for determining position

• US 8,259,311 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Schneider, Klaus, Petschko, Hansjoerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Geisel, Kara E
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLI, IYABO
• Application Number:
  US12/599,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 332/81, 332/82, 332/85, 25055929-55939, 356138-155, 356614-624
• US Class Current: 356/624
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/006 Detectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/781 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/784 using a mosaic of detectors

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for determining a position by emitting a first laser beam (7) by a laser source (6) positioned in a reference system onto a detector (1) and simultaneously detecting the first laser beam (7) by the detector (1), thus defining an emission direction of the laser source (7). The detector (1) has a segmented detection area comprising a plurality of discrete partial detection areas (17), each having a defined partial detection direction and at least two partial detection directions thereof being different. When detecting the first laser beam (7), an impingement point (9) of the first laser beam (7) on the detector (1) is detected by means of at least one partial detection area (17), and when determining the incidence direction (10), said direction is derived from the at least one partial detection direction. The location of the detector (1) relative to the laser source (6) and the reference system is then determined using the emission direction and the incidence direction (10).

Claims

1. A method for determining attitude, comprising:

emitting a first laser beam by a laser source positioned in a reference system to a detector and simultaneous detection of the first laser beam by the detector, with the result that an emission direction of the laser source and an incidence direction to the detector are defined; and

determining the attitude of the detector relative to the laser source and the reference system,

wherein;

the detector has a segmented detection region comprising a multiplicity of discrete partial detection regions which in each case have a defined partial detection direction and of which at least two partial detection directions differ;

on detection of the first laser beam, an impingement point of the first laser beam on the detector is determined by means of at least one partial detection region and the incidence direction of the first laser beam to the detector is derived from the coordinated at least one partial detection direction; and

as the attitude of the detector, at least the azimuthal alignment thereof is determined from the emission direction and the incidence direction.

2. A method for determining attitude according to claim 1, wherein:

a reflective element is spatially coordinated with the detector in such a way that the position of the reflective element relative to the detector is known, the method further comprising determining a position of the reflective element relative to the laser source.

3. A method for determining attitude according to claim 2, wherein the reflective element includes an all-round prism.

4. A method for determining attitude according to claim 2, wherein the reflective element and the detector are positioned on a common axis and the first laser beam is emitted in a fan-like manner with an opening direction, the opening direction being oriented substantially parallel to the common axis.

5. A method for attitude determination according to claim 2, wherein, on determination of the relative position, measurement to the reflective element is carried out using a second laser beam, the emission direction of the first laser beam being predetermined by the direction in which the second laser beam is emitted for measurement to the reflective element.

6. A method for attitude determination according to claim 2, wherein, on determination of the relative position, measurement to the reflective element is carried out using a second laser beam simultaneously with or before the emission of the first laser beam, the emission direction of the first laser beam being predetermined by the direction in which the second laser beam is emitted for measurement to the reflective element.

7. A method for determining attitude according to claim 2, wherein the detector is integrated in the reflective element and, on determination of the relative position, the emission direction and a reflector direction, as the direction from the laser source to the reflective element, are determined.

8. A method for determining an alignment of an object using the method for determining attitude according to claim 1, the method including determining an alignment of the object carrying the detector and the reflective element including performing the method of claim 1.

9. A method for determining an alignment of a mobile finishing machine using the method for determining attitude according to claim 1, the method including determining an alignment of the mobile finishing machine carrying the detector and the reflective element including performing the method of claim 1.

10. A laser beam detector for performing a method for determining attitude, comprising:

a detection region composed of a plurality of discrete detection zones, with each of which a defined partial detection direction is coordinated; and

an impingement point of a laser beam on the detector being capable of being detected by at least one detection zone, wherein;

the detection region covers a planar angular range of at least 180°

;

the partial detection directions of the detection zones are arranged with radial orientation in a circular disc; and

the laser beam detector is formed for deriving an incidence direction of the laser beam from the impingement point, and for determining at least its azimuthal alignment relative to the laser beam from the incidence direction.

11. A laser beam detector according to claim 10, wherein a separate sensor element is coordinated with each detection zone.

12. A detector-reflector device comprising a laser beam detector according to claim 10, and a reflective element, the reflective element assuming a defined position relative to the detector.

13. A detector-reflector device according to claim 12, wherein the reflective element and the detector are arranged on a common vertical axis.

14. A detector-reflector device according to claim 12, wherein the reflective element includes an all-round prism.

15. A detector-reflector device according to claim 12, wherein the detector is integrated in the reflective element.

16. A detector-reflector device according to claim 12, wherein

the reflective element has a plurality of reflection zones and

the detection zones and reflection zones are arranged in the manner of a chess board.

17. A detector-reflector device according to claim 16, wherein the detection zones and the reflection zones are arranged on a lateral surface of a cylinder or on the surface of a sphere.

18. A detector-reflector device according to claim 15, wherein the reflective element has a reflection layer which is formed to be partly transparent for a laser beam and at least a part of the detection zones is arranged after the reflection layer, in particular is arranged within the reflective element.

19. A detector-reflector device according to claim 15, wherein the reflective element has a reflection layer which is formed to be partly transparent for a laser beam and at least a part of the detection zones is arranged within the reflective element.

20. Laser beam detector according to claim 10, wherein the detection region covers a planar angular range of at least 270°

.

21. Laser beam detector according to claim 10, wherein the detection region covers a planar angular range of at least 360°

.

22. Laser beam detector according to claim 10, wherein the detection region is composed of at least 36 discrete detection zones.

23. Laser beam detector according to claim 10 wherein the detection region is composed of at least 72 discrete detection zones.