Surveying system including an electro-optic total station and a portable receiving apparatus comprising a satellite position-measuring system

• US 5,233,357 A
• Filed: 11/20/1991
• Issued: 08/03/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wild Leitz AG
• Original Assignee: Wild Leitz AG
• Inventors: Frei, Erwin, Scherrer, Rene, Ingensand, Hilmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Moskowitz, Nelson
• Application Number:
  US07/795,279
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 33/295, 33/1 H, 33/1 T, 342/357, 342/352, 342/58
• US Class Current: 342/352
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00

Abstract

A terrestrial surveying system comprising an electro-optic total station (1) for combined measurement of angle and distance and a connection to data storage (11) or data processing devices (20), the total station (1) and at least one portable position-measuring unit, which is separated spatially from the total station and equipped with a receiver (3) for a satellite position-measuring system, are connected to one another through a wireless data transfer device (12, 13). The data processing device is preferably set up for determining coordinates, for coordinate transformation from the satellite position-measuring system to the terrestrial coordinate system of the total station and for consistency checking of the data determined.

Claims

1. A terrestrial surveying system, comprising:

an electro-optic total station for combined measurement of angle and distance;

a data transmission interface coupled to said total station;

a data storage device coupled to said interface;

a data processing device coupled to said interface;

at least one satellite position measuring system comprising a first portable position measuring unit comprising a receiver for determining position data;

a wireless data transmission system for coupling said measuring system to said total station to transmit said position data to said total station;

said total station coupling said position data to said data storage device and/or said data processing device;

said measuring unit having a first releasable fastening, positive centering device;

said total station having a second releasable fastening, positive centering device for coordinated fastening to said first centering device;

said first centering device being selectively fastened to said second centering device for positively connecting said measuring unit to said total station at a first relative geometrical position, when there is a sufficient satellite transmission to said first position for reception by said measuring unit, and being selectively fastened to a plumb rod to place said measuring unit at a second relative geometrical position having a sufficient satellite transmission for reception by said measuring unit, when there is insufficient satellite transmission to said first position for reception by said measuring unit.

2. The surveying system as in claim 1, wherein:

said data processing device performs coordinate determination of said position data and performs coordinate transformation of said position data from a coordinate system of said measuring system to a different coordinate system of said total station for consistency verification of said position data.

3. The surveying system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

additional portable position measuring units respectively mounted upon additional plumb rods for coordinate determination of additional points which cannot be measured from said first position of said total station and/or for coordinate determination of points by both said first measuring unit and said additional measuring units.

4. A terrestrial surveying system, comprising:

a satellite position measuring apparatus for determining first position data defining a first position of said apparatus, said apparatus including a transmitter for transmitting said first position data;

a electro-optic total station for combined measurement of angle and distance to produce second position data defining a second position of said system, said total station including a receiver for receiving said first position data from said transmitter;

a data processor including a memory coupled to said total station for receiving and processing said first position data and said second position data; and

means for positively mounting said satellite position measuring apparatus at one of said first position and said second position at which sufficient satellite signal reception exists for accurate operation of said apparatus, said means for positively mounting comprising a first releasable fastening, positive centering device attached to said measuring apparatus and a second releasable fastening, positive centering device attached to said total station.

5. A surveying system as in claim 4, wherein said first position and said second position are effectively identical and said first centering device is attached to said second centering device for attaching said apparatus to said total station at said first position.

6. A surveying system as in claim 4, wherein said first position and said second position are effectively different and said first centering device is attached to a plumb rod at said second position.

7. A surveying system as in claim 4, wherein said data processor transforms a coordinate system of position data received so that said first position data and said second position data are available in an effectively single coordinate system.

8. A surveying system as in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of additional satellite position measuring apparatuses having respective separate first releasable fastening, positive centering devices attached thereto for coordinate determination of respective separate position data for respective separate positions.