Trimble Jena Gmbh

Trimble Navigation Limited

Trimble Ab

Trimble Inc.

Michael Vogel

Set Svanholm

Torsten Kludas

Christian Grässer

Omar Soubra

Andreas Glimm

Darin Muncy

Steffen Laabs

Ute Natura

Nick Mein

Christian Graesser

Thomas Korn

Thomas Metz

Michael Kötzing

Hermann Göring

Wolfgang Hahn

Mario Fischer

Rolf Richter

Andreas Frank

Axel Schünemann

Gregory Lepere

Wolfram Prudlow

Richard Day

An optical surveying instrument is provided with an optical arrangement that includes at least one lens and the viewing element defining a viewing direction in the field of view. The distance measurement unit emits light beam towards the field of view and measured the distance to an object in the field of view based on a reflection of the light beam from the object. A movable mirror is arranged to direct the light beam towards the object and a mirror control unit is provided for reading calibration values from a calibration value memory and for moving the movable mirror using the calibration values to adjust the direction of the light beam to be aligned with the viewing direction.

Optical surveying instrument with movable mirror

A scanning surveying system comprises a base, an alidademounted on the base, a first motorto rotate the alidade about a first axis, a rotating mirrorrotatable about a second axis, a second motorto rotate the mirror. An optical distance measuring unitis configured to direct measuring light onto the rotating mirror such that it is reflected towards objects and to receive measuring light back from these objects via the rotating mirror. The system further comprises a cameraand a controller for controlling the first motor based on the images recorded by the camera such that the measuring light is reflected from the rotating mirror in a direction corresponding to a selected location within the image.

Scanning surveying system

The present invention relates to a tracker and a surveying apparatus comprising the tracker, which improve the reliability of tracking a target. The tracker comprises a first imaging region having a plurality of pixels for taking a first image of a scene including the target; a second imaging region having a plurality of pixels for taking a second image of a scene including the target; a control unit to receive a timing signal indicating a time duration during which an illumination illuminating the target in the scene is switched on and off, control the first imaging region to take the first image of the scene when the timing signal indicates that the illumination unit is switched on, and control the second imaging region to take the second image when the illumination is switched off; and a read out unit configured to read out the first image from the first imaging region and the second image from the second imaging region and to obtain a difference image.

Tracker of a surveying apparatus for tracking a target

A surveying system comprises a controller; a support; a mounting structure mounted on the support, wherein the mounting structure is rotatable about a first axis relative to the support; a first motor to rotate the mounting structure relative to the support; a first mirror mounted on the mounting structure, wherein the first mirror is rotatable relative to the mounting structure about a second axis, wherein the second axis substantially coincides with the first axis; a second motor to rotate the first mirror relative to the mounting structure; and a first light source configured to direct a light beam onto the first mirror.

Surveying system having a rotating mirror

A surveying instrument comprises a base; an alidade rotatable about a first axis relative to the base; and an optical measuring instrument having a measuring axis rotatable about a second axis relative to the alidade. A beam path can be provided for a light beam using components including a light source, lenses, mirrors, beam splitters, and a position-sensitive detector. The surveying can be calibrated by performing plural measurements at different orientations of the alidade relative to the base and different orientations of the measuring instrument relative to the alidade using the above components.

Surveying instrument and method of calibrating a survey instrument

The present invention relates to a surveying apparatus for surveying an object as well as a surveying system comprising the surveying apparatus having a simple and compact optical setup. The surveying apparatus comprises a lens arrangement including at least one movably arranged focus lens element for focusing to sight an object; an imaging unit configured to obtain an image of at least a part of the object; a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to the object along the optical axis of the distance measuring unit; and a beam splitter/combiner configured to combine a part of the optical imaging path of the imaging unit and a part of the optical distance measuring path of the distance measuring unit so that the optical axis of the imaging unit and the optical axis of the distance measuring unit are at least coaxially arranged with the optical axis of the lens arrangement between the lens arrangement and the beam splitter/combiner.

Surveying apparatus for surveying an object

A surveying system, comprises a support; a rotating mirror unit including a mounting structure, a motor mounted on the mounting structure and having a shaft rotatable about a first axis, and a mirror mounted on the shaft; a measuring unit including a mounting structure and a light source and optics mounted on the mounting structure for directing a beam of measuring light onto the mirror surface; and a window mechanically connecting the mounting structure of the measuring unit and the mounting structure of the rotating mirror unit.

Surveying system and rotating mirror for a surveying system

Assigning measuring points to fixed points includes calculating fixed point distances between fixed points in a fixed point coordinate system; determining coordinates of measuring points in a measuring point coordinate system; calculating measuring point distances between the measuring points; comparing at least two measuring point distances with the fixed point distances and identifying at least two pairs each consisting of a measuring point distance and a fixed point distance; determining a reference point in the measuring point coordinate system or in the fixed point coordinate system; determining first and second reference point parameters of the measuring points or fixed points corresponding to the pairs; determining second reference point parameters of the fixed points corresponding to the pairs in the fixed point coordinate system; identifying correspondences between the first reference point parameters and the second reference point parameters and assigning the corresponding measuring points to the corresponding fixed points.

Method and apparatus for assigning measuring points to a set of fixed points

Optical system for tracking and visually examining a target, comprising an image sensor and a lens arrangement having a variable position relative to the image sensor to project an image of the target onto the image sensor, a light source for emitting light in a predetermined wavelength range in the direction of the target and a filter switch for switching an optical filter for selectively allowing the light in the predetermined wavelength range to pass through to the image sensor into and out of the optical path to optionally perform a visual examination and monitoring of the tracking. A tracking device is provided to perform the tracking of the target using the reflected light in the predetermined wavelength range in a sequence of images held by the image sensor when the first optical filter is switched into the optical path.

Optical system for tracking a target

For swift and secure determination of a measurement error a first digital image is obtained using an image sensor, wherein a line of sight of an optical arrangement is oriented in a first face direction. A characteristic image area in the first digital image on an image sensor is determined. A second digital image is then taken with a line of sight of the image sensor oriented in a second face and the characteristic image area defined in the first image is searched in the second digital image, the first or the second digital image is rotated in the image plane by 180&#xb0; . Then in the second digital image the position of the characteristic image area is determined. And offset between the characteristic image area in the first digital image and the characteristic image area in the second digital image is determined.

Determination of a measurement error

A device for measurement by means of a light ray is equipped with a covering device for reducing stray light. The device comprises an array of lenses along an optical axis; a prism attached to one of the lenses with a slanted surface for coupling of the light ray incident from a light source placed lateral to the optical axis, onto the optical axis, so that the light ray can pass through the array of lenses along the optical axis; a receiver for receipt of a share of the light ray reflected by an object; and a covering device for at least one area of the prism that scatters a share of the light ray as stray light to the receiver.

Measuring device with a reduced share of stray light

A method for determining, in relation to a surveying instrument, target coordinates of a point of interest, or target, identified in two images captured by a camera in the surveying instrument. The method comprises determining coordinates of the surveying instrument, capturing a first image using the camera in the first camera position; identifying, in the first image, an object point associated with the target; measuring first image coordinates of the object point in the first image; rotating the surveying instrument around the horizontal axis and the vertical axis in order to position the camera in a second camera position; capturing a second image using the camera in the second camera position; identifying, in the second image, the object point identified in the first image; measuring second image coordinates of the object point in the second image; and determining the coordinates of the target in relation to the surveying instrument.

Stereo photogrammetry from a single station using a surveying instrument with an eccentric camera

An optical measurement system comprises a first housing body and a second housing body which can be rotated relative to the first housing body about a second axis of rotation, wherein the second housing body contains a measurement telescope, an inner roller bearing support fixed to the second housing body and protruding into the first housing body; an outer roller bearing support fixed to the first housing body; a drive disc fixed to the inner roller bearing support; wherein a motor having a motor shaft is attached to the first housing body in such a way that the motor shaft or a wheel fixed to the motor shaft is positioned on the drive disc and is pressed against said disc by a spring force orientated transversely to the second axis of rotation, and wherein the motor shaft or the wheel is coupled to the drive disc in a frictional fit.

Growing community of inventors

Schleifreisen, Germany

Michael Vogel