Leica Geosystems Ag

Hexagon Technology Center Gmbh

Peter Kipfer

Bernhard Braunecker

Thomas Jensen

Jürg Hinderling

Johan Stigwall

Bernd Walser

Laurent Stauffer

Christian Betschon

Knut Siercks

Heinz Lippuner

Klaus Schneider

Marcel Rohner

Beat Aebischer

Reto Stutz

Simon Bestler

Peter Arnold Stegmaier

Heinz Bernhard

Josef Lais

Markus Geser

Tim Mayer

Anton Kehl

Andreas Walser

Yves Salvadé

Jeffrey Victor Harrington

Markus Sprecher

Peter Stegmaier

A target reflector search device. This device comprises an emitting unit for emitting an emission fan, a motorized device for moving the emission fan over a spatial region, and a receiving unit for reflected portions of the emission fan within a fan-shaped acquisition region, and a locating unit for determining a location of the reflection. An optoelectronic detector of the receiving unit is formed as a position-resolving optoelectronic detector having a linear arrangement of a plurality of pixels, each formed as an SPAD array, and the receiving unit comprises an optical system having an imaging fixed-focus optical unit, wherein the optical system and the optoelectronic detector are arranged and configured in such a way that portions of the optical radiation reflected from a point in the acquisition region are expanded on the sensitivity surface of the optoelectronic detector in such a way that blurry imaging takes place.

Automatic locating of target marks

Light emitting unit, in particular of or for a triangulation-based distance measuring device, for providing defined measuring light, in particular laser light, is disclosed. The light emitting unit comprising a light source for emitting light, in particular a laser light source for emitting laser light, and a beam forming assembly for shaping the light by affecting propagation of the light emitted by the light source, wherein the beam forming assembly is arranged and designed so that measuring light is provided in form of a light line having a midpoint and two opposite ends. The beam forming assembly comprises at least one micro-lens array, the at least one micro-lens array comprises a plurality of micro-lenses, wherein the micro-lenses are designed and arranged in joint manner next to each other with algebraic signs for curvatures of successive micro-lenses being opposite and so that a periodic structure is provided.

Laser module comprising a micro-lens array

Method of providing measuring light for triangulation-based distance measurement to an object to be measured, wherein distance information is derivable by detecting at least portions of the measuring light reflected at the object. The method comprises emitting light and shaping the light so that the measuring light is provided in form of a line having a midpoint and two opposite ends. The intensity distribution of the light across the line is adjusted so that a respective light intensity at the ends of the line is at least 10% higher than light intensity around the midpoint.

Compensation of light intensity across a line of light providing improved measuring quality

The invention relates to a geodetic instrument, in particular a geodetic telescope, for example for a theodolite, or geodetic overview, photogrammetry or axial camera, comprising an imaging optical system which defines an optical axis and comprises an observation beam path for imaging a target object by an eyepiece and/or on a camera sensor, for registering and/or providing an image of the sighted target object. According to the invention, the imaging optical system comprises at least two diffractive optical elements in the observation beam path.

Geodetic instrument with diffractive optical elements

Embodiments of the invention include a sensor arrangement for inclination determination with respect to at least one axis. The sensor arrangement may include a code element having a code pattern and a line sensor, which is sensitive at least with respect to one wavelength range, having a reception direction orthogonal to its extension direction. In some embodiments the code element and the line sensor are arranged such that the extension direction of the line sensor and an extension direction of the code element are oriented in the same direction. The code element and the line sensor may be rigidly connected at a spacing of at least 1 mm and at most 10 mm such that a location, which is angle-dependent with respect to the reception direction, of a projection of the code pattern onto the line sensor can be determined by means of the line sensor.

Sensor arrangement having code element

An application controller for an application unit, for marking substances comprises a radiation sensor, by means of which the relative position of the application unit relative to a reference plane may be determined. The relative position of the application unit can be determined by means for recording the orientation of the application unit controller relative to the reference plane from the association of position with orientation information, such that control instructions, in particular for positional correction may be generated by the application unit controller. The position of the application unit can be adjusted by an actuator device according to the control instructions.

Application controller

The invention relates to an optoelectronic angle sensor () for determining a rotational angle about an axis (), comprising a circular disk () that can be rotated about the axis. Said circular disk comprises a coding, essentially over the entire surface, a flat photosensitive detector (), a device for producing an evaluable image of the coding on the detector and a memory and evaluation component () for determining the rotational angle. A largely complete, or in particular an entire image of the coding is produced on the detector. The rotational angle is determined using a parameter-varying stochastic comparison method, from the image and a parameterised electronic reference pattern that is provided by means of the memory and evaluation component.

Optoelectronic angle sensor and method for determining a rotational angle about an axis

The invention relates to a method for registering surfaces, using a scanner system comprising a radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation (ES), a scanning device for guiding the radiation over the surface in order to scan the latter and a receiver for receiving the radiation (RS) that is reflected by the surface. According to the invention, the radiation is spectrally separated to analyze the surface characteristics and a distance measuring unit is used to derive distance information in parallel from the received radiation.

Scanner system and method for registering surfaces

The invention relates to a positioning method for determining the position and orientation of a mobile unit having a receiver ('), whereby the receiver (&#x2032;) is detected by a scanner (&#x2032;), said scanner (&#x2032;) determining at least the distance and a direction in relation to the receiver (&#x2032;). The radiation emitted by the sensor is detected by the receiver (&#x2032;) and the direction of incidence of radiation and the direction of incidence of radiation in relation to an axis of reception are derived while an offset of the incident radiation in relation to the axis of reception (EA) is determined. Position and orientation of the unit are derived from at least the distance, the direction in relation to the receiver (&#x2032;), the offset and the direction of incidence as the position information and the unit is optionally controlled via the optical connection (OV).

Method and system for determining position and orientation of an object

An electro-optical range finder () having a trapezoidal laser () as a laser source, a laser source controller () for generating pulsed laser radiation, receiving optics () and a detector () with an evaluation unit () for receiving and evaluating the measuring radiation (RS) reflected by a target (ZI), in order to measure distance, has a separate supply for the guided waveguide region () and the trapezoidal region () as well as transmitting optics () with astigmatism compensation and for collimating the laser radiation.

Electro-optical range finder

The invention relates to a method for high-precision fixing of a miniaturized component (), in particular having a microoptical element (), on a predetermined fixing section () of a support plate () by a solder joint. The support plate is formed throughout from a metallic material and has a cut-out region () which encloses the fixing section (), is bridged by at least one connecting web () of the support plate (), keeps the heat transfer from the fixing section () to the remaining support plate low and compensates lateral thermal expansions of the fixing section (). Solder material () is applied on the top of the fixing section (). The method comprises in particular the steps: arrangement of the component () above the fixing section (), the solder material () and the base () of the component () being present in opposite positions without contact and forming a space. Supply of electromagnetic radiation () to the bottom () of the fixing section () for melting the solder material (') so that, as a result of drop formation and optionally as a result of lowering of the component () the space fills with molten solder material (&#x2032;) for mutual fixing. Waiting for the mutual fixing by resolidification of the molten solder material (&#x2032;).

Method for high-precision fixing of a miniaturized component on a support plate

The invention relates to an optical inclinometer. According to the invention, an incline-dependent medium, e.g. a liquid surface, is positioned in the pupil of an optical subsystem and a detectable wave front is imaged onto a detector by means of said medium. A phase displacement of radiation emitted from a radiation source is caused by said medium; the interaction of the radiation and the medium can take place during reflection or transmission. An aberration of the wave front caused by the medium can be analyzed by means of a wave front sensor and compensated by an evaluation unit or the detector. A wave front sensor having a diffractive structure formed upstream of each subaperture is compact and increases the resolution and the detectable angular region of the inclinometer.

Optical inclinometer

A target plate (Z) according to the invention for positioning components, in particular pipes (R, R), has a holographic optical element as a holographic diffusor. By means of the diffusor, radiation striking the target plate (Z) in the form of a reference beam (RS) can be guided very accurately and virtually without loss into a defined solid angle region (d&#x3a9;). Furthermore, the diffusor may have stochastically distributed structures and thus illuminate the solid angle region (d&#x3a9;) homogeneously. By means of the target plate (Z), the visibility of the incident reference beam (RS) is increased, and the reference beam (RS) can also be detected independently of position.

Holographic test plate for positioning and aligning pipes

Disclosed is a distance meter, particularly for telescope arrays in ground-based or space-based applications for detecting surfaces. Said distance meter comprises at least one radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation on to a target that is to be measured, a receiver unit with a sensor for receiving the radiation reflected by the target and deriving distance data, and a first spectral filter component. According to the invention, the angular spread of reception of the reflected radiation is limited by means of at least one spatial filter component, especially a fiber laser as a radiation source and receiver component.

Electronic distance meter featuring spectral and spatial selectivity

A reference beam generator () for guiding a field marker for ground markings has a support element () which can be positioned in a defined manner relative to the Earth's surface, a laser diode and beam guidance means for the emission of the radiation (LS) to at least one reference target (), the radiation (LS) being emitted with an asymmetrical beam cross-section (), in particular in the form of a fan, and the beam guidance means being adjustable in a defined manner relative to the support element (). The radiation (LS) can be aligned with the reference target () by an optical detection component for detecting and providing the radiation reflected by the reference target, in particular a telescope ().

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Marbach, Switzerland

Peter Kipfer