Leica Geosystems Ag

Kern & Co. Ag

Roland Zumbrunn

Jürgen Dold

Daniel Moser

Thomas Jensen

Bernhard Braunecker

Dietrich Meier

Albert Markendorf

Raimund Loser

Linus Richner

Stephen Kyle

A measuring system includes a laser tracker (), a target point marked by a reflector (), a surveying apparatus (), and an arithmetic and control unit (). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker () and the reflector (). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector () via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector ().

Tracking method and measuring system comprising a laser tracker

A measuring system includes a laser tracker (), a target point marked by a reflector (), a surveying apparatus (), and an arithmetic and control unit (). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker () and the reflector (). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector () via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (). If the measuring beam is not directed onto the reflector, the system switches to a special tracking mode in which the measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from an image () of the survey camera ().

A coordinate measurement instrument includes an optical distance measurement device () for measuring the distance from an auxiliary measurement means () which can move in space, a zoom camera (), which can rotate with respect to at least two axes, with a zoom lens, and an overview camera () for coarse localization of the auxiliary measurement means (). A light exit and light receiving optical system () of the distance measurement device (), the zoom camera () and the overview camera () are arranged on a shared carrier () which can rotate with respect to at least two axes (A, Z). The optical axis () of the distance measurement device () and the optical axis of the overview camera (), preferably extend coaxially outside the coordinate measurement instrument. Sub-units of the distance measurement devices () are, preferably, arranged on the carrier () and on the rotatable intermediate unit () and are connected to each other by means of optical waveguides (-).

Coordinate measurement instrument

A measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom (&#x3b1;, &#x3b2;, d, &#x3c6;, &#x3c7;, &#x3c8;) of a reflector () or of an object () on which the reflector is arranged, comprises an angle- and distance measurement apparatus (), e.g. a laser tracker, operating with a laser beam as a measurement beam (). The reflector () is designed for a parallel reflection of the measurement beam () and has an apical opening or surface (), in a manner such that a part of the measurement beam () directed onto the reflector (), passes through the apical opening or surface (), and is incident on a light-sensitive surface () arranged behind the reflector apex. Five degrees of freedom (&#x3b1;, &#x3b2;, d, &#x3c6;, &#x3c7;) of the reflector () or the object () are computed from measurement data produced by the angle- and distance measurement apparatus () and by the light-sensitive surface ().

Measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom of an object

For sensing the surface of an object, a number of gratings with linear line patterns of different periods on a common carrier are successively projected onto the surface. Images of the line patterns deformed at the object surface are detected and stored by a television camera and evaluated by an electronic circuit. The evaluation comprises computing, from the residual phases of the object points within each fringe of the linear pattern, the absolute heights of these points with respect to a common reference plane.

Growing community of inventors

Wittinsburg, Switzerland

Roland Zumbrunn