Surveying instrument for scanning an object and image acquistion of the object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10830588-B2
Application number	US-201816026987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2018
Priority date	Jul 4, 2017
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A surveying device including a base defining a base axis (A), a support structure defining a rotation axis (B), a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit detecting reflected measuring light, and a rotation unit including a rotation body including at least one scanning mirror arranged tilted relative to the rotation axis (B) and a curved deflecting element different from the scanning surface. The surveying device also includes an imaging unit including a camera sensor which is fixedly arranged so that an optical axis of the camera sensor is directed towards the rotation body, such that only in a predetermined imaging-alignment of the rotation body around the rotation axis (B) the optical axis of the at least one camera sensor is deflected by the curved deflecting element by a desired angle and direction so that the field of view comprises a defined field angle around the rotation axis (B).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surveying device comprising:
a base which defines a base axis (A);
a support structure rotatable around the base axis (A) and which defines a rotation axis (B) which is oriented basically orthogonal relative to the base axis (A);
a light emitting unit for emitting measuring light;
a light receiving unit comprising a detector for detecting reflected measuring light;
a rotation unit mounted on the support structure for providing emission and reception of the reflected measuring light in defined directions, wherein the rotation unit comprises a rotation body which is mounted rotatable around the rotation axis (B) and the rotation body comprises:
at least one slanted scanning surface which includes a scanning mirror arranged tilted relative to the rotation axis (B) and provides defined deflection of the measuring light, and
a curved deflecting element different from the scanning surface,

an imaging unit including at least one camera sensor for capturing image data of a scanning region and is fixedly arranged with respect to the support structure such that an optical axis of the camera sensor is directed towards the rotation body; and
a controlling and processing unit,
wherein the imaging unit and the rotation body are designed and arranged relative to each other so that only in a predetermined imaging-alignment of the rotation body around the rotation axis (B):
the optical axis of the at least one camera sensor is deflected by the curved deflecting element by a predetermined angle and direction,
a field of view of the at least one camera sensor is deflected and defined by the deflection of the optical axis so that the field of view comprises a defined field angle around the rotation axis (B),

wherein the curved deflecting element defines a first and a second geometric focal point, and the curved deflecting element is arranged so that:
the first focal point positionally coincides with an intersection point of the base axis (A) and the rotation axis (B), and
the second focal point at least basically positionally coincides with an entrance pupil for the at least one camera sensor in the imaging-alignment of the rotation body.

2. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the curved deflecting element:
comprises an elliptical, parabolic, hyperbolic shape, or is embodied as a hyperboloid having a reflective surface.

3. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the imaging unit comprises at least two camera sensors, wherein the imaging unit is fixedly arranged with the support structure so that the optical axes of the at least two camera sensors are directed towards the rotation body,
the imaging unit and the rotation body are designed and arranged relative to each other so that in the predetermined imaging-alignment of the rotation body around the rotation axis (B):
the optical axes of the at least two camera sensors are deflected by the curved deflecting element by respectively desired angles and directions, and
sub-fields of view of the at least two camera sensors are deflected and defined by the deflection of the optical axes so that one combined and continued wide-angle elevation field of view around the rotation axis (B).

4. The surveying device according to claim 3 , wherein the continued wide-angle elevation field of view covers
an angle of at least 100° around the rotation axis (B), or
an angle of at least 25° around the base axis (A).

5. The surveying device according to claim 3 , wherein each of the sub-fields of view which is defined by a deflection by means of the curved deflecting element in the predetermined imaging-alignment partly covers the wide-angle elevation field of view, wherein an overlap of adjacent elevation sub-fields of view is provided.

6. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit comprises an optical assembly which images a field of view zone which is provided by the curved deflecting element to the at least one camera sensor.

7. The surveying device according to claim 6 , wherein the optical assembly provides compensated imaging of light which is deflected by the curved deflecting element on the at least one camera sensor.

8. The surveying device according to claim 6 , wherein the optical assembly provides compensation of a refractive effect or an asymmetric aberration resulting from a curved design of the curved deflecting element.

9. The surveying device according to claim 6 , wherein the optical assembly comprises a set of at least five successively arranged optical elements, the at least five optical elements represent a result of a calculation which is based on a design model which considers a design of the curved deflecting element.

10. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the controlling and processing unit provides an imaging functionality which is configured so that the image data is recordable with each of the at least one camera sensors when the rotation body is in the predetermined imaging-alignment, or
the controlling and processing unit is configured to control a step of rotating the rotation body around the rotation axis (B) so that the rotation body is brought in the predetermined imaging-alignment.

11. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein
the rotation body is configured so that the scanning mirror is arranged on a front side of the rotation body and the curved deflecting element is arranged on the backside of the rotation body, or
the rotation body is a arranged in a cylindrical cover which is designed to provide at least a first transmission window for emission and reception of the measuring light and a second transmission window for reception of light for capturing image data by the at least one camera sensor.

12. The surveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined imaging-alignment is provided:
by one range of rotation around the rotation axis (B), or
by one angle of rotation around the rotation axis (B).

13. A rotation body of a rotation unit for a surveying device, the rotation body being adapted to be mounted on the surveying device for providing defined emission and reception of measuring light by rotation around a rotation axis (B), the rotation axis (B) being defined by a design of the rotation body, wherein the rotation body comprises:
at least one slanted scanning surface which comprises a scanning mirror which is arranged tilted relative to the rotation axis (B) and provides defined deflection of the measuring light;
a curved deflecting element different from the scanning surface and providing, when mounted on the surveying device, defined deflection of an optical axis of a camera sensor of the surveying device and an enlargement of a field of view of the camera sensor, wherein the curved deflecting element defines a first and second geometric focal point.

14. A method of generating quasi full-dome image data of a scanning region by use of a surveying device in controlled and automatic manner, the method comprising:
setting up a surveying device at a defined position, the surveying device including:
a base which defines a base axis (A);
a support structure rotatable around the base axis (A) and which defines a rotation axis (B) which is oriented basically orthogonal relative to the base axis (A);
a light emitting unit for emitting measuring light;
a light receiving unit comprising a detector for detecting reflected measuring light;
a rotation unit mounted on the support structure for providing emission and reception of the reflected homeasuring light in defined directions, wherein the rotation unit comprises a rotation bo

Assignees

• Hexagon Technology Ct Gmbh

Inventors

• Schwendener Andreas
• Walser Bernd
• Schröder Marco
• Seifert Benjamin

Classifications

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• G01C11/02

  Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01B11/00 Primary

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques · CPC title

• G01S17/36

  with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal · CPC title