Surveying Instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015185008-A1
Application number	US-201414560429-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention provides a surveying instrument capable of performing a non-prism measurement comprising a laser pointer for projecting a laser pointer beam, a measuring unit for emitting a distance measuring light via a telescope unit, for performing distance measurement on a measuring point by receiving a reflected light and for measuring an angle of the measuring point, an image pickup unit for acquiring an image including a target via the telescope unit, a tracking unit for emitting a tracking light via the telescope unit and for tracking the target by receiving a reflection light from the target, a driving unit for rotating the telescope unit in horizontal direction and in vertical direction and a control device for controlling the driving unit so that the reflection light of the tracking light from the target will be positioned at a predetermined position on an image pickup element of the image pickup unit, wherein an optical axis of the distance measuring light and an optical axis of the tracking light are in a known relationship and an optical axis of the laser pointer beam is offset from an optical axis of the tracking light by a predetermined angle.

First claim

1 . A surveying instrument capable of performing a non-prism measurement comprising a laser pointer for projecting a laser pointer beam, a measuring unit for emitting a distance measuring light via a telescope unit, for performing distance measurement on a measuring point by receiving a reflected light and for measuring an angle of said measuring point, an image pickup unit for acquiring an image including a target via said telescope unit, a tracking unit for emitting a tracking light via said telescope unit and for tracking said target by receiving a reflection light from said target, a driving unit for rotating said telescope unit in horizontal direction and in vertical direction and a control device for controlling said driving unit so that the reflection light of said tracking light from said target will be positioned at a predetermined position on an image pickup element of said image pickup unit, wherein an optical axis of said distance measuring light and an optical axis of said tracking light are in a known relationship and an optical axis of said laser pointer beam is offset from an optical axis of said tracking light by a predetermined angle.

2 . A surveying instrument according to claim 1 , wherein an optical axis of said distance measuring light of said measuring unit is coaxial with an optical axis of said laser pointer beam, the optical axis of said laser pointer beam is positioned at a center on said image pickup element and the optical axis of said tracking light is offset from the optical axis of said laser pointer beam.

3 . A surveying instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said control device performs mask processing with respect to said image pickup element so that a photodetection signal of the reflection light of said laser pointer beam is not issued.

4 . A surveying instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of said distance measuring light of said measuring unit is coaxial with the optical axis of said tracking light, the optical axis of said laser pointer beam is offset from the optical axis of said tracking light, wherein after guiding said laser pointer beam to a measuring point, said control device controls said driving unit so that the optical axis of said distance measuring light is moved in order to turn a set up offset angle to 0.

5 . A surveying instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal shaft for rotating said telescope unit in a vertical direction, an offset shaft relatively rotatable with respect to said horizontal shaft, an offset driving unit for rotating said offset shaft and a mirror installed on an end surface of said offset shaft and for reflecting said laser pointer beam, wherein an offset angle of said laser pointer beam is changed by relatively rotating said offset shaft with respect to said horizontal shaft.

6 . A surveying instrument comprising a laser pointer for projecting a laser pointer beam, a measuring unit for emitting a distance measuring light via a telescope unit and for performing angle measurement of a measuring point by receiving a reflection light, an image pickup unit for acquiring an image including a target via said telescope unit, a tracking unit for tracking said target by emitting a tracking light via said telescope unit and by receiving a reflection light from said target, a driving unit for rotating said telescope unit in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction, and a control device for controlling said driving unit so that a reflection light of said tracking light from said target is positioned at a predetermined position on an image pickup element of said image pickup unit and for performing of tracking said target, wherein an optical axis of said distance measuring light and an optical axis of said tracking light are in a known relationship and an optical axis of said laser pointer beam is offset from an optical axis of said tracking light by a predetermined angle.

Assignees

• Topcon Corp

Inventors

• Nishita Nobuyuki

Classifications

• G01C15/06

  Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers · CPC title

• G01S17/66

  Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• G01C9/02

  Details · CPC title

• G01C15/02 Primary

  Means for marking measuring points · CPC title

• G01C15/002 Primary

  Active optical surveying means (optical plumbing G01C15/105) · CPC title