Control method for producing ground markings, and reference beam generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528818-B2
Application number	US-201313781323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	May 4, 2007
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a control method for producing ground markings, with a reference beam generator for determining a reference plane, a reception of the reference beams by means of an optical detector, wherein the position of an application unit for the marking substance can be derived relative to the reference plane by using the received reference beams, a derivation of the orientation relative to the reference plane, and a control of an application of the marking substance to produce ground markings according to the orientation. According to the method, the intensity in the solid angle covered by the reference beam is varied in time during the production of the marking.

First claim

I claim:

1. A reference beam generator for producing an electromagnetic reference beam, comprising:
a radiation source for producing electromagnetic radiation; and
an optical system for the emission of the electromagnetic radiation as a reference beam, the optical system being configured to vary the intensity in the solid angle covered by the reference beam as a function of time,
wherein the optical system varies at least one first divergence opening angle of the electromagnetic reference beam as a function of time, and
wherein the first divergence opening angle is an angle between two rays of the electromagnetic radiation that define an outer envelope of the electromagnetic radiation in a reference plane that is parallel to a propagation direction of the electromagnetic radiation.

2. A reference beam generator according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system has a lens which is longitudinally displaceable in the direction of the optical axis or a mirror which is longitudinally displaceable.

3. A reference beam generator according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system has a mechanically moveable mirror surface.

4. A reference beam generator according to claim 3 , wherein the mirror surface has a curvature with a radius of curvature which is variable in the direction of movement.

5. A reference beam generator according to claim 3 , wherein the mirror surface has a curvature with a radius of curvature which is variable in the direction of movement with a radius of curvature varying cyclically in the direction of movement so that the first opening angle of the electromagnetic reference beam is variable.

6. A reference beam generator according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system has a mechanically moveable mirror surface that includes a scanner wheel.

7. A reference beam generator according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system varies the first divergence opening angle sinusoidally as a function of time.

8. A reference beam generator for producing an electromagnetic reference beam, comprising:
a radiation source for producing electromagnetic radiation; and
an optical system for the emission of the electromagnetic radiation as a reference beam, the optical system being configured to vary the intensity in the solid angle covered by the reference beam as a function of time by varying at least one first divergence opening angle of the electromagnetic reference beam sinusoidally as a function of time,
wherein the optical system has a mechanically moveable mirror surface and wherein the mirror surface has a curvature with a radius of curvature which is variable in the direction of movement.

9. A reference beam generator for producing an electromagnetic reference beam, comprising:
a radiation source for producing electromagnetic radiation; and
an optical system for the emission of the electromagnetic radiation as a reference beam, the optical system being configured to vary the intensity in the solid angle covered by the reference beam as a function of time by varying at least one first divergence opening angle of the electromagnetic reference beam sinusoidally as a function of time,
wherein the optical system has a mechanically moveable mirror surface and wherein the mirror surface has a curvature with a radius of curvature which is variable in the direction of movement with the radius of curvature varying cyclically in the direction of movement so that the first opening angle of the electromagnetic reference beam is variable.

Assignees

• Leica Geosystems Ag
• Beamrider Ltd

Inventors

• Schneider Klaus

Classifications

• G01B11/00 Primary

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

• A63C2019/067

  Machines for marking · CPC title

• A63C19/06 Primary

  Apparatus for setting-out or dividing courts · CPC title